A whole other realm
by Loki God of Evil
Summary: "Once, I was an elemental master, like my brothers. Then someone offered me the chance of immortality. Sorry, did I say offered? Haa, I meant, it was forced. I found myself in a new place, finding realms where I was hunted & despised. I never asked for this greatness either." (The trials & tribulations of Jay Walker-Gordon) Loki/Jay/Avengers
1. Backstory

**Authors foreword and disclaimer:**

 **I do not own Ninjago, nor do I make any money or profits from the writing of this story. The characters belong to Ninjago.**

 **I do not own the Marvel cinematic universe, nor the comics and books that inspired me to write this fictional adventure.**

 **Furthermore, as with some of my fictional stories, I always put some warnings in. I'm a mature adult and the majority of stories I write will be mature in nature. The stories, in question, will most likely contain cussing because hey these guys are in their early twenties (in this story.) Maybe a little 'hide the sausage!', did I say they were young adults? Hormone ridden? Hey, we weren't all good girls, I know I wasn't!**

 **My stories will almost certainly contain blood, violence and gore because hey, they're Ninja and trained to kill. finally, it's rated M for a reason, so if you're of the sensitive variety, turn back now.**

 **For your information; this is just the prologue. The writing style is intentional and is meant more as an introduction to everything that has occurred so far up to this point.**

* * *

 **Present day:**

The 'Destiny's Bounty' was an airborne ship, oriental in design with a dragon head prow. The wooden masterpiece had originally been made for the seas but then adapted for both once; the modern age arrived. Now, it doubled up as a fortress, a sanctuary for the occupants who lived aboard.

Sensei Wu was the master, he wasn't a pirate, far from it. First and foremost, he was their learned Sensei and trainer of the ancient arts. And, as a way to keep them all together and training, he invited them in and shared his home with them. A family, a team of five brothers and one kunoichi in total. And yet, this was no ordinary family, these brothers were not related by blood. It was a bond formed from the adventures, battles, and obstacles they had overcome. Some of which had been close to tearing their team apart.

The students that lived aboard were the ninja. Supposedly famous heroes as they'd often heard being bandied around through the city streets. Though nowadays, they tended to shy away from the public eye. It encroached on their private lives too much if they allowed it. Yeah, being famous wasn't always fun, especially when you had the grocery run to do.

Outside on the deck, training as per usual was Cole. His brothers sitting to the side of him, watching and waiting for their turn.

Cole could have been mistaken for an EMO guy just by his looks alone. He wore black and his raven locks were unkempt and occasionally held back with a flimsy piece of rag to keep his eyes clear. The only thing that made him look different from his brothers was the sheer amount of muscles on show and his olive tan. Cole preferred to focus on his training, he was always a stickler for all things to do with body conditioning. Constantly trying to outdo himself and others. He was such the competitive one, the one who was stronger than the rest. His only weakness was cake.

Then there was Kai, the hot-headed one of the group whose red gi matched his fiery temper and surprisingly, his element of fire. Years before all of this had happened, Kai had been looking after his younger sister, in place of their missing believed dead parents. He became overprotective as most older siblings would, believing that no-one was good enough for her.

Kai was easy to distinguish because of his wild styled hair. The brown spikes alone were impressive, not on par with mohican's or even anime style but still, the guy must have had shares in hair gel. As usual, the red-clad fighter was sitting on the sidelines, waiting for his turn to spar. He cast an untrusting glare at his sister's boyfriend across the deck, the one who always wore blue and who was currently trying to get a little too close.

Jay felt the glare. He gulped and sat to the side of his girlfriend. Not usually one to insult his brothers on purpose though, Jay was sometimes playful and often annoying. But at this moment, he really didn't want to be on the wrong side of Kai, not considering that less than an hour ago, Jay had tried to propose to Nya at lunchtime. He was athletic looking, tall-ish wish short auburn-haired and a nick through his right eyebrow. Not quite as tall and muscle-bound as Cole was but that didn't stop him from putting up a good fight. Unfortunately, because of his mouth and the speed he would talk at, Jay was currently known as the mouth of lightning, Zaptrap and even motormouth for his sins.

He was a talker, a joker and an all-around homeboy. And his element was a testament to that. Jay was the elemental master of lightning, a skill passed down through the bloodlines. His brothers were the same too, each having their own elements to learn and control.

Earth, Fire, Ice, Water, Energy and Lightning, respectively.

Lloyd was the youngest of the lot. A blonde haired green eyed twenty year old who had mastered the element of energy. Strangely enough, the kid hardly seemed old enough to have seen and experienced all that he had. Supposedly, he was the team leader but he often let that title slip to Cole, for an easy life. Most times, when his uncle Wu wasn't around to tutor them, Lloyd appeared laid back. He enjoyed spending time with the team because most often than not, his brothers in arms would lounge around and play on the console and Lloyd would join in on the fun too.

Zane was the odd one out. He wasn't even human yet he could control ice, a sort of cryokinesis.

Initially, he was created by someone who was childless, but rather than inventing a childlike robot, this man created an adult, making him look like any normal person would. A good few years ago, Zane had found out the truth of his upbringing. And accepting it had further made his later sacrifice all the more worth it. His body was the only one that could have endured what it had at the hands of an entity and the subsequent fight for power had resulted in a drastic change of appearance. No longer did he look like one of his brothers, Zane was pure titanium, like all the synthetic skin had been removed and all that remained were his metal features.

Nya, she was the younger sister of Kai. The only girl in the group who could fight her own battles, and the one who had come up between Cole and Jay. She was the elemental master of water, maybe not the best match for someone who loved to dabble in electricity as Jay did. That was probably one of the reasons that she had considered Cole as a worthy boyfriend a few years ago, when she was still dating Jay. He was the strong master of earth after all, earth and water mixed well.

* * *

In a whole other realm, was a mischievous brainwashed God. The poor man looked sickly grey with hollow blue eyes that made him look like he was being controlled by someone or something. He was being forced to sit, to concentrate on using the power in the sceptre to control the minions surrounding him. And, it was a lengthy process.

His astral form was sitting there, in sanctuary. Watching as before, waiting for his cues to cast all his strength of mind into the sceptre. Until a distant element caught him by surprise. Of course, he knew where his brother was at this moment in time, pretty much everybody did. But, this wasn't where he should have been, in fact, the more he focused on it the more he became intrigued and then annoyed. Subconsciously, he was watching but not concentrating on what he should have been as a blue insignificant speck moved around on an otherwise hidden realm.

It continued to keep his attention in that moment of intrigue, but he dismissed it just as quickly, putting it to the back of his mind because he had a task that needed to completed or he would face likely punishment at the hands of someone he hadn't manage to see.

Again, he cleared his mind and projected his astral form to communicate with a creature known as 'The other'. But damned Odin's beard, this blue insignificant speck had caught his gaze and ultimately, his attention. The moment of mental weakness had allowed the creature a chance to inflict injury upon the God and he winced as white-hot pain shot through him. The action of which, brought him back to his physical body on earth.

No, he would need to try that again.

More importantly, he wanted to know why there was an elemental that exhibited the same force as his brother did.


	2. Disturbance in the force

It was like karma was bearing down on them all for tarnishing her peace with the continual sounds of clashing metal and guttural roars as each member sparred vigorously.

Their sensei looked up at the skies. Initially, sunlight had painted the sky, allowing for plenty of relaxation time aboard the hovering ship. Typically as bad luck would have it, just after lunchtime the weather had taken a turn for the worse.

Like every other day, the team of ninja were honing their individual skills and picking up on weaknesses, all whilst being under the ever watchful eye of their Sensei. The wise old master sat cross-legged, atop the slanting roof of the Destiny's Bounty, teacup in hand. The old man was drinking, somewhat nursing his chamomile infusion.

He sat watching his students train from afar, the top of the ship; to be precise. Watching and waiting, unknowing if he'd be able to stop the next great power, or if his team could. Maybe this darkness was something that would be beyond them, all of them!

And as he pondered this thought, he watched them train, noting the bonds and the firm foundations of love.

 _Hope springs eternal._

As usual, all of his team were sparring, when weren't they?

Some, however, were doing better than others.

He looked discretely at the young lovebirds, Jay and Nya. Wu had only given them permission to leave the ship a few hours back because Jay had rather embarrassingly stated that he wanted to surprise Nya with a lunch date.

Initially, it looked like the lunch date, which was still a secret to most, hadn't gone all that well. Jay's face was like thunder when he had returned. Wu had stayed out of it, watching on to see how his team would handle the situation, remarkably, Kai had been very empathetic towards Jay's plight and the two men, including Nya had come outside to spar.

Typically, the two loved-up fools hadn't long been back from their lunchtime meal.

A failed proposal hadn't dampened Jay's mood too much, though the lack of an answer had caused subtle doubts to arise. It showed in his reluctance to take his sparring seriously.

Nya pinned him to the floor so easily, it was like flicking over a fly. Lips locking with his in a chaste kiss due to proximity, she wondered why he was being so soft on her. Considering the rest of the guys wouldn't be.

Smiling longingly, Jay grabbed her arms and pulled her down onto his chest. Laying in the long grass, Jay was hidden by the swathes of blossoming willow as the master of water lay atop him. He stared into her eyes with a glazed expression and chuckled. "It looks like you've won this round too?" He said, fingers tousling her jet black tresses.

Frustrated with his antics, Nya broke off the kiss. "You need to try harder. you can't let me win all the time." Her eyes going to the side, motioning that their sensei was watching them all like a hawk. "What's going to happen if an enemy uses me against you? You'll think they'll make it as easy?"

He remembered the event she was referring to. The dark island and the refined dark matter that had made her pure evil on wheels. Shit, Nya was still hot even when she was bad but he'd held back then too. And, he'd ended up getting a mace to the head, that wasn't much fun.

Clearing his head of that memory, Jay recomposed himself. "If it came to that, then I'd fight for you; like you've never known."

Groaning at the lack of bodily contact, Jay looked her in the eyes, a seriousness to his expression. "Nya, I-I'm letting you win because I don't wanna hurt you."

"Really, after what I've just said?" Nya climbed off completely, sitting by his side.

Jay nodded, cocking his head slightly. "Look at the other guys right, they're all fighting, getting good strikes in and so on. They aren't afraid of injuries or of hurting one another because they're guys. Because they bounce back up time and time again?"

"What are you saying?" She fussed, playing with his hand. "Are you worried or something?"

He bit his lip, clearing his throat. "What I meant is that, it's going to look pretty bad if I hurt you. Imagine what the doctors are gonna say when you walk in with a busted lip or black eye!"

"Then, maybe we shouldn't spar?" She offered, a loose shrug of her shoulders. "I could spar with Lloyd or Cole?"

He almost stared her down, a hint of fear, of misunderstanding. He certainly didn't want her fighting with Cole. Like he needed any bigger of an ego. "No, that's not what I meant."

Jay put on his best fake voice. "Excuse me, Miss, how did you come by these wounds, 'oh err my husband to be did it...but it's okay because we love each other'. Damn Nya, it just sounds like marital violence."

A pent-up sigh was slowly released followed by a chuckle. "I'm sorry, you probably think I'm being irrational, right?"

"A little." Nya nodded, giggling softly into his ear. "So, let me get this straight, I might inadvertently hurt you but you don't want to train because of it?"

Smirking, he turned to face her. "I don't want to hurt you. And, I know this might sound unusual, but I won't always want to be like this, y'know...a ninja?"

"Heck, I'll be too old soon," Jay replied, laughing softly. "Can you imagine?"

"Sheesh Jay, you're twenty-three, hardly too old!" Nya chuckled, playfully punching his arm. "And whatever you decide, I'll stand by you no matter what."

Eyebrow raised at that. He didn't want her to drop her dreams and aspirations for him and his future of inventing or flying the skies as a good pirate if there was such a thing. "You have your own dreams though, things you want to follow?"

She nodded. "Of course, but we can do these things together. We don't have to be apart to follow our dreams."

"You promise? Pinky?" Jay offered his little finger. "No matter what happens?"

"I can't believe you're asking me to promise. But sure, no matter what or how stupid this thing is, that we will follow our dreams, together."

Their little fingers linked in a hook and Jay cracked a cheesy grin that made his slight freckles stand out more against his pale face.

"No matter what, are you still gonna give me your answer tonight?" He asked, holding her little finger in his. "You promise?"

"I promise you, Jay, I'll make that up to you. Maybe I can give you a small taster of what you'll be getting..." She said, closing the gap, pinning him to the floor.

Lips locked almost immediately. The kiss turning from passionate to demanding and the sounds that left Jay's mouth only spurned her on.

Cole the master of earth, was on the Bounty's training course, typically perfecting his trained moves with precision using his trusty scythe. As always, he was using a lethal combination of spinning kicks, punches and slices. A slightly younger audience was watching those moves discreetly, seated behind the earth master as he continued his daily training regime.

Lloyd, for good reason, sat back and continued to watch.

Cole had stopped, eyes focused on the training mannequin. He growled and struck at it with the handle before following through with a lethal slice to the thing that stood before him. With a shot that powerful and focused, it was no wonder that the inanimate object split in half and fell to the ground like a side of beef.

"Thought you weren't supposed to use the weapons, just the baby ones?" Lloyd noticed.

He stilled slightly, thinking about what Lloyd had uttered. Sure, they used the wooden stuff from time to time. But there was no fun in beating the shit out of a mannequin with a wooden scythe. the thing would end up creaking and splintering.

"Pfft, Lloyd," Cole smirked, "You worry far too much, besides-" he said, "-our enemies aren't gonna use wooden swords or scythe's, better to train with the real stuff."

He picked up the two halves. Lugging the broken thing away and walking past Lloyd in the process. The 'green machine' as he was affectionately known; appeared to be deep in thought. Nose buried in a hefty hardback book. "Another one bites the dust eh? How much are these things anyway?" Cole mumbled, half to himself, not really expecting a response.

Lloyd averted his gaze for a millisecond, looking up at the vision of black before him. Cole had inadvertently created a dark shadow against the clouds and down onto the pages of tediously boring literature, Lloyd was attempting to read. "Uncle Wu, uhm Sensei has a steady supply of them in the brig and we can always get spares at Dareth's mojo dojo." Lloyd said, returning his bored gaze to the book.

Cole threw the two halves out of the way in the corner as if the rubber mannequin weighed little more than a pillow. "Do you want to spar or are you gonna be reading all day? What are ya reading anyway?" He asked, trying to sneak a peak. Intrigue verging on nosiness. Damn, it was so tempting to grab the book for himself than wait for a snarky response.

Lloyd paused again, saving the page with his digit. "It's a book on unexplained phenomena that Ninjago had been plagued with. Things we can't easily explain with a rational solution. Like the Overlord or the Preeminent."

"Cool..." Cole muttered, rolling his eyes. "What about talking snakes or the skeleton armies, Stone warriors, they in there too?"

Lloyd nodded, shrugging his shoulders. "Most of it is old stuff, the newer things have been added through the years, I think this is like a ninth edition or something like that."

"Lloyd?" An elderly voice called out from above.

Both ninja paused their conversation.

Wu, His uncle had climbed down from the topmost part of the ship and had wandered inside stroking his long white beard. Despite his aged appearance, Wu was quite the nimble old grandpa, so it seemed.

Admiring the old guys spunk somewhat Cole was impressed. How was it that this old man could climb on a frigging roof and get back down without so much as breaking a hip? Maybe it was all the tea he drank, or did he use medical smokes?

Then he simply watched as Lloyd quickly rose to his feet without so much as a word and promptly followed his uncle into the ship.

Lloyd turned before disappearing completely. "Sorry Cole, speak later?" He replied, walking out of sight, leaving Cole to cock an eyebrow.

Not put out in the slightest, Cole grabbed another training mannequin and hooked it onto the frame with relative ease. "Fine, I'll still be here." He muttered to himself. Wishing someone would take the baton and challenge him.

He could see that Kai and Zane were sparring. Pushing themselves to see who would fall first and then there was Jay. They were doing things that should have been done somewhere private. Kinda handy that Kai couldn't see them from his position.

Within a few minutes of being absent, Lloyd had come bounding out of the ship. Running like a green blur past Cole, nearly knocking him down in the process.

The master of earth watched as the platinum blonde quickly made his way down to the grass with a giddy excitement about his person.

Lloyd stopped abruptly, not even out of breath but far too excitable nonetheless. Scouring the local area, his eyes found his fellow ninja and kunoichi not too far away.

He walked up to Zane swiftly with a look of concern, verging on actual excitement. He had been alerted to a strange anomaly mere minutes ago by his uncle, something was mentioned about a 'signal' that the Bounty had picked up on the radar. Yet something seemed off and not quite right. It was odd, probably one of the anomalies he'd been reading about earlier?

Having liaised with Wu; Lloyd decided it best to break it to his team of willing ninja, to gauge their enthusiasm first. After all, this was going to be their first mission after doing sweet FA for the best part of a year.

Lloyd cleared his throat, noticing that Cole had joined his side. If anything, he was hoping Cole would be supportive, considering how bored he'd looked earlier. "Uhm guys, Nya. How do you feel about a new mission?"

"What sort of mission?" Jay inquired, sitting upright to attempt to shield his eyes from the bright cloudy skies above.

"I can't fully explain it yet." He looked back at where his uncle was just standing, feeling a little awkward. "This literally just appeared, flagging up on the control panel." He replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Vague?" Jay replied. He certainly needed something else to focus on. A cold shower would have been preferable though. "So a potential mission!" He suggested. "Any more information on it?"

"I-I don't know just yet," Lloyd answered, flustered with the repetition. He wished he had more to go on then maybe his team would show more interest. Had they become so disinterested and complacent that they needed more than just a simple invite to action?

"What sort of mission is it? Come on Lloyd, you can't interrupt us with teasing bits of info and not give us the full details. You're gonna have to do better than that." Jay replied, fanning his now tight blue gi. "You got more information on it?"

"No, but I can have. I need some help to interpret the findings, figure out what it is we're looking at."

"Ask Zane then, he's usually the go-to guy for that sorta stuff," Jay offered, noting Zane's gentle nod of acceptance and recognition.

Lloyd seemed to like that idea, it sounded better coming from his lips than it had from his own uncle. He turned to face Zane, speaking directly to him. "We've found something quite err, interesting, but I don't have all the details. Ideally, though, I'd like everyone back on board so we can work out a plan."

Zane nodded, following in earnest, happy to be doing something that may exercise his CPU rather than his hydraulics.

Kai followed begrudgingly because his sparring partner had literally upped and left but rather than going through to the control room, he stayed on deck to taunt Cole.

Jay and Nya were the only two that carried on doing what they were doing with added enthusiasm. "That was vague. Do ya think we should go and see what he wants?" He mumbled breaking off the kiss.

Her lips began tracing down his neck. "If it's a mission then we should really." Nya continued.

Jay groaned again. "Mmm, but you're, I mean we're not moving."

* * *

Lloyd and Sensei Wu had found an electrical signature, neither could explain what it was. A little more digging had revealed that; one, there was no land mass and two when they had focused on the electrical signature it appeared to be coming from the bottom of the ocean. As if the thing had been dropped there from a great height. That wasn't the problem though, the problem was why had it suddenly appeared? and what it meant.

A few minutes later and the ninja still hadn't boarded the ship. It would seem that Lloyd's announcement didn't seem all that enthralling. His mistake was simply being too gentle with them, not forceful enough.

 _'Another approach then!'_

This time he hollered out to them, loudly. His firm authoritarian voice shouting out to get them into some form of action. "Guys, we've got a mission NOW." Lloyd shouted annoyingly at his team of reluctant ninja, they stood almost immediately.

Finally, two by two and singular like Noah's arc, they boarded the ship. Once on deck and somewhat quiet, Lloyd tried to explain where they were about to go. He pinched the bridge of his nose, Jay was still talking as usual, he didn't expect anything less from his master of lightning. _'Too loquacious for his own good.'_

He straightened up. "We're going to Ninjago Bay, just off it. It appears that the radar picked up a strange anomaly that we need to check out. The anomaly, well it's coming from the sea."

That extra bit of information sparked some interest in the blue ninja because to him strange signals were usually always caused by some electrical activity or chemical reaction of some sort. "Okay first off, I call dibs on the ultrasonic raider...if we need it that is." Jay squeaked excitedly, walking into the Bounty pulling Nya with him eagerly.

Cole stood firm, his arms crossed. "Oi Sparkplug, I don't think the Sonic Raider has been waterproofed doofus." Came the sarcastic response.

Jay shrugged his shoulders. "Hey whatever, I love the Raider and besides I can hover it ya know over the sea."

Cole retorted with a sigh. _'Nothing changes Jay?'_ The blue ninja was being his usual annoying argumentative self, who didn't know when to stop.

There was no smile, just an annoyed expression. "But what good will that be, hovering isn't exactly helpful is it?"

"Whatever dirt brain," he shouted back with a smirk, following Lloyd through to the control room with Nya trailing behind.

A sudden glare from Cole made Jay take notice. " **Zap trap,** _focus_ just for once?" Came the harsh response followed by a slap upside the head.

The master of lightning frowned at Cole but chose not to retaliate verbally because he knew it would be a bad idea. He was soon soothed by his girlfriend as she consoled him, drawing him close and into her embrace. A kiss on the cheek made it all better, for now.

"You always call dibs," she smirked.

"If you keep talking about it Zaptrap, I'll rename you, uh," Kai looked at Cole for suggestions but the master of earth was stoic, his lips remained pursed deep in thought about the upcoming mission. "Motormouth!" Kai finally replied with a laugh.

' _You already do, more or less.'_ Jay thought wryly.

"That the best you got Kai? gotta say totally lame, just like your jokes," Jay finally replied, wrapping his arms around Nya's waist, noting Kai's fists clenching. He soon released her for fear of being burned to the spot. "Hey uhm Nya? Do you think this could be linked to the meteor a few days ago?" He whispered discreetly.

She adjusted her stance and turned to face him. "I doubt it. Besides how many meteors do you know of, that emit a signal?"

Feeling Kai's burning glare lessen somewhat, Jay lowered his gaze and spoke quietly into her ear. "I know what I said, but this new mission is in the general location of where it fell!"

Nya shrugged her shoulders. "Sometimes you're too smart for your own good and one of these days Mr Walker, it'll get you in trouble!" She smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek.

* * *

Both Kai and Cole, stood waiting patiently outside of the control room, the floor creaked with the weight and movement of the two ninja and the smell of treated wood floated into their noses. A smell they had certainly gotten used to and the same smell that gave them comfort and a roof over their heads. The smell of home, of sanctuary.

They waited patiently for Zane and Sensei Wu to appear, The young blonde haired ninja was already in there trying his hardest to understand what the electrical signal could possibly mean and where it had come from and why it was in the ocean to begin with. It was like it had just appeared from nowhere, a complete mystery!

Lloyd finally snapped, he told everyone to be quiet. Then he received a few groans and annoyed whispers in response. "Look whatever. Guys, there are more important things than trying to win battles of wit with all of you. You all need to focus, this could be big, it could be huge."

"Hey wit is fun, great for the mind, it keeps you on your toes ya know."

"Jay, not everything is a game..." Lloyd admonished. Watching as the blue ninja stepped back sheepishly, his gaze lowered, his mouth now closed.

Finding the courage to speak up again without having his head bitten off. "Well, what is it then? What is so important that's got your pants in a twist?"

Lloyd brushed past Jay. "This Jay, this is what we've found," he replied, tone unimpressed. His finger traced a flashing dot on the tracking screen. "You see it now?"

"Uh, what is it, Lloyd?" Jay turned to the side and joined his brother in green, a few clicks later and coordinates were set which would signal the start of their journey.

Rolling his eyes in annoyance Lloyd groaned. "I don't know, but we're going to check it out. We can't be too careful about anomalies that seem to end up here."

"Where are we heading?" Jay looked at the rough coordinates, it looked vaguely familiar.

"The coastline, a few miles off it, to be precise," Lloyd replied, tapping the screen with a furrowed brow. "A few hours and we'll be there."

* * *

Nya slowed the speed of the jets as the Bounty neared the signal and the impending coastline. She quickly announced over the tanoy system that they were making the descent into the water. Thus allowing everyone to take hold in case of a bumpy landing. As expected, the boat seemed to creak and groan when it finally touched down onto the open water.

The jet propulsion engines hissed and sizzled as the cool water lapped up at them, splashing against the side of the boat. The coastline was so far away now, that it couldn't be seen anymore. There was just an expanse of never-ending blue ahead of them on all sides. Blue waters glistening in the late afternoon as the sun lowered in the sky.

Jay whined holding his nose in disgust. "Urgh is that low tide? I hate low tide smells."

Cole laughed and punched Jay playfully on the arm. "No, you only get that on the beach typically at ha low tide. Jay bro, we're miles away from the shoreline."

"Ohh," Jay recoiled and silently said the word 'ow'. Cole had given him a dead arm just with a playful punch.

Cole took a deep breath and smiled. "That smell is the sea air, invigorating right?"

A raised eyebrow was all the expression that Jay could give. "Yeah, s-sure."He replied with a swift nod. He was desperately trying to hold onto his seafood and duck lunchtime meal but oddly enough the boat wasn't rocking and Jay had never usually suffered. This was different, a gut feeling, he felt panic and uncertainty.

"Since when have you suffered from motion sickness, Jay?" Cole hollered but it fell on deaf ears, Jay had walked away looking deathly pale verging on green.

The boat moved until the signal from the electronic device was right below. "Drop anchor here, and keep us steady Lloyd," Cole hollered.

Lloyd smirked. "Aye, Aye captain," he joked and released the anchor, watching as it splashed into the dark blue beneath them.

The large metal anchor sank into the ocean like a 100-ton lead weight, it took a while to reach the bottom, the metal chain had almost run from its winch, signifying how deep this expanse was. According to Zane and Lloyd, the ship was mooring, over what appeared to be a crevice or deep oceanic ravine. Sometimes known as a fault line, Zane had helpfully suggested.

* * *

None of the team knew what to expect from this mission, some even had doubts about certain things including a possible overlord resurrection, a new tribe of underwater creatures wanting to take over Ninjago or perhaps something even more sinister. This meant that protocols and safety procedures would have to be put into place before they even contemplated diving.

Zane stepped forward. "I-I will offer my services, I will dive." He said before anyone had a chance to. Jay and Kai had stopped trying to draw straws and both looked at Zane in shock.

"Whoa, hang on there dude," Cole stepped forward. "Nya's the master of water here, she could do it easily," he reasoned.

Zane shook his head slightly. "Though I like your reasoning and indeed she is the master of water, I still forward my services for this dive."

"Why?" Nya said, stepping forward. "Why would you do that?" She asked, feeling a little put out at not being able to utilise her skills of water control.

"Our initial diagnostics reveal that this anomaly has levels of radiation issuing from it. Now, we identified that this radiation may also be accountable for the large energy spike that alerted us in the first place," Zane took a pause from his lengthy speech.

"Radiation?" Nya questioned with a frown.

"Small levels, I assure you. The levels seem to be decreasing, likely attributed to the depth and the fact that maybe the ocean is cooler than entry to our atmosphere would have been. Remember brothers and Nya..." Zane said, looking at all of them. "Outer space is beyond freezing, but to enter an atmosphere will heat up a meteor exponentially, the heat could give the reason as to the levels of radiation."

Fixing him with a stare. Cole placed his hand atop Zane's metal arm. "Are you sure about this?" He asked calmly. "I mean Nya could try using her element, to part the waves as it were?"

Jay chuckled in the background, refusing to state anything about how funny that sounded.

The nindroid nodded. "She could but why bother, if needs be, Nya can be on hand to rescue me if I fail. And, yes, for one, we do not know the actual depth as yet and for two I do not require oxygen, I can simply inflate my artificial lungs and use the supply sparingly, like rations. Tell me how deep can she part the ocean?"

"Hey, I've never had the opportunity," Nya feigned hurt.

Cole smiled, nodding his head. "Well, it's a good enough reason for me and, well thought out." So, in Cole's mind, Zane and his rational thinking had won the argument making the task much easier for all involved. "Okay, thanks Zane, makes it safer at least."

He looked around his team, sorting out of the remaining five who would be best suited to help Zane on his mission. "Jay, you need to help him, get all the supplies he needs, transmitter, insulated tools, containment, the whole lot, got it?"

Jay nodded with the order, all seriousness. "Got it..." He walked off, not even daring to complain, it wasn't like he minded and if he was honest with himself, he was the best suited to assist.

* * *

Zane had put his services forward, being the one who opted to dive due to the possible pressure he may encounter. After all, no one had offered to do it so the offering of his services was greatly received by Cole and Lloyd who were so close to having the need to draw straws.

The titanium ninja was given a supply box equipped with suitable tools for deep diving, Jay had managed to find the best ones that wouldn't be too heavy, they were his own. Even the box was, they were both lightweight and capable of retrieving an artefact without the need of handling it too much.

God knows what it would do if it was touched at least physically without protection considering the amount of distortion it was providing and the fact that it was emitting a powerful electrical pulse.

Once the anchor had settled, Zane had gone to get his supplies and protective equipment from Jay and the blue ninja had gone to retrieve two earpieces giving one swiftly to Zane upon his return.

Both did the relevant checks first to make sure they worked and then just like that Zane had jumped into the clear blue waters as the sun was starting to descend on the horizon. Nya was out on the deck, being the master of water meant she could at least make the depth less intense for the nindroid, despite the risk of unknown radiation. She still parted the waves, as it were, made a large water like crater for Zane to jump into. And there it remained, a literal parting, a good 100 feet of salt water separated so that Zane's form could still be seen, least until he surpassed the depth at where this cube was located.

Jay had been chosen to oversee the entire dive. To be honest this task kept him focused on other things considering the fact that Nya hadn't given her answer to his earlier lunchtime proposal. All she had done was given him a hug and replied with a response devoid of any clues, saying something along the lines of; 'I'll tell you after dinner.' To the blue ninja that probably meant a cosy evening with just the two of them and then he could give her the ring he had saved up for but it might not because she could also say no.

"How was the meal? I know you and Nya went for lunch together, did you have fun? A special event, a proposal?"

"Uhm, it was okay." He mumbled, red-faced. "We had fun, it was a bit ostentatious though, stuck up." Jay offered, not wanting to disclose that he had tried to propose to his long-term girlfriend and, she hadn't given him that answer.

"Will you enlighten me later perhaps, maybe after dinner?"

Jay's mouth curved into a half smile. Sure, if Nya gave him the answer he was hoping for, then everyone onboard would know. "I promise, Zane."

The blue ninja was at present, keeping an eye on any distortion or electrical activity from the strange signal. His task was to keep Zane informed of any things he felt he needed to know. He kept him company using a communications device whilst Zane performed the deep dive. Jay's voice was the only thing the nindroid could hear during his descent into the darkness below and although the blue ninja could talk endlessly it provided a balm to Zane. Even if he did occasionally zone out of the continual presence of jokes coming down his earpiece.

Jay was feeding back on Zane's dive depth and keeping an eye on all of the electrical activity that was currently emanating from their location noting spikes and odd behaviour from the thing the closer in proximity Zane got to it. "Ya still okay Zane, got maybe another hundred feet to go, how's it looking?"

"Well, other than getting darker, minute by minute." Zane stated, "It is actually beautiful down here. The pressure you enquire about is maintaining a comfortable rating, nothing I cannot handle. Besides Jay, I believe it would have been unwise for you to accompany me, my internal systems can handle this pressure, unlike the fragile human system coupled with this."

"Yeah true, hey uh Zane, the signal is getting a little bit crackly. I think it's distortion from whatever it is we're retrieving." The line crackled again. "Just be careful okay?" Jay said quietly into his headset mouthpiece, observing Zane's dive depth as it began approaching the three hundred feet range.

He was right though, too much depth would require a decompression chamber and that was something they didn't have on board for it would take up too much space. The last thing they wanted was 'the bends' or decompression sickness.

"Oh uhm Zane, if the cube starts to affect you in any way you come straight back up yeah! I mean it tin man, straight back up."

"Jay, you worry far too much what is the worst that could happen?"

"Urgh Zane, don't say that it's like tempting fate hehe, uhm twenty feet. Uhm, can you see it yet?"

"Yes actually, it is quite..." A crackle of distortion again and a pregnant pause causing Jay to worry.

"Zane?"

"Remarkable..." Zane paused owing to the radiation as it provided the expected distortion. His line had lost all power for a few seconds. "It is a perfect transparent cube, electrically charged somehow and it seems to be emitting a type of radiation," he mumbled. His voice was still crystal clear despite the depth.

Jay stopped cocking on his chair, all four legs hit the wooden floor hard. His earpiece buzzed. "Radiation yeah you mentioned doesn't sound good at all. What type of radiation are we talking about, will it be safe to be on-board?"

"Gamma radiation, not too harmful in small doses according to my data banks, but we would still be wise to use precautions," Zane added helpfully. He had the slightest feeling that Jay might have been panicking mildly.

Jay tapped his head in slight confusion. "Such as what, I mean we're on a flying ship?"

"Containment, we have some devices on board," Zane quickly replied.

"Cool of course we do," Jay said and facepalmed, looking behind himself at the ones that were standing gathering dust, having not been used for some time.

Five hundred feet down and Zane was feeding back to the blue ninja of what he had found. He had been warned of touching the device so he used the tools provided to scoop it up with. He opened his metal box and retrieved a small metal net in one hand and a pair of tongs in the other hand.

He held his earpiece closely. "Easy Zane slowly does it," Jay whispered and at the same time noting Zane's power source was flickering impossibly bright.

"Is there any way you can touch it without touching it, Zane?" He asked, "I'm just worried about your power source. Uhm, do a quick check for me."

"It has a charging effect, which is odd but an additional bonus-" Zane replied, smiling. "-And there is so much power in this cube, too much. . ."

The sound crackled out with more disturbance. "It is not right, Jay."

"Zane?"

The nindroid cautiously looked around and noted the lack of aquatic life. There seemed to be a large amount of newly deceased aquatic life forms floating near to the cube. Zane calculated that it was more than likely due to the radiation the cube was giving off and the depth that the cube was now at.

"A good estimation would be that on the cube's descent to the ocean floor the radiation had lessened significantly because of the extremes of pressure. But initially, it must have been so high that it killed the sharks and other sea-dwelling creatures as it sank, hmm."

He tried to put all of this into his databanks to come up with a more valid excuse. "Therefore explaining the fact that the deep sea creatures at this depth are dead and have decayed much faster than they should. Although I would have expected no remains of sea life because of all this food around."

"Zane, you alright down there?"

"Sorry I am just thinking out loud. There is a considerable amount of dead aquatic lifeforms floating around me. Should they be called dead forms my data banks do not explain this?"

Jay had literally facepalmed. "Hahahaha dead forms, I think they're just like uhm dead."

He stopped chuckling for a few seconds more. "But I get what you mean, so there's no predators around is that what you're getting at?" Jay quizzed..

Zane cautiously picked up the blue cube in the net and placed it securely within his supply box before making his ascent up to the Bounty. A quick journey compared to the previous one. Considering Zane was a nindroid meant he was also not subject to decompression sickness.

* * *

Once Zane had boarded the ship and dried off, he gave the secured box to Jay, everyone was called into the inventing room for fear that the distortion was so great it would affect the sensitive control panels and tracking devices. Zane opened the box and Jay jumped around like an excited schoolboy clapping his hands excitedly as he peered into the metal box.

Almost everyone except for the blue ninja, had looked decidedly confused at the blue cube. Puzzled expressions followed 'oohs' and 'ahhs' but still the ninja team and their Sensei were at a complete loss. The more they stared the more confusion settled leading to frustration and finally boredom.

The cube was just that, a cube glowing with pure blue energy and as transparent as Zane had first stated. Tiny tendrils of lightning could be seen as well as a swirling and ever-moving mass of energy within. A few hours was all it took for Cole, Lloyd, Kai and Nya to lose interest, they offered to help make the dinner for the night and Jay and Zane happily agreed, watching as their brothers and Nya respectively walked away to the kitchen.

Zane gathered some more tools to poke at the cube with. "I sense this cube is dangerous in the wrong hands and we would be wise not to touch it until we know what it is."

"I intend to run some tests on it, to ascertain the type of radiation we are dealing with. Can you assist me, Jay? Being as no-one seems to be overly concerned with this strange blue cube that just appeared in our ocean."

Jay hopped around feeling like a child again. "Yeah, of course, this looks pretty exciting."

"I mean it's not every day you find something as cool and alien looking as this do ya? Besides those guys don't really get tech like we do, although to be fair I'm still kinda surprised that Nya's not showing much interest in this cube either." Jay huffed to himself, negativity setting in. He thought the reason she didn't want to help was that she was going to let him down and say 'No.'

"Just to be safe Jay, you will need to use these to handle this cube," Zane said and picked up some rubber handled insulated prongs before putting some rubber gloves on to reduce any potential shocks he might get.

"I have a bad feeling about this cube and for me, that is saying something for I usually do not _feel_ anything" Zane stated oddly.

Now that the cube was out of the water it seemed to pose more of a risk, it had no extremes of pressure keeping its power controlled. The result of that was that the light inside of it was flickering madly. Various other electronic devices began springing to life as the cube started emitting full beams of energy around them, making Jay smile in excitement for he had never seen anything like it before.

"Oooh-kay Zane, what aren't ya telling me?" Jay asked looking confused at his brother as he eyed the devices flickering off and on intermittently.

"Cos if this is dangerous as _you_ state it is then I think I need to know what you think you know! uhm, _If you see what I mean that is,_ " Jay added and regretted saying it as soon he had uttered the words.

"I do not SEE what you mean Jay," Zane said looking at Jay genuinely puzzled.

Jay raised his eyebrow. "Fine Zane, what I mean is that I need to know what you know." He shook his head at his nindroid brother's lack of understanding.

"All I know, Jay, is that this device is not just emitting an electrical signal it is also receiving one too. I am picking up distortion when I try to scan it and there is language on it I have not encountered before".

"Language, it's just energy?" Jay asked and lifted his mouth at the corner into a smile of mischief.

"Pure untamed but yet restrained energy, just waiting to get out," Jay stared at the cube, feeling more than just a pulling feeling coming from it, his finger grazed over it and the energy within it made his neck hairs stand on end.

It wasn't the only thing he felt though because a pair of golden eyes had seen him too and the image of those eyes had been burned into the recesses of his mind.

He struggled to pull himself away but he managed it, staring at it from more of a distance before a thought came to his mind.

"It is dangerous, Jay! We do not know what we are dealing with yet and it pays to be cautious!" Zane urged, holding the tongs in an attempt to pick up the cube for overnight security.

"Dangerous yet interesting! do you mind if I scan it in my new invention?" He asked, verging on pleading.

Zane raised the one solitary eyebrow in surprise. "What is the invention? Jay"

"It's a location tracker, I made it to track Cryptor's army, ya know the nindroids we managed to subdue? Anyway, I made this to scan and track their whereabouts. It works too." He nodded his head and stroked it, like it was a thing of beauty, something he was immensely proud of.

"But you never used it because?" Zane asked, putting the cube down with the insulated tongs still attached, allowing Jay to pick them up and the blue cube in the process.

Jay's eyes widened at being given the opportunity to prove himself. He walked up to Zane and took the tongs. "Because the control panel worked a little better at a guess, I don't know, but like I said it still works."

Zane backed away, allowing Jay to take the reins metaphorically. "What exactly will it do?" He asked standing back further when Jay approached his invention which looked like a commercial dishwasher.

Jay raised an eyebrow quickly. "It will help to pinpoint a location as to where the other signal is coming from," Jay replied in a matter of fact tone. "After all you did say it was receiving a signal right?"

The master of ice stood and watched as his brother carefully lifted the dangerous yet unknown entity from the case. "Yes, of course, I guess it would not hurt to try," Zane replied standing back further.

A huge smile was plastered on Jay's face, his excitement exceeding that of a child in a candy store….with the exception of Lloyd perhaps. "This is gonna be so cool Zane…" Jay cocked his head and grinned. Those blue loveable eyes that Nya had fallen in love with were sparkling with mischief and awe, he stared at the cube in his grasp.

' _Finally, this is what I've been waiting for, a chance to prove myself.'_ He thought happily, this was the thing that had fallen from the sky a few days ago. The one other expedition he had wanted to go on had finally happened and now he was getting the chance to experiment on it.

But how was the master of lightning to know what the cube actually was? He had no idea of its origins or the power that it possessed.

Jay carefully lifted the object and placed it within his invention, within a few minutes he had switched it on and the whole thing began whirring and buzzing.

Zane stood back and hid behind a workshop table as Jay's inventions had the possibility of exploding occasionally. When the nindroid stood up Jay was no-where to be seen, but the cube was still there...steam rising from it and the smallest amount of energy floating above it, luckily the windows were open in the inventing room and the residual radiation was able to dissipate into the sky without causing any undue damage to the Bounty.

"Jay...Jay?" Zane called quietly, he utilized his scanning function but Jay wasn't on board the ship anymore, in fact, he was so far away it was almost impossible to locate him.

"Jay?" He repeated again, eyes looking around the room for a hint of auburn hair.

Zane patched in wirelessly to the control panel and located Jay's fading energy signature, he was still alive where ever he was but his distance away was far beyond what Zane was expecting...by a few billion miles and counting. The more he calculated the more he realised that the cube must be some form of inter-dimensional travel, alien technology and considerably more advanced.

Now if a nindroid could lose colour from their face Zane would have done in an instant, he believed the control panel to be faulty and got to work on that first. He walked past Cole and Kai, Lloyd and Nya, shaking his head in disbelief, refusing to admit what his eyes had just seen.

His brothers were still calling Jay to dinner, but they had grabbed their own food and were proceeding to eat it laughing about the day and the waste of time in picking up a cube that did nothing except shine, and then finally they joked around a bit mostly about how noisy Jay was yet not realising that he wasn't with them anymore.

Nya had dressed in her favourite red dress, the one Jay loved. She had purposefully left a space for him to sit at and had even got his food for him, but he would never eat it.

Zane was still trying to piece together any evidence he could gather, all he had was a theory not solid concrete evidence, not proven just theory and for a nindroid with a vastly advanced CPU he needed more than that, he needed answers. None were forthcoming!

' _The proper scientific attitude for me is to doubt everything until I can doubt no longer. I should, therefore, be suspicious of everything I no longer doubt.'_

The look of sheer panic became apparent when he realised that the control panel was working and was in top condition too having only been serviced last week by himself and Nya.

His hands began to shake. "It does not compute," Zane stumbled, his cyan eyes wide with fear.

Fingers skimming over the keys rapidly. Sure as day Jay's beacon of blue was still there. Zane mumbled to himself, trying to distract his thoughts from the facts that were staring him right in the face. "A scientific fact, should be an objective and verifiable observation that can be proven undoubtedly true. And, this….no it cannot be. Jay where are you ?" His voice faltered, his head shook from side to side.

He recomposed himself and left the room with a heavy heart, he now had a difficult message to tell the team.


	3. Wait! What?

A bright blue light enveloped him.

Before he knew it, Jay, the master of lightning was being pulled forwards so fast, that he couldn't think straight anymore. Nor could he explain the feeling of leaving his stomach on the previous wooden floor, that mere moments ago, he was standing on.

Jay hoped this was a bad dream. That playing with the glowing blue cube had caused him to blackout. Because, to him, that sounded far better than what was actually happening. The reality was terrifying, and for the second time in his life, Jay felt so alone and so incredibly insignificant.

When he dared open his eyes he regretted it. This wasn't an atmosphere he would be able to survive in, in fact he was surprised he could breathe. To him, even in his wildest dreams would never have expected to be flying through what could only be described as a wormhole.

"How am I able to breathe out here?" He muttered the sentence out with some difficulty. Once verbalised, the words lingered, echoing around him, taunting, changing his voice into an unnaturally high squeak. In the fleeting moments that his dark auburn hair wasn't obscuring his vision, he witnessed planets whizzing by. Sure it was odd, all the science books he'd read, had only indicated a small solar system, with a solitary moon and a few planets, but this surpassed all of that.

 _This can't be real, there's no way._ He thought.

Fearing the worst as he began approaching a planet at an alarmingly quick rate. Jay chanced a glimpse into what might be his death and perhaps the trajectory as to where his remains would be found if they weren't cremated upon entry.

 _No, stop thinking like that. It's gotta be some transportation thing_!?

At a quick first glance, the planet looked like his home realm but the closer he got, he realised it was so much bigger.

And he wanted to swear, never had he wanted to shout expletives as much as he did now. Not like anybody would hear him up here.

There were no signs of him slowing down on his final descent to the much larger planet. It was like his life was flashing before his eyes. All because he touched that damned cube, all this had happened because of his natural ability to want to tinker with things. He shook his head, it couldn't be happening, it was all a dream, no, a nightmare.

Another glance and he knew something was off. No matter if he blinked or not he could see something unnatural looking back at him. In his head, all he could see was a pair of piercing green eyes as they watched him falling through space. Even though Jay could only see the eyes; the arc of them indicated the owner was scrutinising him; looking for a weakness.

Jay's mind spoke, thinking he was safe in his own head. It seemed that the fight in him was angry at what was happening and the eyes that were still staring at him was making it feel exponentially worse. ' _What are you looking at? Who are you?'_ It was his first thought. Of course, he wasn't expecting an answer because nothing was verbalised.

' _ **I am far beyond anything your small weak mind could comprehend. However as you asked, I am a God, and you are underneath me...distracting my attention, you dull creature!'**_

His eyes widened in fear when he got his answer. It rumbled in his subconscious as the voice of an unknown God assaulted his delicate mind. All his head felt was intense pain, he grasped it tightly and shook the impossibility from his memory.

"How is he doing that?" He questioned himself. _"_ How can he answer my own mind, my internal questions?"

Again Jay squeezed his eyelids shut. For a few minutes, he thought he was quite clearly going mad, despite the fact, deep down that he knew he wasn't but how else could he possibly explain what was happening to him. He was hurtling past stars as fast as a comet would upon entering a planet's atmosphere.

But then there was the God, a so-called God...Why on Ninjago would a God be scrutinising _him_?

What could he possibly be doing to warrant the scrutiny of a God? That was the thing that plagued him. He was still hurtling toward this large blueberry all the while having a strange, almost one-sided conversation with a God who seemed to enjoy talking to him like he was a piece of dirt on the bottom of his shoe.

Jay rolled his eyes, it was apparent that the God was still not done with his demoralising tone.

 _ **'You are such a small insignificant speck, now so far from home. You touch something you have no concept of and yet you don't realise how much infinite power you had in your hands. Ha, you foolish mortal, your kind never learn.'**_

 _'I'm not a fool.'_

The force of the pull was making Jay blackout. He was sure he hadn't taken a deep breath in a few minutes. Just short shallow gulps. The crushing pain was too much to even attempt a full lungful.

' _I can't breathe….'_

' _ **Not my concern, really….Perhaps you should, just…stop…breathing.**_ ' His laugh was just as cruel and snide as his voice.

With his last burst of energy, Jay opened his eyes and tried that one same manoeuvre. He had only tried it the once before, typically, the last time he and his brothers were in space without a craft to get them back home.

He used his own element to break the atmosphere of the planet. Searing hot pain scorched his skin upon entry but he grit his teeth. He bit down hard and listened to his heartbeat, as it beat rapidly with the surge of adrenaline.

 _ **Impressive and exquisite.**_ The God spoke. He was seemingly impressed at the glowing blue ball of lightning as it formed around the young man.

 _I'm not a fool._ Jay repeated again, this time with more confidence.

 _ **We will see in due course when we meet again**_ **.** Came the snide but confident reply. _**I'll be expecting it.**_

Everything went black and all Jay could hear was buzzing, then mumbling then upon slowly opening his eyes...brightness, colour and feelings he had never known before.

* * *

 _"Sir, we got a witnessed disturbance, just off Times Square. Moderate civilian threat looks like a blue version of Guy from Street Fighter...your orders."_

 _"A hostile, Smith?"_

 _"Hard to tell Jameson, sir, he's standing looking a little lost. Shit, he's armed to the teeth..."_

 _"Sources say, he just literally appeared here...a huge electrical light show! Your orders Jameson, uh oh, he's pulling his blades."_

 _"Don't fire, orders from Director Fury, subdue only. Non-deadly force. You copy that?"_

 _"Yes sir, subdue only."_

From laying on the floor to being upright in a matter of minutes, all Jay knew was that there were a multitude of people staring at him, some looked scared other shocked. Thinking he must have blacked out. Jay lifted his head cautiously to scan his chances of escape. It was only when he took in their appearances did he begin to notice small but definite changes in himself and his immediate surroundings. His hands, fingers and everything in between looked different.

Sweat was pouring off his face, stomach churning. "Oh god Zane, wh-what happened?"

Within a matter of minutes, the people had him completely surrounded. So many just staring at him and his weapons, two of which he took from his back when one person got too close. It seemed that personal space and self-preservation seemed to scare them further because four black SUV's pulled up nearby and cleared the area within minutes. They were all wearing black suits too and carrying handguns. All of them within an instant were trained on Jay.

 _Oh First spinjitzu master this doesn't look good._

"Sir?" A well-spoken voice called out. "Please put the weapons down."

"Why should I?" Jay quizzed. Stepping off the kerb and away from the oncoming armed men whom he noted were all wearing comms devices in their ears.

 _Wow, communications devices too._

These guys were using a strategy he'd never seen before. Mainly because Jay had never been the criminal in all of this, he'd only ever been the one helping out. And he cringed when he figured it out. His assumptions were correct. They were obviously doing it to protect the people here, where ever _here_ was!

"If you don't comply, we **_will_ ** take you by force."

"I haven't done anything wrong," Jay argued, smirking nervously. They obviously had no idea who he was and he kind of wanted to keep it that way.

Red lights were slowly targeted onto him and he felt a slight tinge of fear spike inside. Did he really want to die this day?

"Give it your best shot." He uttered as clear as a bell to test them, though thinking a few milliseconds later it might not have been the best idea he'd had. Typically as soon as he turned around, he felt a sharp pain in his lower leg. The pain was fast, taking him by complete surprise and then anger. There, in his lower leg was a red tipped feather needle sticking out of it. He yanked it out and looked at it in confusion.

He'd never seen anything like this before. "What the Hell?" He hissed as another hit him in the shoulder. He stumbled but quickly regained his balance.

The strange feather darts didn't seem to stop him, straight away at least. But it would seem that the men in suits were reluctant to use more than was necessary. No more feather darts were shot at him. Instead, laser targets were aimed at his chest.

Quickly yanking out the other dart, though the fluid had already being dispersed. Jay knew now, his only option was to attempt escape because to him, it was apparent that these guys wanted to kill him, at least, that what it felt like. And, as he started to run, at the most inopportune time, the powerful sedative began to take effect and his eyes became heavy. All that could be heard was tires screeching on asphalt before everything went black.

* * *

Waking up in a strange place was a relatively new thing. He noticed for starters that he wasn't in a bed which explained the aching neck. More sitting upright in a chair with his head lolling to the side in a puddle of his own drool. Jay woke up, unable to rub his eyes or face, and leaned back on a rather uncomfortable plastic chair, finding that he also had handcuffs on.

Additionally, there were two very angry looking people looking at him.

One of these people was wearing an eye patch covering what looked to be a nasty scar. This man had no hair at all, and it made him seem more intimidating without a full head of hair. It was then when Jay looked down at his own hands.

Was it a magic trick, something that this world seemed to excel in? All these questions he had no answers for. It was relatively easy to say that Jay was astounded by his appearance. He knew that he loved living in his home realm, it was, after all, where he was born and raised. But this was something else, something he had only just come to experience and something that wouldn't get tiring anytime soon. "Oh first spinjitzu master, the definition here surpasses everything I've ever experienced." He mumbled to himself but the other men heard him and cast each other confused glances.

Hands were feeling softer, fingernails and everything could be felt. He could see them clearly. And suddenly, he felt so healthy and invigorated except for the dull ache in his back and sides.

Lifting both cuffed hands to his face was met with odd expressions from the men in the room, but Jay didn't care. His hands gently touched his face, and he was suddenly lost for words. His mouth was hanging open as realisation dawned. Something had changed him, something impossibly powerful had altered him for reasons beyond his own comprehension.

He felt stubble, it was like he'd aged a few years by just travelling through a portal of some kind.

The man with the eye patch was still looking at him. In a sense, he was unsure of this blue-clad warrior. He simply thought that Jay was a dangerous person of some sort.

Jay had suddenly sat back up and was leaning back as they continued to interrogate. He still didn't know where he was or where his brothers were but he continued to play along. "Why am I here?" He asked. His question wasn't directed at anyone but at the same time, he received no response for it. He cautioned a glance through the mirrored window. Even outside looked strange to him.

"Who are you and why are you here?" One of the two men enquired.

Jay realised they were repeating their questions because his answers were failing to make a lick of sense to them. And they were questioning repetitively, without manners. "W-what?"

"Who are you?"

This was only their third time of asking the same question, not that Jay was keeping count or anything.

He groaned, rolling his eyes. "Why should I tell you anything? This is uncalled for, I did nothing wrong."

An unknown suited man asked. "What's your name?"

It was funny that they were expecting him to divulge his name yet they couldn't be bothered to introduce themselves. "We're not on a first name basis..." Jay stated defiantly.

"How about inmate number 359?" One of the men teased. "Because if you don't speak, you'll be spending a few nights in this city's finest holding cells."

That was a definite warning, Jay knew that holding cells were anything but fine. Though he was yet to find out if that rang true here. So, now he was being threatened with Jail if he didn't comply. And it seemed, they only wanted to talk. Besides, it's not like he could do anything about his immediate situation.

"Call me the _ninja_." He said, expressionless. Frowning at his inability to think of a better pseudonym. Jay struggled with the cuffs, his shoulders painfully protesting at this position he'd been in for a good few hours.

"Fine, we're getting somewhere at least. So NINJA, why are you here? Who sent you?" The man with the eye patch finally spoke. His tone was much louder than that of his agents.

"Look, wh-what?" Jay muttered, nervously. "I've already answered that." Now he was confused.

"Answer the questions..."

"For starters, I don't like the tone and err is this twenty questions? Finally, I don't know why I'm here I just am, where ever here is." Jay snapped in defiance, his emphasis staying on the _'here and now,'_

"And no-one sent me, it-it just happened!"

The man in the black suit spoke, "When we cornered you in Times Square we had to subdue you." he was quite abrupt.

Jay didn't answer straight away, he just stared at the suited man incredulously. He wondered who gave the go-ahead to take him down. He cocked his head at the man with the eyepatch "Yeah, I know. I guess there's nothing as threatening as trying to shoot a relative stranger who just happened to arrive here."

"A relative stranger that was armed to the teeth and posing a risk?"

Jay watched intently as the seated men sifted through what looked like photographs and other such junk. "I wasn't posing a risk, I didn't know where I was."

"You were posing a risk." One agent stated. "You had enough weapons on you to cause a SHIELD 6 threat."

Biting his tongue, Jay remained quiet because this man evidently hadn't finished his diatribe. Jay didn't even know what a Shield 6 threat was, yet he had an idea he might find out.

"We couldn't take any chances, we _had_ to subdue you." He added as if that had cleared the matter up.

Sticking his tongue in his cheek in annoyance, Jay glared at the man who spoke. "You just _had_ to subdue me?"

One of the guards smirked, he didn't even attempt to stifle his laughter until the man with the eye patch motioned him to leave the room with a stern glare and then he continued to look at Jay with an apprehensive curiosity.

"Well, that explains the pain in my neck. What, did ya let me hit, something hard by any chance? The pavement, uhm a lamp post perhaps?"

"A truck, you ran into the road when we shot you." The man with the eye patch stated. He was looking straight at Jay. Waiting for any reaction but none was forthcoming, Jay remained oddly quiet and annoyed.

"Figures!" Jay replied with a deadly stare which almost matched the man wearing the eye patch. His face was stony straight, emotionless.

 _'Just my luck that would happen to me...although if ya hadn't shot me twice, it wouldn't have happened at all.' He_ thought, taking a deep breath and drinking the plastic cup of water they had provided him with _._

Jay was leaning back in the plastic chair, restrained. Largely avoiding eye contact as he tried to figure out what they wanted from him.

He was well aware that all of his previous armaments had gone, he felt lighter because of that. "You took my weapons, c-can I have them back before you send me home?"

"No," The man in the suit answered. "Besides, we may have a need for a skilled combatant such as yourself, and, for the moment, you won't be going anywhere."

"What, why not?" Jay received no direct answer.

All the armed men in this room were being secretive. Nothing was being said, least out loud. They were all wearing communicative earpieces.

Jay threw himself back in his seat and raised his cuffed hands above his hands. "Really, you got no answer. So, what, I'm a prisoner of sorts, is that it?"

No answer was given but the men continued to listen in to their superior officers.

 _'Great just great, I can't have my weapons and he won't send me back...do they even know how to send me back?'_

So many thoughts were swimming through his head, most of them about his current predicament but others were about Nya and his brothers...why weren't they here too? "What makes you think I'd want to stay here and _join_ you considering how you've treated me so far."

He heard them mumbling something whilst he was struggling to drink with his hands cuffed. He was still getting used to this place and his new look when he heard an odd name being bandied around. One of the men accidentally and inadvertently just mentioned...a person called Deadpool.

The man with the eye patch had left momentarily. Jay had a feeling he'd be coming back soon to taunt him some more.

 _'Deadpool huh, maybe I need a stage name too, guess I could think of something cool.'_

"Who's Deadpool?" Jay asked with an air of unease. The name itself made him feel that it was quite possibly a very macabre name but in a fascinating way, almost like a competition of sorts...a gambling competition.

There was a long pause and a few inaudible grunts, no one wanted to say it, which further added to that sense of unease that Jay was feeling. Eventually, someone spoke up, although his voice was hushed. "He is at the moment, a mercenary."

"Is that classified?" Jay quizzed without eye contact. "Because you're asking loads of me and not reciprocating."

"Not really," The answer was quick and largely disinterested. "We're still not sure which route to take with you."

"Okaaaay..." Jay shrugged, unsure what to do with that information.

"He carries similar weapons with the exception of handguns. An exceptional eye, he rarely misses a target and makes many of his own too, can learn to use new ones within five minutes…"

Jay was impressed, who wouldn't be at hearing of someone so talented. "Great anything else I should know because this is truly riveting hearing you cream all about another supposed hero you want."

The man with the eye patch had walked back in, he looked visibly irritated at Jay's outburst but allowed them to continue.

"He's not easy to work with, he has no regard for life except his own. He is hugely inappropriate, borderline psychopathic."

"That's enough, Agent Smith." The eyepatched man spoke up from his leaning position against the wall.

He was secretly impressed, This Deadpool sounded kinda cool even if his name appeared odd. Jay made it a task of his, that if he ever met this Deadpool, the first thing he would ask would be the meaning behind the name.

"Look that's great an all but I still don't know who you all are," Jay said impatiently. He so wanted to rap his knuckles on the desk but his eyes were so heavy now, he wanted to sleep. He didn't care where.

 _'Gahh these guys are so rude.'_

* * *

Jay was still restrained and the sun had most definitely gone down. The cuffs were stupidly tight meaning he was going nowhere. He was resting his head on the table, his red-lidded eyes fast losing the will to stay open. If he had been on his home planet, metal cuffs wouldn't have been an issue. The only cuffs that worked on him and his brothers were vengestone. A mineral stone that subdued the elemental masters, but these were just metal.

"Are you ready to talk now?" The man with the eye patch spoke. He had re-entered after a six-hour break.

"Y-Yes." Almost broken and exhausted, he mumbled.

"My name is Nick Fury, I'm the director and general overseer of Shield." There was no smile on his scarred face.

He ordered his men to pull Jay back. "I've recruited a group of like-minded individuals who are fighting for the greater good, protecting humanity against oppression from Hydra and other such organisations including otherworldly," He said with a frown as he looked directly at me.

"And Shield are?" Jay asked impatiently. It wasn't the nicest feeling in the world having his head held up by his hair.

"It is an abbreviation of the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division. SHIELD for short."

"Wow what a speech." Jay laughed and then recomposed himself as he felt Director Fury's un-patched eye stare into his soul for the umpteenth time.

"So what do you say, care to join us, Ninja?" Fury wasn't even looking at Jay he looked down at his fingernails instead.

"Do I have a choice?" Jay asked, timidly.

Fury looked him in the eyes. "Everyone has a choice, I believe we have given you yours..."

Jay gulped when he received no acceptable response. "S-sure why not, what could possibly go wrong." He replied sarcastically. But really, what choice did he have. He was sure he could make it fun and if anything, it might detract from how homesick he was feeling.

* * *

Nick Fury and his minions led Jay into a training room, a dojo of sorts. In front of the tired blue ninja was a weapons rack which held an impressive array of weaponry. Some were new where-as others were not, but Jay had a feeling Fury didn't want to see him wield a weapon.

"Let's see what you're capable of Ninja." Nick Fury said with an eyebrow raised.

"Okay fine, but you might wanna stand back," Jay warned.

He grasped a carbon fibre katana awing at the feather-light weight of it. He tested it by slicing through the air a few times and performed his many familiar routines before finishing through with a forward slice which cut a slice through the mannequin. Putting the blade back reluctantly, Jay stalked to a clear space. Immediately beginning his practised moves, creating his lightning tornado. The effect in this world was pretty awesome from what he could tell. He cautiously looked to his side and noticed a mirror and a large group of people who had stopped doing what they were supposed to be doing to watch as he slowed down to stop. A blush steadily crept onto his face, it was fair to say he wasn't used to being watched like this.

"What was that?"

"That was spinjitzu, uhm I'm an elemental master of lightning so my tornado shows my element. Hehe, I can control lightning and electricity too." Jay shrugged his shoulders and begin to blush again as he heard hushed voices.

"Ninjitsu?"

Jay bit his lip. "Y-yeah sure, uh ninjitsu.!

The admiration and awes were enough to give a little boost of energy to the worn out elemental master. Jay stopped and sat rapidly. The travel here and his subsequent sedation was wearing him down and this was despite him having a large meal before being brought to this training room.

"Akin to Thor in some ways." Agent Smith said whilst setting up a small flashing recording device. "That was very _different_ , we'll leave you alone for now to practice."

"We'll be sending an agent down to escort you up to the lab in a few hours, you'll be meeting the rest of the team," Coulson said.

* * *

And then they left him alone in his thoughts, the door clicked closed behind them and Jay slinked down the wall further. Sitting in a crumpled pile in complete and utter defeat, at the mercy of a much stronger race than his own home planet.

"Well, this isn't what I was expecting to happen when I put the cube in my invention." He muttered to himself. His mood sombre. Depression was coming to the forefront of his newfound problem, the one where he felt so completely alone.

"Where are my brothers, where's Nya and where the Hell is Ninjago?" He shouted until a playful intonation snapped him out of his anxieties.

"Hey kid, you ok?" He didn't give the blue ninja kid enough time to respond. "Whoa, what the hell are those?" He shrieked, jumping around like a giddy person as he pointed at Jay's back.

"Well they _were_ holders for my katana and these here _were_ for my kunai. Until _they_ stole them from me." Jay replied butt hurt but truthfully.

"Stole or confiscated? You gotta prove yourself or something?"

Jay shrugged, looking up to see this weird red masked man looking at him. He was crouched on the floor and staring at him. The more Jay looked he realised it was an entire outfit, the whole thing was a red and black tight-fitting ensemble which left nothing to the imagination. He could kind of see everything and the masked man knew it because his next line was cringe-worthy. It was difficult for Jay to tell if this masked man was looking at him because his mask covered his entire face. His just covered any distinguishing features, people could still see his eyes.

"You like what you see? Chicks dig this suit, guys, too!"

"Err no it's okay, I was just sort of admiring your uh costume, uhm sorry, uniform." Jay corrected, not wanting to offend. He didn't even know who he was and Jay was already embarrassed at having potentially insulted him.

The masked man just continued to stare at Jay and even his white eyes moved of their own volition. Was he smirking at Jay? The blue ninja really had no idea.

"You didn't answer my other question though." He said sitting down next to Jay.

His katana crisscrossed behind him in a dual sheath. "You okay?" He asked again.

"Y-yeah I'm fine." Jay lied. He wasn't fine really. He was anything but fine.

"Up!" He said quietly and helps the blue ninja to stand. "Something to take your mind out of that dark place."

"Thanks," Jay mumbled.

"Do you wanna duel might take your mind off whatever it is that's going on plus I can go easy on you? Look I'll use the training weapons instead of my real ones, don't wanna cut that pretty face of yours." He teased.

The master of lightning stepped back feeling a huge invasion of privacy. He felt like his personal space was massively violated, he guessed by the masked man's forwardness he was undeterred by the sudden recoil because he seemed all dorky.

Jay agreed to spar with him, he had a point after all. It would certainly help him to focus because there wasn't anything he could do about his current situation now. He needed outside help. His brothers, maybe even that green-eyed God.

SureJay was impressed with the moves and it seemed that the masked man too was inspired and impressed with the similarities in martial arts manoeuvres. Both of their moves worked in perfect sync. The masked man was just as fast as Jay was. His lightning element was no match for his speed and agility. But after two hours the masked man uses a dirty tactic to his advantage and punches Jay cleanly in the face.

"Argh, what the?!" Jay yelped, staggering backwards whilst holding his jaw. "Why did ya do that?" He rubbed his now painful cheek, tasting the all too familiar taste of blood.

"That was a weakness, you left yourself wide open and people such as myself can take advantage. Just means that you gotta be quicker, kid!"

Jay cocked his head at the masked man's honesty. His dirty tactic may have proven a point but he was yet to see Jay's full potential. "What you mean like this," Jay said as he span into his rapid moving set of kicks and punches.

The speed was fast and to Deadpool, this guy looked to be in the same spot but lashing out at various objects in his path. So, instinctively, he backed away looking confused but mildly impressed. "Cool party trick, that was sick! So how long can you sustain?"

"Err I'm not sure never really been asked that question, it really just helps us out of difficult situations when we're outnumbered."

"Just curious, that's all." The masked man said, head tipped to the side. "Anyway, who's we?"

"My brothers, we're a team and there's five of us. My girlfriend makes six. We're all elemental masters, mine is more electrical, lightning that sort of thing."

"Haha elemental that's funny. Hey kid, I like you but what's going on with you anyway? Whats your story morning glory...What's your name dude?"

"Hehe err wow erm, well." Jay stuttered at the sheer amount of questions he'd just been given. His mind had gone blank.

"Are you always this articulate?" He teased.

"Maybe, s-sorry uh, m-my name is J-Jay and uh I'm part of a ninja team." He took a deep breath. "I was part of the team..."

His masked eyes frowned in response to the sombre tone. "Jay, snap out of those thoughts. You'll end up going mad." He stated head cocked. "Like me…" He added.

Jay nodded at the sort of well-meant advice. "So, what's your name? I mean you know me and my abilities but who are you, who is the man behind the mask?"

He offered his hand first and Jay took it.

"Deadpool, nice to meet ya. It's my _super anti-hero name."_

A small imperceptible grin finally settled on Jay's face. "Y-y _ou're Deadpool?"_

The masked man, now known as Deadpool nodded.

"Uhm, okay, in that case, I'm happy to finally meet you considering how much Fury was creaming over you," Jay smirked shaking the proffered limb. "So can ya tell me why you chose that name, kind of wanted to know since it had been thrown about a bit?"

"My drinking place where I go to chill, fight, relax and unwind, start a bar fight? We have a weekly comp of who's gonna die soon and we place bets. It was initially called ' _the Deadpool_ ' cos we pooled the money together and the names. Course, it's all in the name of entertainment and gambling, gotta make money somehow right? I mean this ugly mug aint gonna get me a modelling contract is it, unlike you?"

Jay visibly shudders at the thought of a ' _deadpool_ ' in a seedy part of Ninjago and he wondered if their names ever made it onto a list like that. Deadpool starts speaking again and the topic completely bowls him sideways.

"Has anyone ever told you that you've got the sexiest eyes in the world?"

"Yeah right, cut it out will ya." Laughing at his crude attempt at humour.

"I'm not joking Jay, you're smoking hot. Bet the girls love those baby blues huh?"

Jay had to admit that this guy was funny in a strange sort of way. Furthermore, he complimented Jay not many people had done that before.

"Bridge tour? Jay, we could go by the chimichanga stand, I'm surprised you can't smell them, god they smell so fucking good..."

"Do I have to?" Jay whined, accepting the offered hand again as the red-clad merc pulled him upwards.

Deadpool nodded, "Kinda expected otherwise they'll send out a search party and I ain't staying around that long!"

The blue ninja shrugged, it wasn't like he had anything else to do, "Yeah sure, I'll follow being as I still don't know where I am." He was quick to follow the red merc, whom Jay noted seemed to talk to himself on occasion. If this place made people as unstable as Deadpool, Jay hated to think what was going to happen to him.

* * *

 **Meanwhile back on the Bounty in the hidden realm of Ninjago**

The ninja team were called into a meeting by a very flustered Zane who had exhausted himself trying to find an answer to what should have been a fairly straightforward exercise, how can someone just vanish into thin air?

He advised every one of Jay's sudden departure, Sensei Wu stroked his beard but listened. Whereas gasps of shock could be heard from Kai and Cole, none more so than from Nya. The titanium ninja tried his best to explain in layman's terms what he believed had happened. No-one actually knew where he was but his energy source was still visible even from the Bounty.

Zane explained that the disappearance happened when he tried to locate the exact location of the other cube, further adding that his machine activated it and sent Jay to the closest proximity to the location.

"So what do we do now, we need to find him, he could be hurt, in trouble or anything," Nya said.

"Calm down, we'll find him," Kai replied to his flustered sister, consoling her with a hug as he spoke. "We've no reason to believe that he's hurt, so take comfort in the fact that his energy signature can still be picked up" he added.

"But we still need to find him, Nya's right he could be in danger" Cole stated as he looked at Zane and Lloyd. "You two need to find out more information about this cube, origins that sort of thing and I'll help prepare for our imminent departure once we've got what we need.

 _ **On Earth (Midgard)**_

At the Avengers facility, the people convened were being informed of a new threat called the Chitauri. Aliens from another realm and they had managed to come into the atmosphere by way of the tesseract cube on earth. The whole thing made Jay feel more than a little anxious. Usually he'd be with his team, discussing a plan of action, but instead, here he was, feeling like the smallest member of the team, about to march into battle. Sure he felt alone right now, and the last thing he wanted to do was battle it out.

He had been told that he'd initially landed in New York, though he had noticed because it was emblazoned on most things and people. Now, however, they were in a place called the Triskellion in Washington DC. And both places he found himself in, he realised he wasn't allowed to leave. Not without security surrounding him, in for the fact he was deemed as a threat.

So, since being with SHIELD, Jay had gone on to meet a few new faces. Some things he'd noticed since being with the organisation known as SHIELD was that Natasha Romanov was a fiery natured double-sided, dangerous but intriguing person. Then there was Bruce Banner, he had a fierce alter ego that Jay had been warned about.

"Thor," Agent Smith pointed none too subtly at the Thunder God as he walked into the room majestically, his red cape flowing gently behind him.

Thor, it was easy to see, he seemed put out by the fact that he was being paraded around. Jay sympathised somewhat.

"I hear that you wield the power of lightning?" His voice strong, as powerful as he looked himself. "What is your name?"

This man was intimidating to look at, with a kind smile to boot. The whole ensemble knocked Jay off kilter for a few seconds. "Uh," his mind went blank." M-my name's Jay, and yes, I do but it comes from my hands." He replied, not really in the mood to socialise. "Hang on, you were introduced as the God of Thunder yet you wield lightning, how does that work, other than the obvious?"

"Thunder comes directly after, they are linked together."

"I figured as much." Jay groaned to himself, feeling a tad stupid.

Jay looked at the hefty metal and leather bound handle as Thor heaved it up with no difficulty. "It is because of Mjolnir, that I can wield the lightning as you can. You use your bare hands?"

"Sometimes, I wear gloves?" Jay offered. "It doesn't burn, just tingles."

"You are strange, little man," Thor stated looking back at his hammer.

Jay narrowed his eyes slightly. "Thanks, I think."

* * *

So his strange week began. Parts were reminiscent to his other life because he was being woken early, each and every day. This, in relation, was worse.

Jay had gone out to fight with the ground troops, this being the fourth day in a row, sustaining slight wounds from sparring. Then, there was the obligatory celebration meal, where some SHIELD members and STRIKE soldiers would go out for a good knees up after defeating the threat. Tonight was supposed to be one of those team bonding things to bring everyone closer, an icebreaker. It was one of the only things that Jay was looking forward to. This was an incentive to do their best in getting rid of the waifs and strays of the stranded Chitauri warriors.

And it was just like the previous days battle. Jay was fighting with the ground troops. Captain America was up front with Black Widow, and Thor was flying, his own mission in mind. Then there was Bruce Banner, Jay noted the man had more than tripled in size and had changed colour from healthy pink to a sickly green.

 _Concentrate, come on, you got this._ He ducked low, feeling a Chitauri soldier swipe at him from the side. A knee-jerk reaction from his training made him leg sweep at his foe. As soon as the creature went down, Jay was quick to plant the katana through the creatures chest cavity. He couldn't do this forever, he wasn't invincible.

Another minute another Chitauri soldier appeared as if like magic, making Jay wonder to himself where they were coming from? It was only when he looked up, seeing for himself. "What? Is that a l-leviathan,?" He mumbled, awestruck. "I-I've never seen one of those bef..."

"JAY! FOCUS," Hawkeye shouted, from a few cars away as his arrow found its target in the head of a Chitauri soldier.

It was spooky how his tone reminded Jay of a certain black ninja. But as soon as Hawkeye spoke, the voice was gone again, as was he.

Jay tapped his earpiece and turned to face the huge creature that was colliding with buildings, causing serious structural damage. It had armour plating all over it and hideous spinal bones protruding from the top. If he could have likened it to anything at that moment, he would have said something along it being the stuff of nightmares. Upon closer inspection, as he narrowed his gaze and squinted, Chitauri soldiers were on it and almost anchored by zip lines.

The Chitauri warriors jumped off to join in with the battle below and just as quickly as Jay saw them jumping down, he was quickly surrounded.

"Oh great just what I need," he said, dripping with sarcasm. Jay's supposed back-up was nowhere to be found and he was surrounded by seven. No thinking was required, he used his elemental abilities to activate his defensive moves. The odd clanging sound let him know that their bladed weapons were clashing with his own. A sigh of relief, Jay had managed to take out fair few but then his complacency let him down, just one got through.

There was no slice through, just a plasma or particle beam that hit his side. Jay stopped, stunned momentarily, until he felt his descent to the ground, collapsing onto his knees. There was that all too familiar and unmistakable feeling of his warm blood escaping from a side wound. He had never been shot before, this was a new experience, a painful one too.

* * *

When he woke, he found himself in a darkened room, standing but unable to move.

Jay looked up, seeing that his hands were tied, he tried to wriggle, to check for the tensile strength of the blasted stuff that kept him restrained. A sharp twinge later and his eyes were drawn back toward his earlier wound. The one he noted, was still bleeding.

After thrashing for a few seconds more, he stopped, alert to the fact that he wasn't alone in here. That fact was proven when the person in question walked into Jay's line of sight. First impressions; this man bore a striking resemblance to a longer haired version of Morro but without the childish green streak of hair.

 _'No it couldn't be he died with the Preeminent didn't he?'_

He gasped as the green-eyed man held his sceptre up and proceeded to tilt Jay's head with the sharp edge. Jay tried to move away only to find his hands were still bound. This man was taller than Jay by a foot at least, maybe more.

He flashed some impossibly salt white teeth, coupled with his familiar green eyes. In fact, to Jay, this man looked almost mythical, in an evil way. Important too, judging by his attire; his clothes were mostly black with green accents and areas of shimmering gold. An enormous long glowing green cloak which made him appear even more intimidating.

Then there was armour plating, even Jay didn't wear that much protection, and he was a ninja. Jay's eyes continued to observe the man in his midst, noting that he wore a rather bizarre golden helmet with two horns. Again, uncertain of what or who he was trying to be.

Jay still had no idea who this person was. "What do you want with me? Who the Hell are you?" He shouted, in defiance at being kept here and trussed up.

The tall dark haired man simply smirked at Jay's outburst.

 _'Great a psycho, just my luck.'_

"Are ya gonna let me go because I've got things to do which don't really involve this, gahh fuck _cuffs again_ ," Jay noted the look of disgust at the words uttered. Had he offended him some way? He certainly hoped so, maybe then he'd get some answers. He had a feeling of worry that came over him, was this the leader of the Chitauri? Or was he Chitauri himself? No, impossible...this green-eyed man looked nothing like them. And Jay would've known, considering how many he'd taken down before he got locked up here. Those creatures were ugly, worse than the serpentine.

"Well, well, well. Hmm, what have we here? Earth's mightiest Avengers or just the one of you?" He laughed and roughly pulled Jay's hair so he was looking into the eyes of his captor.

"I'm not an a-avenger, I'm n-not from earth." Jay hissed against the painful grasp. A deadly stare of defiance coming from him as his blue eyes bore into those of this, as yet, unknown man. "Who are you and what the Hell do you want, get off of my hair?"

He may have just said the wrong thing as the man cranked the pain level a little more, making The captured ninja whimpered slightly at the feeling of being scalped.

"Gahh, wh-what do you want?"

"Ah well this will be fun then, you might or might not have heard of me, in legend or children's stories perhaps?" He paused waiting for a response verbal or otherwise.

Jay looked at him incredulously, he shook his head slowly, unsure of the potential reaction.

He finally let go of Jay's messed up hair and walked away. "No?" Looking disappointed, briefly. He smiled in response and the appearance of such made his pale skin look that much more haunting. There was an insane contrast of jet black hair coupled with the sharp features, exacerbated by a deathly white complexion.

The scary part that spiked Jay's interest was the mention of this man's name; in ' _legend and stories,_

 _'What the Fuck, just how old is this guy? He looks like he's older than me by maybe five years or so, maybe he works out.'_

His razor-sharp voice cuts into Jay's thoughts knocking all positive things aside. He looks up to the green-eyed man, with some small admiration for his skills of being awkward and evil at the same time. "Stop with the mind games already." Jay groaned as he tried in vain to free one hand. This man wasn't letting up, he still kept Jay guessing.

"Perhaps my oaf of a brother mentioned my name, No?" Another testing question as he walked slowly in front of his captive audience.

Why did Jay get the feeling that this man was trying to figure him out?

He narrowed his mysterious eyes with a deviously evil smile on his face to accompany. "You are an oriental fighter?" He asked as he placed just the one spindly long finger on Jay's chest. "It runs deep, an element of chaos!" He said no more, didn't even wait for a response.

A dark soulless chuckle ensued and Jay was frozen in fear. "In that case, I believe introductions are in order."

He paused again for maximum impact. "My name is Loki of Asgard." He said looking to his side, eyeing his sceptre whilst touching it delicately as the blue stone within it lit up.

Well, at least Jay knew who was holding him captive now. Someone who was related to Thor and who evidently liked the sound of his own voice, he was good with words too, quick, sharp, witty and cruel. "Gee golly thanks, look cut to the chase okay, I'm not exactly from this REALM either so just get on with whatever you're going to do."

The Chitauri wound throbbed relentlessly. "Sss….Mmph." Jay bit his lip, cringing. Stretching out to rid his body of the stinging feeling. The added movement created a few rivulets to appear. Right at that moment, Jay was struggling to keep his head up and his lower clothes were becoming sticky with blood.

Loki could somehow sense it, he could sense Jay's pain, the presence of a non verbalised lie about to surface. "Hmmm, not from this realm you say, now that is interesting." He looked down the side of Jay's body, his injured side. His hand was hovering over the wound and whatever he was doing, had made more blood appear.

Jay gasped in response, body trembling with the pain that this man wrought without touching him.

"Maybe you'll be of some use to me after all." He smirked and stood back further to regard his captive in a new light. "I have heard from sources that you can wield lightning! Do you know what happens to lightning when it is controlled by a darker force?" His tone was sounding desperate but like he was giving no choice.

"No," he replied, breathless from the pain. "I haven't, wh-what are you saying exactly? Are you planning on controlling me?"

 _This isn't good, I'm not invincible or immortal does he realise that?_

"I _am_ and I will control you. I have a plan you see and now it involves you. You must feel so honoured...Alas, do not worry about these mere wounds, they shall be healed, to a degree." He said as he raised his sceptre up and touched Jay's chest with it. "You have heart, and I believe that you will be a valuable asset to me."

As soon as the sceptre made contact, Jay felt nothing but pain and then darkness. Everything he had ever held onto was ripped from his memory their place were the tainted altered memories which began to cloud his previously unfettered judgement, the once blue ninja of lightning was now under Loki's control.

* * *

 _ **In Ninjago current time.**_

Back on the Bounty, the ninja team were preparing to leave when they suddenly noticed that the control panel that showed all their elemental coloured beacons was acting odd. Jay's blue coloured signal was changing from blue before flickering to green and then settling on a dark purple colour. It didn't change back to the original colour of blue.

"Oh now that doesn't look good," Cole said as he shook his head in disbelief. He tapped the console to check for a loose wire. "That's not a glitch right, err Zane?"

The nindroid frowned as he stood leaning against the doorway. His metallic features expressed concern and he shook his head. "No Cole, that means we have a problem or more precisely Jay does,"

Walking toward the control panel to see what Cole had seen, he thought more about the tone he uttered and the looks of bewilderment on his team's faces. "Potentially, I mean. It is not a given."

"Well, is he okay? His signal is still there right?" Cole said in a blind panic. Evidently, Zane's words had given the unintended impact.

He turned to face his black haired brother, Cole's stance was defensive, raring to go into the as yet, unknown. "His coloured beacon reveals nothing about his physical state but it could mean something bad has happened to his mind, again a possibility, not a definite."

He swiftly pulled Cole away from the control panel. The master of earth was trembling ever so slightly. "But, to err on the side of caution, I believe we should endeavour to find the answers for ourselves. Perhaps we should not have waited quite so long."

He motioned his brothers and Nya to follow him quickly into the equipment room, that up until recently had been Jay's workshop. They all stood surrounding the dusty homemade device. His metallic hand hovered over the same button, the same one that still had the tiniest hint of Jay's fingerprints on it.

"We shouldn't have waited so long." Lloyd finally agreed. "He needs our help guys, we need to get him back."

"Come on guys, we need to go now!" Cole boomed, gathering them all into a tight group, all holding hands. "Zane, punch it. We need to get him back."

"Whatever happens brothers, do not let go," Zane warned as he powered up Jay's mechanical device with the same level of trepidation. "We are coming for you brother."


	4. Ninja assemble

Jay's pov

He did as he promised when I was forced to join his side, his first task was to heal my wounds and he did so with minimal effort, just a drop of something green and my energy and strength was back as good as it was before. The blast from their advanced weapons hadn't even left a scar.

The downside to the liquid he had used and the sceptre was the fact that I struggled to remember much of what had and was happening. I knew that I had been hurt, I remembered that much but I couldn't remember why I wore this ripped and bloodied uniform or what it was even called.

Strangely, the more that time passed, the less I remembered.

It seemed that whatever hold his sceptre had on me, was enough to keep him calm and collected because he saw me as no threat.

So there was that...

The other thing though; his security team always seemed apprehensive around me though, they would give me odd looks from time to time, but it became apparent that it wasn't just me they seemed apprehensive about it was a few others too.

Yeah, so we'd all been tainted by the sceptre, all controlled to a certain extent whereas his security hadn't. They had chosen to join him willingly and I guess we had no choice in the matter, he wanted us and he took us as his personal possessions, his collective objects.

And with more time spent with Loki, I forgot everything that happened. He took up my entire mind, my self and my being. . .It was just him, just Loki.

Typically as my time progressed here, I found that the hours with him were becoming days and days soon became weeks. Where did I even come from? I felt nothing for this planet.

I guess that each day was different, I was, learning new things all the time and stoked to learn his fighting style. To make him pleased with me made me happy inside, well, it stopped him from being overly rough with me.

So, I emulated him.

The God, he rarely tired during sparring. He always had surplus energy to fight for hours, and, of course, I was jealous of his ability to withstand most of my blows, he never seemed to get hurt at all. I know he enjoys it when I use my lightning burst on him though, he grins at me, tells me to make it more powerful.

After a while, I became aware that I was being used as a pawn in this game that Loki was playing but I was unable to stop it. He was a powerful man with the ability of secrecy, mischief and sorcery at his disposal. A scary prospect for anyone opposing him, including me and I was serving him.

He'd spent many days studying my fighting skills and seemed to enjoy watching me train. I'm sure I saw him smile at me too on one occasion. He admired my fighting style and even called it ancient and respected, even more so when I performed my standard spinjitzu moves. After our last extensive training session had ended he provided me with a new uniform, this one offering more bodily protection.

"Kevlar, I hear it is exceptional in this realm." His voice clear and sharp, derisive in tone.

It was true, according to his security team who gawked at me when I showed them the new uniform, holding it up to inspect it myself. The security team advised me that is was both blade and bulletproof, but it would be heavier because of that.

I didn't know he cared so much or at all.

Loki walked into the small room which was Jay's current sleeping quarters. The damp and bare plaster walls gave no pleasure to the occupant for they were as dismal and dark as was the God who made them all stay here. It was an underground base located so far away from the city. It was in the countryside, the only part of it visible was a concrete staircase leading down.

It was once a nuclear bunker but in recent years the large conglomerate, known as 'SHIELD' had owned it. They turned it into an underground base and even went to the trouble of having a hidden floor added for fast getaways. Presently, the stolen quinjet aircraft were hidden below ground as were a copious amount of army jeep and one black bulletproof SUV for the really important people namely; Loki.

He walked with a sense of purpose, his intended target was an auburn haired man, whom he just needed to speak to.

Loki walked into Jay's room noting his frown, his face seemed to be full of confusion and uncertainty, he simply stood and looked at the uniform like it was a gift but he didn't know what to do with it. The sceptre had made him fearful of acceptance.

"Jayson?"

"Y-yes, sorry." Jay stopped what he was doing, nervously, he put the clothes down again and looked up. "Yes?"

"Are you troubled of mind, I can rid you of these issues?" Loki asked, head held high.

Jay quickly shook his head. He still retained some of his mind, enough to answer the basics. "N-no," he replied with the same uncertainty as before. "I'm not troubled."

Loki smiled, picking up the uniform handing it to Jay again, pausing as he held it aloft.

"I hope this is to your expectations? You see, I do not like to think of my best asset being killed in the line of fire so I had this uniform commissioned, just for you."

Jay was silent.

"It has the addition of pockets for your kunai, sheaths for additional weaponry and comes with a little gift," Loki added, grinning with a Cheshire cat smile as he spoke.

Jay took the uniform graciously but then appeared to stumble with his words. "Uh, th-thank you uh, Loki?" He stuttered, unsure of how to address him properly without offending.

"Thank you for th-the gift."

It came out more of a question and Loki picked up on it instantly, his eyes widening in glee at how awkward he was making the young blue ninja feel. The side of his mouth curled back up into a smile. The most horrendous smile, that you would never want to see on anyone's face let alone a God who was about to destroy everything you held dear.

"It is acceptable because it is, after all, my name," Loki paused, licking his teeth. This time there was no calming smile on his taught pale face just a look of pure evil and a devilish smirk.

"However, from now on, I expect you to call me either: your liege, your prince, your majesty, your God, your master. So on and so forth." He turned to observe Jay, sceptre still in hand.

Again, Jay was silent.

"After all, I am royalty and a God at that," Loki replied, turning his back on Jay who was now beet red. He really enjoyed using that, it was something he always argued over his so-called father with. Sure they were worshipped as Gods and lived a lengthy life, infinitely more powerful than the mortals here. He may as well use that title to his advantage if it wrought fear and control.

"You would do well to remember that, for I would hate to punish you if you use my name in Asgard," Loki repeated with an eyebrow raised.

It was evident that he was openly testing his newest acquired power source...the young naive and innocent ninja of lightning.

Loki turned slowly, standing menacingly in front of Jay. He was fully attired with his long green cloak and dual horned helmet. His sceptre, tight in his grasp. "What say you Jayson, do you yield?"

Jay looked up, eyes wide and slightly bewildered. He saw no choice here, and exactly what did he have to lose? He had nothing to begin with, only Loki. . .

He nodded. "Y-Yes my l-liege...I-I yield." Jay mumbled quietly. Looking down again, now feeling a level of shame at being unable to fight his control.

"Good, good, you learn quickly I see. Make sure you remember it and this bargain shall afford you no ill will. Defy me and you will suffer," Loki replied. Still smiling, he walked away having destroyed a piece of the blue ninja.

How was Jay to know that he had just given up his past life unknowingly for the greater God, the one God of lies, the silver tongue and the bringer of Ragnarok?

Jay's pov

Wow, what can I say the uniform was heavy but damn it was so comfortable and just as breathable as my previous one which I had promptly discarded after all it still had a large hole which had been blasted into it coupled with my dried blood. When Loki saw me in my uniform he wanted to spar with me and I must say I didn't realise he could fight like this.

His hand to hand combat skills were impressive as was his ability to wield his spear or any other weapon he chose. Apparently, he was a quick learner, he seemed ultimately superior, God-like almost which wasn't far from the truth.

After our final sparring session of the evening, I followed Loki into an impossibly dark meeting room which was occupied by a handful of his best soldiers. Loki personally informed Hawkeye and me of our next task; the task was to ambush the flying airship where SHIELD was currently located. Loki expected me to complete this mission with Hawkeye. It would just be the two of us alone but with soldiers standing by in case they were needed.

We had to retrieve a certain something blue, vague yet important enough that he couldn't tell me what it was.

"You will retrieve it and return it as soon as is possible, loss of life is not my concern so you would do well to watch each other's backs." Loki reiterated to Hawkeye, in particular, his gaze remaining on him, scrutinizing.

"Sir? I work better alone, no distractions, he'll just slow me down like before." Hawkeye reprimanded.

Jay evidently shocked by his admission.

"Wait, what! I won't slow anyone down," he replied, indignantly. Feeling abashed, he didn't even know Hawkeye all that well and already he disliked him.

He couldn't fail his skills though. Hawkeye was an exceptional marksman, his aim was spot on with sniper rifle and his arrow set.

Hawkeye was Jay's teammate since Loki had captured the both of them one after the other, almost in the same area of downtown New York. The Hawk as he was also known was so completely different to Jay for one; he hardly spoke unless spoken to. The sceptre had changed him negatively it had changed both of them. The hawk had his own skill set and Jay had seen him practice from time to time.

Hawkeye was completely under Loki's control, whereas Jay not so much, he could still think for himself, he just couldn't remember as clearly as before.

* * *

 ** _Jay's pov_**

The day began early we were both given Shield uniforms to wear, our ID's were faked but they seemed good and they gave us security clearance when we needed it.

"Jay, it would be better if you covered one area, at least then you can do your own thing."

"Distractions right?" I said dryly.

"Yeah that, you keep to your side and I'll keep to mine."

"I'll find the cube you can keep them busy," he said sarcastically.

"Unless I find it first." I countered with a sly grin. Twiddling with my razor sharp kunai.

He looked at me with an odd look, "You won't!" Came his cocksure reply.

So the douche bag thinks he's better than me! Then it's a challenge, asshole.

It was fairly easy getting aboard the flying fortress, their defences were down thanks to Hawkeye and his excellent shot, He had managed to infiltrate an unmanned PC and his arrow USB was in the process of delivering a virus onto the Heli-carrier. That took all of their manpower to figure out so the rest was child's play.

Hawkeye had split like we had agreed and I set off in hot pursuit leaving no trail. Stealth helping me along my journey to find a cube. I had made it quite far, arriving in a large storage room. I propped the door open as the door open had a handle on one side and that appeared to be by access card only.

Whilst aboard this big airborne ship, we were hidden and undetected and splitting up was saving us time, we only had a short window of opportunity to find what we had been told to recover. And that window was closing fast, too fast.

I had to subdue a few men on my travels but Hawkeye noticed my difficulties and shot some with electrically charged arrows, a painful and electrifying experience I'm sure of it. He radioed into me and I nodded in thanks, wiping my bloodied lip and nose whilst nimbly jumping over the five men at my feet.

A few minutes later Hawkeye had found what we were looking for, he had somehow been able to track it using a device Loki had given him.

'Why didn't he give me one; was he testing my strength?'

The hawk managed to find it first and it was another cube, well that figures! I wonder if I can tinker with this cube because I was sure I'd seen a cube like this before but I couldn't remember anymore as everything was becoming fuzzy, it was like a huge sense of deja vu.

Another few days pass quickly and I struggle to remember much except being with him, with Loki.

Now, of course, he lets me assist him in his own underground base, I think he likes me as he spends most of his time talking to me about his homeland. He mentions myths and stories and all of them are fascinating to me, I could listen to him talk all day about everything and anything his voice is actually pleasant to hear.

This realm or world he speaks of sounds magical! He calls it Asgard or 'The Realm Eternal' according to Odin. Loki asks about my homeland but I can't remember because everything is blank, I can only remember him and his magical sceptre, I think I must have upset him as he looks away angrily.

He looks at me apologetically, "I am genuinely sorry Jayson."

I look up at him wondering why he felt the need to apologise.

"This sceptre..." He says and points to the golden weapon he holds firmly.

"It wields technology from another realm. It was gifted to me by Thanos."

"Thanos?" I ask with my head tilted to the side.

"He is a titan, but more than that for he sits on a throne is in his own realm in what he calls Sanctuary or the dead space." Loki shudders slightly at the mention of the place.

"His greed to get the infinity stones blinds him because he wants them all but I intend to keep this one for myself." He replies and smiles, touching the mind stone carefully, his green eyes deathly pale with the power of the mind stone running through them.

"Jayson, when my sceptre is used on my human followers it allows me to control them completely but with you, I can only control you to a certain extent, you still have the power of your mind."

I frowned at that, "Which means?" I asked.

"It means that you can still question me, which in itself, is a unique ability and one I was not expecting. This is why I allow you to work with me so closely, of course, if you were to defy my orders I could use my magic to further control you." He said with an evil grin.

"Thanks, I think!"

'Why would he use magic, is he some kind of madman' I thought to myself, hoping he couldn't read my mind.

"I like you, Jay, I sense we have become close since you've been here with me, come I'd like to show you something."

He led me out of my room and up some stairs into an unused glass observatory, there was a green and black blanket on the floor surrounded by many cushions. It was unsettling as it looked like a romantic scene all it was missing was candles and flowers.

Loki lay on the blankets and he motioned me to join him so I carefully approached and sat keeping my distance, I eventually lay back and looked up and out of the glass ceiling hearing him breathe calmly next to me.

"I come here to find answers." Loki finally spoke after a prolonged pause.

I listened intently to him, his words were tainted with pain and anguish.

"You see I never really knew my biological father, I was taken from my place of birth by Odin the King of Asgard for his own personal reasons."

"I was treated as an inferior son whilst he let his own kin Thor become next in line to the throne. Valhalla forbid that he should have me on the throne, a frost giant that would never do." He sighed and squeezed his sceptre tightly.

We both lay on the green blanket and I stared up into the night sky, the stars above looked beautiful twinkling like diamonds. I could tell he was still watching me or studying me. I turned my head to the side and he nudged closer to me and began staring at me with those intimidating green eyes.

"You know Jay I could give you immortal life, all you have to do is say the word."

I cocked my head and frowned at his words, I was shocked at the idea; although finding it to be a scary prospect the thought of becoming immortal sounded exciting too.

"What exactly do you mean Loki?" I said as I sat up.

"You should join me, together we can stop my brother and rule this earth."

Family dynamics eh? A part of me felt indifferent, sure it wouldn't harm me to join him besides I somehow felt an affinity for him, like a pulling feeling keeping me anchored to him, magnetic almost.

The troubling thing was that I couldn't remember anything from before Loki, yet I had no recollection of how I got to be here or why I could create a tornado of electricity or why I could perform many martial arts, the prospect was very inviting though; an immortal life.

"I sense you need to rest, stay here and join me later when you've had sustenance. Tomorrow, we strike."

"I turned my head to face him, he was standing and had his back to me. "What is the target tomorrow, more Shield agents?"

"No, well actually there may be some agents, potentially." Loki stopped and turned back to face me.

"There is word going around, notably the word ninja seems to surface frequently. It would appear that this Shield organisation has recruited their own set of elementals, and their target is likely to be none other than...you!"

"Me?"

"You are up to this challenge? This chance to prove your worth to me?"

"Y-yes." I nod, feeling myself involuntarily shudder at the mention of a fierce fighting group known as 'the ninja' having not fought any warriors like this before.

"How many ninja exactly?"

"Five elemental warriors, all with power beyond anything I've ever seen on this realm, but dangerous regardless. This why I need you to eat and drink well and I'll see you later once you are adequately rested."

Loki walked away with a slightly upturned smile, he quickly created a feast specifically for Jay to consume but this feast was tainted with dark magic. A liquid draft was poured into the food and drink, something undetectable to the taste buds but strong enough to completely control Jay. He thought about the new nemeses Jay would have to face in the next few hours and rubbed his hands together as he devised a plan.

The food was given to Jay and the God watched him eat it as if he was ravenous and had been starved. Loki knew that his young body was craving energy because he was using so much of it. The magic he had unknowingly consumed was helping him to replenish what he used on a daily basis as well as repair the majority of injuries he sustained.

'Of course, I could collect them all, the green one I hear has exceptional power, the others not so much except of course Jay. His element is so much more fun to control I could almost punish Thor with it.' Loki thought and smiled to himself.

* * *

The ninja team, like Jay before had also been apprehended by the organisation known as SHIELD and they too were being interrogated.

"What do you mean you don't know where he is?" Cole shouted at the man with the eyepatch., Completely unaware of who this man was.

Perplexed with these events Kai shook his head. "Wait, you lost him, you lost Jay?" He shouted equally shocked.

"Well, he was fighting for us for over a week," One agent stated, nonchalantly. "He was wounded during the first invasion and since then, we've had no news of him."

"What does that mean, you know where he is then, or is it classified too, like everything else around here?"

The agents looked up to the CEO and another middle-aged man. Only the suited man spoke. "It's not classified, you have a right to know."

The agent nodded with this and proceeded cautiously. He was becoming aware of Cole and Kai's aggressive behaviour and had been warned by his senior, Coulson that the one with spiky hair was capable of pyrokinesis. "There was a rumour that a certain mischief maker has him and he may have altered his mind in the process of controlling him."

He cringed, waiting for the news to sink in. The air was palpable, the mood suddenly sombre.

The one with spiky hair was rendered speechless and the one with black hair was jaw agape. So he continued again. . .cautiously as before.

"I meant, that his mind was likely altered by the sceptre. Of course, the good news is that he is evidently still alive."

It was obvious this agent was new at giving and breaking bad news because he stank at the delivery of it.

"The bad news is that he is almost as strong as the God who has changed him."

Still, silence from the amassed group of ninja.

"Loki managed to capture one of our best marksmen, Hawkeye, was also taken." Coulson offered indifferently. He wasn't intending on lessening the blow, just letting them know that it wasn't just Jay whose life was on the line here. Hawkeye was one of their own, hand picked by Fury.

"I don't care about Loki or anyone else, we want Jay back, NOW." Kai hissed, his arm draped around Nya's shoulder, she was sobbing but trying to remain calm.

"Kai?" Zane scolded.

"I-I apologise for my red brother. He is anxious to hear of Jay's unexpected departure."

"We all are," Cole spat. "To be honest Zane, none of us were expecting this shit heap."

"Director Fury if I may, how can we be of assistance? We possess no superhuman strength or remarkable abilities."

"Haa, speak for yourself..." Cole and Kai both chortled, pursing their lips when Zane frowned at them.

"We could do with re-enforcements." The agent stated. "Our current ground forces are being hammered because your teammate is using electrical currents to kill any that come close enough to himself or the man he protects. He's near enough unstoppable."

Fury had said nothing, he was still looking down his nose at the assembled ninja before him. Wondering if this was going to be a bad idea, considering these ones seemed just as cocky as the blue one had.

"As I mentioned we did gather feedback on the ninja you called Jay, we heard that he was fatally wounded a little over two weeks ago at the hands of the Chitauri."

"Wait, fatally wounded?" Cole questioned anxiously but received no direct response. "You only said wounded, which one is it?"

"We believe Jay was altered mentally by the mind stone, it's within the sceptre that Loki carries upon his person."

"Yeah, you already said that. . ." Cole hissed, impatiently.

"What exactly do you mean by mind altered?" Lloyd stuttered, shaking his head.

"Fuck's sake...Lloyd, keep up," Cole grumbled under his breath. "Look, just carry on, please."

"Hang on, did you just say he is as strong as the God who changed him? What the hell does that mean?" Kai sputtered out as he took a drink of water.

Nick Fury tilted his head and took a deep breath, these Ninja were almost as annoying as the blue one they had called Jay. "He was fatally wounded because he was shot with advanced weaponry owned by the Chitauri. Are you still following?"

It was evident Fury was getting irked with having to explain everything that his agents already had...repeatedly. "And again, yes because as I've already stated his mind was altered."

"And finally," One of the agents spoke up with a mad smile etched on his face. It was like he actually wanted to inflict pain. "If Loki has changed him in any way, he'll be stronger, perhaps on par with the God almost. Maybe still mortal, we don't know yet but as far as I'm aware, he can still be hurt, we can still target him and Hawkeye, at least to break Loki's control."

"But we don't want to hurt him," Cole replied, concern in his tone.

"You might not have a choice." Nick Fury replied, turning away. He may be blind in one eye but his hearing was as good and clear as anyone's. In fact, better than Agent Barton, the Archer had to wear hearing aids.

Fury could quite easily hear the team of fruit coloured ninja whispering behind him.

"If you'd let me finish though," Coulson said, taking over from Fury who was growing more irritated by the second. He stalled, waiting for the team to quieten down for him to continue. "It would be in the best interests for you to join forces so we can rectify this problem quickly and send you on your way, once everything is settled."

Haa, like that's gonna happen. . .Cole thought.

The ninja shuffled in their seats, thinking briefly about the potential implications of helping an unknown race defeat another unexplored race with untold outcomes, it didn't sound very promising.

The agent flicked through Jay's thin but classified file. "Now, I'm not saying this will be easy but if we work together and keep our team members in check then you'll get what you want and vice versa. You'll get Jay back and we'll get the war criminal."

"But will we though? I mean isn't Jay classed as a war criminal just by association?" Lloyd asked with his eyebrow raised testing the man with the eyepatch.

Nick Fury had raised an eyebrow but remained tight-lipped, allowing his agent to speak for him.

"No of course not, he'll be tried in a court of law and I would hazard a guess and say he'll be set free, to go home." The agent replied without any eye contact.

"Hmm..." Cole replied disbelieving what Director Fury had just said.

Zane was the first to speak, his robotic brain working out the percentages of success. "Brothers there is not much we can do here at the moment except help SHIELD in their fight against this evil presence."

A few grumbles could be heard coming from Cole and Kai, Lloyd simply sighed in response.

"And, not forgetting, Loki has the other cube. So if we find Jay in this fight we will probably need to take him down too." Zane added. His metallic features frowning in realisation at what he had just uttered.

"I'm really worried about Jay, we've haven't seen him for days, he could be..."

"No Nya, don't say it, he'll be fine, Jay's strong after all," Cole said as he hugged her close to his body, pulling her into him.

The ninja all stopped mumbling when the director spoke again, all eyes were on him.

Agent Phil Coulson gestured his ninja guests out of the room. "Come and meet the rest of the team who you'll be working with." Issuing each with a temporary SHIELD pass. "I don't suppose you can furnish me with your names, Jay the blue one was reluctant to do so during our interrogation of him, so he was simply known as 'the ninja'."

"Well I'm not surprised, I mean you did say you tranquillized and cuffed him without telling him who you all were," Cole said nonchalantly, still trying to understand how SHIELD had lost their brother.

"Fine my name's Cole, tinman here is Zane, red one Kai, green Lloyd and red blue is Nya. You've already met our resident loudmouth blue Jay."

Each ninja said their name and raised their hand, "I would say it's good to meet you all but evidently, it's not. Follow me please and keep up." Coulson growled, allowing his lower-class agents to begin the security protocols for getting everyone aboard the Helicarrier.

As Agent Smith led them to a Quinjet to carry on with their change of premises, he quickly turned to look at the assembled colourful group of ninja. "We need to board this, our main facility is up there." He pointed into the clouds.

"What, the cloud kingdom?" Kai asked puzzled.

"No!" Came the agent's short reply. "I'm not sure what that is though."

"This," Coulson said, pointing upwards. "Is more of a cloud fortress."

Turning to his lower-class agents Coulson leaned in. "Agent Smith, they'll all need handlers too. Enhanced or not, these guys just appeared, we can't be doing with a level 8 SHEILD threat on our hands."

He walked off to notify his team of the new guests who were to be treated with respect. Each one eventually being issued with their own ident card and training uniform. And each one was to be trained and brought up to speed by STRIKE team members Brock Rumlow and Jack Rollins in the next few hours.

"I don't believe him when he says that he'll let Jay come back with us, that'll never happen," Cole mumbled out of earshot from the director.

"I know but what can we do huh, we can't get back without that cube. I don't know what to suggest about Jay though I mean he could've said no to Loki, right?" Kai whispered in response.

Cole had shuffled his feet awkwardly. Getting a new feel for the lightweight combat uniform he was wearing. "Not if his mind was altered, I'm sure he thought of the alternatives but ya know what they said, he mentioned that Jay was fatally wounded and we kind of do and say things we regret when we're dying."

The ninja team were shown around the flying fortress and introduced to the Avengers team, it was true that the ninja were completely astounded at the different type of people that stood in front of them. Most of them were muscular, one was green, one wore red white and blue and one was a very curvaceous woman, Cole thought as he looked her up and down.

Maria Hill had taken to introducing them as Fury had sauntered off to deal with another issue that had made the local and international news.

"This is Captain America, he likes to be the group leader and he has plenty of experience in the field with battle planning and tactical assault." She whispered the rest. Regardless, Cole was instantly impressed, he wanted to get this meet and greet over with so he could talk to him and discuss a plan of action.

"Iron Man, also known as Tony Stark." She motioned to a man wearing only a sparse amount of red and gold metal, having just surrendered his suit to its charging pod.

Zane took an interest as he saw the man in the iron suit reappear as a man, he almost fell over as he saw the armour plating disappear before his eyes and a man stepped out and shook his hand.

"Good to make your acquaintance, again" Zane said as he shook his hand in earnest.

"Hey if you think this is impressive wait till you meet Jarvis, he's my AI system. Actually, come to think of it, you may have done already considering you were offline for a few hours."

"Ahh yes, I believe I have you to thank for that. And yes, I would like that very much thank you," Zane replied standing stock still as he felt his systems being scanned.

"You don't mind do you?" Tony Stark asked rudely not thinking to ask first. "Just, you still have some systems offline since arriving here?"

"Not at all, I have nothing to hide."

"You are one remarkable machine Zane, your power source is similar to Mr Stark's." An AI voice spoke gently into Zane's CPU and internal processing units.

'Thank you and you would be?'

'Jarvis...Just. A. Rather. Very. Intelligent. System...I know not very original...Mr Stark's idea.'

'You possess a wide knowledge of fighting skills, ancient martial arts...impressive.'

'Thanks again.' Zane replied internally to the same voice, which he noted was crisp and clear.

"This is the team, you'll be working with tomorrow, but please feel free to walk around this facility, we have training areas, cafeterias and sleeping quarters for you all to use whilst you stay with us. Come and join us in a few hours once you've settled in." Agent Smith said with a smile as he walked away with Agent Hill.

"I really don't think we'll be working with them, to be fair," Cole muttered under his breath as the group of weary fighters all walked off somewhere undisclosed.

"I think you're right, they seemed far too up their own asses to mingle with the likes of us," Lloyd agreed, voice lowered. "I reckon they don't like new guys, they might not want to be upstaged?"

"I don't think it's that, Lloyd. It might be to do with Jay, because he was coerced so easily."

"From what was just said, I don't think it was an easy coercion, Jay was shot defending these strike guys and, well he took one for the team. Where was his back up though?"

"Fuck knows, but I'm gonna find out." Cole sighed, patting Lloyd on the back. "Come on, these guys are waiting for us. Looks like we gotta get in the contraption to get us up there." He pointed to just above the cloud line.


	5. Fight for your life

"Chimichangas, what do you mean you haven't got any, the fuck kinda establishment you running here!" Deadpool shouted angrily. Berating any and all who were standing the other side of the counter. "Okay I can cope with the fact you haven't got them but you got tacos right? I mean you wouldn't call me on this piece of crap ship without plying me with my favourite food, surely you guys aren't that fucking dumb!"

"You got tacos?...no!...what the hell man...it's called Taco Tuesday for a reason." He shouted again enraged with the server who stood and stared open-mouthed at him and his outburst.

All Kai saw, was a man in a red and black mask and outfit shouting at the server in the cafeteria. He saw how many weapons he was packing, he was covered in guns and knives plus two rather nice looking katanas. The angered man promptly slammed his tray down and walked away disgusted right into the path of said ninja and Kai.

"Hey more ninja, hey guys where's the crude blue dude. Where's my blue Jay, ya know hot stuff? he's my sparring buddy, a fast thing in that lightning twisty thing he did...tell him Deadpool says hi and I'm kinda sorry for punching him in the face and I'm kinda not. He learned a valuable lesson from it although I hear he got beaten up on a few occasions, all in all it made him a better fighter until 'He who must not be named gotta hold of him, right am I right?"

"Sure thing, we'll tell him er Deadpool." Lloyd mumbled in shock before looking at Cole and whispering "Hot stuff, Blue Jay?", his response from Cole was that of a puzzled expression and a shrug of the shoulders.

"That's Deadpool?" Kai said as he looked behind him at this faceless, tall, well-muscled man who was packing lots of weaponry some of which were easily recognisable to the ninja.

"Yeah apparently, Director Fury has been trying to recruit him for some time but he seems reluctant to join," Lloyd whispered in response.

"Maybe something to do with being a lone assassin ya know a soldier of fortune!" Kai suggested under his breath, mindfully aware that Deadpool wasn't standing too far away.

"Wait did he say he punched Jay in the face?" Lloyd questioned and looked puzzled as he stared at Kai before adding "how does he eat?"

"I would hazard a guess and say that he would lift his mask to eat..." Zane stated coldly but accurately because that was exactly what Deadpool was doing whilst blowing kisses at his new ninja friends and making his way over to Cole.

"Don't mind him. I don't think he likes being here, in fact, I'm not entirely sure why he is here." Agent Smith had stated dryly, having overheard Kai's excited outburst.

Cole watched with his head cocked, he slowly moved his tray across the line waiting for his turn to be served after eyeing the varied choices of food on offer. A snarky voice made his head snap to the side. His concentration from his food choice completely gone.

"Cole, is it Cole or is it Coal?" Deadpool queried, he hip bumped into the black-clad ninja making him lose his footing awkwardly and take a big step to the side with his still empty tray to compensate. "Ooh, ya going to a funeral dude?...why so black has someone died...think ya need some more colour in your uniform. see mine has got just the right amount of black and red the lines accentuate my superb physique...the ladies love it!" He laughed out loudly making Cole take a further step back.

"Whereas yours is largely hidden behind all that baggy shit, fuck, how does that uniform even work? Have ya got hidden melee weapons in there somewhere?" He said whilst trying to sneak a peak down Cole's top. "Impressive!"

Cole quickly started blushing at the proximity of this complete stranger and straightened up, standing his ground feeling a little intimidated at the fact that he couldn't even see this man's face. "Do I know you?" He narrowed his hazel eyes but was unsure where to look. All he could see was white where the eyes should have been. It was a complete facial mask, no identifying details at all.

"Nope but you prolly will soon enough, I'm Deadpool previously known as _Deadpool_ or _DP_ hehe if ya like that sorta thing, oh by the way love that six pack dude you pump iron? Weights?"

Cole was instantly reminded of Jay or 'Zaptrap' as he was affectionately known although _Deadpool_ seemed to have no profanity filter or boundaries whereas Jay's embarrassment did. Jay would never overstep the boundaries as much as this guy was.

"Well Cole, if you want to train with a pro just come and find me yeah! hahaha, see ya around." He had literally hot footed away, a royal wave of sorts signalling his swift departure.

* * *

"Seriously don't let him get to you, he's just different..." Agent Hill said.

"Thanks and all, I think we're just eager to get out there and find our brother. Look, can I help you?"

"Yes, Erm well actually _we can help you_."

His eyebrows rose at that snippet. "Meaning what exactly?"

"SHIELD will be supplying you with uniforms for tomorrow. Don't worry, they are as lightweight and breathable as your current uniforms but these are will heighten your elemental abilities, they're bulletproof too. SHIELD has access to some high tech gadgets, clothes are no exception."

"Also you can use your own weapons tomorrow or you can use ours, the only downside is you'll need to return the ones you borrow because they are largely irreplaceable. We don't like to share our secrets with just anyone." She whispered.

"What's your name? I feel like I'm just talking to agent this and agent that." Cole said as he pushed his tray along the line to the serving area, he realised he'd said the last part quite loud as he was aware that many of the agents were looking at him incredulously. "Yeah, can I have one of those, actually two please..." He nodded at the server and moved his tray again.

"My name is Agent Hill."

He rolled his eyes again, that previous sentence having gone right over her head. Maybe it was a security thing, after all, Cole, and his brothers in arms weren't exactly given a high level of SHIELD clearance.

"You might want to get some sleep tonight, you'll need it." She said with an air of confidence as she smiled at him and walked away. "Oh and try the cake, it's amazing." She added, as an icebreaker.

"Cool, I'll let my team know, oh and thanks for the uniform and err the personal cake recommendation hehe." He watched as she left the line to go and sit with a group of similarly dressed people, whom he assumed to be agents.

Cole carefully chose his food and cake and quickly ran across to his team where he divulged the new information,

"Hey guys, Agent Hill says we get new uniforms tomorrow, apparently more protection and increased abilities, cool eh?"

"Yeah, kinda I guess," Kai said with a raised eyebrow as he stared at his food seemingly disinterested.

"I'm just eager to get back and get outta here, these guys seem perfectly capable of fighting this battle, I mean why do they even need us?" He finished with a deflated sigh.

"Hey come on Kai, we've been in worse situations than this! Outer space was pretty bad, the mega weapon, the devourer, Morro, Hell even Sensei Yang and Nadakhan should I carry on?" Cole stated.

"We've always pulled through as a team and come back stronger than ever." The master of earth added whilst trying to build Kai's waning confidence.

"I mean honestly what's gonna happen, surely it won't be that bad!" Cole said as he hugged his spiky-haired ninja brother.

"Nah true besides you were a ghost for a while weren't you and that was as bad as it got, except for Jay getting captured on the Misfortunes keep and having to save our asses hehehe."

"Yeah, that's an episode I never wanna relive again, mind you I got a cool Harry Potter scar to go with the experience though, sadly not superhuman though yet." Cole laughed.

"Harry Potter is not superhuman either," Zane interjected, "but he was just as strong as the dark lord even if his age was much younger than Voldemort."

"Haha, I didn't know you were a DVD buff, Zane. It's impressive to know that you seem to be a sci-fi nerd as well as a general dork too." Lloyd teased and Zane smiled in response.

"I aim to surprise." His metallic face smiled in response.

"That you do Zane, that you do," Lloyd responded and patted his nindroid brother on the back.

"Look, so far this Deadpool guy is the only one who actually spent any time with Jay before he disappeared, I'm worried about him guys, it's been a week and he was fatally injured."

"I know Cole, but you heard what Fury said, he is evidently still alive, so take heart from that yeah! But I understand what you mean, I'm worried too." Kai soothed with a hand on his black ninja's forearm as a show of solidarity.

* * *

A few hours later and Jay had woken up, his training schedule was sparring, fighting and weaponry skills against others deemed suitable, his moves had become exceptionally fast and his tornado unlike anything ever seen before, he quickly won his sparring matches in record time...everyone was out of breath. Loki's spiked food from the night before had affected Jay's elemental power and overall agility increasing it tenfold. He did his typical fighting, dodging, parrying and thrusting moves with Loki but his thrust powers were a blur. His moves being too quick for the human eye, he was almost indestructible and if it wasn't for his mortality he would be a force to be reckoned with.

"Come Jay, Hawkeye, it is time" Loki ordered as he motioned towards a waiting stolen quinjet.

"We are flying straight to Stark Tower, there is a device strong enough to sustain a portal for my army of Chitauri warriors". He sat back and looked intently at Jay,

"You will be with me, my bodyguard, as they say, Hawkeye you will be positioned opposite the tower...wait for my signal."

"Yes sir," Hawkeye replied.

"Sir, the iridium you requested for sustaining the portal," Eric replied, he was another one of the poor fools Loki had ensnared, the astrophysicist.

"Thank you, Eric," Loki said as he took the clear cylinder containing the metal material which he needed to open the portal.

"Jay I'm expecting big things from you today, I'll need you to shut down the tower's defences so I can begin activating the portal...if the ninja team find you then you will need to stop them on your own."

"Yes, my liege."

' _How come Hawkeye and Eric don't have to call him that, why is it just reserved for me?_ '

A feeling of unease washes over me, I'm sure he has something planned for me and I'm not going to like it.

The quinjet lands on the helipad of Stark tower, no one is there except the AI system know as J.A.R.V.I.S, the existing members of the Avengers are all on board the flying fortress with Director Nick Fury who is briefing them of their new mission.

"Jay, the Iron man's computer generated system is in the building you'll need to find it and quickly, but be cautious there may be security devices in place, GO!" He hissed.

I run as quickly as lightning would you believe!

The building reminds me of something somewhere, I couldn't remember clearly damn could I even remember what I was supposed to do with the security system?

' _Focus Jay you have a task to do!_ ' Is all I keep repeating.

I can sense energy signatures from under my feet, they pulse strongly like a magnetic field and I follow them until they lead me into a room with a large semi-circular table with glass panels surrounding parts of it. I walk up to the table and brush my fingers over the glass top gently until images appear in front of me.

Somehow I know what to do as if this had been ingrained into the recesses of my mind...it looks so easy, the system, of course, I have never seen before.

' _This must be Iron man's personal area considering I can see blueprints and files linking to new armoured suits, cool_.'

I had never seen this type of system before but yet here I am disabling the backup power and security systems like a pro, almost as if I had the knowledge all along. I was alerted within five seconds by a voice which seemed to be all around me...

' _Ah that must be the AI Loki warned me about, there must be a setting for that too_ ' I looked through more files trying to remember the name Ironman told me about.

"I suggest you don't do that Jay."

My eyes widen and my ears prick up at the mention of my name.

"Why not? I've been ordered to, besides you're kinda in the way." I said as I attempted to reason with this voice, it was unsettling as the voice knew me, what else did it know?

'I can use other tactics to prevent you from disabling my systems."

"I bet you can and that would be so interesting to hear you babble on about yourself, but please don't," Jay replied, rapidly double-clicking each folder in quick succession trying to find the correct file.

"My tactics? are impressive, I warn you now." The AI replied.

"Yeah! Such as?" I was becoming impatient with the voice and the threat, as I hurriedly tried to find the settings for the AI voice, it was distracting me and making me slow down.

"A neurotoxin would be terrible for a human. Perhaps some Entonox to sedate you." The voice spoke clearly and the room began filling with a noxious gas cloud.

Jay began coughing almost immediately, but he used his face scarf to shield his nose and mouth, muffling his voice somewhat, his eyes were stinging though and watering profusely.

"I have a vast amount of tactics, would you like me to list them one by one perhaps?"

Jay didn't reply for fear of breathing in more gas which could cause harm or send him to sleep neither of which would work for Loki would be livid if his plan failed.

"Gas, electric shock, taser, dart gun, I can go on."

"I really wish you wouldn't, you're kinda trying my patience, I just wanna switch, you, of!" He mumbled in response as he rolled his eyes in annoyance at the taunting voice.

"Actually, you can now, I was merely providing a distraction," Jarvis replied with a cocky tone.

"A distraction from what?" I ask the voice as a puzzled expression comes onto my face and then it dawns on me.

 _'We're not alone in this tower, not anymore, we've got company and I've got to fight them myself.'_

"Clever AI, well played!"

"Oh and Jay, my name is Jarvis."

"Great thanks, Jarvis," I said dryly as I found the file.

"My pleasure Jay, nice to make your acquai..."

I smirk and cut off the voice and systems before the sarcastic fucker now known as _Jarvis_ could say any more. Next is the security systems which is quite a quick process but I have to be quick because the air is still acrid. Finally, I have company which I need to deal with.

"Loki, it's done," I radioed in and left the device on the desk.

I run out of the large computer room and down a few flights of stairs into a large atrium which appears to be the entrance to Iron man's private living areas. There are two floors above me which look like the perfect hiding place for me until my unwanted company arrives. I retreat up the stairs and hide beside a large bookcase.

I can see the main door but hope that no one can see me. I wait in my position to watch for any movement near the access areas. My new abilities allow me to focus on sound and I can feel people approaching using the stairwell. I crouch in anticipation on the second floor ready to attack my foes with my obsidian black katanas, another gift bestowed on me from Loki.

' _One two, three, four, five_.'

I count them as they come through the doors eagerly expecting a bigger number of foes. Now is the time to strike so I jump from my position and they don't even see me until I land in front of them silently in a crouched position, my knees taking the brunt of the fall and subsequent landing.

' _Actually, it didn't hurt at all normally that move should have caused a significant injury which is why they are staring at me like that like I'm a freak_.'

* * *

My scarf covers part of my face and my head is lowered but my eyes are trained on them, each one. Both of my black blades are unsheathed and poised to strike in front of me in a cross position, a kind of warning to let them know they shouldn't attempt to pass me but yet they all stare at me.

"Jay? err are you okay bro, J-Jay!" The black one stares at me with a frown, he seems concerned.

Instead of fighting all they do is look at me, I don't like how they are just staring and they know my name. The black one looks pitifully at me and the injuries on my face, likely from training non-stop.

No, he doesn't know me, it's all a trick Loki told me so, I must keep them from Loki because his plan depends on it.

I spin rapidly into my tornado, by the looks of their faces they weren't expecting it as three of them are lying on the floor but they're not dead I'm not meant to kill them as far as I'm aware just stop them. A white one gets up and tries to freeze me to the spot and it works for a short amount of time until my blades cut through it cleanly.

"Good try, but not good enough," I say as I run at him with my katanas raised over my shoulder.

The white one fights well he's fast and seems to be able to dodge and parry my attacks but he just isn't quick enough for me. So I take the upper hand literally and I hit him in the face with the handle of my weapon. A crunching noise ensues followed by a smirk from my own face.

' _Odd there's no blood, hmm what kinda creature is this?_ '

I hear shouts coming from a red one, he seems to be able to wield fire, which is both impressive and strange. His sword is ablaze whilst he tries to fight my quick attacks but he fails, of course, they all do.

' _Pathetic.'_

However the black and the green one were very impressive, they seemed to have unparalleled power and they're strong but they were no match for me, not really.

All I knew was that I had so far kept them away from Loki meaning he was able to activate the portal again. I looked around and saw these ninja were all tired and defeated, I crouched down with my katana's still in my ever firm grasp and watched them intently yet there was something familiar about them which I couldn't place.

This team of ninja were sneaky, they were planning something I could hear them whisper, see their hand gestures.

' _A subterfuge, figures!_ '

All at once they began spinning towards me. My eyebrow raised, now this could be interesting I thought, as I prepared for round two. My blades poised for action, their spinning momentum was similar to mine but rather boring colours. They began to surround me and I realised had no means of escape, I felt the point of one blade piercing my skin but that was all.

It was odd, but interesting. Each small inconsequential tornado held a certain element. Water, Earth, Fire, Ice and energy. All of them seemed to be missing something. But none of them really did anything to me.

I still stood strong as their tornadoes slowed to a stop. Then I delivered a low spinning heel kick which knocked them all of their feet before delivering a volley of punches to each in quick succession, the black one stood behind me but he got the pommel of my katana in his face. It was fair to say he wasn't expecting that, and he stumbled backwards in shock typically clutching his face.

A woman with dark hair walked to me and starts to plead with me, but who is she?

She is quite beautiful but she has weapons too and at a guess, she is also here to stop me. She unsheaths a tanto from her waist and approaches me with caution. She has a look of determination on her face as she tries to hit me but I quickly dodge her volley. She slices at me, but I can tell that her heart is not in the fight...mine is!

Before she has a chance to come back at me, I knocked her down with an elbow strike to her head, it connects with her nose and makes a satisfying crack.

This action causes the red one to come back at me with more fury than before. I didn't know he had this much energy and the look in his eyes was now that of pure rage almost like a wildfire burning out of control.

My quick actions prevented me from further assault as I parried his blows with ease. His eyes suddenly wide with fear as he realised he couldn't win, so I gave him a little shock, literally. He skidded across the floor towards his comrade in black and stayed there.

"JAY!" The black ninja shouted, his voice even though loud and harsh, still comes through as pitiful. He wipes his nose free of scarlet red blood, the other pinching his nose to stem the flow. "What's got into you? Why are you doing this?"

"Got into me, what do you mean got into me; other than pure unadulterated power?" I laugh, quirking a brow. "Haa, take a look closer, this is who I am now, who I was and what I was meant to be."

"You can't stop me, none of you can."

"One question, how do you know my name?"

"Really?" The black one asks.

"Yeah." I resheath just the one blade. Lick at my wounded hand. "Who are you and how do you know my name?"

"We're your brothers, we've come to take you home. Well back to the Bounty, back to Ninjago." The black one stated clearly.

"I'm not familiar with this place you speak of and I've got no brothers. Simply put; I'm the ninja, I was recruited by Loki to bring down SHIELD and all that stand in the way. NO MATTER THE COST! So stay the f**k away from me and him." I said through clenched teeth as I lifted my blades up again marvelling at the lightweight feel of them.

I licked my lips and readied my blades, the black ninja would be the first to die. But wait, what's this? The green one is making a move, brave but foolish.

"You can't hurt me, I'm no one's brother, I've no family, Loki found me and took me in."

"That's not who you are, deep down inside. You aren't like this. You'd never do it if it weren't for him, controlling you." The black one said. His face concerned, sickeningly so.

" ** _Lies_**! He said you'd attempt to do this. To persuade and to pacify me into a false sense of security and once trapped, you'd hand me over to them."

"To who?" The black one asked.

"To whom?" The metal one replied before looking straight at me. "Who do you think we would hand you over to?"

"To SHIELD..." Obviously. Can they even make sense of what I'm saying? Maybe removing my scarf will help. "The thing is, I know what they have planned. For My Liege, a lifetime of solitude, for me, _death_..."

The green one stands and begins to form a large ball of green energy. I stare at this mesmerising phenomena in front of me...perhaps this is why Loki shows an interest in him too.

"Jay, I don't want to do this, I-I don't want to hurt you, you're my brother."

"Jay please, we're your family, we love you and we came here to get you. Please don't make me do this."

It's impressive, don't get me wrong. A big green glowing ball of energy.

"Jay?" The black one pleaded before looking up at me. "We would never abandon you, _ever_."

I smile, sadly. "You still lie..."

 _Being around liars makes you more susceptible._

"You're all pathetic. Are these your sentiments, to make me feel like I once belonged to you? That I once had a home that wasn't here, with him?"

" ** _You_** , are _our_ family," The black one urges. " ** _He's_ ** using you."

This was getting tiresome. "I don't know you. Nothing about this is familiar to me."

"Jay? Listen to us, _to me_. We don't wanna hurt you." The black one was sat on the floor, cradling the one in red.

"I don't believe you, or him." I pointed with my blade. The tip of it pointing at the red one. "I saw the hatred behind those moves. In his eyes, I could see how much pain he wanted to inflict. He doesn't care and neither do you."

"Lloyd d-don't." The black one uttered. My eyes followed his until they settle on something bright.

"You can't hurt me," I repeated. "I'm no one's brother and I've no family. Loki found me and took me in."

"He didn't _find_ you, he **_kept_ ** you?"

The woman suddenly speaks up after I had knocked her out a few minutes earlier. "It's deception, he's twisting the truth. Why can't you see that? Why can't you, just see what he's doing?"

"Stole me, haa...if only," I laughed at the absurdity. Staring her up and down. "No matter though, I-I'm here to prevent you from..."

 _Do they want to try to take me down, despite what I've said?_

"You can't disturb him, not now...I'm here to stop you, no matter the cost."

"Lloyd stop, don't do this..."

"Please, Jay, we're your family," The green one stated, getting nearer still. " **We** love you. Honestly, we came all this way to get you, to bring you home. Please don't make me do this." He mumbled, energy ball increasing exponentially.

"Lloyd, stand down." The black one joined in again.

* * *

Loki appeared from the overhead balcony, watching in amazement at the scene unfolding.

"I wouldn't do anything foolish. Especially if you really care about this one. It really would be wise of you to stand down" Loki said.

"I-I can't we came to get him back. He is ours, not yours," Lloyd shouted, struggling to maintain his hold on the energy ball.

Kai was stirring and knew that if Jay was hit with this, it could do untold damage, even in his powerful state. He had only even seen Lloyd wield his power like this when he fought on the Dark Island. Their power had been almost equally matched, but this was different, Jay was not immortal.

"You could join us green one, I'm sure we could find a space for you on our team," Loki said, turning up one side of his mouth into a curved smiled.

"I wouldn't ever join you. Being part of a family is more important than what you have to offer."

"Ooh, brave words from someone so young yet so naive. You'll never get him back with that attitude BOY."

"I'll never yield to evil, Loki, and neither will they!" He said as he pointed to his brothers who stood behind him supporting his decision as their own.

"Even if you've taken him as your own we will still get him back, we'll always come back for one of our own."

"Fine have it your way but just so you know, Jay's power is controlled by me, his lightning is ten times more powerful than it was before, so now you know what you're up against." And with that Loki turned his back on Lloyd and carried on with setting up the portal.

Lloyd couldn't hold on any longer and he expelled the large energy ball and resulting beam at Jay. The former Lightning ninja was hit at full force by the beam that came from Lloyd's hands and he watched as Jay's body was thrown across the large room.

He hit the concrete wall with a loud crunch. The force of the energy beam and resulting noise shook the building and startled Zane and Cole, both stood unsteadily until they locked their eyes on Jay laying on the floor.

"Lloyd we don't want to kill him remember." Cole hissed as he saw his possessed best friend laying deathly still.

"I know I'm sorry, but we're running out of time, and energy. He's just as Fury said, he's almost unstoppable." Lloyd looked down and back at Jay before sighing in defeat.

"Shouldn't we check him? I mean he looks kinda injured." Cole asked with uncertainty but eager to make sure Jay was still okay, he was after all still his best friend even if he had been possessed by the most powerful magic of an immortal God who also happened to be a sorcerer.

The outcome was looking bleaker for Jay as each minute passed, Cole shook his head but refused to admit defeat for he knew they were too late. Loki had changed him by way of his own magic and the mind stone as Fury had also mentioned.

' _I'm so sorry Jay, we should have come sooner_.'

Cole approached on his own but stood back enough so that if Jay stood he would be far enough back to avoid any fatal blows.

"No leave him, he hit my sister."

"Kai, come on he's obviously not himself is he?, you heard what Fury said, his mind has been altered."

Cole tried to get Kai to see reason and truth be told he was shocked at Kai's newfound hatred for Jay, this was so completely out of character for Jay so why did Kai think it was all him and nothing to do with Loki's magic. Cole again shook his head waiting for Lloyd to calm the master of fire down but he never did.

"Fine, but if he still fights I want to be the one that delivers the hit that knocks him out." Kai hissed as he looked back at his sister who was sitting and holding her head.

"Kai, I really do not think that is a good idea, you are letting your emotions control your feelings, and that, in this exact moment would not be beneficial for our brother nor our own outcome," Zane said with a pat on Kai's shoulder.

"Hmph, whatever!" Kai shrugged, he was adamant he was going to make Jay pay for this, Nya didn't deserve the injury that she was now nursing.

"Kai I implore you to see reason, this is not Jay's doing. This behaviour is purely Loki, please do not take out your hatred out on Jay, he is still your brother." Zane replied.

"He's no brother of mine!" Kai spat.

Cole and Zane both recoiled in shock as soon as those poisonous words fell from Kai's mouth but the fire master felt no remorse at admitting them.

"Dammit Kai, you d-don't mean th-that surely?" Cole stated with wide horrified eyes at Kai's admission.

"Try me asshole, look what he did to Nya, look at her, she fucking bleeding." Kai stood and faced Cole.

"He hit a woman, my sister Cole, he f**king hit my own sister. Honestly, right now I could quite easily go over there and drive this through his sorry black heart."

"Kai please, you must control these feelings." Zane moved to restrain him from moving any further towards the still laying former Lightning ninja.

The angry red ninja just merely pulled out of Zane's grasp with a belligerent huff and agreed to listen to the plans. He still wanted to make Jay pay for hurting Nya, the woman he was meant to love not hurt.

"Guys, pull closer; if he wakes up we use the tornado of creation because this is strong magic and I don't think a case of green energy is gonna be enough to rid him of it," Cole said clearly but not too loudly because they weren't sure if Jay was playing dead.

"Hey, no fair that was quite a blast," Lloyd replied feeling slightly taken aback.

"Literally, it was a blast," Kai said sarcastically, as he stared at Jay laying still.

"Sorry green machine, this is Loki we're talking about, he's a God remember." Cole soothed and patted him on the shoulder ignoring Kai's remark.

"Now I know it has potentially dangerous implications but we can't seem to stop Jay, well except apart from Lloyd trying to kill him but now we kinda need a backup plan in case he's playing tricks," Cole said looking back over his shoulder at Jay who was stirring from his drowsy concussed stupor. "We need to walk over there as a team and if he is expecting us to attack he won't expect this."

"Why would he play tricks?, He's evil, you can see it in his eyes." Kai replied coldly.

"Nope actually scrub that, trickster God right?" Kai whispered to himself.

"Kai, for the last time, Jay's been possessed by Loki, the God of lies, mischief, a master of manipulation, the destroyer of worlds, should I go on? Gahh was it just me listening to Thor?" Cole said angrily as he tried to control his temper from getting the better of him. "Let's go over and check on him, if he attempts to fight again we use the T.O.C okay!"

The ninja including Nya quietly approach Jay who was currently lying sprawled across the floor partially embedded into a concrete column, he is not moving very much at all but he is still breathing. Cole looks at the damage surrounding Jay and cringes at the fact that Tony Stark might be more than a little annoyed at the state of his lobby.

"Oh god Lloyd you killed him, is he even breathing?" Cole teased knowing full well that he could still see Jay breathing. He was impressed at his strength, he had managed to survive a blast of pure green energy without certain loss of life.

Just then as he heard voices approaching Jay carefully got to his feet, he was swaying unsteadily but seemed to be otherwise fine. There was a line of blood coming down his face from an injury on his scalp which was trailing down his neck at an alarming rate. Cole was unsure about his decision now but they couldn't back out. They didn't know what Jay was capable of and at that moment in time, it was them against Jay.

Cole saw the look in Jay's eyes, he saw him smirk as he pulled two hidden Sai from his robes, he was just about to strike with them when Cole signalled to his team.

"Now!" Cole shouted as he saw Jay enter his spinjitzu. Cole was secretly impressed at the size and colour of it but knew that Loki had some part to play with his newly acquired power.

"I'm sorry Jay, this will probably hurt, a lot!" Cole said as he lowered his gaze away from his best friend as he too entered the tornado of creation.

Jay was enveloped by the large tornado, everything nearby was sucked into it as a vortex of mixed elements was being used against one much smaller enemy. The purple tornado bounced of each one with little to no effect but after a while, his own tornado stopped and he felt intense pain as all the elements attacked him from all sides. All Jay did was scream and loudly before falling down to the ground.

Once he had landed harshly on the unforgiving floor, the internal vacuum sucked his unconscious body upwards. His body was picked up by the vortex and thrown around and only Cole saw it, signalling his team to stop immediately.

The tornado eventually stopped after approximately thirty seconds and Jay was completely still, having fallen back to the floor.

Cole the master of earth breathed a sigh of relief but that was quickly replaced by blind panic when he realised Jay wasn't breathing and there was no movement at all. He was lying on his side with a short bladed katana wedged deeply into his shoulder joint.

* * *

Cole looked at Kai with a frown "You didn't did you?" He looked at Kai before glancing at Jay anxiously. Willing his best friend to move, to say something. Racked with guilt he looked worriedly at Zane because Kai was apparently smirking yet not seeing the severity of the situation.

"Yeah, I did and so what...I'm not sorry Cole, I know I overreacted but...whatever."

"Well he has one of your throwing daggers in his shoulder, I don't think that was called for personally" Cole hissed as he ran quickly towards his fallen brother who still wasn't moving. "Fucking overreaction, vendetta more like..."

He knelt down next to Jay removed the blade not caring about the blood but rather the lack of movement. He sat back watching for the natural rise and fall of Jay's chest, he watched for no more than twenty seconds before realising it wasn't moving, at all.

Cole felt for any signs of life and bit his lip when he couldn't find any.

"Oh God, Jay! Shit, damnit. Come on bro." Cole hissed and tried to remember his lifesaver training back when he was a teenager.

"He needs CPR Zane, he's not breathing and err there's no pulse. Zane, I need you do the resps and you guys, Nya, Kai go get help NOW." Cole shouted and began to panic, he swiftly turned Jay onto his back and located his sternum, he was dubious about lifting Jay's clothes in case he saw any other injuries but had no choice.

His relief was satiated when he saw no other injuries apparent, just the extremely life-threatening one which involved Jay laying there dead with his window of hope disappearing like a candle in the wind.

Cole started cardiopulmonary resuscitation thrusting down into Jay's ribs feeling each downwards thrust creaking and potentially cracking his ribs. Each subsequent thrust threatened to break a delicate rib at any moment but it was a necessary evil because the alternative of a dead brother was not one that Cole wanted to imagine. The possibility of breaking a few ribs for fear of watching the soul leave his eyes was what kept him focused.

Cole hadn't come all this way to retrieve a dead body he had come to rescue his best friend. "How long now Zane? I can't sustain this for too long?" Cole panted as his hands thrust downwards again for another thirty.

"Come on Jay, come, back, to, us. Hold on Jay please! Come on bro!" He panted as he continued thrusting downwards into Jay's chest. He paused for ten seconds and let Zane do the necessary rescue breaths before starting again.

"I can take over if you are tiring Cole, at least until help arrives." Zane stated in between breaths.

"It has been two minutes now, we may need to stop."

"What! No I'm not stopping, just yet. He's not dying on my watch." Cole hissed and carried on.

"I've got this for now, Zane." He started again with sweat appearing on his face, his hands now clammy with exertion.

"One and two and three and four and five and six, *CRACK*, SHIT! I-I think I just broke a rib and not one of mine." Cole muttered angrily wiping his brow in exhaustion.

"Gahhhh, come on Jay, fight damn it, JAY PLEASE! Fuck." Cole was willing his brother to live despite the fact that his own eyes were beginning to fill with tears at the pain he was inflicting on his best friend.

"Zane I'm hurting him, I'm trying to bring him back but all I'm doing is making it worse."

"That is an unfortunate side effect of CPR Cole, you must not blame yourself." Zane soothed as he looked into Cole's angry eyes and continued rescue breaths.

"Besides they say if you do not break a few ribs then you are not doing it correctly." Zane smiled, his reasoning making the earth ninja carry on.

After three minutes of repetitious CPR Jay coughed weakly, he was in considerable pain.

"Gahh where is that ambulance?" Cole shouted as he held Jay in his arms, unaware that Jay's eyes were now open.

"It's gonna be okay bro, just stay with us, Jay!"

"Y-you, y-you s-saved m-me, why would you d-do that?" Jay wheezed with his hand on his chest covering the area where the pain was radiating from, his left side was in agony, the bones felt like they were floating freely.

Cole looked down in bewildered shock as soon as he heard Jay's voice, he was alarmed to see that he was now awake and talking considering that only a minute ago he was dead. "JAY! Really Jay? Wha, look, I'm your best friend d-don't you remember?"

"No- n-not really, I-I don't remember a-anything since before Loki," Jay said truthfully as he gently sat up and started to edge away from Cole rapidly. His hand was pressed firmly to his chest as each time he inhaled he would gasp until he realised it would be less painful to take quick breaths.

"It's us, we're your brothers and your family, Jay please!"

"Are you o-okay?" Cole asked as he looked sideways at Zane anxiously wondering why Jay was edging further away and shuffling backwards in fear before rising unsteadily against the wall with an exerted pained effort at trying to stand.

"Jay we speak the truth, we are here to take you home, you do not belong here." Zane pleaded because he had a horrid suspicion that Jay was attempting to escape judging by his body language and his desire to mobilise so soon after his near death experience.

"Y-yes m'okay sorta. I-I need to go but t-thank you." He said before walking unsteadily, backing away.

Jay took one last look at the remaining ninja as he span into his weakened spinjitzu tornado and escaped. The pain was etched all over Jay's face before he left and little did Cole know what fate had in store for them. This pain was nothing compared to the future or more precisely what Loki had planned.

"Uhm where's he gone?" Kai fumed as he walked in with two paramedics who were getting more irate at being called to have no patient to deal with.

"He kind of just got up and left, uhm literally," Cole replied from his still kneeling position slightly astonished at what had just happened.

"That's just great, now what do we do? We tried everything and it didn't make an iota of difference." Cole sighed.

"We might have no choice but to use our weapons at the next meeting. Our elemental abilities on their own dare I say it; are grossly unmatched. It would seem that our blue brother is too powerful for all of us." Zane added sadly knowing that this could potentially lead to a significant injury. But an injury could heal at least and then the Avengers wouldn't need to kill Jay or imprison him in this realm.


	6. Deal with the devil

Retreating to a safe location was deemed best for Jay, while Loki had gloating to do and business to attend.

As the world council would believe it, Thor and the Avengers had succeeded. They had closed the portal, taken the cube and destroyed parts of New York. The Chitauri warriors had their asses handed to them on a plate, defeated by a pathetic nuclear warhead sent into the rift. Supposedly.

Loki still had a plan though, and a rather special message to deliver. So, appearing in all his finery in the atrium, Loki made his grand entrance to the fallen where Jay had just been. He swept through the room, majestic green cloak trailing behind him elegantly. Walking with an air of grace about himself, legendary, dangerous and a little conniving. When he walked through, all eyes appeared to be on him. Undeterred, he grasped his sceptre laughing to himself. His astral projection had made Thor think that he had given it up freely but that hadn't happened, a trick of the mind and the foolish Avengers had brought it, more fool them.

"Ooh, it must burn.." Loki taunted, pausing for dramatic effect. He noted the looks of complete and utter defeat as silence filled the room where the team of five were currently sitting on the floor, dazed. "To come all this way."

His voice carried across the room, reverberating off every surface. A voice tainted with evil and torment. "You came this close, and you do not have him to take back with you." Speaking to no one in particular, sweeping his green cloak across the floor.

No eye contact was made to the ninja, but he could tell they were feeling the sharpness of his words.

"Travelling across time and space. Being thrown into a battle that wasn't your doing. Doesn't seem at all fair to me, but who am I to judge." He looked dolefully at the team before him. Holding his sceptre, he pointed it at the defeated in his midst.

"I am willing to help, of course, it would require a trade. One for another?" He eyed Lloyd.

"Why would we agree to that?" Cole spat. "We're not desperate." He looked to be thinking about how his words may have had the wrong meaning. Because he caught on that Loki was staring at him.

A smirk crept onto Loki's face. "Desperate! Hmm. Is Jay so below you, that you would choose to end his life so quickly without hearing the full package?" He sneered.

Hearing Lloyd tutting in response, Cole's jaw clenched. "I-I didn't mean it like that."

"No, no I understand perfectly. You are not desperate enough to gesture a swap, I see, of course, he will be most dismayed."

"Don't twist my words, wh-what I meant was that surely we can agree to something that doesn't involve any of our team being used as a bargaining chip." Cole said, angrilly.

"Tis is a choice I offer." Loki said, pausing. "You realise that the blue ninja is not immortal and will eventually perish?"

"Well, release him to us then." Cole replied, looking to his side. Lloyd was cringing, Zane was frowning. Kai wasn't fussed, he was more concerned about his sister than playing this stupid game of swapsies. "Surely an Avenger would be better, right?"

Loki was enjoying this far more than he should. "Oooh, you speak so lowly of him, without even discerning. Tell me, are you the speaker for the team," He stared pointedly at Cole. "Do they feel the same about him or are these your own sentiments?"

"I-I didn't..." Cole stilled, words drying up in his mouth. Not just because of Loki's mean words but his inability to say anything nice.

"Why should I give him back?" Loki snarled. "I control him. He is mine, and if he survives the next few days I may have an opening for him too."

How is he yours? Cole thought. Jay controls his own life and direction, honestly who are you to say you own him. Did Jay pledge some stupid allegiance? Quite possibly if he'd been brainwashed into it.

"He'd never accept that if you gave him his mind back. He'd come straight back with us." Lloyd countered, growling.

"But you will never get home, whilst SHIELD control's the Tesseract, will you?" He teased. Knowing full well that in order to rid this world of these ninja, he would need that cube again.

"Your plan is flawed," Loki said, complete nonchalance. "Maybe you should reconsider my proposal, it would be beneficial. . . for him." He added.

No agreement as yet so he dropped another idea that would get their attention. He was planning on doing this anyway, not that they could stop him...he was sure of it. "Of course, the blue one could always accept my invitation. And, he would have by now; if the fool was not so stubborn."

"What exactly do you mean? What invitation?" Cole quizzed impatiently. "Wh-what did you offer him?"

A spark of intrigue had the black ninja at Loki's feet, metaphorically. And he smirked at how easy this was going to be.

"An immortal life, free of the worries of disease and ageing." Loki was selling it, hook, line and sinker.

"The only clause is, that he will be my protector, or bodyguard if you will. He will stay in this realm and Asgard, fighting by my side for all eternity." A sick smile contorted his face. He looked even worse up close.

Was this his bargain? His long-term plans perhaps? Cole certainly hoped not because the team would be ripped apart at the seams if this went ahead.

"But why would you offer him that? He'd never accept it, ever. W-what have you done to him?"

Loki sauntered on down the stairs. Taking his sweet time to observe all. He laughed at them at their expense and their failures. "The bargain still stands, I will give you all a day to decide and no more," Loki said, raising his sceptre to admire it before pointing it threateningly at Cole. "If you truly care about Jay you will trade, otherwise. . ."

He sneered at Cole and pushed him back with the handle of his sceptre. "You will get to watch his downfall. I'll kill him painfully, slowly and you will be made to watch as I take him from you, mind and body."

Cole fell easily to the floor like a huge gust of wind had blown him over. "But why would you offer him that? He's our brother, h-he'd never accept it, ever. W-what have you done to him?" He was angry, standing back on his feet, rubbing his stomach where the sceptre made contact.

He hissed, swiftly disappearing as if by magic. A trail of green smoke dissipated where he'd just been standing.

"Gahh I already hate that cloaked fool." Cole yelled at the place where Loki had literally been standing a few seconds ago.

"I stupidly thought that we'd seen the last of any magical creatures since we defeated Chen and Clouse but oh no; we get Loki, great. . ..now what guys?" Cole asked no one in particular.

He got a few shrugged shoulders and defeated sighs from his team in response because no-one wanted to admit it but Loki was right, they would need to consider his proposal because what choice did they have.

Back on the flying fortress, the ninja were being debriefed after their battle with Jay, they needed to think about the proposal that Loki had offered.

The scary thing was; Lloyd had offered to go ahead, even if it was a trap set up by Loki.

Cole had a gut feeling that Loki wasn't planning on giving up Jay for Lloyd, maybe he wanted both of them for his twisted plans. They had to make sure that all possible outcomes wouldn't lead to any more injuries to his already tired team.

But the thing is, they had devised a plan and it was simple. They would go ahead with the trade and Cole, Kai, Zane and Nya would be nearby watching until Jay was released and then they could subdue him and attack Loki thereby saving Lloyd too.

The plan was fairly manageable, they needed to get his sceptre away from him, maybe if they smashed the stone or hit Jay with it he might revert back to normal.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Jay was back in Loki's hideout, removing his uniform and unwrapping his protective clothes in front of the mirror. He felt pain around his chest and noticed a dark purple bruise on his sternum. Then proceeded to check his shoulder and saw the pre-existing knife wound. These injuries were mounting as was the pain. But all he could do was to take care of them himself, stitch them or patch them up and sadly, he couldn't remember it being any different.

He was growing accustomed to it, to the pain and the constant fights, the taunting.

"Maybe accepting his offer might be the key." He mumbled, looking at his sorry reflection.

Jay relaxed as well as he could in his dismal sleeping area, falling asleep on his camp bed the minute his head hit the limp pillow. The exhaustion claimed him immediately and he began to dream. Vivid images swimming into his mind of times past, familiar faces slowly appearing and voices, he couldn't quite shake the feeling that he knew these people and it woke him up, panting and sweating, shouting out one of their names.

"He, uh what did he say?" Jay rubbed his sweat-soaked face. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd showered but he knew he smelled a tad ripe. "The sceptre uses mind control and it weakens?" Suddenly, Jay sat upright, rubbing his eyes.

One of the Ex STRIKE men had muttered it in passing and only now it made sense.

"I-I need to speak to them, I gotta tell them something." He said, jumping out of bed and redressing himself in haste. He left without telling anyone where he was going. "Just need to, uhm..." He had walked out of the compound, now staring up at the sky and hearing a dull humming that resembled a large hovering mechanised vehicle. "I need to send a message."

Lucky he was being watched as he left the relative safety of the abandoned nuclear silo. It was Hawkeye's night on watch duty.

* * *

Yes, I managed to get a message to SHIELD by way of a lightning strike. Sure it got their attention. Haa, it was purple forked lightning from the ground up, an anomaly in their eyes and guaranteed to make heads turn.

Within a few minutes many agents were surrounding me with their weapons pointed at my head and chest. Raising my hands in surrender as a multitude of agents swiftly grabbed me. I played along, knowing full well that the cuffs wouldn't contain me. They didn't know that, but I didn't want to fight, I wanted to talk.

I was handled quite roughly as I was pushed head first into an interrogation room and I hit the wall at quite a force.

"Why are you here?"

"I came to talk to the ninja."

I simply shared a memory with them and we had something in common, truth be told I didn't want them to be injured for some reason. And they knew my name!

The agents left the room and within five minutes I was being marched to a circular room, it almost looked like a floating cell. Again I was pushed into it and landed awkwardly on my shoulder, I hissed as I stood up...too much pain I'll just sit, I wasn't going to react to the treatment I was receiving; after all I had invited it onto myself for coming here. I sat on the floor and waited until the ninja appeared, the pain from my head and shoulder causing me to yawn out loud.

I was disturbed from my thoughts by the appearance of five ninja all different colours, all looking at me.

"What have you done to him" Nya shouted at the two agents who were retreating.

"Oh this, this is nothing...just a little rough treatment from SHIELD"

"Jay are ya okay bro?" Cole asked kneeling down in front of the circular prison cell.

"Mmhhmm yup." I replied but looked away.

"Y-you look pretty bad...well pretty beaten up and bad ass too" Cole said as he looked at me with all my injuries now visible in the bright lights of the floating cell.

Cole just stared at me for a while, it would seem. He was admiring my new uniform and the hidden obsidian blades he could still see.

"Y-you need medical attention Jay, you realise you're b-bleeding right?...and wh-what's with your eyes?." He added and looked sad almost as much as the female.

"I was bleeding because someone stabbed me..." I explained and looked at the red ninja who looked away. "Nothing wrong with my eyes, don't like em quit staring." I replied with venom.

The black ninja didn't seem to be offended by my tone he stayed crouching down at my level trying to maintain eye contact.

Of course, I was aware that I was injured after all I had just taken on five ninja alone, having only just survived that ordeal with a broken rib, my heart having stopped and a stab wound.

I was intrigued though as this team knew my name just like Loki did and I wanted to know more.

"How do you know me, my name? You seem to recognise me...I've no recollection of you guys." I questioned impatiently, aware of the time.

Shield had only given me five minutes with this team.

' _What did he mean by my eyes! what was wrong with them?_ '

* * *

Cole sighed when he realised that Loki had already began to alter Jay's appearance, his once beautiful blue sapphire eyes which buzzed with electrical pulses was now devoid of joy and instead was a haunting unnatural purple amethyst similar to red eyes except not as scary...it was apparent to Cole that Jay had no idea. The black ninja was heartbroken, had he already lost him to Loki?

"Jay, we're your brothers, we came to rescue you...can't you remember the electrical disturbance on the Bounty?" Zane asked, knowing this information wouldn't really help but carried on trying to buy his team some time as he knew that SHIELD would be up in a few minutes for further interrogation as to Loki's whereabouts.

Shield didn't exactly say they would be gentle as Jay was a wanted war criminal too considering how many people he had killed since being with Loki, not just in the USA but in Europe too and between them they had killed over eighty people.

"I came here of my own free will to talk and I realise now...that Loki may have altered my mind." Jay bit his lip and looked down.

He rested his head in his hands. "But to protect you all from further harm I will be accepting his offer." He said with a sigh and wiped his bloodied hands on the floor of the cell, leaving two perfect hand prints, a pattern which to Nya looked like a broken heart.

"WHAT...no!, you can't Jay...please this is a really bad idea" Cole shouted as he knew that this would mean losing his brother forever, their team forever broken.

"Jay I don't mind trading myself, we have a plan after all to get you out of this...no one needs to do anything rash" Lloyd stated flustered, he didn't want to lose Jay at all because this plan would undoubtedly be laden with traps and the risk of potential death if Loki was at the Helm, Nick Fury had warned them not to go ahead and to avoid any bargaining with Loki for he was a master of deception and lies.

"I-I have no choice, he sorta controls me. Look, I-I'm sorry, I realise we might have had a history together, which I can't really remember but I just have a feeling that this is the only way."

"Jay, come on, we'll figure this out." Cole bit his lip.

"Forgive me," Jay added, seeing a glimpse of some heavily armed men making their way to his cell. A world full of pain was waiting for him if he didn't give them Loki's whereabouts.

"No wait, please wait" Cole shouted as the agents came and roughly hauled Jay out of the cell, his feet stumbling every so often, one guard even threw in a stomach punch to subdue him further and Nya screamed at them to stop.

"I'm sorry C-Cole...i-its for the best." Jay wheezed out with the pain of being winded.

The door was opened and Jay was being escorted down for interrogation. He tried to remember the name's of his previous teammates but his mind was still mostly blank. He remembered the black ninja's name though and then all the names came back to him, Kai was wearing red, Lloyd wore green and Zane wore white...familiar somehow.

Cole suddenly facepalmed, "Guys we gotta do something, he, Jay remembered my name, he's remembering us."

"I know and that's good but we're running out of time," Lloyd replied. "He'll be interrogated for an unknown duration, god knows what else they'll do to him. I doubt they'll let him go and then what if Loki gets him?"

"Well what choice have we got? we've got to agree to the trade" Nya said as she began to cry "I miss him...I miss Jay."

"Nya, we'll get him back have some faith in us please, everything will work out for the best I promise." Lloyd soothed, pulling her close embracing her but feeling her trembling for what could happen tomorrow.

* * *

Hawkeye was spying on them. Having tracked Jay to the Helicarrier. The stealthy former Avenger had infiltrated SHIELD without even being detected, he was like the perfect assassin, waiting for his chance to strike. He could have ended them all then and there, considering they were all in that room and all close by.

 _A triple arrow with the right amount of force would kill the humans. The EMP for the robot, and boom, dead._ ' Listening in to his earpiece as a message was relayed.

Hawkeye aimed his grappling hook arrow at the furthest metal beam to his side, he released the arrow and let it attach securely before he swung across to it. Once he had traversed across he let the remaining cord dangle. A discreet altering of his hands gave him the grip he needed before abseiling down.

Releasing his zip wire he motioned his comrade to do the same, he could hear what was happening, he stood near to the interrogation room where Jay was. Hearing what could only be described as constant smacking sounds.

Feet firmly on the ground floor of the helicarrier Hawkeye listened for the sounds he knew to be coming from Jay, he could hear the odd gasp here and there as well as many angered roars coming from another voice in the room with him. At a guess, they were interrogating him for Loki's whereabouts and Jay obviously wasn't talking resulting in the beating he was receiving.

Hawkeye the master marksman had managed to attract Loki's attention by way of a simple nod, the God was standing by having just despatched Agent Phil Coulson, his sceptre was still dripping with his blood.

Loki used his cloaking ability, his smoky appearance blurring into a none existent physical form, verging more on a transparent one.

"In here?" Loki whispered and Hawkeye nodded in recognition. He stood and waited for his chance to strike, cringing when he could hear the sound of a fist making contact with flesh knowing he would need to heal Jay again before their plans for tomorrow could be finalised.

Jay was being spoken to like the criminal he was, having being caught and now questioned for his own role in Loki's destruction of New York and Dusseldorf. Another fist came flying, hitting his mouth. And he continued to stare defiantly at the man who kept hitting him, spitting blood out. Another punch echoed through the room and caught his temple but if anything he was just getting angrier. It would seem that this one particular agent had a penchant for being a little too brutal with his interrogation techniques as he tired of Jay's reluctance to answer any more questions.

"You stupid fool" he spat, openly backhanding Jay across his face, splitting his lip with the decorative ring.

"Was that really necessary?" Jay smiled, spitting blood. It made perfect ink too and he used it to his advantage, writing a message on the table that said 'Fuck off.'

"I've answered all your questions," Jay smiled as he looked at the maddening stare of the operative who turned another shade of angry. "Now let me go you piece of shit."

"You're not going anywhere." He replied, towering over Jay's form as he grabbed him tightly around the neck, lifting him up of his chair and into the wall.

Out in the hallway a muffled yelp could be heard, the agents in the room straightened up and looked around. "You stay here." The bigger Agent said, looking to his comrade as he looked at Jay, both Agents leaving the room.

Jay merely sank to the floor, somewhat dazed by the punches he had received. The pain catching up with him, his body ached and his nose felt blocked. It was broken to a certain extent, at least the bleeding had stopped. "Stay right here, yup I can do that," he slurred, rubbing his neck.

A few seconds later both guards had been subdued thanks to the arrival of a certain tall ddark-hairedstranger named Loki his sceptre hadn't been used to control this time...No...this time the two operatives had been impaled onto the end of it easily, he flicked the blood off and the rest dribbled to the floor at his feet. The God opened the door and stared at Jay who was sitting on the floor looking a complete mess, his face bruised and bleeding but he was still smiling at seeing someone who could help get him out of here.

"Quickly Jay, come with me" Loki hissed as he swiped at the two agents finishing them off so they couldn't call for help.

"You shouldn't have put yourself at risk like this, it's almost like you wanted to be caught." He said sarcastically as he knew that was the exact reason for Jay's sudden departure, although Loki wasn't sure why Jay had chosen to do this, but he figured it may be due to the sceptre and potentially Jay being able to remember more.

"Come on, the aircraft awaits, and next time boy don't be so quick to put yourself in peril like this for next time you wont be so lucky to leave with your life." He scolded and held a hand out for Jay to take.

"We are not safe here, you were foolish to try and reach them for they do not share your views anymore."

"Wh-what?" Jay mumbled incoherently. "What do you mean?"

"They were very quick to state that you were not important enough to even think about my trade. The black one simply said 'we're not that desperate.' So as you can imagine I only want to protect you from further psychological pain and torment." Loki kept his face straight.

"You should join me for I would never treat you like that….ever." He said soothingly even though the majority of what he had just uttered to the heartbroken ninja was all lies.

The young blue ninja seemed slightly unsteady on his feet but he was able to walk. The only problem was getting off the Helicarrier for that called for the art of stealth, something that Jay was incapable of. He was presently leaning heavily against Loki until they had cleared the interrogation room before Loki propped him up against the wall.

He retrieved a small bottle from under his armour and offered it to Jay. "Open your mouth NOW." He hissed.

Jay complied feeling intimidated if he didn't do as he was told, for the God was still carrying his blood-soaked sceptre. A large amount of the potion went in to his mouth and he was ordered to swallow it.

A bewildered stare came from Jay as the God grew angry. Heck, he wasn't going to swallow it until he knew what it was he was consuming. Loki's eyes narrowed further, knowing that Jay was testing him.

"DRINK IT FOOL." He spat, raising his sceptre threateningly ready to make the final blow that would extinguish the light from the blue ninja's eyes.

Jay had chosen to swallow it, and in good timing too. A few more seconds and Loki would have snapped, his patience was already wearing thin.

"It will help with the injuries you sustained as a result of your own stupidity." Loki finally spoke again relieved that Jay had finally chosen to swallow it. He shook his head and pulled Jay along with him noting that after a few seconds the young ninja was back to his usual energetic self, blending in to the shadows as before and not warranting the use of Loki's magic to hide him anymore.

* * *

Once back in Loki's base, Jay stood in front of the mirror in his room at looked at his reflection, he noticed more wounds on his body, his face mostly were marred with bruises upon bruises; a result of the beating he had received a few hours ago at the hands of Shield.

"Guess I know I'm not safe with SHIELD anymore….I'm a bad guy now," Jay said and hung his head low.

One of Loki's guards had walked into his darkened room and switched the bright light on much to Jay's displeasure. He was carrying a large first aid kit for the majority of Jay's external wounds.

As of yet, Loki had not given Jay any more food. And his previous potions had worn off, as had the tainted food and drink he had eaten earlier. Leaving him and his body completely vulnerable to any and all attacks. He was fearing tomorrow more than he cared to admit but kept his back to the soldier as he repaired the previously torn stitches.

The pain of feeling a sharp needle pierce his own skin was one he could never get used to but it seemed to be happening frequently, a troubling thought. Jay hissed as the wound was closed again, the stitches pulled tight and secured with a dressing.

"Turn around." The soldier ordered, but it came out as more of a growl

Jay turned and allowed the soldier to wipe the blood from his face, applying sterile strips to his lip, eyebrow and nose. All wounds cleaned up and dressed, the soldier left him to rest. He turned again to the mirror and stared at himself. A heavy sigh escaped.

His appearance seemed to be changing on a daily basis, his eyes, however, had reverted back to their bright blue sapphire. His changing of appearance could almost be described as supernatural, save for the injuries. Loki never seemed to have any of those.

* * *

The following morning came quickly and Loki had arranged to meet the other ninja in a neutral place... a deserted picnic area in woodland, he had warned the ninja not to notify Shield or Jay would be killed instantly.

Jay had been placed nearby and was again expected to fight the ninja in the event of a set up which Loki was expecting to happen. He had also set Hawkeye in an area opposite overlooking the entire place yet hidden and obscured from view high up in a purpose-built hide.

Within a few minutes, the ninja had arrived on location and Loki was casually sat on a makeshift throne consisting of a few concrete steps. He watched as the ninja were about to trade one for another...a brother for a brother tearing them apart for good…

But the God didn't want Lloyd really…his plan was so much crueler and evil.

* * *

"Ahh I see you have thought about my offer, you want Jay and I want the green one, a brother for a brother."

"Yeah that's right but no dirty tricks," Cole shouted from across the grassy knoll.

"No of course not, I would not dare to attempt such petty behaviour, you can have Jay back….." Loki replied.

"For mere minutes before I kill you all starting with you." He whispered and smiled a most evil smirk starting straight at Cole.

Cole motioned Lloyd to walk forward but was already having second thoughts once he saw the unease on the face of Jay as he came into view. He was appalled at just how much physical damage had been inflicted over the space of an evening.

"J-Jay wh-what happened?"

"Shield…mostly." Jay shrugged but stood firm standing far enough back with his swords raised as Lloyd began to make his slow approach.

Loki looked to Jay and signaled him to attack the remaining ninja once Lloyd had moved closer. "Now Jay." He shouted out loud and instantly the ninja team were in their defensive stances.

* * *

"Surrender," He whispered and used his practised moves to subdue. He was aiming for his old team but his heart wasn't in it. He immediately felt pain as the black, red and white clad fighters fought back, as they had been taught. The resulting pain hit him like a truck, he stumbled away from them fearfully. His only powerful weapon failing him and he stared wide-eyed at his teammates.

Recognition finally caught up with him. Smiling, Jay stood up and whispered to Cole, prompting them to make it look real but at the same time telling them that he remembered everything and that he was truly sorry for what had happened, what was about to happen.

But something wasn't right, Lloyd had stopped moving having seen a hand signal from Loki. Lloyd took a few steps back and bumped into Jay…a domino effect ensued and before long Jay was in front of the entire ninja team having turned around to see what had spooked Lloyd.

Of course, it had to be Loki didn't it, Jay saw the God signalling to Hawkeye for the second part of his plan. Jay couldn't allow it, he watched Hawkeye as he released the arrow, the trajectory was aiming right for Cole the strongest member the original leader and the master of earth.

But before the arrow could find its target Jay had pushed Cole clear of the arrow and the arrow found a new victim for it was now embedded into Jay's back, the arrowhead was protruding from his chest. The blue ninja hissed and attempted to hold the arrowhead to grasp it or to pull it out but his next thought was to warn his brothers before he fell.

All Cole heard was a grunt and a certain blue ninja collapsing to the ground to settle next to the seated black ninja.

"Active shooter…Hawkeye's in the trees. Run, NOW." Jay whispered to his brothers as he lay on his side on the grass.

Cole and Kai stared in shock as they saw him fall and as ordered they had stepped back considerably obscuring themselves behind a substantial fallen tree trunk.

Zane had swiftly picked Jay up off the floor and retreated into the dense woodland before Hawkeye could reload and aim, muttering in a clear and collected manner to his brothers and Nya to follow and fast.

Lloyd immediately fell back and they all ran until they were clear of Loki and Hawkeye, the green ninja finally catching up a few minutes later once they had travelled over a mile into dense woodland.

They were all safe for the moment because Hawkeye would need to relocate his ideal position before attempting another takedown and the God would need to focus on his projections in order to gain Jay's position, purely based on the magic and potions he had used…Jay was unknowingly leaving a trail, a magical glowing purple trail as his strengthened element was beginning to fade.

Zane stood the blue ninja upright once they were clear of any present danger, he needed to check the injury for severity and blood loss to ascertain his survival statistics…..a thing he liked to calculate in order to give some positivity.

"Jay this might hurt but I need to snap the quiver off so I can remove the shaft, can you stand for me?"

Jay nodded and winced at the unwelcome reverberations he felt when he corrected his stance on the floor but Zane soothed as best as he could whilst Cole stayed in front to give him moral support.

"Here hold onto the tree, Jay...I'm right here buddy." Cole soothed, holding strong onto Jay's upper body.

"Argh." Jay hissed, feeling the pressure from the arrow shaft move as the back snapped leaving just the arrow head.

Jay staggered slightly but Cole kept a firm hold and lowered him to the ground grabbing a clean cloth from Nya to place on his back before he was laid on his back.

Judging by Zane's frown meant that something was wrong, he had successfully snapped the shaft clean off which meant Jay could at least lay down but he couldn't attempt to remove it.

"I calculate he has a…"

"Erm Zane, now isn't the time for survival stats, we need help and fast." Cole muttered quietly and wiped the blood from Jay's mouth

"I apologise Cole but I feel it best to state that we cannot remove the arrow for it would cause undue harm."

"So he needs a hospital?" Kai mumbled.

The nindroid was scanning Jay just to be sure and confirmed quickly with a simple nod. Frowning when he realised he couldn't do it without fully equipped medical staff nearby.

"He is deteriorating, he needs urgent medical attention." Zane stated, swatting Jay's hand from the bleeding wound.

Cole had taken up a new position sitting next to him holding his hand and Kai was nearby keeping a lookout listening intently for any noises such as sticks or the rustling of crunchy leaves.

"So, we can't remove the shaft because he could bleed to death? Is that what you're saying?" Nya asked feeling scared at what had just happened considering it was so fast she'd barely had a chance to gather her thoughts.

Kai was the first to ask being that the whole thing happened so quickly only Zane had registered the events. "What happened Jay?" His tone was unforgiving and direct, no emotion in it and no concern for Jay.

"Loki s-signaled Hawkeye to shoot...I c-couldn't let t-that happen."

"Is everyone here and accounted for?" Lloyd whispered as he came closer, he stopped abruptly as he Jay laying on the floor bleeding from an arrow injury.

"OH GOD JAY!...oh god..." Lloyd panicked and quickly joined Jay's side.

"It's n-not as bad as i-it looks." He whispered. "I'll be o-okay...hehehe just a f-flesh wound right? C-Cole?" Jay smiled insincerely. He knew of Loki's plans, sadly he realised the God wouldn't let him go that easily.

"We need to get you outta here." Cole lowered his head to Jay's ear. "It's not safe."

"You can't…." Jay replied, turning his gaze away.

"What, why not?" Cole asked incredulously.

"Because he's nearby…." Jay mumbled fearfully, his eyes darting around nervously. An odd chuckle escaped hiding his true fear.

"How long?" Cole asked feeling the same panic. He listened out for anything, but heard nothing which furthered his anxiety.

"Less than a minute….J-just go. I-I'll hold him off."

"Jay please...we can help you, get you out of here." Cole whispered.

"No…no, He won't hurt me..." Jay explained as best he could in a last ditch effort to get them to see the dangerous situation they would be in if they didn't leave.

"No...what! we came to get you, to rescue you" Cole stated with determination.

"I know how p-powerful he is, h-he can create an army of himself. Y-you won't be able to f-fight him." Jay replied with more urgency.

"I'll be fine, j-just go. Honestly Cole, this isn't the e-end. We can still do this...g-go before he finds y-you." Jay pleaded desperately hoping that someone would see him and his reason as the spoken truth and luckily one eventually did in the nick of time.

"Brothers, Nya, we need to go...I for one trust Jay's reasoning for he seems to be speaking the truth." Zane mumbled quietly looking directly ahead scanning something in the distance.

"Loki will not harm him, he is too important for the moment...us however, we bear no importance as you have just witnessed." Zane finished as he stood removing the pressure from Jay's chest where the blood now started flowing again.

"I sense he is nearby and will be here in seconds. We will return Jay...stay strong...we will find a way to get you back." He added and retreated into the wooded area waiting for his brothers and Nya to join him as he kept a look out like a faithful sentry.

"Okay Zane." Jay replied with a fake hand salute trying to hold onto a sense of humor despite covering his true pain of having an arrow shaft embedded in his back and chest.

Nya bent down next to Jay and gave him a hug. "Glad to have you back, even if it was for a short time...I missed you Jay" she said as she planted a kiss onto his lips.

"H-hey Nya, I-I missed you t-too" He replied with a blush and gently grasped her face with both of his hands, pulling her face down to his before kissing her back.

"There's s-still time but you all n-need to leave...Shield will keep you s-safe….I hope!" Jay shuddered. "Safer than they kept me at least." He offered a smile.

"You gotta trust me, I-I know what I'm doing...go...please Nya...I don't wanna see you or them get hurt."

"I do trust you Jay...I'm just worried that something is going to happen."

"Nya, please just g-go with them..." Jay pleaded, breathing a sigh of relief when Kai grasped her gently, lifting her up.

The ninja looked back one last time at Jay before leaving him in the dense woodland where the last rays of sunlight were peeking through leaving a golden light on the rotting brown leaves on the sodden earth below. Their faces as they left were a mixture of determination and defeat, a tough decision to leave him there with the God again but maybe it was for the best as the God could at least heal him.

Loki appeared in the area fully armed and dressed to kill, he was of course expecting to see all of the ninja but was surprised to see just one….Jay.

Almost immediately the blue ninja was surrounded by a handful of astral projections, Loki's magical ability allowed him to create an army of himself whenever he wanted to intimidate or taunt. But occasionally they could be used to help or restrain.

This time however the projections of Loki were being used to help Jay to his feet, none too gently at that. He also seemed to be angry with Jay but he kept quiet and Jay was acting indifferently almost as if he was hiding something.

Loki was partially aware that the sceptre's hold was wearing off as more of Jay's previous mannerisms and behaviour were returning fast but he wanted to wait for solid evidence before using his sceptre again. He knew deep down he would not have to wait long because Jay had purposefully gotten himself injured yet managed to make it look like Hawkeye had misfired and he had been the one caught in friendly fire, a ploy no less an a pathetic attempt at making the God out to be a fool but he was no fool…..not even close.

* * *

We flew back to his underground base and I was thrown into my sleeping area. He knew something, he'd been speaking to Hawkeye...I'm hooped for sure.

One of his projections visited me at night and questioned me, it almost felt like an interrogation again but this carried on for hours, he was waiting for me to slip up and reveal something. I know he was capable of spotting a liar after all he was the God of lies, it was who he was.

Before he left me to rest he provided me with food and an odd coloured green drink which I greatly accepted.

He warned me that the food and drink I had just consumed would repair my injuries as before but it wouldn't hide the pain, I was apprehensive when he mentioned that for I knew what was coming. Loki had sent in one of his lower class soldiers to tend to my wounds and remove the long remaining arrow shaft, the long and thin shaft that was still trapped between a few of my ribs.

The stupid soldier gave no warning though, he pushed me against the wall with such a force my breath almost left my body again but I couldn't move as he placed his knee against my chest in effect keeping my back against the wall. The soldier grabbed the arrow head with a pair of long nose pliers and pulled it out...it took all of my remaining strength not to scream, I did gasp though as the pain came back in waves.

When Loki had me under his control the sceptre had some form of control over my body, it kept away the feeling of pain but he must have used something else for the increased power I had...it was then I realised that the food I had just eaten had been checked by Loki himself.

' _Well that's just great, the last time he did this it didn't end to well for me_.'

I could vaguely remember Lloyd hitting me with one of his energy balls the last time my power was increased, I was almost untouchable….almost. And yet, I should be dead but here I am...I shook my head and lay down...

' _I hope the guys have a plan, I really don't want to be Loki's bodyguard for all eternity...I never asked for any of this, I just want to go home_.'

* * *

When I woke in the morning I felt stronger, my wounds were still there, they didn't miraculously heal but then I wasn't really expecting them to. I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that Loki was planning on something big today which would undoubtedly include me. I was summoned to his room and as a large team we went over the plans to bring down the flying fortress owned by SHIELD. My sole task was to protect Loki from the Ninja and potentially Thor...

'Great this day is just gonna get and better.' I thought to myself and outwardly cringed at what Loki was expecting of me.

Loki flew me to an undisclosed location somewhere close the city but a wilderness trail. Filled with old redwoods and the odd wooden cabin here and there. A camping area with a lake was nearby.

"Hey this would make a great holiday location, lake for fishing, camp ground for scary stories and S'mores hahahaha." I said loudly

It was boring though because I was told to wait for further orders, Loki could contact me but he couldn't furnish me with a similar device to return the favour. Maybe he thought I'd try and contact the other ninja...I guess he had me figured though because that was exactly what I had planned. I had to warn them because they were in a flying target, too big to miss and too valuable to lose.

I scoured the sky for them, it was quite difficult the because the ship had some sort of cloaking device enabled but I could sense the power coming from it. I just hoped I wasn't too late so I sent up a small lightning bolt in front of the ship, not big enough for any of Loki's ground troops to notice but big enough for the people on board to see. My location would be accurately pinpointed by the electrical activity I had just used.

Thor was the first to arrive, he got to the ground in a flash of lightning, it scorched the ground too. It was impressive but then lightning kinda is. This God however wasn't just fast he was strong as well and now he was swinging his hammer wildly.

I did the only thing I could think of doing to preserve my life and I hid behind a large bush, hoping he couldn't sense me. I knew I would have to face him to pass on the message before it was too late but right now it was more of a cat and mouse game.

"I know you're here blue ninja, is it Jay? I met your team they are...interesting I must say!"

I stayed perfectly still, he didn't seem to be coming in peace and from what SHIELD had probably told him meant that he was on guard, if he saw me I'd most likely be dead. I moved stealthily climbing up a large tall redwood with ease and then jumped from tree to tree.

Suddenly he looked up and saw me...

' _Busted…oh crap_.' I thought.

I stared in animated suspension as he began to swing his electrified hammer around creating a vortex until he released it, the trajectory of the hammer was aiming right for the branch I was standing on, my smile vanished.

"Wh-what are ya doing?" I yelled as I felt the impact of the hammer hit the high branch I was standing on and heard an almighty crack as both the branch and my body fell to the floor.

I grunted loudly, my chest felt winded and bruised. ' _Urgh_ t _he pain of landing on a branch is probably worse than falling off one_.' I thought to myself but brushed myself down and got into a defensive stance.

"I hope you're ready for the thunder little man" Thor teased.

"I'm not little." I stated coldly as I looked into his eyes trying to figure out his next move, but just as soon as I had said the words a big smile appeared on his stoic emotionless face. I lowered my blades loosening my grip and returned the smile...with the same uncertainty.

"Hahaha, Sorry about that Jay, we couldn't be sure that you wouldn't attack me, so I had to be on my guard."

"Where is Loki heading?" He questioned with his usual authoritative tone

I pointed above "The flying fortress, he intends to bring it down."

"It is Shield's hellicarrier...although flying fortress does suit it better...thank you Jay." He replied and pointed his hammer to the sky before he became airborne.

* * *

I watched as he flew off in the direction of the ship before I sat down, I was patiently waiting for my ninja brothers and girlfriend to return but what came instead was Loki...my smile instantly dropped as I saw the ship above smoking and falling out of the sky.

I looked up and gasped, unfortunately Loki had heard me talking to Thor but before I had a chance to explain my reasons he hit me viciously on the side of my head with his sceptre. I felt blood pouring down my face as I collapsed to my knees and started to lose consciousness.

"You foolish ninja, you don't know how good an invitation this is. Not many people are gifted with immortality but maybe as a punishment for you I can show you later, when you're desperate." He whispered but it was more of a hateful sneer. Loki crouched over my body but my dazed head was too fuzzy to focus on his face, his silhouette was swimming in and out of focus, it felt odd though because I was aware that he was undoing my protective uniform, my stomach was exposed, my arrow wound still healing from the night before.

"I hear that when the body and mind holds on to that last thread of hope the mind will agree to anything, shall we test that theory?" Loki whispered quietly.

Loki stood back up above me, his legs either side of my body, I guess if I was more awake I would have seen what he was about to do and I would like to think that I would have been able to stop him but he poised his cold metal sceptre above my bare stomach. What came next was pure excruciating agony as I felt the tip of the blade push into my stomach followed by the widest part of the blade...He was obviously taking pleasure in this and my screams did nothing to quell his desire for torture and suffering.

"Significant blood loss will make you accept something when the only choice you have is life or death…mmmmmm satisfying…ughh." Loki seemed to enjoy it somewhat and twisted the blade before pulling it out and shuddering as a chill ran through his body.

* * *

The ninja had just received warning from Thor before the ship had come down over the sea and luckily they were safe for now, but their next plan was to find Jay. They had traveled to his location courtesy of Thor and were almost there when they heard a sickening whack coming from an area not too far away. Stealthily they all made their way to where the noise had come from to see Loki walking out dragging an unconscious heavily bleeding body who they knew at once to be Jay.

Nya of course had to be consoled by Kai, she was sobbing uncontrollably at the treatment Jay was receiving, it wasn't good for him at all. Zane however was just weighing up the injuries and again calculating his survival chances working out how much blood the body needs to survive before it goes into systemic shutdown.

They watched Loki quietly as he lowered his sceptre on to Jay's head and tried to hear what he was saying. He was too quiet for the ninja to hear, but Zane was smart enough to record it and play it back.

"Brothers and Nya," he nodded "I suggest we follow Loki, he may lead us to his base, this way we can report back to Shield and keep an eye on Jay...at least until help arrives."

"What did he say?" Kai asked quietly.

"You will not like it brothers." Zane replied but replayed the message and his voice was replaced by a quieter version of Loki's verbatim.

 ** _"You foolish ninja, you don't know how good an invitation this is. Not many people are gifted with immortality but maybe as a punishment for you I can show you later, when you're desperate._ "** Zane finished and looked solemnly at his brothers and Nya who was struggling to cope with it.

"W-we need to make a plan," Cole said rubbing his forehead, he was still watching Loki drag Jay back across the earth, seeing him being dragged like that with his arms trailing behind himself was horrific to watch as well as the steady trail of blood, it looked like scene from a gruesome horror movie.

"We'll need to keep lookout, shift changes, deliveries that sort of thing." Cole stated and took his place hiding behind dense a bush proving exceptional coverage.

"Kai, Lloyd you get the first watch, I'll set up our makeshift camp...and remember no fires Kai" Cole said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Okay dirt brain, let do this" Kai said as they all followed Loki and Jay.

* * *

 **Time jump Jay's pov**

I woke up in a darkened room with a small open window and skylight. Additionally, I also had a pain in my head and a dull ache in my stomach.

' _What happened to me?_ _Where am I, what is this place?_ '

I started to panic and got up to look out of the little window. Had someone drugged me? I couldn't be sure I just knew that I couldn't move very far due to serious pain. So, laying back down I tried to calm my breathing. Not even noticing when a tall dark haired man had entered the room. I only saw him when he sat on my bed. "Who….uhm why am I here?"

"Ah well I'm glad to see you're awake now, that was some hit you took to the head...blunt force trauma can cause memory loss." He said with a smirk.

"Sorry?"

"But I come in peace, to offer you a choice, well actually it's not really a choice, you either say yes or I force you" He added.

"Excuse me?"

"You see I had a rather good effective ninja who could wield the power of dark lightning and all I asked in return was that he be my bodyguard for the next say...2000 years...but he refused."

"Uh..."

"And then he betrayed me...do you see where this conversation is heading? no...of course you don't maybe I hit you too hard."

"Hang on, you..."

"Anyway cut to the chase as they say on this dull planet...your name is Jay, you belong to me now physically and mentally and as a punishment for you I will grant you immortality so you can say goodbye to your brethren for after tonight you will never see them again."

I was left speechless, panic replacing my previously calm mood. I shut my eyes tightly and could still hear him laughing, the walls were closing in on me.

With that he left the room and slammed the door loudly, the bang echoing around the room didn't do much for my pounding headache.

"So _he_ hit me then" I said out loud as I gingerly reached my fingers up to my head, it hurt a lot and when I bought my hand down I was repulsed when I saw bright red blood.

' _I'm still bleeding...great_.'

I turned around and saw a huge patch of blood on my pillow and covers.

' _Where's all this blood coming from cos the only pain is coming from my head_.'

* * *

A knocking sound on the window woke him up a little more, he stirred and stood slowly to approach the window it was dusk outside but he could just make out four faces staring back at him smiling.

"Jay, it's Cole...we're going to try and get you outta here, but you might want to stand back."

He complied with the order not sure what they were going to do but he stood back unsteadily and waited. It was amazing to see Cole creating a boulder out of the earth and then using it to break an enormous hole into the room all in the name of rescuing a brother.

"Well that was easier than I thought it would be" Kai said as he congratulated Cole with a pat on the back. When they entered the room all four ninja looked at Jay, their mouths hanging open in shock.

"What?, can we just go please...at least before Loki comes back."

Lloyd was the first to speak "Jay are you sure you're up to this...I mean you're bleeding and you look kinda white and incredibly ill."

"Look it juss a head wound okay...mm fine stop worrying." He replied shakily, his darker uniform hiding the actual truth, his trousers were wet through with blood.

"Jay it's not just a head wound, look at your sheets" Cole stated worriedly, his tone sounded desperate, but again he complied and turned around almost falling over in the process, his eyes were rolling backwards.

"Zane quick he's going to faint" Cole shouted and rushed to Jay's side but Zane seemed faster and caught him before he hit the floor.

Kai removed the sheets from the bed and motioned Jay to lay down. Both Kai and Cole gently undid Jay's new uniform but when they pulled back the protective parts they gasped, Kai gagged and Cole just sat there as all the colour drained from his face.

"Y'know you two gotsta work on your bed side manner" Jay slurred almost incoherently.

"Oh my god...what did he do to you Jay...shit." Cole bit his lip as he looked to Zane for help he couldn't do anything because he was struggling with nausea and his hands were covered in the life essence of Jay as it continued to spill.

"I-I…I c-can't do this Zane, h-he needs your help." Cole mumbled angrily brushing a tear away with the back of his hand before Jay or Kai could see.

"S ok Cole, I don minddd." Jay slurred again.

"Cole, Lloyd, Kai, find some clean sheets we need to stop the blood flow or at least staunch it so he doesn't bleed to death. We can pack his wound with the pillow case."

"We need to leave here now…" Cole replied wiping his hands on the same bloodied sheets said as he looked outside for any signs of movement.

Zane helped Jay to his feet and Lloyd assisted in carrying. It wasn't long before the ninja were in a safer area, but they needed urgent help as Jay wasn't awake his breathing was almost none existent.

Once in relative safety the ninja team had contacted Shield headquarters and were quickly debriefed before being allowed to return to the hospital that Jay was enroute to. It was safer this way, no one was alone and together they were stronger as a team.

But now Jay was deemed a murderous criminal by association so he also had a number of police officers stationed in his room and outside, hardly allowed any visitors except for his ninja team but even the police told them he'd never see them again, he's be sent to death row if he was lucky.

"We have managed to stabilise Mr Walker-Gordon, he had significant blood loss, blunt force trauma to the head and a large wound to his stomach area, his liver was bruised, but we're keeping an eye on all the LFT levels. Err he is now on low dose steroids to reduce the swelling in his head and other organs...all in all I would say he is very lucky to be alive, ten minutes more and we'd be discussing the mortuary plans."

"Thank you for everything Doctor." Kai said as he hugged his sister tightly and motioned the other ninja to stay outside because Nya wanted some time with Jay even if there were police in there with him.

"Everything's gonna be ok Nya, we got him back, he's okay, he's strong...we all know that now."

"I know...it's just...he was so...broken...and I love him Kai...I don't want to lose him."

"Let's go and see him" Kai said as he nudged Nya gently.

"But the police are in there too…." She cried.

"I don't know what you want me to say Nya, it is what it is and we can't turn back time." He soothed.

"He'll never come home will he, he'll always be stuck here on this planet…."

"Be positive Nya, worst case scenario is that he'll be tried for his crimes and once we get the cube back we can have him home in a matter of seconds so he won't even have to do time."


	7. The man from Asgard, he says no

"They escaped with him...is that what you are telling me?" Loki boomed, his voice carrying across the bare plaster walls of the large room he had just entered. Head twisting rapidly at the slightest whisper. " _Just_ so I have got this right...they escaped with him and you didn't even stop them?"

The venom in his voice made his soldiers feel uneasy and no one dared to personally accept the blame for the failure. It was clear to see that the whole team had let this happen without realising they had been infiltrated.

Loki was furious, he was striding back and forth with his sceptre in his hand tightly, now this God was normally cool, calm and collected; the three c's, he preferred to get angry with words not actions like his brother Thor.

Thor however would tip up entire banquet tables just to show off his strength in a fit of petulant rage, and the warriors three and the Lady Sif wouldn't even attempt to stop him. But Loki would normally sit and think things through before acting. Right now the evil God was close to losing his cool, considering this was his new plan and everything needed to fall into place.

 **"YOU"** he boomed as he looked at his security team. "… _all of you_ listen and listen well."

"You….will find him, being as you lost him...and you will bring him back here so I can begin." He hissed, the order came out as more of a snarl and his small team flinched.

 _'So the fool thinks he can escape me...hahaha... his life is not his own, so far from it for belongs to me now…the fabled weapon of chaos is almost within my grasp_.' Loki thought and smiled to himself.

His mind wandering off momentarily until his next in line walked in front of his peripheral vision. Loki looked up from staring at the floor in concentration to be met with the emotionless face of Hawkeye and his sceptre affected blue eyes.

Hawkeye looked into the glistening green eyes of Loki and offered a suggestion, simple but otherwise on target and guaranteed to make the God seem placated.

"Perhaps the hospitals Sir, h-his team would have taken him... if he was injured." Hawkeye suggested as he stared into Loki's own eyes.

"Yes, a good starting place for finding the one that betrays me." Loki spoke quietly and smirked. He casually tapped his index finger on the side of his face and paused.

"Oh, perchance on seeing his brethren...capture them! Teach them a lesson. Maybe you can be a little sanguinary and if that fails, well, we can use them as…what is the word you use down here?"

"Bait….?" Hawkeye offered, his lucid blue eyes staring into nothing.

"Aye, they can be used as bait…." Loki cackled evilly and motioned his security team to leave. A small handful required to remain behind for protection.

Loki could see his team were more likely to stay with him rather than Hydra or Shield, most of the soldiers he recruited had been fired from these two huge organisations and all held valuable information which could lead to their respective downfalls.

Security secrets for each international conglomerate as well as the customers and suppliers of each could be brought down with a simple hack but Loki didn't want to waste his time with that when he could just take it all for himself. He would happily sit and watch the planets burn after he decimated all life forces. Then remain there amongst the desolation he would undoubtedly cause whilst sitting on a throne of skulls lamenting his childhood and the lies he was told furthering his quest for vengeance.

He turned around and walked away from his so called team of soldiers who all had the same dislike for Shield making them all the more accepting of Loki. The God however, planned on ruling the earth as a benevolent king, totally erring on the malevolent side but his team didn't know that...they didn't need to.

His loyal followers who only followed because they were unsure of him hearing from sources he was technically an alien, some even mentioned that he was 'a God.' Those same followers would argue, they knew he was planning something big but he never divulged his plans to anyone because simply put the God didn't trust anyone enough. He had once too many times divulged his plans and then been blamed solely when they failed, of course it didn't help that his brother Thor had often sabotaged his well laid plans citing they were his own until they failed.

Loki soon resorted to lying and mischief just to get out of the shadows to make his plans sound more plausible if a little farfetched at times, earning him the name 'The God of Lies.' He only became known as 'The God of Evil and Lies' when the first Ragnarok happened over 3000 years ago resulting in the end of the multiverse, leading to the eventual rebirth of the cosmos.

That ending of the multiverse otherwise known as all universes; was caused by the God of evil himself for he was the one who rode the damned fabled beast to Asgard and wreaked havoc with the realm, obliterating the realm eternal and the King. The first and last Ragnarok or end of days was the bloodiest yet for everyone died except for Loki….for he never died…..he was simply reborn again and again and again. It was one of his many tricks but this one had served him well.

All in all Loki the God of lies had managed to amass a security team of twenty men, not including the odd few important people he chose to keep with him which did at one stage include the noted astrophysicist Eric Selvig. His main task was to create and sustain portals using a certain type of metal ore found on meteorites sometimes dubbed 'Unobtanium' for its rarity the metal was actually called iridium.

The alien race known as the Chitauri had been defeated and Eric wasn't needed any longer so, true to his form Loki had let him go. Eric was severely concussed when the authorities found him and he had been in an asylum since not remembering anything, his mind ruined by the ultimate power of the mind stone sceptre.

Hawkeye was Loki's bodyguard and marksman, he was an excellent shot with both arrows and guns, never missing a target. He was recruited against his will by the use of the sceptre a few minutes after Jay had been captured. But Loki's new favoured weapon of choice other than his cherished sceptre was Jay the blue ninja of lightning and he was still missing.

"I will find you Jay and you will join me." Loki said quietly to himself as he sat down and concentrated on creating a large quantity of astral projections of himself.

One by one they appeared standing around his seated form all looking exactly the same as he did. Wearing his dual horned golden helmet and his same working armoured clothes consisting of primarily black, gold accents and golden armour plated.

The god was smiling, his grin spreading across his face like the Cheshire cat for all he had to do was send the projections out into the city. People of this world would only see them if he wanted them to but sometimes the projections would merely link into someone's consciousness choosing their fate making them do things they wouldn't normally have done.

This particular ploy was certainly ruthless and almost humiliating but it was time effective and a far better option than sending his only remaining soldiers out because that would leave him vulnerable, he would just have to do with three soldiers and Hawkeye until the rest returned with his prize.

A tactic such as this would lessen the time needed and would require less ground troops in a desperate attempt to find Jay as soon as possible and hopefully before his team mates had a chance to come up with a foolish idea of escape. Besides Loki had the tesseract cube so it was just a matter of time before they would all come begging to him to be sent back to their hidden realm.

He was expecting it, relishing the moment they would ask him to be set free, before the words would gush from their mouths…he wanted them to beg for freedom but he also wanted them to suffer for taking the blue one….because the blue one, the blue ninja was now his.

He surreptitiously appeared in every hospital in the area yet because of his magical abilities no one could see him as he blended into the role of numerous surgeons and doctors. It was apparent after only a few minutes of making the wrong decisions in theatres he came to the conclusion that loss of life didn't bother him all that much…He also found that Jay was no longer in theatre, nor recovery he was in a side room most likely.

Loki's astral projections appeared in administrating and reception roles, he quickly brainwashed each individual he resided in and did thorough searches of each trauma centre, ICU and major hospital in the large state of New York, it was time consuming but not many would have the same injuries as Jay, besides the God knew exactly what injuries had been caused considering he had done them.

Hel, Loki even knew what Jay was wearing and the weapons he carried upon his person as he had personally bestowed them to him as a gift.

Loki the mischievous God had systematically checked through hundreds of thousands of patient details and emergency surgery details. This task was lengthy more time consuming than he first thought but he still had plenty of time for the summer solstice was not due for another four hours…And that was the perfect time to change someone into something greater, it was the only time it could be done, for the Norse solstice heralded great power…..a sign from the clouds an all-consuming force of light and destruction.

"Aye,….you conniving scamp!" Loki laughed out loud, summoning his remaining soldiers. He stood up allowing his astral projections to fade into nothingness as he motioned to his remaining team members where Jay was.

"I have found you, so you thought you could escape! …..ambition I see, well that can be beaten out of you."

"A foolish yet naïve way to run from your responsibilities, Jay. Aye, using a name different to your birth name will not hide you from me! You were brought in with head and abdominal injuries, blood loss. Possessions included 'a multitude of weaponry and odd armour playing!' Yes, that is certainly him unless there is another that bears remarkable resemblance. Armed guards too, ooh what fun awaits you if you stay here."

"Hawkeye you will stay and keep a watch for his team. Word will be out soon and they know I am here which means Shield could come at any given moment."

"Yes sir." He replied, grabbing an earpiece and walking off to find the perfect hiding spot and getting the best vantage point. The observatory was better than nothing so that is where he set up his hide waiting for any signs of life.

The three remaining soldiers had contacted the rest of the team who were all now en-route back to the underground base meaning Loki could manage without the majority of them, but he had no choice he was sending his remaining three to the hospital where he had found Jay, notifying them before they left that Jay had two police in his room and four outside. He was also likely cuffed to his bed considering he was guilty by association, although to be fair he had killed a fair few himself so he wasn't entirely innocent, he wasn't innocent at all….according to Loki.

"Bring him to me and be…gentle." Loki smirked, truthfully he didn't care how Jay was brought back as long as he was alive it didn't really matter, the spell and solstice would still be powerful enough even if he was only an inch from death although life was preferable. And if he was honest with himself, his magic would be duly wasted on reanimation, the results were…often hideous.

"Yes sir." They all replied simultaneously quickly leaving for their mission.

* * *

The three soldiers picked up a variety of small weapons including taser and handguns. They had concealed them into their hoodies which they wore over their carbon kevlar vests. Each one grabbed a black jacket and a black cap before leaving the compound and heading out into the inky blackness of the night. To any passers-by they would look like three well-toned door men from a local nightclub but most of the bulk was the sheer amount of Kevlar under the hoodie and jacket. Serving the sole purposes of concealment considering how much weaponry they carried.

Their journey to the hospital was by way of the black bullet proof SUV, the one that was used for Loki himself and the one that was stolen from Shield a few weeks previous. The vehicle itself cost a considerable amount of money as it had been built with every security and safety function available and included window protection which could withstand a battering ram. An internal artificial intelligence CPU system which could pinpoint injuries of the occupants of the vehicle, the car even held an adequate amount of instant pain relief in the form of subcutaneous syringes.

Jay was awake and feeling happy despite the fact that he noticed two police officers standing guard at his door. The pain relief was seemingly doing its job because he felt nothing no pain at all although he was a little light headed. He turned his bandaged head to look at Nya and beamed at her.

"Nya, I'm sorry about all this. I really am. I wish I'd never tried to understand that damn cube nor agreed to let Zane dive, we should've just left it."

"Oh Jay….." Nya smiled at him from the doorway.

"Please can I?...sit with him?" She asked and waited for their response.

One solitary policeman nodded but kept the rest of his body resolutely still, his stare remained on the prisoner and his hand rested on his assault rifle, just in case.

Nya edged ever closer to him, she sat next to him and grasped his hand in her own feeling how cold he was. She kept her gaze on Jay only and pulled his sheets up over his bandaged stomach to keep some warmth in.

"Try not to worry about them….."Nya whispered into his oddly coloured eyes, she could see anxiety at having armed police in his room, quite a scary prospect to wake up to considering he was just in general surgery being stitched up.

"I'm not worried as such. Just more about what lies ahead for all of us as a team and the 'what ifs' ya know." Jay replied quietly into her ear kissing her cheek as she was so close to him.

"Jay we weren't to know what that cube was capable of... and now Loki has the other one." Nya sighed as she spoke, she knew full well that the only way to get back to Ninjago was to go back to the God but currently that wouldn't work.

For one; the police were still here and tailing the ninja for protection and because they and they alone knew where Loki was hiding out. For two; Shield, even though their under-cover agents dressed in plain clothes were everywhere watching everything else that the police weren't.

Jay was processing the information and he knew that it wasn't going to end well, he had been with Loki for almost three weeks and had in that time realised how much carnage had been caused by all three of them. Hawkeye, Loki and Jay between them had killed many…too many. But that loss of life even though horrific wasn't the worst part…..Loki had a plan he always did and Jay knew it, he just didn't know the plan yet.

"If Loki has the cube, he'll be setting up a trap...not just for Shield but for us too."

"I know that but what choice have we got? I mean it's the only cube and it is our ticket back home."

"Nya…" Jay said softly his gaze focused on her and not the two police who shifted uncomfortably when he tried to raise his hands but failed when the cuffs restrained his movement on one side. He lifted the other hand and cupped Nya's face one handed rubbing the tear away.

"Loki told me what Shield were planning on using the cube for." Jay shivered and whispered in to her ear.

"They'll never send us back. Shield plan on using it to make weapons of mass destruction and god only knows what else."

"And what do you think Loki would do with it?" Nya replied with a sigh, she held tightly onto Jay's warm hand as it remained on her face.

"He'll be planning much worse, world domination. He'd never let us leave." She finished.

"I-I don't know okay but we can't trust either of them. Look I'm sorry about all of this I never wanted this to happen, never wanted to come here never wanted to be controlled. I just wanted to go home but now that is so far away because of him and Shield."

"And now look haa haa, I'll be doing hard time with the real psycho's of this world…..great."

"Jay, don't." Nya shook her head, her eyes full of worry and concern as he looked down.

"We'll get you out of here before that happens…I promise you'll be safe."

"Don't promise Nya….never promise j-just agree." Jay added and slipped his hand behind her head slipping his fingers through her black hair settling at the back of her head. He drew her closer to him and planted a kiss on her soft lips having missed them so much. His eyes closed and he released a throaty growl but broke the kiss off himself.

"W-we need to warn the guys Nya... go and find Kai...we need to sort out a plan."

"Fine…..I'll agree I won't promise. We will get you out of here and I'll be right back."

"W-wait before you go" Jay said as he sat up carefully ignoring the armed police in his room staring at him with a look of disapproval, Nya walked back towards him.

"Another little kiss wouldn't go amiss...haa haa that rhymes" Jay said as he blushed.

She shook her head, a sly smile on her face. "Okay, just one more."

Nya wrapped her arms around him and kissed him deeply. Jay had his eyes closed as he let out a long overdue pleasured groan feeling her warm soft lips on his own as well as the addition of her tongue asking for permission to enter.

"Ahem…." The policeman cleared his throat seemingly frustrated at their public show of affection.

"Sorry Jay, be right back" Nya giggled as she walked out the room a little blush appeared on her face at being told off by the police man. She slipped out of the room and kept her gaze down avoiding looking at the officers.

* * *

Ahh that was nice. Her lips, just as I remembered. Can still taste the cherry lipbalm.

Jay had laid down, using the bed controls to lower himself because it was obvious the police officers weren't going to assist him, at all. Not even to straighten or rearrange his pillows.

Shrugging out his frustrations, Jay closed his heavy eyes as the steady sounds of the cardiogram sent him off to a quick and painless sleep. Pain relief helped no end, the morphine was strong enough to make him feel drunk.

Maybe a few minutes nap wouldn't be too bad...just a few minutes is all.

He was meant to be waiting for Kai and Nya to return, but he'd fallen asleep with the sheer amount of drugs in his body. But the sounds of louder than usual voices had disturbed his slumber somewhat and he wearily opened his eyes.

He could've sworn he'd only had a power nap of no more than ten minutes, though it felt like mere seconds because of the abrupt wake up he'd just had. His shock came back fast when he looked upwards at the clock. It had been a whole hour since Nya was in here.

Nya? He frowned in confusion. Where could she be, why was it taking them so long? He had been dreaming of her, not in a sexual way. Just kissing her and making up for lost time.

Uhoh, good feeling has gone.

Sitting up slowly, Jay rubbed his eyes again with his free hand. Not fully believing what the clock was saying. And only then did he see something different.

He sat there, staring in puzzlement at the scene in his hospital room. The police officers were laying on the floor in a heap. God knows how they got down there. From what Jay could tell, they didn't appear to be shot or injured although it was hard to tell because they were both wearing black.

He couldn't see any blood underneath them either. So it wouldn't have been weapons of any sort, maybe a taser?

An eerie silence filled the entire corridor, despite Jay's call bell going off. Swiftly, he zapped the machine and breathed a sigh of relief when that stopped beeping. Then he pulled the oxygen saturation monitor from his finger and just stared at the men. Wondering what on earth had just happened.

The air smelt strange too. There was a pungent odour that was slowly dissipating, leaving Jay to feel light headed.

Then he noticed his bedroom door was wide open. He attempted to look out through the large floor to ceiling window that spanned the entire corridor. Jay's hospital room was at the farthest end of the corridor and his window overlooked the entire length of this trauma department. originally, there had been at least six police officers, all taking it in turns to watch over him.

But even the other ones had gone. Well, they hadn't gone, they were laying on the floor.

An unsettling feeling washed over him. He knew he could be blamed for this. How else was he supposed to explain the armed police being flat out, And him, sitting up in bed staring at them with one free hand?

It took Jay a few seconds to realise he wasn't alone in his room. Sure he knew the police were in there too, but they weren't exactly a threat anymore. These new ones could be.

Jay craned his neck, seeing three shadows who were just standing out of his peripheral, having just entered the room. How fucking typical, the door was more or less behind him and he wouldn't be able to see who it was until they had neared his bed.

They were silent. That made it exponentially worse. As did the way they were sneaking around...That was Jay's job, he loved sneaking around.

I am so hooped.

Jay had turned his head as far as he could. Grunting as his body protested the strained position. He shivered when he saw three soldiers standing there. All staring at him from his doorway.

They didn't look like Loki's men, these guys were wearing clothing that was predominantly dark with visible badge or identification. Making Jay think that these three weren't hospital security nor SHIELD either.

The caps they all wore, obscured some of their facial features and Jay was at a loss as to who they were or more precisely what they wanted.

"Well, well, well." One chuckled. Grabbing Jay's foreamr. yanking the canula from his vein. "What do we have here then?"

Jay didn't so much as wince when the needle had been removed from his skin. The pain relief was strong enough to numb a broken bone and stitches, a small scratch was nothing.

"Someone's really quite angry at having to retrieve your deceitful good for nothing ass, back to base."

Jay shuffled away from the other two who neared his bed. One of which was holding the keys to his release. "What do you want anyway ?" He said, with a little more bravado than he actually had. He knew he wasn't exactly in the state for fighting.

"We want you," The soldier replied.

Jay couldn't even see the dark expression on this man's face, nor that of the other two. And he didn't like this one bit, where was everyone, his brothers, Nya? "M-my brothers know I'm here."

Nya had left about an hour ago to round them up. Where was she, Nya should've been back now?

"We've come for you," the other soldier said, under his breath as he unlocked the police issued cuffs. "Don't try anything Bluebell."

Why?" Jay asked, rubbing his sore wrist with his other hand.

"I hear he's got something planned," He finished.

"I'd rather die than serve him. I owe him nothing." Jay hissed, defiantly.

"Orders, that's all we're following. You come willingly or we'll take you by force."

A moment of natural instinct. Jay tried to punch the man to his left, but he caught it quickly. The blow didn't even land on his smug face, he caught it in his own open fist.

"Why-why can't I even...?" Jay couldn't understand where his strength had gone. That move would have hurt, had the drugs not been subduing him as much as they were.

"Don't try it." He growled. "Like I said, we've come for you and..." He said, looking at the two soldiers on the opposite side of the bed. "Your old team. Please, don't try anything stupid Jay."

Wow they know me better than I know myself...I'm surprised and kinda impressed.

Jay figured that Loki had sent them. And he instantly became aware that he was in imminent danger, as before.

A last ditch attempt at freedom, Jay tried to reach out for the emergency alarm and shouted. Hoping to get attention from the plethora of nurses that had been in here earlier. However, he wasn't expecting to be knocked out.

Before he knew it, a fist was making contact with the side of his head and after that was darkness. ...

The soldiers grabbed one by one of each subdued ninja and placed them into the back of the SUV. It was a tiring process as there were only three of them and six ninja to shift, one of which included Jay.

Jay was placed in to the back passenger seat, his eyes were closed. Dressings were rapidly placed onto his bleeding midsection because the jostling around had burst a few stitches.

Cole was placed into the back once the furthermost seats had been laid flat. Allowing the remaining ninja to be laid prone and supine, it seemed to fit them in better this way, topping and toeing them all.

The soldiers grabbed Zane next, he required all three tasers to shut him down but once he was down they worked quickly and loaded him in next to Cole. Pushing them as close together as possible. Next was Kai he was placed on top of Zane followed by Lloyd who was placed next to Zane. All in all the back of the car looked more like a small queen size bed. With the addition of a human pyramid of bodies in the back of the SUV. Luckily the trade entrance of the hospital wasn't as secure as the main entrance so they could be safe knowing that they weren't being recorded.

Finally, they grabbed Nya and placed her gently on top of Cole's unconscious body. The boot was fastened securely and they smirked at having achieved the mission with little to no bloodshed, apart from Jay's stitches.

Relief was felt by all three soldiers because their mission was complete.

Once they had climbed into the blacked out SUV and taken their respective seats, they made their rapid return back to the base.

The journey wasn't a long one, it was mid evening and rush hour had long since gone. The city lights beckoning any and all to the great city of New York but this SUV was headed out of town and the driver took the slip road on to interstate 78, heading out of New York before Shield could follow them.

The driver pressed a single button on the dashboard and before the car disappeared from view under a bridge, the registration plates front and back changed.

/

The sound of buzzing was all he could hear. The pain in his head made it difficult to open his eyes as Jay tried to remember what happened.

He wretched violently, the pain was too much to bear.

Looking around in confusion, Jay had to revert to squinting his eyes to spot any light in this dark room he'd woken up in.

First things first; the room was warm and it was slightly cramped. Secondly, he was kneeling on the floor and the floor was wet and sticky, probably from the sheer amount of bile he'd just thrown up.

"H-hey," He croaked out, cringing at his own voice. "A-any chance of some pain relief?" He yelled, regretting it as the pain in his head increased tenfold.

"No answer great. Let's see where I am, okay dark room, small with no window or air conditioning."

He struggled in his kneeling position, grunting desperately to free himself. "Nnghh, h-hand cuffs?" His heart dropped into his stomach. Jay was waiting for an answer, waiting for the inevitable.

Listening carefully to any other noises, Jay could hear something and it was getting closer. Whatever it was, he was getting closer.

Jay knew that voice and it sent shivers through him. He thrashed in his restraints. the cuffs biting into his skin as he fought desperately to get away. "Oh god, h-he's back."

Loki walked into the small room, his men flicked the light switch.

Jay instantly cringed as the brightness assaulted his retina.

Loki didn't directly look at his captive. He was a little too annoyed and Jay could tell.

He was trembling in his restraints, looking down every so often. Feeling nervous and scared for his life. Strength giving out, Jay collapsed onto his haunches, his arms remained high, straining.

To Jay, Loki looked tired, full of wrath and rage.

No, not rage, this was worse.

Swiftly, Lokie had stalked over to Jay and hauled him up back onto his knees. He began muttering something under his breath in an archaic language that Jay wasn't familiar with.

Jay eyes had remained glued to Loki and what he was saying. He couldn't move away from him or his green magic because the room was too small. He tried moving to the side but hissed as the cuffs started to cut into his wrists again. Then his survival instincts kicked in, Jay panicked when a burning pain could be felt on his wrists and he instinctively tried to move away from Loki again.

Watching fearfully as tendrils of green smoke came from Loki's hands. The mist and smoke was growing in amount, floating then undulating around Jay's lower limbs until it increased enough to Jay's neck and finally his face.

Truth be told, Jay was petrified. He'd never really seen Loki use magic before. The God had much favoured his sceptre, never his magic. Squeezing his eyes shut was his way of escape. Maybe it was all a dream and he'd wake up. He'd be safe with his brothers and Nya, back on the Bounty. They'd chalk this off as Jay's overactive imagination.

The misty smoke felt icy cold as it surrounded him. The tendrils Loki had created were snaking around Jay like my Lloyd's tornado would have done. Subconsciously, Jay held his breath because he couldn't afford for this to get into his body.

Not now, not after he was so close to getting away from Loki's manipulative control.

Oh god...I don't like this I don't want any part of this...someone, anyone, please.

Where are they?

Jay looked back up at his master. The one who had coerced him so easily. And the look he got back in return was a satisfied grin of contempt.

"Please?" Jay begged. "Don't do this."

Loki couldn't, he wouldn't surely?

He knew this man, this deity was about to do something bad and Jay had a feeling in the pit of his stomach that Loki was intending to tear him away from his team.

Jay's connection to the home he loved...His only way back and his beloved girlfriend. The one who hadn't given her answer to his earlier proposal.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

If this was a fight then Jay would go down the victor, no matter how this would end. He'd fight to the end, even without the use of his element or even his hands.

Heck, if Loki was going to revert to dirty tactics then so would Jay.

He decided to hold his breath, as the mists of green surrounded him in his entirety. His chestnut brown hair began swaying as the cold mist whipped at him, penetrating his exposed skin.

He felt like he was fully submerged in the water, a few feet from the surface, drowning.

The relief he sought, was three feet above. His salvation.

Even Loki knew that it would prove worthless, holding your breath. In fact, he smiled as he stood less than a foot away, waiting for Jay's will to fail and then his magic would win out.

But then Jay was still drowning in the mist, suffocating himself until he passed out and his body took over, betraying him in the cruellest way possible. His brain and the part responsible for breathing had made him take huge heaving gasps. And each breath he took, more of the mist was taken in too.

Until there was none remaining.

Waking up again, Jay realised he must have passed out. And now he was in so much more pain than before. He wished he could go back to sleep, that sounded more appealing, rather than this torment. this never-ending hell.

Where was he, what had happened? Jay looked around, it was still dark and warm and the bright green mist had gone. A horrid feeling hit him in the gut, that green mist, was it all inside him now?

Was that why he was in abject pain?

One soldier came into the small room and removed Jay's cuffs. Turning his nose up somewhat at what he could see and smell, he pushed Jay gently against the wall without saying a word.

H-his magic. Nnngh, p-pain...

Jay in his pain soaked haze, figured that the magic Loki had used must have weakened him. The pain relief felt like it had completely gone and in those few minutes of waking up again, his legs gave way, as Jay lacked the strength to hold himself up anymore.

What was, Ugh, wh-what happened?

He shivered, his body heat had dropped significantly and yet his heart was working at twice the speed it should have, like it was working twice as hard. Jay's breathing rate was getting faster, searching for life-saving oxygen. He was, as usual, holding onto that scrap of hope that his team would come to his rescue.

Jay knew that he had to get out of here to check on his brothers and Nya. Though he had that same feeling od dread that whatever had happened to him at the hospital had potentially happened to them too.

So, he attempted to stand, holding onto the wall for support as he got back to his knees shakily. The floor seemed exceptionally warm and wet with a sticky residue to it. In fact, it was quite hazardous; a health and safety nightmare in a room like this. The warm liquid was now all over Jay's hands and knees and stank of metal.

Honestly, it felt like he'd just been ran over.

Jay's arms instinctively wrapped around his injured stomach and he hissed in pain remaining on his knees. He couldn't stand without passing out or without his head swimming with vertigo.

He soon realised that in the time Loki had been in here, when Jay had momentarily passed out. Loki had walked away and in his place were two strong looking soldiers, both of whom were attempting to help him to his feet.

From the small room, they dragged Jay to a large room, where he was given a seat. Although to be fair, he was more or less thrown into it, pushed backwards, forcefully.

Black dots were swimming into Jay's vision. He couldn't move his arms or legs anymore. Palpitations were rocking his body as his heart rate increased and he started gasping for breath.

"Sit," Loki ordered. "I know you'll want to watch this," He said, motioning to a curtained black screen situated on the ground floor or one floor down in what was the vehicle storage room.

Jay's unfocused eyes looked down briefly.

The only vehicle he could see was a black SUV. The floor was empty apart from that, no quinjet, no ammunition crates, no weaponry...nothing except this wide expanse of black curtain stretching from one side to another.

The curtained black sheet had been securely attached to the wall covering a large part of it from at least the floor up to at least six feet of the floor, hiding something at least that tall behind it.

Where was everyone else? All of Loki's soldiers, there were only three here. And a few unconscious but breathing bodies to Jay's far right. The Hawk wasn't here, he must have been rescued a few hours ago before the Helicarrier came down.

"Wh-what is this?" Jay mumbled, head lolling on his shoulders. His words slurring as his brain fought for the same oxygen too. The oxygen he couldn't get because of Loki's magic.

"Tada..." Loki mocked and dropped the curtain completely.

* * *

The curtain on the ground floor dropped to reveal none other than my brothers...my team and my beloved girlfriend. They had been brought into the base by his soldiers and attached to the wall by handcuffs. They all looked like they had been ambushed at some point, each one having minor injuries visible ranging from bruised faces to bleeding noses.

My mouth just hung open as a silent scream failed to come from it, I was beyond devastated at how low he had gone. How desperate he was to get his own way or to get me away from my team.

"No…h-how could you!" I muttered shakily but inside I was crying.

They couldn't move at all because he had them attached to the wall like some modern art installation. It seemed they couldn't fight the cuffs here either, just like me but I could tell they were trying too even Kai looking scared, I couldn't even look at Nya, the one glimpse I got was pure heartbreak, she was crying…for me.

Cole and Lloyd were devastated once they had woken enough to take in their surroundings and the new problem they faced as a team. Loki was going to make them watch me choose him over them or face death.

Zane was shaking his head refusing to allow the God to taunt them any further, his liquid crystal eyes closed tightly.

"Hello to my captive audience I would like to congratulate you on your most excellent endeavour at trying to rescue something you have no hope of ever seeing again." Loki smirked.

"This creature here…" Loki said pointing to me. "He belongs to me now. I intend to make him, well you'll never know….and I don't really have time for this…maybe I'll just kill you all after you watch Jay make his choice."

"No…..please…..don't." I panted quietly.

"Very well…I'll carry on...perhaps see what the captives think."

"You see the spell I just performed removed everything fake from his body, so the chemical components of the pain relief…." Loki smiled and it spread across his alabaster face like a pale faced version of the Grinch.

"Ooh testy, I'm not finished." He snapped, he noted the Ninja were all trying to mumble something but the silver duct tape prevented it.

"Ahhh yes…the four pints of blood which was such a waste and of course, the stitches that they healed him with." Loki sneered at the horror filled faces of his tied up captors.

Loki grasped a weakened dying blue ninja of lightning, lifting him by his neck clean of the floor by two feet. Giving him what would be his final chance. Jay was too weak to fight back, his hands trying desperately to pry Loki's own to no avail. The God was too strong and he squeezed tighter.

Jay had mere minutes left until his heart would stop due to blood loss yet he barely had enough brain power to think, he felt drunk as his dying body was coursing with adrenaline.

"Jay, I'm going to give you a choice..., you can agree to join me or you can watch them die."

At the mention of their brother in blue's name, all his team looked up in horror at seeing a pale ashen grey ninja of lightning who appeared to be dying. Cole thrashed in his shackles, Lloyd mumbled and looked down in defeat. Nya turned her head towards her brother for emotional support fearing what was about to happen for it took them both back to accepting the loss of their own parents, being unable to do anything about it…just like this.

* * *

"There is no in between...you've already burnt that bridge as they say. So as you can clearly see, you really don't have a choice. Unless, that is, you don't care about your brothers or girlfriend." Loki said with a hint of pity as he edged ever closer to me, my heart was racing I knew he would torture them if I didn't agree, he wouldn't stop there either, killing was more Loki's choice but he wouldn't do it himself he had followers who would do it if only to be his next in command.

I looked down in defeat, I couldn't look at my team anymore I had become weak, if I didn't do it he would kill them, if I did he would let them go but on his terms...he was evil but I did have a plan and it was a plan my brothers wouldn't like but maybe they would forgive me….one day.

My gaze drawn down, I was unable to look at my team, my best friends the ones I had shared many adventures with over the best part of almost eight years would soon be a distant memory. I wouldn't submit to him though, I looked up straight into his green eyes and spoke clearly with the last ounce of energy I could muster.

"I...I'll agree to become immortal...if you let them g-go free back to our r-realm" I struggled to speak clearly as he held my throat tightly, he was doing it on purpose as I felt his fingers tighten further.

"Hhm, good choice." He mocked "And just think, how much suffering you needlessly endured, you could have avoided all of this, had you accepted my first offer!"

These words I spoke meant I would likely never see them again and I would be subjected to two millennia or more of servitude to the God of evil and lies himself...until he tired of me...I shuddered uncontrollably as I knew this was the only way...I could feel my heart fluttering as it struggled to keep me alive.

I heard my brothers muffled sobs as I looked up and apologised using my eyes, I shook my head and sat back in resignation. I couldn't talk anymore my brain was shutting down. Before my eyes had rolled back I took one last look at them my heart dropped, they were all telling me not to do it. My oldest best friends Cole, Kai and Zane were frowning at me...their mouths all taped.

I watched with heavy eyes as Loki's soldiers set up the cube in Eric's device allowing an energy filled portal to appear. One by one they were each being prepared to travel back with the clothes on their own backs.

Loki however wanted them to see the finale as he called forth the power of something that Hawkeye had mentioned about the summer solstice.

All Cole and my brothers could do was shake their heads and watch as Loki began chanting again, his magic encircling me, seeping into my eyes, nose and mouth. The last thing I saw was my beautiful girlfriend Nya as I focused all my energy on remembering her and my brothers with my last breath my body stopped fighting against the darkness until it consumed me...I was his and he was mine for all eternity.

"I'm s-sorry please forgive me…..I didn't quit….a ninja never quits."

Darkness, infinite darkness replaced slowly by swirling mists of green and purple and then finally a large refreshing breath. A good strong steady pulse reverberating in my head, my body was weightless but I was in excruciating agony for some reason. I felt cold momentarily but I couldn't open my eyes and just as soon as I felt naked my clothes had been replaced by heavier ones.

My skin felt like it was on fire but I felt stronger I could get used to this feeling, I tried to focus on my element but all I could hear was Loki talking, his words made no sense to me at all, I still couldn't see anything.

* * *

 _ **Back in the realm of Ninjago a short time later**_

The ninja team had been rather forcefully pushed back through the vortex which linked their realm with that of earth, they were obviously glad to be back in Ninjago but the heaviness they all felt was their missing blue team mate, Jay the elemental master of lightning. They knew he was alive albeit a painful recovery, he couldn't be killed or stopped and he wouldn't age...he was unstoppable at least whilst he was in Loki's service.

The sight they saw before they were pushed through the vortex three weeks ago was impressive although very sad, they saw Jay as he took all the raw power his darkened element would hold, he looked godlike, his ninja gi had been replaced by impressive dark blue robes. His body was protected by a blackened plaited leather over tunic with a silver pauldron on each shoulder. Silver body armoured cuffs and chest plate. A long and impressive flowing dark blue cloak decorated with a lightning streak running down the side of it.

His forearms were covered with black leather cuffs with silver covering them providing ample protection from blades and his weapons remained obsidian, everything about his person was now as dark as Loki himself. His new working uniform was mostly leather with added silver metal similar to Loki.

The process looked very painful, Jay was screaming as the magic from Loki changed him, all his wounds healed, his red blood replenished with a darker substance and his eyes changed from the beautiful blue sapphires that Nya fell in love with to be replaced with dark purple orbs that resembled a rich amethyst. But the good thing they saw out of all the heartbreak was that this spell had caused Loki significant weakness...he could be stopped…..once the spell had finished Loki had collapsed onto his knees his sceptre dropped, he didn't even have enough power to stop Jay from dropping the two floors to the ground as his purple sphere of power crumbled to expose the new immortal being within.

"Do we really need Jay, I mean you saw him Lloyd what good will he be here?" Kai said quietly as he looked at Lloyd not wanting to upset Nya further.

"Kai, just get this straight ok...Jay is our brother, we are a team...yes ok he is likely to be stronger than all of us now but still...what kind of life is he gonna have being in the presence of ultimate evil?"

"Shh keep it down...I know, you're right...but this could be a very dangerous mission and we can't afford to lose another brother or Nya for that matter."

"Lloyd it might be safer if you stayed here for this next mission...I mean you saw how Loki looked at you, he wants you too!"

"True, but surely this will make us weaker, if I'm here and you're all there."

"Ha Lloyd, you are the prophesised green ninja of energy, if Loki gets hold of you, they'll be no Ninjago to come home to" Cole shouted from the kitchen " we got this, you gotta trust us little bro."

"I bet the scrolls don't say anything about this" Lloyd joked as he turned to his side.

"Found anything Zane?"

"Sadly...no, it would appear that this was not written...it is, as if fate has been changed by a greater force than the Cloud Kingdom."

"Figures, maybe Wu can help!" Lloyd suggested.

"I fear this will be a difficult mission and if we manage to rescue Jay, he will be forever changed in our world...he would potentially outlive all of us and in doing so he will become an outsider" Zane said with a frown.

"These things alone could potentially cause a shift in the balance between good and evil, he may even become our next villain."

"Well, I sincerely hope we can find a way to reverse his magic then as the picture you've just described is the stuff of nightmares...We can't fight him we need to save him." Lloyd finished.

"I understand your concern Lloyd. I too do not wish to fight him either but I have painted no picture!"

"It's a figure of speech Zane, god I miss Jay and his jokes, he was such a funny guy...annoying but funny" Cole said with a sigh as Kai playfully punched him on his arm.

"He's not dead Cole, he's just different now...so stop talking like he doesn't exist bro, it's morbid" Kai added with a lopsided smile as Cole nodded in agreement.

"We could get additional help, I'm sure our old Sensei could offer some words of wisdom...maybe talk us out of it" Kai smirked as Lloyd shot him a look of disgust.

"Yeah, Kai, we need to speak to Wu,I think a trip to Steep Wisdom is in order…." Lloyd smiled feeling more positivity despite being a member down and relieving that same image as if it were a dream that kept repeating.

"Err Hey guys….you might wanna hang on to your possessions we're taking a trip to Steep Wisdom to see an old friend…who want to see Wu?"

Lloyd smiled and wiped an errant tear from his face as he heard the cheers from Cole and Kai, seeing Jay like that had affected everyone yet no one wanted to talk about it. They thought that if they thought about it enough that Loki would be able to find them and kill them too, which wasn't too far from the truth because if he truly wanted to do that, he could he was a God after all and capable of inter-dimensional travel.

They would have to hope that wherever Jay was now that he would keep the God busy enough to keep his wandering eyes away from Ninjago.

"Hey Lloyd, don't keep it in bro it's not healthy….maybe Wu can help relieve some of that pain and hurt…..give us some words of wisdom maybe…." Cole soothed and put his arm around the blonde's shoulder, feeling a nervous trembling.

"Trust me Lloyd, Jay will be okay…I'm sure of it but I guess there was no other way round this."


	8. This is my different life

The sun was shining as it made it's descent onto the horizon. Currently, it was painting a sunset, reminding him of Kai.

 _Y'know, I was brought here, to Loki's palace a few weeks ago to recover, yeah, he calls it his palace!_ _Pompous right?_

 _The thing is, this place doesn't look like a palace. I mean, it wasn't like Harumi's. Her's was pretty spectacular. This one, it was more like a large mansion._

It was immaculate. A white-bricked building, standing proudly in its own grounds, just like Cliff Gordon's. This one was surrounded by six foot high white walls to match and the ground was fully laid to lawn.

Getting out of his large bed and ignoring the female occupants who were in here. These girls had been feeding and caring for him as instructed by Loki.

Stretching out, Jay walked to the long transom, opening the wooden blinds to peer outside. All he could see was the gardener and then a long pale stone driveway leading to the black imposing gates which were decorated with an intertwined black and gold 'L.L'.

Maybe he was secretly proud of his heritage because he seemed to be advertising it. Even Jay's father; Cliff wasn't that exuberant. He had stars on his gates, nothing like this though. Not his initials.

 _Haa, like Loki's advertising himself to the world._

Turning around, Jay saw his old ninja gi hung proudly in a glass fronted picture frame. It was a symbol of his life before he joined Loki. The Aesirian God hated it though, Loki wanted Jay to burn it, to let go of his past because he believed it was holding him back.

 _Pfft, yeah right..._

 _He only knew that it was holding me back because each time we fight, he wins and I apologise, then criticize myself._

 _Weakness and self-loathing..._

He hated that as much as people lying to him and Jay soon learned not to lie in front of him. He'd already received a fair few beatings, but he always held back at the last minute. That sceptre had hit Jay across the face, on the head and various other places.

 _I'd love to get hold of that sceptre one of these days. I'd use it Like Cole used his scythe._

 _First Spinjitzu Master, I miss those guys so much._

 _Something I still wasn't used to, my own bathroom! After having to share the one in the monastery and the one on the Destiny's Bounty for years trying to get in there first before all the hot water went was always a struggle and ya know, sometimes the struggle was real! Because let's face it, no one likes a cold shower...even if you need it._

 _But this bathroom was almost the size of the Bounty, you could park the whole ship in this room and not only that; the shower could fit more than three people in and the bath was meant for two and believe me, I've tried it and tested the theory._

 _Turning the shower knobs on, all four jets of water came out from different angles. The steam billowed from the top when I walked in, closing the solid glass door behind me. Here I was, showing in solitude, contemplating life and what it would_ held _in store considering I had no real shelf life anymore. No real no expiry date._

Letting the warmed water drench his hair and body, the flow removed the previous days-worth of blood. Jay had managed to avoid most blows this time because his skills were improving.

His timing, according to Loki was exceptional. One of Jay's obsidian blades had been so quick in detracting an energy shot from Loki's sceptre, he'd actually looked gobsmacked when Jay deflected it. But one of his throwing daggers had still got through Jay's defences, and he ruthlessly stabbed it into His side.

At least back home Jay and his team would've worn protection for sparring, full on armour. In Asgard, Loki said that the Einherjar train in the arena with real weapons and armour. They don't play, they fight and Jay was to learn that too.

 _Fine, okay...this is what ya get Loki. Blood, cuts and bruises._

Switching off the shower, Jay grabbed a few towels, one for his waist and shoulders and he walked back to his bedroom. His mind, as usual, drifting back to Loki and his life or death choice.

 _Was there an alternative to this? Could I have chosen another way and still got back home?_

 _Probably not._

 _The females, as usual, were still there, they never seemed to leave unless told to. Still slept on my bed, some on the covers and some underneath. Haa, at least they looked to have enjoyed my company for the most part._

 _Enough to stay with me at least, not that I'm lonely._

 _Ahh, who am I kidding?_

 _Loki had sorta freed me from the mortal coils of life...so, there was that. And now?_

 _Well, I'd never felt such freedom and I was kinda at a loss_ with _what to do._

 _Freedom, the double-edged sword, it's not really_ freedom _is it?_

For sure, Jay wasn't going to be crying or showing any weakness tonight because he didn't relish the idea of Loki's taunts. He could be just as cruel with his words.

 _I do miss my friends though, my best friend and Nya. Our life back home in Ninjago and the flying ship we called home._

 _It's weird y'know; every room in this palace reminds me of them, certain smells reminding me of the Bounty or monastery, my old homeworld. It's making me a little homesick_ to _be honest._

 _The library and wooden downstairs look immaculate but the smell reminds me of the Bounty, heck even the kitchen here reminds me of Zane, it's all white cupboards, stainless steel and modern kitchen stuff._

 _We have chefs y'know._ I can't _even make my own blueberry pancakes..._

 _Outside, the smell of earth and petrichor reminds me of Cole. The warmth of the sunset and the roaring fires in the palace reminds me of Kai, especially when he found his true potential._

 _And Nya, how could I forget the love of my life...Each time I look at the water fountain, see a drop of dew or moisture on the windows, I'm reminded of her and her element. Wishing she was here with me, just a visit would be nice._

 _Heck, the colour green was all around but now it had a double meaning. Yes, it reminded me of Lloyd 'the green machine' but now it reminded me of Loki._

 _My room though, it didn't remind me of anything. It felt forced like the staff were unsure of my favourite colour_ having _not asked me of my preferences because it was chosen for me. I would have preferred royal blue because it was the colour of my eyes._

 _...No not anymore, they were lilac._

 _But now I'm here I have to put my past behind me because I had to remain by Loki's side as his protector. Facing God knows what kinds of enemies along this journey._

He had faced a rogue merc already. Who himself the 'wasp' but his sting wasn't that powerful.

Gahh _, I hate wasps! We didn't have that many in the Sea of sand, no vegetation ya see! We just had small snakes and scorpions, especially in the junkyard._

 _This wasp though, he packed a mean punch! And, heck, he shrank down to a tiny size and the punch he gave was still the same as before. It hurt, I can tell you that much!_

 _It was only last week. An epic fight and he was a human having been given a suit, well, actually he said he stole it._

 _I bet the man who invented that suit was angry._

 _Imagine though, how much money he could make or the possibilities of creating an army of those suits, the enemies would be decimated in a matter of hours especially if these guys shrank down._

 _I enjoyed the battle experience and thankfully I managed to get through his defences when he came back to normal size. I sliced into his wings and used my dark elemental lightning to stun the insect man before he fell to the floor. I smiled wiping my bloodied face as he fell because it was similar to one of those insect repellent electrical devices that zap, stun and fry._

 _Haa, supposedly immortal. I could still be hurt but not fatally which is why Loki had me wear my functional armour at all times especially since that first fight and our sparring battles. Loki only realised when I fell over having been injured enough to warrant a glimpse of concern. Since then he ordered me to wear my uniform all the time even when out and about committing acts of what could be considered heinous crimes creating an auburn haired doppelganger of himself in me._

 _The only other times I didn't need to wear my armour was when we were out together 'cavorting' as he called it. Sometimes we'd go to various countries buying priceless artefacts or we would take over businesses. Loki ordered me to be quiet and not speak out of turn. He rewarded me each time and he bought me many expensive suits because even though I was his protector, not every travelling day would warrant a heavily armoured suit._

 _So, a finely tailored one would suffice. And of course, no suit was complete without cufflinks, shoes, shirts and ties and a hidden pocket for kunai blades and throwing stars. Luckily obsidian never seemed to show up on airport scanners, otherwise, I would have had some explaining to do._

 _I don't think that I would ever consider spending that much money on a suit let alone four of them, yet Loki seemed to have more money than sense and he paid for the lot as well as his own too._ _Why did he need suits, his suits were the process of glamour magic...Y'know, Illusion magic?_

 _Basically, he only has to imagine he's wearing one and poof, it's there._ _Anyway, I guess, because I was being fitted for one, he did too._

 _His suits were all black like his soul. All exceptionally expensive suits costing over $60k. Sheesh, I couldn't even afford to spend that money on a new car_ having _made a promise to my late father that I would never blow his money on such materialistic stuff._

 _And yes, I realise I'd never actually met my father, only on the big screen._

 _He was my idol. Until I realised that he was my father and by then it was too late. He had passed and left me everything, but nothing at the same time. I didn't know why and truthfully I didn't have time to dwell because one thing after another came up._

Jay sighed, sitting back on the bed while pulling his navy tunic on. He could hear the gentle murmurs of the females behind him, calling at him to indulge in slumber and other things which should be illegal.

He observed them as they lay there. Jay had a fair amount of female concubines to keep him company as did Loki, it was his request of course. Jay needed to act as he did with no regard for human life and no concerns for their welfare nor health. The spell cast gave Jay no choice in this matter. The women would stay and please him as instructed and he'd take no pleasure in returning the favour to them.

The only woman on his mind was only ever Nya.

Loki said that the only people who mattered in this realm were the ones that worked in his palace as well as himself and Jay. Nothing else mattered to him. No love existed between these walls, lust perhaps. The only love in this house was emanating from Jay's broken heart and it was just the remaining love he felt for Nya. She was all he was holding on to, the mere mention of her name in his dreams made him feel warm and secure.

Nya and their shared love kept Jay from complete and utter loneliness.

His eyes fluttered opened when he heard his bedroom doors being opened in haste. Meaning the master of the house wanted to speak. Loki didn't do this very often.

"LEAVE US." Loki boomed as he barged through the doors. Walking into the room and looking down his nose at the naked woman.

"Jay, I sense you are keeping something from me." Loki sauntered across the room in his half-undressed state. His tunic was dark forest green, it was the first time Jay had seen it as, because he normally kept it hidden under his own armoured clothing.

It was apparent he had been in the middle of something himself, considering his dishevelled look. He wasn't even attempting to hide the fact that he had just been screwing other women in his room. Jay kinda knew, he could hear it as clear as day.

His tunic top was half pulled off his shoulders and his cheeks had some pinkish hue to them. Loki's room was more like a torture chamber for the women who frequented it but they still kept coming back, Jay's however, was more like a comfortable 'hippy' gathering where the girls would sometimes pleasure each other because he couldn't be bothered to do it.

"My liege?" Jay quickly climbed out of bed, lowering his head.

"Something is preventing you from accepting this responsibility, something is holding you back."

 _Pfft. Yeah, you are..._

"I-I uhm, I'm sorry. I'm not hiding anything b..."

"You're lying?" He cocked his head, walking closer. "I will not tolerate lies, JAY."

"No, my liege I-I'm not lying..."

 _Much_...

"Will you divulge this information? That, which keeps you from achieving true freedom and power!"

"Uh?"

"I will not tolerate secrets," he said, walking around the bed. "You are my, hmmm my personal property, you do as I say now, remember? You chose this path did you not?" He sneered down at me where I stood.

 _Yeah I remembered, wasn't much of a choice though..._

Jay looked away, avoiding the steely gaze. He swore Loki was trying to read his mind because he didn't want to be this room for any longer than he needed to be. Loki still didn't trust him even after all these months on earth. Even after Jay had apologised to him for the betrayal.

"Yes, my prince I'm sorry, it's just that...well, I miss someone from my past life."

"Your secret?" Loki intoned. "Tell me, who keeps the 'would be' protector from fulfilling his duties?"

Loki was questioning but before Jay had a chance to say who it could be, he had already figured it out.

"Ahhh you mean, your girlfriend, ahh yes of course, we don't really have the time or space to have a permanent female resident here. She would get in the way."

 _Pfft, doubt it..._

"Although, if she lived here; she too would belong to me as you do."

"Yes my prince, I understand that."

"Do you?"

Jay nodded, awkwardly. He hated the thought of Loki having his hands all over Nya. "I can't share her. She's not that type of woman. Besides, I love her."

The thought of Loki with Nya made his blood run cold, he wasn't exactly gentle with the women he had. He was snapped out of his thoughts by Loki's sardonic laugh.

"You loved, you mean?" His cruel maniacal laugh made Jay's heart ache for her even more.

"I love her," Jay repeated, with more conviction.

"Not anymore Boy. Hahahaha LOVE, is a pathetic human emotion Jay, maybe I need to train you some more in the powers of dark elements, you seem to be thinking with your heart again."

A harsh slap made contact and the sound bounced off the walls. This would be a pain and humiliation Jay would never get used to, especially when unprovoked and completely unexpected, Loki was just cruel.

"I will not stand for this type of human behaviour. I expect you to be better than this, you need to learn to act like me. Are the concubines not to your liking? Perhaps shorter darker haired ones from now on?" He taunted mercilessly, testing Jay, watching as his eyes filled with unshed tears.

Jay looked to the ground not even daring to soothe the burn on his face nor wipe the blood from his lips.

"No, they're fine."

"Screw them then. I want to hear you using them." He ordered. The sound and order made Jay flinch.

"I-I will." Jay nodded.

"In that case, I will leave you alone tonight. Take heed in my warnings Jay for love will slow you down. It has no place in a warriors heart and when the time comes love will be the one thing that will likely kill you."

 _So negative...Have you been spurned by any chance?_

"My prince, th-thank you for your wisdom."

"You are required to join me early tomorrow at breakfast for we are expected in Asgard."

"Expected?"

"In a word, no." Loki seemed agitated. "It is an order Jayson, apparently a place has become available on the throne."

"Yes, m-my Prince, as you request."

As Loki walked off he signalled the concubines to return to the room where they immediately continued their ministrations. As soon as they had returned, Loki slammed the doors closed.

* * *

A new day and a new death wish.

"I need a haircut, desperately," He said to himself. Running his fingers through his damp auburn locks.

 _The face partially obscured works well for Cole but not for me because I need to be aware of all angles considering Loki always uses his astral projections when we fight._

Jay left the bathroom and scooped his clothes up. Subconsciously, he put them on layer by layer, until he realised he might just be able to spin into it.

 _Why hadn't I thought of that? It would save so much time._

So he tried it, spinning into his elemental blue tornado took him completely by surprise, it was purple. He stopped his spinning momentum and his eyes widened. For one; spinjitzu still worked but it was an odd colour. Jay guessed it was something to do with Loki considering the God had forbid Jay to use any elements. It would be a huge no no to use it on him being as he made Jay who he was now.

 _He said that I should only use it on enemies, apparently, I would have plenty of opportunities...great!_

"Hehey awesome" he squeaked happily. Looking in the mirror to see his working armoured robes and cloak all in place and looking perfect. Jay had the addition of a scarf that he could pull up to hide his face, just like his ninja days.

Quickly and effortlessly, Jay secured all his obsidian blades into their correct sheaths before leaving his room.

 _I guess the difference between this uniform and my old ninja gi was the addition of armoured boots. Before all of this and before Loki, I would simply wear Tabi boots, they were more suited for agility and flexibility. Helped me to kick and land 'on target' shots to any foolish enough to get in our way._

 _But now, now I looked like a heavily armed samurai, whose clothes merely complimented Loki's._

 _The short of it...I'm doomed to fight by his side, I gave him my word._

* * *

 _I'd been requested to join Loki for a rich exuberant breakfast. Get this, I was served by women wearing very little attire, my eyebrow raised at that...Cole would've been shocked...haa, get it? Shocked._

 _But can you Imagine Nya seeing this same thing? She'd be...Well._

 _Forget it, Jay. . .She's not here is she, none of them are. . .you're alone, completely alone in this._

"Is this really necessary?" Jay asked, eyebrow quirked.

Loki looked askance at the question. And Jay suddenly realised he had forgotten to use the formality usually afforded to the Æsir Prince.

"My Prince, is this really necessary?" Jay repeated, softly and nervously eyed the woman serving him, trying his hardest to keep his eyes off everything that was on show.

 _Wow, her attire is leaving nothing to the imagination. I mean, who wears a loincloth with a bikini top to serve breakfast? Maybe she's going swimming after this. . ._

He tried to stop staring and then attempted to imagine something else entirely. Failing miserably, Jay could only imagine her skin as it soaked into what he believed were warmed blue waters. Of course, he was part of this slick mermaid fantasy.

He bit his lip, gripping the table hard. These images wouldn't leave him. He imagined her soaking her bikini top, revealing her exquisite nipples just for him. He was the one removing the top in its entirety as her breasts were revealed in all their glory and then her bikini bottom gone in an instant too.

 _Shit Jay, stop thinking like that..._

He bit his lip hard and the pain brought him back to his senses. Jay had painfully pulled his gaze from her half-naked body. Now blushing as red as the strawberries in the fruit platter to his direct front.

"Are you well, Boy?" Loki quipped. "You look a little _flushed_."

"I-I am," Jay replied, flustered. "To both."

Loki guessed quickly. He smirked, looking at the girl to Jay's direct right. Her close proximity had Jay's eyes staring at her breasts.

Jay also knew he couldn't lie to Loki, so he didn't even attempt to skim around what he'd just been thinking about. He'd just remain quiet.

 _Ya see, this is what happens when you don't have a girlfriend anymore. I tried explaining that last night, but he wouldn't listen. All I want is to see her again, maybe just a night together..._

Quickly looking the other way, Jay avoided the newfound feelings of lust making their presence known to his groin. He thanked the first Spinjitzu Master that the long tablecloth at least hid the panful arousal from Loki.

 _I need a cold shower, NOW!_

"And yes, in response to your other question, this is necessary." Loki looked up from his position at the other end of the table, goblet in hand. Eyebrows raised in a satisfied manner that made it feel like he could sense Jay's discomfort. "You must eat. You may have to fight Heimdall today, to prove your worth. That is, if he tries to stop me."

Loki's response just showed Jay how little respect he actually had for women.

 _Haa, so here's me trying to understand why the females around here wear such scant clothing and Loki thinks I'm asking him about the sheer size of the breakfast feast laid on the table._

"Heimdall, my Prince?" He asked, confused by the new name.

"The gatekeeper to the Realm Eternal, the one who guards Bifrost and protects the royal palace?" Loki offered. "Heimdall was chosen by Odin because of his powers of perception, being able to see and hear across time, he is fiercely loyal to Asgard."

 _Oh, him..._ Great, from what I can remember Loki telling me about Heimdall is that he guards the so-called _rainbow bridge_. He's the guardian to all nine realms.

 _So, if he can see all...can he see me, like right here? Can he sense my panic?_

Maybe, Jay hoped that this gatekeeper didn't know much about his fighting style, so he might actually be in with a chance of winning this upcoming fight if Heimdall hadn't seen him before. However, he didn't relish the idea of duelling with a mythical legend.

"Don't worry about the women here, they'll be plenty more in Asgard when we arrive" Loki said as he got up to leave, noting Jay looking away shamefully as the females removed his half-eaten breakfast.

 _I wasn't worried about them. In fact, I felt relieved that they'd be able to leave. . ._

"Are you coming?"

"Y-yes, my Prince," Jay replied, standing slowly and purposefully to make sure that his erection had lessened somewhat.

With more enthusiasm than he actually had, Jay stood up to join him, subconsciously checking that all his obsidian blades were accounted for. And, with a quick shuffle of his new travelling cloak, his jet black blades were hidden from view.

Jay cautiously followed him out of the palace into the back garden to what was a bricked patio area. Loki appeared to look up to the sky and shouted heartily into nothingness. To Jay, this looked completely ridiculous, Loki looked insane for a few seconds.

"Heimdall, open the Bifrost." Loki ordered, shouting up at the sky.

Jay was utterly confused watching him. Was he attempting to talk with the Cloud Kingdom or something? "My prince, what are we doing here?" He whispered, voice low.

"Well, I would prefer it to happen here rather than the grass," Loki replied monotonously. "It does, after all, leave an unsightly burn." He replied dryly, a smirk adorning his features as he looked at Jay knowingly.

"What does?"

Suddenly a large beam of light appeared around both and brick floor was immediately scorched from the contact.

 _Oh right..._

Jay didn't have much time to admire the pattern left behind as he felt himself being pulled upwards by an unknown force. At first it seemed terrifying, Loki hadn't forewarned or anything. But then, one look at his Prince and Jay calmed a little.

This force was different to the glowing blue cube...Jay thought.

Loki had called the cube 'the tesseract' after all that was the actual name of it. The tesseract journey from what Jay remembered was painfully slow, exhausting and horrid. This method of travel made him feel like he was flying even the colour of the bright beams was golden white.

The stars flying by outside of the beam looked like a kaleidoscope. It was almost magical and just as Jay was beginning to adapt and enjoy this form of intergalactic travel, he could see something approaching fast.

A large spinning golden ball with a pointed spire protruding from it, was where the beam was originating from and seemed to be their final destination.

Immense relief at feeling a solid surface below his feet, Jay took a deep steadying breath. He took a moment to recompose himself before he registered where he was standing.

 _Wow, this place is the stuff of dreams._

The entire room was golden and there were intricate patterns over what looked to be giant wheels and cogs.

 _It kinda reminds me of home, maybe even a part of Harumi's palace. Even parts of the Cloud Kingdom looked like this._

It was like a large version of an elaborate brass spinner. Jay was rooted to the spot, mesmerised until he heard a disgruntled sigh coming from Loki behind him. The latter pushed past Jay but halted abruptly a few feet after.

The large round orb was a sight to behold for roughly three seconds until Jay heard the all too familiar sound of a sword being unsheathed. Instinctively, he looked for the source of it and in front of Loki, he noticed a tall well-muscled man.

Jay registered immediate danger to Loki and jumped in front of him, pushing the young Æsir clear of harm.

Loki didn't fall, he stumbled, recomposing himself. Standing with intrigue, watching as both warriors scrutinised each other before squaring off.

Heimdall removed his blade from the console. It was the sole thing that made this orb spin as Loki had forewarned. The sword itself was huge.

In reponse, Jay retrieved his obsidian katana. At that moment, not knowing if it would hold up against this golden version, or Hofund as Loki had mentioned.

It didn't make Jay feel any better when Loki had told him that Heimdall's sword was as powerful as Odin's staff, which meant he couldn't afford to be severely hurt by it.

Heimdall swiped the sword, hard and fast and Jay grunted when his lightweight sword clashed with the golden one. If he hadn't had a firm grasp, the black blade would have shattered on contact.

It was as Loki had uttered. Heimdall's swordsman skills were impressive, he had some really old moves that Jay had read about when he was at school. Reminding him of knights and kings of old. How old was this guy again?

Jay parried a good many of the attacking thrusts with his own style of fighting. Unable to get a proper attack in himself. He took on the defensive manoeuvres instead, waiting for an opportunity to arise.

The thing is, Heimdall's sword pulled Jay's weightless one down easily; leaving him open to attack. One quick wrist movement had Jay's blade skidding across the floor.

Jay swerved to the side, rolling to avoid the blade as it came crashing down. Recovering his blade and stance, Jay stood, making to counter-attack Heimdal.

Heimdall got down from his higher position and came at Jay with renewed vigour. Attempting to slay him on the spot but it would appear Jay was too nimble for him.

"Who are you?" He asked. "You fight like Fandral, yet you are not Asgardian, nor human?"

Jay remained silent. He continued looking for an opening to attack.

He wasn't slowed down by the size of his blades, unlike Heimdall. His golden blade was massively too big and cumbersome, not like Jay's katana.

 _Now don't get me wrong, he obviously likes a big blade, Cole's the same too. Maybe he was trying to make up for some hidden inadequacy._

 _Oh god, I hope he can't read my thoughts. . ._

Regardless of how well the Gatekeeper moved; Jay's ninja moves were faster than his. The erstwhile blue ninja was more versatile and sneaky, though Heimdall had managed to slice Jay's upper arm when he miscalculated a thrust.

His golden eyes looked impressed with the fighting skills but Jay didn't falter. He waited for Heimdall to ready himself before they continued.

The Gatekeeper came back at him, parrying Jay's blows before seeing an opening and thrusting his sword into Jay's lower stomach.

Jay didn't see it until it was too late and on survival instincts, he used his spinjitzu. It was probably the only time he'd done it with a bleeding injury because all he could see was blood flying around him.

Heimdall didn't have a second to counteract this attack. The black blade was at his throat in an instant.

Loki was impressed, for once.

He smiled at Jay and his speedy agility. Heimdall had been subdued with minimal injury to both. Jay wouldn't have agreed with the whole quick and effortless takedown though. He was wincing, ever so slightly. Grasping his stomach, where the blade had got through.

Jay wasn't expecting what happened next.

The temperature dropped suddenly. It sadly reminded him of Zane. But before reminiscing of his brother, he noticed that Heimdall had been very quickly literally and figuratively frozen to the spot.

Jay had turned to the origination of the icy blast to see a very blue version of Loki standing to his side with evil red eyes. The Casket of Ancient Winters firmly in his blue hands. He figured that Loki must have used a form of astral projection to retrieve this relic from the vaults whilst he was fighting Heimdall. A subterfuge, or distraction.

Jay looked at him in disbelief.

"What?" Loki hissed.

"How am I supposed to protect you when you project somewhere else?"

"It is only a projection, my true self is always nearby."

"Hmm." _Jay seriously doubted that._

"Anyway, enough of this. Come, you'll want to all that this place holds."

"What about him, my Prince?" Jay asked, pointing at the solidly frozen hunk of a mythical warrior that stood frozen in his attack stance.

"He needs some time to regroup his thoughts. More precisely he needs to decide where his loyalties lie."

"S-so, you're going to leave him like this?"Jay queried. Looking up at the ice version of the Gatekeeper. Wondering to himself how Heimdall was meant to guard Bifrost and Asgard.

"I am," Loki replied, shrugging. "He is the only threat that stands in the way of my impending and rightful rule here."

"But, you said he protects this place?"

"We are not as helpless as you think. Come, let me show you around."

His appearance changed within an instant, the moment he stepped onto the rune-covered bridge leading into Asgard Prime. Jay did a double take, Loki had aged in the space of two seconds. He looked like a taller and stronger Sensei Wu, minus the white facial hair. This appearance of Loki had a bushy grey beard and a rotund shape to his middle.

Another startling difference, Loki seemed to have blue eyes in replacement of his green ones. The other was quickly covered with a golden eyepatch.

 _A few weeks had passed in the blink of an eye._

Jay was getting used to life in the realm of Asgard, after all, they'd been there for over a month.

 _Weird, it was just..._

 _Weird_.

 _Y'know sometimes, I preferred to be alone to wander this unknown realm on my own. I had never dared to leave the city limits though. This rock was way too big to wander completely alone._

He'd visited many rooms in the royal palace, not all of them because he wasn't allowed.

Jay really liked the room with the large tree in and he wondered how it could grow indoors. Loki, in his disguise, had mentioned it was a seidr replica of the world tree, called Yggdrasil.

Each branch of the real tree, held a series of planets. Nine in total.

Nine Realms.

Sometimes, Jay would just sit under this tree and try to imagine where Ninjago would be if it wasn't a hidden realm.

Another room he loved to visit was the vault but because he wasn't as important as royalty, he couldn't go in and stay for long unless the disguised Loki accompanied him. Failing that, the library was another cool room.

It was in the library one day when Jay had found some old scrolls written in a familiar language. He hadn't expected to find anything remotely interesting but it was pure boredom that kept him in there.

There was something that had caught his waning attention. Subject matter that was deemed as fabled and yet the writing looked so familiar.

 _Oh my god. First spinjitzu master...what?_

 _Scrolls? But, these look familiar._

Surely he was wrong? If they'd been made by the FSM, why would they be here? A scroll depicting lightning was all he could find, and it was dubbed the 'Weapon of Chaos'.

The rest was written in archaic nonsense, like _chicken scratch._

Jay, reluctantly put it back in the box, sliding the dusty scrolls onto the shelf. He wished he could approach Loki with this but he was unsure of the reaction he'd get. So, instead, he climbed down the ladder carefully until his feet touched solid ground.

A few days later, things got strange again.

Loki had done well himself as he indeed had claimed the throne, albeit he didn't look like Loki anymore he resembled his father Odin; even down to the golden metal eye patch, greying hair and rotund stomach.

 _Haa, he could fool his loyal followers in Asgard but I can see through his glamour magic, being his protector. Besides, it's not like I'm going to spill the beans anytime soon, I don't have a death wish, so in his presence, I still call him 'my liege'._

Pondering a thought as he lay in his large room after a busy day of sparring with the new team of warriors. Jay didn't actually want any company from strange women for the third night in a row, he wanted to be by himself.

Actually, he wanted Nya.

It was a desperation really, he needed her, craved her touch and he knew the perfect opportunity was now as Loki was busy with his future wife to be, Sigyn.

So, leaving his room in the dead of night, Jay used his dark element to travel to the Bifrost observatory where Heimdall remained.

Nodding awkwardly to the Gatekeeper, Jay walked into Heimdall's domain, the place he always stood guard.

"Where would you like to travel?" Heimdall already knew. This was prolonging the awkwardness. "I sense you are looking for a certain girl."

 _Busted..._

"She looks for you, they are planning something." He added, looking at Jay with a hint of understanding and sorrow.

Jay bit his lip, looking upward with a glimmer of hope. "Is it possible I can see them before he realises I'm missing?"

Heimdall cocked his head. "Loki will be busy all night. She keeps him entertained and when she does not, he will rest." He intoned, rolling his eyes. "However, you should exercise caution. Loki is remarkably perceptive and intuitive."

"I know."

Heimdall placed the Hofund blade in the console and set the destination. "If he sleeps, there will be a reprieve of four hours. Therefore, Bifrost will be there when you call for it, just in case."

"Uhm, r-right." Jay said, rubbing his head. "I don't suppose you could just say you don't know where I am. Feign ignorance and say I've run away and you can't see me anymore?"

"He is bound to you, as you are to him." Heimdall shook his head. "He would find you, eventually."

Jay sighed. Kicking his foot on the floor. It was a long shot anyway because he knew of the oath, it couldn't be broken.

"This gives you enough time to return. Lest, before he perceives your betrayal. The rest is up to you."

The words stung a little.

 _Betrayal huh? Well, yeah, I am going against Loki, by doing this, but then, I did ask nicely._

"Thank you, Heimdall. It isn't foolproof is it?" Jay asked. "This plan still has its risks, it's not completely foolproof."

"You are getting to know him better," Heimdall replied. "You also know that if you are caught, you will be punished, and made an example of."

Heimdall's hand came to rest on Jay's shoulder before he felt the gentle pull of Bifrost. "Are you still willing to take this risk?"

He nodded. Jay only wanted to see them, to see her, to hold and kiss her before saying a proper goodbye.

"In that case, young one," He said, golden eyes gentle and soothing. "Enjoy your time. Loki will not kill you. You are too important to him and he knows it."

 _Odd, I don't feel all that important..._

The observatory span into action quickly and before Jay knew it, he was being sent to Ninjago in the blink of an eye.

It was actually a relief to land on his feet as he vaguely remembered the cube had him land on his front on concrete, not pleasant!

Jay stood there transfixed. He really had missed this place, yet everything seemed slightly different to how he remembered. Though he wasn't entirely sure where he was, he was certain that when he had left this place it was Springtime and now the leaves were brown and falling all around.

He scoured the skies.

The Bounty was no-where to be seen and he was running out of time. More specifically, he didn't have this sort of time to spare looking around every part of Ninjago to find his old team.

He had no choice, he used his element to travel to the nearest village and then stopped when he realised he'd just burnt a line from his original location to where he stood.

 _Oops, at least it wasn't someone's garden_.

"This place looks really familiar." He said out loud, thinking he was on his own.

Approaching a shop with a swinging sign hanging from its fascia. Jay paused to take in the faded words. "Four weapons." he mumbled.

"This used to be Kai and Nya's shop." He laughed, remembering his old life here. Interrupted from his memories by an old lady who had walked over.

She seemed alarmed by the clothing Jay wore and kept her distance. "You look lost?"

"I'm not lost," Jay countered quickly. "I'm a little confused." He rubbed the back of his head.

"Confused hmm?" She repeated his words.

"Do you know where the uh, ninja are at this moment?"

"The ninja?" She smiled. It must've been a question she could answer because she turned to point. "They are in the next village, training."

"Figures," Jay mumbled to himself.

"Apparently," She said. "They are going to be taking on an enemy, an adversary unlike any they've known before. S-so we've heard."

"Really. Do you know about this new enemy?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "An old adverssary." She stated. "I think it's Jay because he vanished like Garmadon when he turned."

"Garmadon was in the underworld. He didn't remain bad y'know. He sacrificed himself for this place." Jay added, watching the woman turn her back to carry on with her mumbling.

"Hope you find what you're looking for, dearie," She mumbled.

"Thanks," Jay muttered sourly. He continued walking in the direction she'd pointed. He was starting to feel some animosity growing at the words she'd uttered.

 _'What, they didn't think of telling a white lie to the villagers? Am I really the bad guy now?_

No one saw him until he was standing in the courtyard. And,it was only then that he registered the shock on everyone's faces. The new training yard was a substantial building with curved painted white walls and red painted wooden panels on top and in between. The open gates were bright red too.

"Jay?" Zane gaped from the courtyard, eyes finally settling on his brother.

He couldn't help but smile. This was great to feel such a welcome rather than the feeling that he needed to prove himself in order to find his place in the ranks of Einherjar.

"JAY?" Cole's eyes widened "Jay! FSM. It's you,"He ran up and touched him because he couldn't believe his own eyes.

"How? h-how did you get here?" He stuttered. "And wow y-you look amazing." Cole beamed, playfully punching his long lost best friend in what appeared to be an elated joy.

A move that would normally have given Jay a dead arm, had little to no effect except on Cole who instantly recoiled his fist in pain.

"Argh sheesh, Jay. What're you packing under there?" Cole hissed, trying to sneak a peek.

Jay, feeling abashed at the sudden interest, stood back slightly. "It's all part and parcel of becoming stronger."

 _My muscles are more defined, my blood isn't red anymore. I can't die and even if you could injure me it wouldn't prove to be fatal._

There was no bragging, these were the straight facts that he dreaded divulging.

 _Loki's magic is pretty good at helping me heal_.

Jay's sighs and lack of interest concerned his best friend Cole, he knew Jay was battling inner demons. His very existence was being rewritten against his choice. Jay never really asked for this, not really but it was either this or death.

"Yeah right" Kai smirked.

This was new, because before any of this: Jay thought that their friendship was pretty tight. He had been eventually accepting of Jay's relationship with Nya but now he seemed kind of envious of something.

He seemed like he wanted to prove Jay wrong in front of his brothers.

"If you can be hurt, we can stop Loki." He growled.

I...wait, what?" Jay stilled. He wasn't expecting to duel, especially one of his brothers to prove a fact.

"Simply put, you're the only one protecting him." Kai hissed.

Eyebrow raised. Jay remained where he was. The gates were closed behind him and he felt dread. "Try me, if you don't believe it."

"Jackass."

Jay narrowed his eyes. Blades given up easily to prove he was no threat. "I'm not here to fight."

"You left this team, remember?"

Jay didn't leave. He was forced to make a choice and he did. "It was out of my hands actually," he countered, annoyed with Kai's sullen attitude. "Fine, to make this fair...I'll stay still, make it easier for you."

Kai was irritated. "Strange, it just seems odd if I fight you whilst you're sitting still just to show me that you can't die!"

"You won't get another opportunity. What if I remove my weapons and just spar, you can use your weapons?"

Cole, Lloyd and Zane sat back and watched as Kai attempted to spar with Jay. The one who had sometimes seemed shy in front of the fire wielder.

Jay was trying to go as slow as possible to allow Kai an opportunity to attack. His old teammates were impressed with the new skills. Cole was just impressed with the weapons which he held as Jay fought unarmed against Kai.

"What type of metal is this?" Cole asked, touching the razor-sharp weapons, wincing when one cut.

Jay frowned when he saw Cole's blood on his weapon and he turned his focus to his best friend.

Just then, Kai saw his opportunity and stabbed both his Katana's cleanly through Jay's sides.

This move was met with gasps from Cole, Zane and Lloyd. They shouted in unison for Kai to stop.

"It's okay." Jay winced. Halting them from coming to his aid. Gently and slowly, he pulled the blades out backwards and handed them back to Kai. "Sorry to frighten you."

Zane got up and assisted Kai. The master of fire was out of breath and staring back in shock. Shaking his head, edging even further away.

Cole and Lloyd were mesmerised, the blood was purple the same colour as his element and his eyes.

"Like I said I can be injured...just not fatally."

 _Gahh I wasn't expecting him to stab me with both blades...mmphhh._

To be fair I was still getting used to this new body, what it could endure. Blades were nothing.

Lloyd passed a clean cloth, pressing it against Jay's blood-soaked top.

Jay winced, sitting between his two brothers. He draped his arms over their shoulders.

"I'm sorry guys, I can't stay for long." The upwards motion of his arms did nothing to stop the blood flow so he lowered them, awkwardly sitting between Cole and Lloyd.

"What, why not?" Cole said, giving the puppy dog eyes.

His disappearance had obviously had a profound effect on someone thought of as the rock of the group. Cole was the stoic one who rarely ever revealed a shred of emotion, right now he was scared.

"If Loki knows I've left him, he'll punish me." He purposefully kept his gaze from Cole's deep brown concerned orbs.

"Punish you?" Cole replied. Lloyd turned, listening in. "Why?"

"Uhm," This was going to be awkward. "Loki, if he sees fit, can cause me pain because he knows I can't die." Just the thought of it made him shudder. He knew there'd be a possibility that Loki would do that when he returned. Heimdall had forewarned it.

"How long can you stay?"

"Five hours," Jay replied, wishing it was so much longer. "Loki has a new love interest, She keeps him busy." He mock gagged with his fingers.

"Keep your head up, don't let him get to you." Lloyd soothed.

Jay chuckled. It wasn't a genuine laugh, nor was it his usual cheeky laugh.

"Well in that case,"Lloyd urged. "Come in. We've been increasing our defences since you've been absent."

"I get the impression you're planning something big?" Jay queried seeing all the equipment piled against the wall.

"We were planning on activating the cube in the next few days actually."

"The cube that got me into this mess?" Jay smiled at that. Maybe he'd have a proper chance to escape Loki before he could do more harm. "Well I'm glad you didn't, we're not on earth. . ."

Kai stepped in the doorway. "So, where are you?" He asked, interrupting mid-sentence.

"Asgard," Jay replied, turning to observe Kai.

"Where?" He asked, impatiently.

"The place where Loki and Thor were raised?" Jay offered.

"Any ideas when you'll be returning to earth? And the location of the other cube?" He asked in quick succession.

Jay's eyebrow rose. "First question, we'll be returning next week, last question, the cube is in Loki's palace, his personal vaults."

Kai's wicked face twisted into a look of smug satisfaction. Maybe he could do this now with the new info. "I've missed you. We've all missed you bro." He said, finally hugging Jay tightly like an actual brother.

"And yes, I'm a little apprehensive, wouldn't say scared though." He pulled back giving Jay some space aware that he'd stabbed him earlier.

"Hey, I'm still me ya know, he couldn't get rid of my memories." Jay consoled. He knew that this was difficult for his old team because it must've hurt to see him bieng changed.

"C-can I look at the marks?" Kai asked, uncertainty biting in his voice. "Are they still th-there?" He asked feeling remorseful, his voice breaking.

Jay held in the pain and grimacing pain. Carefully, he removed his cloak and undid the few layers of protective clothing. And underneath both cloths that had been stained with his blood, it revealed nothing but bruises where the weapons had penetrated.

"See look." Jay smiled. Holding back the residual pain. "There's nothing there, I heal quickly."

Kai's face was a picture. Both relief and uncertainty resting on his features creating a battle of emotions.

"How long has it been?" Cole said, looking at Zane to see who could work it out faster.

"Well for me," Jay said. "I was on earth for a month which Heimdall says is about uhm...28 weeks here and I've been in Asgard for a month too which is another 28 weeks...so over a year. Did ya miss me?"

"You've been gone for over a year." Cole surmised, shaking his head. He knew this fact, he'd just chosen to ignore the changing seasons.

"That could be an issue." Zane intoned. "You have been gone for over a year, yet for you, it seems like months. You have not aged a day whereas we have, and again you are taller now and have developed in that short time."

"Yeah," Jay rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I don't know why."

"A simple matter of dark magic perhaps. You are maturing physically, I can see that you are still in the processes of it, your body is still changing."

Jay blushed. He knew he was changing physically and he wasn't thinking about height, more body image and endowment. Haa, Loki didn't want a naive boy to be his protector, he needed a man as strong if not stronger than he was.

"I will say that is has been difficult without you. We have missed your presence."

"Hey, I've missed you too. You'll always be my tinman." Jay laughed, watching as he walked off to retrieve something. He came back a few minutes later.

"We had created these devices since your absence. They are discreet and you should be able to communicate with us, even from Asgard, give or take time anomalies." He put the device in Jay's hand.

"Oh cool. Haa, you'll get me tearing up with this. Does everyone have one?" Jay asked.

"Everyone has one. "He replied. "I created them as soon as we returned. It gave me something else to focus on. Sensei told me that it would help for each of us to have a task, in order to strengthen ourselves as a team."

"Cool, so you spoke to Sensei Wu? How is he did, he ask about me huh? What about Cole, Kai, Lloyd and Nya. Did he give them things to focus on whilst I was missing?" Jay asked, eagerly sitting up to inquire of his old master, whom he noted wasn't here either.

Zane frowned, looking down. "Yes actually, Cole focussed on his weaknesses and not so much on his physique. A weakness is revealing your true fears only to realise what you fear is the unknown. For Cole, it was a struggle to come to terms with his fear of the unknown."

And Lloyd?" Jay asked.

"Lloyd was told to focus on becoming a stronger leader. Therefore, his task was to oversee each and every mission we now go on, working out weaknesses."

"And Kai?"

"Kai had to focus on his anger because Sensei said it was clouding his better judgement. He was told to meditate. I can assist him in that matter, opposites attract as they say."

"What about Nya?" Jay whined.

"Later." Zane intoned, pursing his lips. "Come let us eat, Kai has made fiery meatballs in hot sauce."

"So is this your new training place?...I mean its big, very spacious...kinda reminds me of the monastery except without the steps."

"Yeah, Sensei Wu left it to us in his will," Cole said, then realised his mistake as Jay coughed on a meatball.

Eyes watering with the spice. "He-he died! Wh-when?." Jay choked out, the hot sauce burned the back of his mouth. Tears wouldn't even come even if he'd wanted them to because he'd been conditioned not to show emotion. Jay had learned to lock them away.

"H-he passed last month," Cole said, sighing. His usually strong presence was on the verge of breaking down as he wiped a stray tear.

Looking at the master of earth, Jay reached a hand across. A gesture of understanding and shared grief. And although Jay wasn't crying, his heart had just broken in two having heard about my their Sensei and witnessing Cole's reaction to it.

It was evident that he was still broken. Which was to be expected considering it only happened a month ago but for Jay it was much shorter than that...timey, wimey dimensional crap that he still hadn't figured out.

He looked at everybody in his midst. They had all aged a little, their hair was longer. New wrinkles adorning their tired and weathered faces and here he was, not looking a day over 24. Whilst they were approaching their mid to late twenties with weary enthusiasm.

"Hey Cole, now don't start that. These guys need you to be strong, Lloyd needs direction, a clear mind and you're just the person to do that. I mean, I can remember you saving my butt many a time against the serpentine, the overlord, Chen...no actually...haa I'm joking."

Cole wasn't laughing nor smiling. "It's been really Jay. Not that I don't get on with anyone, it's just. . .you were the life of the party, always joking and if you weren't; you'd be inventing."

Jay smiled at that. "And here's me thinking you wanted me to shut up cos I talked too much huh?" He joked, having missed the banter because he never got this in Asgard.

"Yeah we called you Zaptrap," Cole laughed, though it was strained.

"I won't lie," Cole added. His face solemn. "Last year was hard. It's not the same without you and Nya running around avoiding Kai. Or pranking Zane and setting his voice on a foreign setting. Or replacing the filling of my favourite cake with bacon grease."

"Y-Yeah s-sorry about that, I guess I was the pranking king." Jay replied, shoving the last fiery meatball in his mouth.

"Lloyd's taken over pranking. He's a right pain in the ass too." Cole whispered, laughing. "But it's still not the same. I miss you not being here, we all do."

"I'm sorry. I can't keep apologising." Jay uttered. "If you remember, there wasn't any other choice?" Looking up at the clock, his heart began racing. Breathing hitched slightly. Jay had been here for almost four hours and he hoped to God that Loki hadn't woken.

"Where's Nya, I haven't seen her yet?"

"Nya's out of town," Cole replied softly. "She's trying to find armour similar to the stone warriors, which she hopes will provide us with additional protection."

"Against what?" Jay queried, confused.

Cole smirked. "In case of further attacks from Loki. Sensei's last task for her was to help her focus rather than pining for you."

 _She's missing me too, huh?_

"Oh...but still cool..." Jay thought, now feeling a little sad that Nya was missing him as much as he was missing her.

"S-so you've got a plan?" He said, lilac eyes trailing the table. "That's good to know because I'm going out of my mind. I think he wants me to be like him and he's insane. Oh god, I hope he can't read my mind either."

Jay nudged Cole half-heartedly. Deep inside his heart, he would have loved to have seen Nya before he returned to Loki but it was looking extremely unlikely. Maybe he could venture into her room and take a memento. Keep it close to his heart and take it back with him.

Even as Zane walked back into the dining area carrying his ice cold baked Alaska with a blue flame surrounding it, Jay knew his time was winding down. The dessert was a true masterpiece just like Zane was. It looked amazing and so different to the food we got in Asgard.

The next two hours flew by as Jay showed off his new fighting skills and elemental abilities. Being trained by Tyr, the God of War certainly had its benefits.

Jay's weapons were met with 'Oohs and ahhs.' But he didn't care about that, all he wanted was to stay here with them, to hide. But in all honesty he wanted to hide and pretend that I wasn't Loki's protector anymore...

He wasn't ashamed to admit he wanted to run and hide because in a few short hours he would be going back there.

"They're obsidian." Jay said. He could see that Cole was intrigued by them.

"They amplify my lightning apparently!" Jay uttered, taking the blades from him before putting them back into place within his robes, under his cloak.

Showing them how fast he moved with the blades. His movements soon became a purple electrical blur.

 _This is why Loki wanted me all along so he could control me._ _..this element is the same as Thor...just darker._

"Loki was never going to let me go. As soon as he saw me; he saw an infinite element as dark as him which he could control and now I know. He is my prince and I his protector...for all eternity." Jay sighed and wiped the tear as it fell. "I'm sorry."

Aware that his brothers were there in an instant to console him, Jay could feel their warm embraces and the firm metallic arms of Zane.

He turned around to face his brothers again before looking into their eyes, one by one.

"It's time!" Jay said, a hint of sorrow in his expression. Then, standing abruptly, He looked at the floor, leaving the training room to find an area that wouldn't be damaged by the pure power of the Bifrost beam.

Before he had a chance to call Heimdall, all of his brothers had run out. One by one, minus Nya, they gave him their own firm embrace, words of wisdom and a show of brotherly support.

"We'll see you next week Jay, all being well...keep in touch if you can," Cole said, patting Jay on his back.

"Thanks. I'll see you soon, now stand back guys." He motioned with his hands. "Like really far back."

"Heimdall," Jay shouted, embarrassed. "Uhm open the Bifrost."

Again, that simple action caused a few frowns and puzzled faces until a bright beam suddenly appeared. Within a millisecond Jay had vanished. And the pain they felt on that first night of not having him there, came back full force again.

Jay had arrived back in Asgard.

All that was left behind of his departure was a large circular intricate pattern. It took pride of place on the floor of their outdoor training area, a gift from Jay to remind them why they were doing this.


	9. insubordination

No sooner had Jay placed a foot in the observatory, he knew something was very wrong. His breathing picked up a notch when he saw a sentry of E-Guard legion waiting for him. Who else would they be waiting for?

"You knew this might happen?" An elderly Einjerji said. his voice stern.

Jay had only met this guy the once. "Accepted and I know it was a risk but I was willing to take it," He nodded, offering his hands.

"I would be thankful that he is not waging war on the realm you so cherish, for going against him." Heimdall chastised. "Odin would have been more forgiving." He whispered.

"Haa, yeah." Jay smiled insincerely. The presence of the heartbreaking grin concealed his true fear and it dropped completely when he felt arms and hands restraining him. "You can't send me back for good?"

Heimdall shook his head. "I am bound by honour to our King."

The Einherjar surrounded him, removing his weapons. Then, having surrounded him sufficiently, the Einherjar escorted him back.

This type of walk was exhausting for anyone; let alone a restrained prisoner. It made this whole journey seem that much longer, least it felt like that until they entered the palace itself.

"Uhm, the throne room?" Jay questioned, frowning as the sentry walked past it.

"No, he wants you downstairs."

Jay shuddered at his words, scared for what was two floors down.

Finally, after traversing the stairs, Jay stood outside a black arched open door, he peered inside. "A w-weapons room?"

The Einherji nodded, smirking slightly. "This is the weapons vault."

"Okay, intimidating." Jay cocked his head, a nervous smile on his face while he stared inside. His feet were glued to the spot. It was fairly obvious he didn't want to enter the darkened room because it looked more like a den of depravity.

He had no choice but to move when he was summarily pushed headlong inside. His breath hitched when he took it all in and the nervousness, returned tenfold.

Jay's first impressions: this was way more than a weapons vault, it looked like Garmadon's evil lair.

Shackles and such things were hung, weapons arranged in cabinets, whetstones nearby for sharpening.

Then pillar candles atop huge wax mountains were placed strategically around the room. They cast an eerie green glow. Jay shuddered when he looked at the weaponry, some had already been delicately arranged on a velveteen cushion.

Marched forwards, Jay felt his hands restrained using shackles. It was only then that he realised how much trouble he was in and how much this might hurt.

Jay had never once stepped foot in here, it was vast and impressive. Besides; he would've remembered it.

The golden gleaming weapons were shining proudly, creating a soft glow on the nearest wall. It was the only positive thing in here, the colour. For those brief moments, the colour reminded him Lloyd; and that, in a way, who was he thought of.

 _Don't let him get you down, keep your head up_. . _.Wise words Lloyd, as always._

Jay hadn't noticed when a disguised Loki entered. He was swift and unseen. Eventually, he dropped his illusion glamour allowing for his natural Aesir form to be seen.

The disgust was all over his face and he scowled looking at the weapons. His hands remained interlinked behind his back. Then he paused, briefly looking in Jay's direction.

Sauntering across to the restrained man, he began unbuttoning Jay's chest plate and buckles protecting his upper body. "A little warm up, I think," He said, smiling, "It makes it feel better, for both."

Jay knew it wouldn't feel better for him. Loki might get a kick out of it though, he always did.

"This is your fault, you accept this punishment as your own?"

Jay nodded, jaw clenched hard. "I do, I accept it." Trembling slightly in the shackles.

"You will obey me?" He asked.

"Yes, my liege." Grinding his teeth, he prepared himself. He knew it would hurt. It was another sign of betrayal and it wouldn't be accepted. A small part of his mind just knew that this series of punishments was akin to conditioning.

Loki stared transfixed for a while, amazed at his own handiwork as he saw the picture of health stood before him in shackles, not a scar or blemish on the toned skin of his still weak protector. His magical abilities were almost unmatched in the Realm Eternal. Only a few other could usurp him, those being Karnilla and Amora. Even his old mentor Eldred was no more a threat.

Walking to the weapons wall, Loki retrieved a cane. Long, thin and ebony in colour. Walking back towards his captive, he caressed the cane, looking at Jay for any reaction.

Was he scared of a cane? Gently, he brushed the wooden weapon across Jay's face. Allowing the captive the chance to feel how smooth it was. Then without warning, Loki took a deep breath in, holding it as he withdrew the cane before swiping it back at a frightening speed.

Jay gasped with the first strike, lip trembling but resolve strong. The blow had landed on his bare chest.

"You need to learn that insubordination WILL...NOT...BE...TOLERATED."

Each word came with a sharp smack from the cane. The pain instantly smarted, but he didn't care. His eyes were shut tightly, jaw clenched. Jay was trying to hold onto what little hope he ever had of ever seeing his brothers and Nya again.

Loki had placed the cane, wiping the blood from it before looking at Jay's chest where the skin had broken. He walked to the green cushion and picked up a golden athame, inspecting the size and sharpness before approaching him again. "Hurt's doesn't it? Think of it, as the physical pain of betrayal."

". . ." Jay released a huge held breath, gasping out the pain before sucking in another lungful and holding it.

"It gives me no pleasure to beat you like this," Loki said. watching the rivulets trail. "In fact, it pains me to know that you don't regard my gift, as it was intended."

Jay clenched his fists. Breath held.

"YOU...BELONG...TO...ME." The words accentuated with a slashing motion.

Looking down, Jay could see blood escaping from wounds to his stomach. He watched as it dribbled down his front, settling around his boots. Clothing wet with blood, Jay smirked to himself and thought of his brothers again. The mere memory of his brethren was keeping him from this deep depression.

Without them in his mind 24/7, he would have lost it months ago.

The blade was still embedded. "You have something to say?"

"I-I'm sorry my l-liege. It won't h-happen again, y-you have my word."

"Hmm, do I?"

Jay knew that Loki could carry on all night if he wanted to. But he vaguely remembered Loki mentioning he had a prior engagement to attend and he didn't want to be late.

A punch. . .

He wasn't sure when he had learned this, but it worked for him. He guessed that all his years of being trained to withstand hand to hand combat and body shots had paid off because blocking off the pain seemed far better than to stand there and take it, giving in when it all got too much.

A barrage of punches from a bony knuckle that he knew was Loki's clenched fist. He thanked the First Spinjitzu Master that it wasn't Thor doing this.

Jay bit his broken lip, the taste was still the same, the colour was not.

 _Once it had been red, just like Kai's gi._

 _Jay's weapons, now black reminded him of Cole._

 _Jay's eyes, they were once vibrant and blue; reminding him of water and Nya, sweet Nya._

 _The buttons on his new uniform were all impossibly silver and they pleasantly reminded him of Zane._

 _Lloyd's colour was difficult, sometimes his colour would remind Jay of his captor or the last villain they faced as a team, the one Jay now served._

 _Morro wore green and black, Loki wore it too. There was just something off about it, so Jay didn't focus on green anymore, just gold._

Loki's sharp tongue made its way into Jay's head again. The blows had ceased but Loki had a firm grasp on Jay's hair, yanking it up.

Suddenly the pain increased tenfold as the haze lifted. Jay had been told that it was a unique ability, to zone out from the pain. It could be used to his advantage on the battlefield if the need arose.

"As you so kindly apologised, I will leave you with this." Loki wiped his knuckles and placed the cleaned blade back in the sheath. "If you betray my trust again, I will personally remove your strength and you will perish from your wounds."

Turning on his heels, Loki walked out of the room, though not before disguising himself.

A few minutes later, Jay felt the unmistakable feeling of Loki's magic releasing the shackles that held him.

He had no real strength, he simply fell to the floor, landing in a pool of blood.

Crawling, with one hand on his stomach, Jay scoured the room in order to find a clean cloth. He crawled and grabbed the cloth, holding it firm against his abdomen to stem the flow.

 _You deserved it, you shouldn't have left him._

Once the flow faltered; he attempted to stand. And, it was with an unsteady gait that Jay persisted, struggling to maintain his stance.

Redressing himself hastily, the pain was there, throbbing incessantly, but he had to get out of here. Haphazardly, he pulled the upper robes together, not caring all that much that he hadn't secured every damn buckle. He carried the remaining armour, tucked under his arm whilst holding the front closed.

Walking back to his room looking decidedly ill, having traversed up two flights of golden stairs with what would have been called fatal wounds.

To the Einherjar who passed him, Jay looked like he had lost an epic fight as he stumbled, leaning heavily against the wall, intermittently grasping his stomach. And, being that he was classed as the new guy, very few actually assisted him, most kept their distance.

His room was across from Loki's. It was almost as if the God wanted to know where Jay was at all times now. In fact, Jay was sure that Loki had cast some sort of spell to watch Jay as he slept, he got that type of vibe from him, a mischievous one.

Once inside his new room, Jay could see more clearly.

It was tastefully furnished in dark blue drapes and silver, with old ornate wooden furniture. Placing the armour pieces down, Jay removed his leather breeches, then made his way to the bathroom.

Stopping at the marble basin, Jay soaked some infused bandage squares into the blue water before dabbing at his face, wiping the blood that steadily trailed from it.

The punishment...was all over his face and body, broken nose, busted lip.

"It was worth it," Jay sniffed, dabbing his bloodied nose. "I'd do it again and again and again." He spat, teeth grit against his reflection.

Too tired and beat to stand and shower. Jay's legs were shaking with the exertion of walking and standing so he staggered to the large bed, the biggest thing in the room. Crawling onto it like a tired and weary lion, he rested his head on the pillow.

In his pained state, he remembered why he had received said punishment, it was because he had absconded, and paid the price. But what had he got from it, other than seeing his brothers and learning of his master's passing?

That little device, of course. Jay quickly retrieved it from the nightstand and looked at the little shiny trinket. "I-I wonder w-what it d-does."

The inventor in Jay, wanted to take apart the shiny casing to look at its workings, but he decided against it. Instead, he activated it; pressing one of three buttons to do so.

He simply stared in amazement as an image of Zane, smiled at him.

"Oh wow, it works" Jay smiled, raising his fist in the air before simultaneously wincing from the pain, a stark reminder to take things easy while his body healed.

Placing the device next to the bed, Jay grabbed a roll of bandaging to redress his wounds as he looked in wonderment at the device.

"JAY? It is really you! My brothers, it works, Cole, Kai!"

"Was there ever a doubt?" Jay replied, cringing at the loudness. He took the excitement as a good thing. "Pretty impressive workmanship Zane, how's it doing this, like bouncing off a multitude of orbiting satellites?"

It was a perfect colour display, projecting a near perfect image in front of Jay that resembled a large television. The tech was amazing, really well thought out, and the fact the signal was so clear was even better. Maybe Borg Industries had something to do with it too.

Zane yawned and it only dawned on Jay that he had no concept of time anymore, least not on his home realm. "S-sorry, did I wake you? What time is it there?"

Cole came into view, his shaggy black hair obscuring his face somewhat. "Yeah you did, and its okay, you're forgiven." He chuckled, rubbing his eyes. "It's five in the morning, no sunrise exercise today."

He squinted his eyes, staring at Jay a little more. "J-Jay, you don't look so good, are you okay?" Cole gave a loud yawn, an attempt at rousing the sleeping Kai.

"Is that blood on your head?"

He'd missed a spot, figures. "Y-yeah, possibly." Jay shrugged, not wanting to divulge. "I'm okay really, just a little sore, nothing big."

"What? Uhm, why did he injure you?" Cole frowned, rubbing his face again. "It was Loki, right?"

"As always." Jay nodded.

"And, so what happened?"

"You want the truth?" Jay asked, leaning back. "He knew I'd gone, he didn't know where but I left him and he punished me."

"What did he do?"

Jay didn't want to relive that past hour, he wanted to forget it had ever happened. "Dude, you're kinda squeamish before breakfast. I reckon Zane can fill in the blanks, can I speak to him?"

Cole nodded "Sure, we all have weaknesses. You know one of mine, don't judge me."

"Would I ever call you out on your ability to hurl when someone's bleeding? Haa, I tell it like it is. Seriously, Cole it's okay, this was pretty tame compared to what he did on earth."

"Zane's here, you make sure you keep in contact right?"

"I promise, I'll try my best," Jay replied, giving a mock salute and hissing slightly as the lifting of his arm created a sting of pain.

"Can I see?" Zane inquired, he made sure that his bedroom door was closed and there was no risk of anyone barging in. "Will you show me?"

"You sure you wanna see?"

Zane nodded. "I can only be here for support, you know this?"

"I do, and I'm thankful." Jay raised his top, holding it up.

As he had expected, Zane gasped and frowned. "H-how long will they take to heal? Are you okay?"

"A few hours at most, I-I just need to sleep." He didn't want to admit that it hurt like Hel. There wasn't anything they could do for him anyway.

"It's just occurred to me Zane, that I've only been in Asgard for a month, yet you said seven or so months had passed?"

"Time travels faster here?"

Jay nodded. "Then it's easy to see how the people here never really age. Time goes slowly, so it would seem."

"Ah yes, that would make sense. We were due to visit you tomorrow. It has been almost a week since you visited yet you say you have only been back one day!" Zane paused, calculating something in his CPU. "That is both worrying and interesting," he added.

"Also your vocal patterns are changing. You seem to speak more archaic on occasion. Dare I say it but you are becoming more formal in the way you speak."

"If you're surrounded by that type of language all day, as I am, it's bound to have an effect."

"I noticed it when you were here. It is interesting to see the overall change in you since it happened, do you feel any different?"

"Bizarre question. You know I hate these changes, there's nothing I can do to stop them from happening. And, there's sure as Hel nothing interesting about them." He hissed, biting back the pain.

"I-I am sorry, I did not mean to offend." Zane offered.

Jay sighed, wrapping his wounds discreetly as he sat on the bed. "Zane, I'm the one that should be sorry. I don't mean to snap, f-forgive me?"

"I am sorry for being inconsiderate," Zane stated, apologetically. "You are in pain, you should be resting."

Jay looked at him, Zane only wanted an answer. "Uhm, I don't feel hugely different but I do feel healthier than before. Haa, in fact, I can go all week without rest and still have enough energy to fight and slaughter." He stopped, aware of just how mad he was starting to sound.

"Sorry, side effect of being in such close proximity to Loki. Y'know, he tries to get me to be more like him and the more I'm with him, the more I begin to change."

"It is noticeable." Zane nodded. "Sorry."

"It's getting harder all the time, the darkness, pulling at me," Jay paused, noting the look on Zane's face. He was frowning, metal eyebrows bunched together.

"We are doing all we can, but it is has been difficult since Wu's passing. We would have looked to him for guidance and wisdom but instead, we have to work as a team, more than ever."

"I know, I get it." Jay mumbled, sighing.

"We have to come to agreements together, working out any potential flaws and I must say that it is extremely time-consuming. We are still a team but we all miss your presence. I miss you Jay."

"I miss you too Zane. I only saw you yesterday." The nearest sun was beginning to rise on Asgard's horizon.

"It was not yesterday, it was last week?" Zane reiterated, repeating what he had mentioned earlier.

Jay stared wide-eyed. "R-really it goes that quickly?"

"One year, you had been gone and we thought we would never see you again until last week."

"So, time's not on our side," he mumbled, accepting it as a whole team problem, rather than his old team. "I can't lose you guys. All of you mean the world to me and if I can't find a way to return my body t-to being mortal, I-I don't know what I'll do."

Sighing, Jay lips pursed tightly, trying to be strong for his brothers. The realisation that he could end up watching his beloved brothers age before his eyes as he retained his youthful looks was a heartbreaking thing to comprehend. Then was the thought of watching Nya age and die. It began to eat at him, breaking him from the inside out. Immortality or having a slow life like this was punishment in itself.

"Jay, we feel the same, about you. But try not to worry, there must be a way to reverse this?"

"There is!" Jay intoned, grabbing a goblet before filling it with replenishing blue water.

"What it is then, what can reverse the magic?" Zane asked.

"Not a what but a who!" Jay replied, cryptically. "He's in what's known as the Odin sleep." Taking a large gulp, he watched and waited for Zane's reaction.

Zane seemed confused.

"Uhm, he's the rightful King of this place, his name is Odin." Jay shrugged, "The only problem is, he could sleep for months in Asgard, which, if I'm right could be decades in Ninjago."

Zane spluttered his own drink at the news. "Decades?"

"Yep, sucks."

"I see, I am sorry Jay." he smiled, sympathetically. "We will figure this out in due course but in relation to our upcoming mission of getting you back; my calculations suggest that you will be arriving on earth in one Asgardian week, which should be seven weeks for us. I will of course, notify our brothers of the time difference."

"Thanks, Zane."

"I just hope we are ready."

"You will be, I believe in you, all of you."

"Thank you, Jay," Zane replied. "Not just this but what you did for us."

"It's okay, it was the right thing to do," he mumbled, wiping an errant tear from his bruised face. Hoping in his heart and mind that if his brothers had been in the same predicament, they would have sacrificed themselves too. "S-see you soon, on the other side?" His pale finger hovering over the power off button.

"Goodbye Jay."

Jay so wished he had never touched that cube. Sometimes, he wished he'd never been born. Then it hit him, even his parents didn't know where he was, he hadn't spoken to them before all of this.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

The following morning, after a long sleep, Jay paced the corridors of the palace, waiting patiently for Loki to make an appearance.

Abrupt as ever, Loki emerged quickly and hoisted Jay into the room that he knew belonged to his father. There were furs adorning the walls and the odd few antlers here and there, though despite this, the room was heavily accentuated with gold. "Are you keeping something from me?"

"N-no my liege, never." Jay was looking at the sleeping man on the bed. A veil of gold covered him, as well as a faint mist of green. Loki was obviously enhancing the Odin sleep.

"Good, we have a busy day ahead. We'll be taking on the guards that protect one of the strongholds in Vanaheim."

"My liege?"

"Hmm, not very civilised though," he mused. "Do not worry yourself, you will have help, I have loaned you five of my guards, they will assist you."

"Me?" Jay stuttered nervously. Was this going to be a new thing, sending him off on a mission?

"Are you incapable? Did I think you strong, worthy? Are you saying you lied to me about this element you possess?"

"N-no." Jay shivered slightly, stepping back.

"Then I expect good things from you."

"F-five guards?" Jay repeated, concerned at the low number of Einherjar afforded. This considering, Loki had thousands to spare, most of which were eating in Gladsheim and the banquet hall.

Loki didn't directly reply to the question. "I have chosen Vanaheim. It is required for you to add to our collection of strongholds."

"Why? You've got the strongest hold of them all. Asgard?" Jay reasoned.

"Tis not for me," Loki smirked. "You, boy, need to show more authority before you are given the title of Prince, so, see this as more of a initiation, if you will."

Stutter shocked at the words spewing from Loki's mouth. Jay coughed, holding back the fear.

Prince...

"You will do this, without further question?"

Jay stiffened. "Y-yes, my liege."

"It is required of you to strengthen your muscles, your new form depends on it. If you do not train then you will wither, and I shall have no choice but to punish you for sullying the gift I bestowed."

"Yes, my liege, I-I understand."

Loki neared, gently pushing Jay against the wall. "It took most of my arcane skill to change you. Your tiresome body was decidedly difficult to alter," He spat, looking at Jay with some disgust.

Jay remained still. Being scrutinised wasn't the nicest feeling in the world.

"More so than a human, your element persisted against me every step. But with perseverance and resolve, I changed you, your body, your blood, your mind and your strength."

"And, you are welcome." He said, turning away.

Jay could feel Loki attempting to read his mind. "Please, st-stop. I'll do it."

"A little gratitude would be appreciated at the hard work."

Rolling his eyes, Jay was speechless at Loki's ignorant and cruel tone.

Jay continued to watch as the God retrieved a weapon. Evidently, he wanted Jay to carry an additional one as well as the weapons he already had. He watched in amazement as Loki brought forth the same sceptre he had used on Jay, the one he used to control him from the beginning.

"Ahhhh yes, a weapon staff fit for a Prince to be. You know how to use it?"

Not really, unless you just point and squeeze it... Jay thought, wryly

"Yes my liege," he replied, staring at the sceptre with uncertainty.

"To use the mind stone, requires a level of mental and physical exertion. Once past this, you will be able to persuade those whom you meet."

"Persuade?" Jay asked, frowning.

"Control, command and manipulate."

"Is-is there anything else?" Jay questioned. He really wanted to avoid touching the sceptre. Maybe forestalling Loki would delay it and he'd forget about this endeavour. "How long before we depart to earth?"

"Nothing else. We depart in six days. Now, furnish yourself."

Jay recoiled his hand, afraid to touch, but Loki thrust it into Jay's open grip.

Shuddering momentarily as the sceptre was placed. He found it had a strange effect on the erstwhile master of lightning. His mind and vision clouded over instantly. Though despite the pain, Jay could hear Loki giving further instruction.

All Jay could see was anger, defiance and control. He was instantly addicted.

The sceptre made him look more intimidating. He became lost with the surge of power. Instantly, a force to be reckoned with. Everything that made Jay human had gone, lost in a heartbeat. He couldn't picture his brothers anymore, their faces were completely obscured.

"Wield it, do not let it rule you. You need to learn focus." Loki's voice soothed.

"Focus?" Jay repeated, struggling to speak. Hands were shaking as he held the sceptre in both to steady the power of the infinity stone.

"Focus on power, on controlling a person."

He tried at first, to overcome it but slowly things started to un-cloud and he visualised the one person who would calm him further. He focused on Nya.

"You have three days." Loki stood back and waited for Jay to open his eyes. "You can do this, prove yourself to me."

Relieved at being able to see clearly, even if the sceptre was draining his mind and soul. Jay took a deep breath in, to steady his nerves.

The next port of call, the observatory, to await the five troops Jay had been allotted. They were stationed and waiting when he arrived.

"Vanaheim?" Heimdall questioned, though he already knew. Nothing got past him, he knew pretty much everything.

"When you're ready," Jay muttered, holding the sceptre tight.

"May your endeavours be fruitful, your victories as abundant as grains of sand." He said, thrusting Hofund into the console.

"Be careful. If you allow it, the sceptre will consume you," he warned.

"I-I will try," Jay replied, head down, anxious about what to expect as the mind stone took over again. It began sending pulses into his head. Changing him into an all-powerful entity for what was needed on the next realm.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

The people encountered on Vanaheim cowered at their feet after a few days, many ran away, but not all. Initially, it had been a little more hostile:

Further ahead of Jay and his small assembled troop, stood a large gathering, converging nearby. These men had been starting an uprising of sorts. Between them, there were a mixture of ragtag warriors who had come to fight Jay and the pitiful amount of soldiers Loki had bequeathed him.

It might have been a challenge, but it ended up being a fight to the death.

Jay approached the large group cautiously, holding his soldiers back. "Wait, let's see what they're planning."

"Yes Sir..." The blonde haired Einherji nodded, holding the four back, standing their ground slightly behind. "Your orders?"

Jay didn't want these men to die for him, not because he might have cared for their well being. He just didn't want to be the last one standing. The thought of being tortured at the hands of these creatures wasn't a thought he relished. Neither was being rescued by Loki, for having failed at the solitary task he'd been set.

He had a plan, he didn't want to fail and he sure as Hel didn't want Loki to punish him. This was going to take some different fighting style, something diverse.

Jay cleared his throat. "I request an audience with your leader." His voice carried across the field loudly. Impressively enhanced with the sceptre.

"Ha...why should we listen to you...you're a no one." Yelled one of the enemy warriors, likely the leader.

Jay shook his head. Noticing his men huddling slightly closer as the converged crowd began to close in around them. "Don't move or let them see your weakness," he whispered, remembering his years of training as a ninja.

The helmets that the Einherjar wore, did hide their expressions, Jay was wearing a small scarf that barely covered his nose and mouth. Maybe he could ask and see if Loki would consider commisioning him a helmet too.

"It would be easier if you cooperate. We don't want to hurt you." Jay shouted. Hoping that they'd see reason before an all-out bloody battle would occur.

This place was nothing special, no beautiful buildings stood here just trees and strange looking shacks. Ninjago was more picturesque than this place. Jay stood his ground, waiting for an answer.

It never came, not in time anyway.

And he snapped at the fact they were ignoring him. He took no time to decide his next move and ran into battle with his guards in hot pursuit.

The funny thing was, his guards struggled to keep up with the erstwhile ninja because he used some moves unseen by the inhabitants of Asgard and Vanaheim. Jay had used an elemental weapon known as spinjitzu to clear a path straight into their midst. Stopping abruptly in front of the person who had yelled.

Looking into his eyes, Jay smirked. The leader of the opposition was speechless.

"I-I told you it would be easier if you cooperate," Jay stood up, panting slightly at having exerted himself. "And now look what you made me do." He stood aside, allowing the opposition to see the carnage. Behind Jay were twenty or so men, he had just unarmed and knocked out.

"I'd rather die, than have you or Loki as my master." He spat in Jay's face.

Cowering as Jay brought the sceptre up to his opponents face whilst wiping the spittle from his own. "Dying, hmm, I don't intend to kill anyone. Far from it in fact. No, this allows me to control you." Jay laughed maniacally, touching the tip of the sceptre onto the man's chest.

Jay's eyes rolled back, replaced by cloudy white. An ethereal feel about his aura the longer the sceptre took to work.

The power transference only took a few seconds but it gave such an intense feeling that Jay could see how addictive this had been for Loki. How powerful he felt using it and now Jay too, he had that power, no matter how draining it was.

The double-edged sword of this sceptre was that it borrowed the strength of the one wielding it before giving it back with a kick. An equilibrium.

Too much power, f-focus, learn focus.

Again, Jay concentrated on Nya.

He could feel this enemy warrior giving his mind reluctantly, Full and complete control.

Seeing their leader fall, as Jay had expected was enough of a deterrent and before long, the majority of fallen warriors fell under his control too. The ones who fleed were simply left. Jay figured they might form a stronger group, but they weren't planning on staying here indefinitely.

The sceptre packed a powerful blast as Jay used it decimate any rogue warriors attempting to overthrow his command. Any that came too close were impaled by it. He stood back, admiring the scene before him as he stationed the guards to remain here until they were required.

The few days in Vanaheim were memorable. The women were beautiful and plentiful. Jay was treated like royalty, expected really as he carried a weapon that made people do his bidding no matter how shameful.

And over the space of those few days, they all enjoyed some good stories.

Each guard told of their previous battles fought. Jay told them of his own and they smiled in response. Even though the enemies they faced were quite different, they all still succeeded in their endeavours, living to tell the tales of such adventures.

Jay's battles stories sounded odd compared to theirs, simply because fighting skeletons, serpentine, ghosts and pirates sounded like a far-fetched story. But they digressed as their own believable battles sounded just as odd with elves and frost giants. Jay had learned that these men, had given their lives to serve Odin, warriors from Valhalla, brought in by none other than the Valkyries.

The reason for the initial reluctance of fighting alongside was owing to the fact that these guards were normally forbidden from talking to mortals, but now Jay was classed as one of them, they could talk and talk and they did.

Once he laid the sceptre down, Jay could relax.

The only downside to being with much older men; these guys didn't get Jay's humour either. It was like back on the Bounty with five Zane's, because Jay's puns and wit, didn't make any sense to them.

He tried his hardest to remember a joke they might understand. It had to be old style, otherwise, it would be a waste of time. Jay smiled, having remembered one.

"Once upon a time, there were three kingdoms. All bordering on the same large lake. For centuries, these three kingdoms had fought over the island in the middle of the lake. One day, they decided to have the battle to end all."

Jay took a breath, drinking a little water. "The first kingdom was rich, they sent an army of 25 knights. Each with three squires. The night before the big battle, the knights jousted and drank as their squire's polished armour. The second kingdom wasn't as wealthy and only sent 10 knights, each with two squires. The night before the battle, the knights drank as the others did and sharpened their blades as their squire's polished armour and prepared the dinner. The third kingdom was poor and only sent 1 elderly knight with his lonesome squire. The night before the battle, this lone knight sharpened his weapon, whilst the squire, using a rope, put a pot high over the fire to cook with while he prepared the knight's armour." He paused to regain some breath before continuing.

"The next day, the battle began. All the knights of the first two kingdoms had drunk a bit too much, which is kinda a bad idea whilst sharpening weapons and jousting, so because of that, they couldn't fight. Typically the squire of the third kingdom couldn't wake the elderly knight in time for combat. So, in the absence of the knights, all the squires fought instead."

Some of the Einherjar laughed.

"The battle carried on into the late hours but when the dust settled. A solitary figure could be seen limping from the carnage. That lone squire from the third poor kingdom had dragged himself away, beaten, bloodied, but victorious."

A small smile coming to Jay's face at having remembered it, delivering it without bursting into laughter.

"I don't get it..." One Einherjar muttered.

"Patience," Gustav the blonde Einherjar muttered.

Jay smiled at Gustav. "...And, it just goes to prove, the squire of the high pot and noose is equal to the sum of the squires of the other two sides...pffft." Jay finally laughed out loud at having remembered that maths joke, what with it being the highlight of a boring maths lecture.

Within a few seconds the Einherjar were laughing too, heartily and finally, Jay smiled, relieved at having cut the awkward tension.

Waking the following morning, they were all in the same room, all bleary-eyed and aching necks. This had been fun, different, he could get used to this.

Sitting upright, he grabbed the sceptre. The trip was over, it was time for them to go. Loki had said a few days and no more, therefore, once the kingdom had been subdued, he would be sending in re-enforcements to strengthen the stronghold, meaning Jay and the guards could return safely to Asgard.

...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Jay wasn't even sure how he got back in one piece or where he was anymore, but his mind led him to Loki's quarters.

Jay stood outside Loki's room and knocked. The feeling like he had been waiting an eternity before the doors were finally opened made Jay wonder what he had been doing in there, other than taking his sweet time being ignorant.

Loki appeared, eventually, inviting Jay in without muttering a single word. This was the first time he'd allowed Jay into his room.

"You like green?" He finally said, looking at Loki for some form of recognition. His lilac eyes scanned the room, most of it was green, black and gold like the colours he wore himself.

"I do, there's something about green and black." He took the sceptre from Jay, and secured it in his weapons vault. "A strong-minded person needs strong colours."

Jay stumbled slightly, feeling all the colour fall from his face.

When Loki turned around to face his protector, he wasn't at all surprised to see him on his hands and knees, breaths coming in short pants as weakness took him.

"Ahh yes, sorry I forgot to mention. You see, the power of the infinity stone will drain anyone, a skill that can be strengthened, with practice." He offered Jay his hand, pulling the auburn-haired man up.

"The only way to overcome the power is to clear your mind of anything that holds you back...I for example, have no worries, just an insatiable desire for revenge."

Jay was silent, dry heaving.

"You are not strong enough to fully wield this, but you could be taught." Loki stared at the sceptre. "I sense you used it well in the short time you took to overthrow Vanaheim?"

His expression faltering. "Y-yes my liege...may I be excused?" Jay was fighting the urge to vomit, he could feel the impending bile rising in his throat at being upright.

"You may leave, get some rest, eat sustenance. AND bathe, for the love of Valhalla!" Loki hissed, "You smell like a rotting corpse."

Jay held back the insult he wanted to throw back instead, turning on his heels he left as quickly as he could. Strength waning, he only just made it to the bathroom where he promptly evacuated the entire contents of his stomach.

It was scary to admit, but these past few days had been a haze. Jay remembered much of what had happened and he hated it.

Standing in the shower, Jay's mind was attacked by pictures and images depicting scenes of death, pain, mind control and screaming. It wasn't just at his hands but it was as his command. A deep breath in, Jay closed his eyes and allowed the water to wash the tears as they fell.

"What have I become? Wh-what did I do?"

He dried himself and crawled to his bed. Never had it been so welcoming after such a horrendous week. He fell ungraciously onto it, closing his eyes as soon as he hit the bolsters, the velvet throw pulled and wrapped tightly around his wet shoulders.

Hours later he woke up sweating. It was to be expected, seeing as the covers were wrapped around him tightly. Somehow becoming entangled in them had resulted in him thrashing himself awake.

He sat up, taking a look around his room, weapons still on the rack, new attire neatly pressed and waiting for him to wear. Jay's bedroom was ridiculously long, two large bay windows gave the appearance of balconies where the views stretched across the entire southernmost realm all the way to the rainbow bridge. The sight was magical and enchanting.

"It would be nice to share this room with a special someone," Jay mumbled to himself, allowing the covers to fall from his shoulders.

"But Loki would never allow me to bring my girlfriend here even though it was ok for him to have a fiance," Jay huffed, swinging his legs out of bed.

"No, he wants me to be free at any time of the day or night, for any takeover...so stupid."

He didn't have the strength to stand, he flopped backwards again. Jay knew what it was, and no amount of violence or bloodshed would quell this. He simply had no get-up and go because there was something missing from his life.

A certain someone, Jay had an insistent aching to have something he couldn't possibly reach...His body made it painfully obvious what it wanted too

"Mmm, Nya." Jay moaned her name out sinfully. Completely aware of what he was doing as his hand trailed down. Working overtime on getting rid of the lust.

He began snarling her name, panting heavily as he ached for her and her touch. Oh FSM how he wanted to be joined together that one last time. But, like a punch to the gut, his pleasure was interrupted by a faint humming sound.

The device Jay carried from Ninjago began buzzing, and hastily, he threw the covers over himself, leaving nothing but a tent to remain. Leaning over, he retrieved and activated the device. It was odd that Jay had been thinking of Nya when the device sprang to life, he almost felt guilty about what he had been doing...almost.

"Hello," Jay whispered, glad to have been called this time.

"Hey dude, its me, how are ya bro?"

"KAI?" Jay blushed. God, it just had to be Nya's brother, perhaps he should have taken a cold shower before answering it because he was sure that Kai could see the guilty sin all over his face. "Haa, err, l-long time no speak."

"How are ya?" Kai repeated darker toned than usual.

Jay picked up on it but didn't say anything. "I uhm, I'm okay," he lied, not wanting to divulge and put on the whole 'woe is me' routine yet again.

"How are they treating you there?"

"Like a Prince" Jay didn't want to brag, but they were. In fact; he was to be crowned tomorrow by Loki himself. Yet, normally a Prince was by way of birthright, Loki, however, had amended that rule just for Jay. To what end, he had no idea.

"Whaaaat...really? Wow, living the high life then?"

An unnatural silence fell between the two, it became awkward and strained.

"Yeah sorta..." Jay couldn't stop the emotion. He began to cry, guilt and remorse tearing him apart and he hated himself for showing his weakness.

"Whoa, Jay, what's up dude? Seriously, you're scaring me."

The silence was what made Kai worry. Time at his end was ticking along quickly. "Jay?"

"Loki made me use his sceptre, I had to take over a so-called uncivilised realm." Jay refused to look at his brother, he was too ashamed. "It was too strong for me, I-I killed p-people."

"Oh...wh...I don't know what you want me to say..." Kai paused, shock evident on his face. "We're ninja remember, killing was sometimes part of the role. Wait, did you kill defenceless people?"

"They weren't all defenceless." He argued pitifully.

"What do you want me to do with this? You want me to say something about the fact you've killed people for personal gain, you know what that makes you?"

"N-nothing, please, I already feel bad about it." Jay wiped his face. "Uhm, just I-I wanted to talk to some..."

"I mean despite what you've admitted is heinous, and shameful, you're still family." Kai looked away, biting back disgust and anger. "Are you okay now?

"Yeah, sorta." Jay looked away. "It was a weakness."

"Look, it's macabre that you did this, but, I guess it was the sceptre's fault, right?"

Jay nodded. "He wants me to use it a-again, until I-I master the power of it."

"Just remember our training with Wu, we were trained as ninja and what do ninja do? We're spies, we sabotage, infiltrate and sometimes we kill, if we have no choice."

"But I killed people, who were no real threat, many surrendered, plenty lost their lives."

"How many people exactly?" Kai asked, frowning.

"I think it was close to five hundred, which wasn't particularly easy considering there were only six of us."

"How did you know it was that many?"

"Because I helped to bury them," Jay replied, wiping his face. "It was a massacre, it was the least I could do...considering."

"Genocide," Kai said dryly, shaking his head. He didn't look at Jay, he looked everywhere except.

Jay swore that Kai was so close to ending this long distance call, cutting him off forever. "I didn't do it on purpose. You've no idea of the power it."

"And he wants you to use it again, great, our next meeting sounds like so much fun," Kai replied, heavy with sarcasm.

"Kai, don't be like this."

"Like what Jay?"

"You're angry with me, I won't apologise again."

"Someone needs to apologise for the shit heap you've left behind." He growled.

"What? Y-you all seemed to have it under control."

"You think?" Kai snapped. Angered face so close to the screen that Jay could count the unshaved whiskers.

"I don't understand, what are ya saying? What's happened?"

"I'm saying; you didn't have to pick up the pieces of Nya when you left us, she was heartbroken."

"She was?" Jay was confused by this, she seemed to be getting on fine without him.

"Yeah, she's moved on now though...you and your stupid decision almost ended her life."

"W-what do ya mean?" Jay wasn't liking where this conversation was heading. He almost knew he'd be angry, so he tried to calm himself.

"She tried to kill herself," Kai muttered. "Cole found her. She'd taken tablets, lots of them because she felt guilty about your failed engagement proposal."

"I-I'm sorry, I had no idea. Wh-when did this happen." His heart was racing, thumping out of his chest.

"Last week."

"Well, how is she now?" Jay's world was crumbling so fast that he couldn't stop the foundations from cracking too.

"She's with Cole, they're together now. Well, I caught them at it, so yeah, ya know." He paused, biting his tongue.

"They're together?" Jay's eyes widened. Tears threatening to spill.

"Yeah, boyfriend and girlfriend." Kai licked his teeth. "But, y'know what? At least he won't break her heart," he snarled, yelling the last part before ending the call abruptly.

Jay sat speechless, the device in his trembling grasp. His heart felt like it had shattered into tiny splinters of glass. "I, h-he...C-Cole."

The device squeezed in his clenched fist. "She broke up with me?" A tear fell.

"I-I only did this for th-them!" His trembling hand wiped at the tear.

Squinting his eyes as he tried to focus. All he could see was a purple cloud swimming into his vision, blocking out everything until he couldn't see his own two feet. His feet were still caught in the blanket from his bed and he stumbled off it to grab some water. In trying to steady himself, Jay lost his balance, and landed on the marble floor, hitting his head hard.

The cold polished marble knocked him out and the darkness, as he had warned, began to consume him.

They had moved on without him.


	10. What did you do?

_"Another day is gone and I'm still all alone how could this be, you're not here with me._

 _You never said goodbye someone tell me why?_

 _You are not alone, I am here with you, though we're far apart you're always in my heart."_

 _Michael Jackson._

* * *

"She is with Cole, they are a couple now, BUT at least he won't break her heart JAY!"

I squeezed my eyes shut and blocked out the cruel mocking laughs I could hear all around me…Loki was in my head telling me this would happen but I didn't believe him until now.

They were the last words I heard from one of my closest friends before I collapsed in pain. The darkness of my element was starting to consume me completely. Everything was spiralling out of control and into complete and utter darkness. Nothing was bothering me now just silence and then eventually sleep on this hard bed which felt as cold as ice and as unforgiving as rock.

* * *

Living in Asgard was like living in a real life fairy tale, it was all most medieval in look but with modern and vastly advanced science in parts. The people around all wore similar, the women had long overly complicated dresses and the men wore extensive armour, even when not in battle they still wore leather breaches and brass or iron chest plates, some even had chain mail waist coats.

Typically they all converged in the great feast hall to partake in copious and rather excessive food and alcohol intakes. Belching, farting and screwing for Asgard like it was a competition, of course I had never seen Loki lower himself to that degree so I assumed (as you do) that it wasn't the done thing for Royalty...oh how wrong I was!

I woke up painfully on the hard marble floor with a crick in my neck and a headache, not sure how I got there but I steadily rose to my feet and winced as I stretched. I took a deep breath in and looked around the large room wondering how I had ended up on the floor considering how big the bed was. I don't even think I had slept on it but I couldn't remember.

Feeling indifferent was something of a change. I, for once had nothing major on my mind except a newfound anxiety. I looked over to my bed and noticed the device. I picked it up and threw it angrily against the wall, it didn't break but it fell out of sight.

' _Out of sight and out of mind_.'

I didn't need it anymore and they didn't need me. Neither did Nya, Kai had pretty much summed it up last night. I stupidly thought they cared about me but I realised they didn't anymore. In reality, I wasn't sure they ever did.

In my case, absence hadn't made the heart grow fonder, it had done the opposite and was now turning it to stone. Well my heart hadn't turned literally to stone but hers had and Cole's. He always had a black heart anyway, and it wasn't the first time he had taken her for himself.

He even tried it years ago at the most inopportune time when we going up against the Overlord and Cryptor. We were stuck in a trash compactor at my parents junk yard and he had the audacity to say he was better for her. She didn't help matters though because she wouldn't choose between us. I mean I had been with her for nearly a year and she was just stringing me along and then that stupid machine interfered and Cole tried to take her for himself and hey, he did and again now in my absence.

' _What was I expecting? I mean I'm here now and I guess It's a part of my life I have to let go of; but come on guys….I was your best friend COLE, and I thought you loved me NYA._ '

"Gahh I knew this would happen, I mean who does that, Cole, Nya?...screw you both."

I snarled as their names left my lips and began to undress, losing patience with my tunic. I ripped it off my back hearing the stitches tear. Criticising myself as I destroyed yet another perfectly good and expensive tunic. You couldn't even get this material in Ninjago or on Earth.

I had ripped my clothes off and walked to the bathroom. Turning the shower taps on full blast. They had chosen to disown me and all the years we shared as a team...now all but a distant memory…..tainted with betrayal and distrust.

Walking into the steamed room I let the hot beads of water burn my skin until I realised it was hurting at which point I turned it down. Letting it soak me and my hair, relieving the ache in my body.

Yes I admit I didn't realise the time difference as I had only been gone for ten weeks in total. Yet so much had changed, brotherly bonds were now forever broken and a woman I would never marry.

I had proposed to Nya before I left Ninjago. It was a romantic gesture that I knew she would love. I had gone to the trouble of sourcing the best engagement ring for her. I even got a few evening jobs to pay for it because I didn't want to use the money from my father's estate. I wanted to prove to her and Kai that I could do it without relying on another source of money.

Kai was probably harder to sway than a father would have been, he was so distrusting of me but I had promised to stand by her come what may. How was I to know what fate had in store.

I had bought a golden ring, 24 carat gold with a single solitaire diamond and an inscription inside which simply said 'I love you.' I had it in my suit pocket and had booked a table at the best restaurant for lunch time. The whole thing was a surprise and only Kai knew. He had told her to put her best clothes on, which he had bought for her without revealing much more and she had done so, but sceptically.

Kai had supported me, gave me a shoulder to lean on. He wished me good luck and crossed his fingers before I had left for the date. He nodded to me, smiled as I made my dragon soar with Nya behind me.

A sunny lunch time date with the woman I loved...

I had picked her up and off we had gone, a luxurious restaurant with the greatest views, the whole place screamed pomp and circumstance. It was certainly an experience!

After the meal and drinks had gone down I got down on one bended knee and brought the posy and ring out before asking her. I had practiced with all my heart, to get the speech right and I did. She cried and then fainted on me!

She eventually stirred and smiled but didn't respond straight away and I didn't force an answer. My smile faltered slightly until she wrapped her arms around my shoulders on the way home.

"I'll tell you after dinner when we get back on the Bounty…" She whispered and promised.

I got back and put the ring away safely in the drawer for later. My heart fluttered for the answer I was hoping for. But that would never happen…..

' _After dinner'_ , she had said 'I promise.' She said...'I love you' she said but lied.

That same day that we found the cube, the same day I guided Zane down to the depths to find and retrieve it. The same day that I was transported by the tesseract cube, pulled across the cosmos to earth, where this whole crap journey had started.

"Damn you all to Hel." I shouted and banged on the wall with my closed fist. I sat on the floor of the shower and cried, grateful that the water washed the tears as they fell.

I sat there for a few minutes more thinking about what this new set of events would mean for me now. What was the point of meeting up with them now what type of life would I have back in that realm?

' _None, I would have no life. They would cast me out like Garmadon was._ '

"Maybe a new beginning, no ties to bind me anymore. Loki says that's what makes us retain some mortality." I breathed out a pent up sigh and grabbed some decanted soaps to wash with.

I got out of the shower and dried myself off noticing a small but discreet bottle on my nightstand. It was from Loki, he had somehow sensed my distress and slipped into my room without being noticed.

I picked it up eyeing it with the same trepidation before reading the label.

' _ **A little pick me up, to clear your mind, nothing untoward.**_ '

Was all it said, so I opened it and took a smell. It reminded me of vanilla ice cream and I drank the entire thing before placing it down expecting something miraculous to happen.

A few minutes was all it took before my mind was cleared sufficiently to focus on what lay ahead. I chuckled to myself and carried on with what I was doing. Looking around for my new robes which had obviously been placed somewhere safe.

Yep today was indeed a new day and a new beginning...I was going to be crowned as prince Jayson of Asgard...although my full name would be Prince Jay Walker - Gordon-son, which was a mouthful.

Apparently in this realm it was believed that the name you had was something that was related to a parent. Thor was known as Thor Odin son and Loki for the moment was known as Loki Odin son even though he often referred to himself as Loki Laufey son. Again an old tradition of surnames being passed down but it told you who their parents were. I for one knew who Loki's father was because he said he had killed him. His father was King Laufey, a frost giant that stood impossibly tall, at least twenty feet in height.

* * *

Well, it took a while for the local population to stop calling me 'son of Jay' instead of just 'Jay' but then they started called me 'Jayson' which was just as bad because that aint my name either.

' _Hel, my new name was going to sound kinda pompous but funny haa haa. M-my brothers would've had a right laugh at that...my brothers!...No they are not my brothers, not anymore...focus Jay.'_

I shook my head and regained my composure. I started to get dressed, sometime during the night the new clothes had been delivered to my room and placed inside my own armoire.

My ceremonial robes were an apparent gift from Loki. The fabric was exquisite according to him and the purple colour matched my eyes perfectly, but there were so many layers to put on, so many buckles and ties. So I used my trusty spinjitzu and within a matter of seconds I was wearing my outfit….well part of it, just the tunic.

"Oh come on…..really! I gotta put the whole thing on piece by piece?"

It would appear that spinjitzu only worked with battle ready armour and not this type of outfit.

But at least the tunic fitted well which was odd because I swear I had never been fitted for clothes since being here. Maybe the seamstresses come in when I'm sleeping and take measurements?

My trousers were a softer fabric not leather, thicker material but dark purple verging on black, a similar tunic but tighter to show of my thin lithe body at a guess. I pulled my trousers up and blushed at just how tight they were. Don't get me wrong they were fitted exceptionally well and I had a feeling they were similar in style to Loki's but damn leaving nothing to the imagination here.

' _Am I being paraded around or what?_ '

I pulled my under knee black boots on over my somewhat tight trousers, fastening the additional buckles, these didn't seem to have zips.

' _Maybe I can invent some zips; they would be so much quicker._ '

Another additional item was a further overcoat that I had to wear over my tunic followed by a super decorative chest plate which was mostly black but with shined and raised silver patterns. Finally I pulled another layer which felt tight against my arms because these ones had forearm panels too.

' _Damn was I expected to fight today? What was with all the armour?_ '

Buckles were done everything was comfortable; it looked perfect as I admired myself in the mirror. A knock on the door disturbed my thoughts as I looked away to allow the guest to enter.

"Sir, you are requested by the King to accompany him to breakfast." A royal aid by the looks of him had walked into my room and checked my attire was correct.

I had never seen a royal aid before because I was simply Loki's protector but this was new. He walked around me and fastened my back buckles more securely tightening them so much that the chest plate pulled my non-existent waist in even further.

He didn't stop there either he pulled my tunic straps tight and then pulled my leather plaited tunic closer to my body making me gasp out in pain.

"Mmmpphh…it, it's alright…" I winced feeling that it was now too tight but at least it was secure.

"Sorry son of Jay but it should be correct for the ceremony will be due to begin in a few hours." He said quietly and further tightened the forearm panels.

"You will also need this." He said as he placed a black leather belt around my waist with a further leather loop meant to hold something else.

"Thank you, it's Jay." I replied as I watched him leave. I wasn't even able to take a deep breath now because the tight straps wouldn't allow it.

I quickly dressed and added the finishing touches to my robes clicking the shoulder straps into place under each pauldron before walking out of my room. Loki was waiting and smiled as he saw me appear.

"You look better in this colour. Purple seems to suit you rather than that hideous blue." He said with a derisive tone.

' _Hey I love blue, well I used to...it used to be my favourite colour, my eye colour._ ' I thought but smiled in return. The God seemed to be happy today even if he was disguised as Odin, he was still smiling.

"Jay I sense you are different today, stronger perhaps? You took the medicine I trust."

"Yes my liege I-I did."

"Well, it would appear you have let go of some more emotions. This is nearing the end, the final part of becoming immortal. The part where you cut all ties to those which bind you and those feelings that hold you back."

"Do you feel better, more refreshed today hmm?"

"Actually yes, I do kinda feel different, sort of free in a strange way."

"That is good to hear but please don't allow yourself to be complacent, you should always strive to be better than them."

"Self-realisation is the key Jay ...you would do well to remember this."

"Uhm, yes my liege."

"Come let's go." He said as he pulled me with him...I felt like his younger brother all of a sudden as he pulled me towards the great golden ceremonial hall where a rich exuberant breakfast awaited us.

"We have a day full of celebrations, wine, merriment and wenches." Loki said as we walked away.

He opened the grand doors which creaked slightly under the weight. Once the doors had fully opened I noticed how immaculate the room looked. The drapes had all been changed to a dark purple colour, golden bowls with large candles stood separating the would be congregation creating a path of sorts and a large purple carpet was laid on the floor.

"H-how many people exactly?" I asked nervously.

"A few thousand give or take! Noble men and women from the Norns kingdom to the north of here. Similar noble folk from the other realms plus eligible spinsters."

"Excuse me?"

"You will be a prince, an eligible prince at that. And as such you will not be forced to marry. But…." Loki said with a smirk and a noticeable chuckle.

"You can still try them on for size. See if they _fit_ your expectations." He said stifling a laugh but failing miserably.

"Ahem, I apologise. It was how I met Sigyn, she is the daughter of nobility from the Norns kingdom. And uhm, well aha I still haven't made an honest woman of her yet." Loki replied biting his lip, shaking his head somewhat with a genuine smile of embarrassment.

"So you're still trying her on for size?...my liege?" I asked biting my lip and trying my hardest not to laugh.

"Pfffttt haa haa haaa haa." I laughed and lost my footing as everything went black and I fell to the floor.

Loki laughed too but his suit allowed him too, because his wasn't over tightened to within an inch of his life.

* * *

Loki quickly ran to Jay's side, the young protector was barely breathing.

"Your ceremonial suit armour is too tight, let me just sort that out for you." He said and released one buckle an inch and no more allowing Jay to take a deeper breath.

"Those damned royal aid's do like to have everything perfect."

"Jay open your eyes, you can hear me." Loki stated calmly and lifted Jay up to standing.

"They did the same with my original ceremonial robes but my mother saw to it herself and amended them before the ceremony."

"Here sit, drink something. Like I said it will be a long day. Well actually it will undoubtedly be more than a day." He said and pulled Jay gently to a golden chair filling a goblet up with blue water.

"You notice the drapes in this room were all chosen by the Royal aid and the royal personnel because it is not every day we crown a new royal. The last one crowned was me after all and that was hmm, over 2000 years ago; give or take."

Jay looked up and around noticing the colours that all seemed to match his own robes and outfit in general. It was exactly the same colour as was the carpet.

"N-no pressure then?" Jay mumbled, trying to avoid mentioning that he was petrified of the possibility of making a fool of himself in front of so many people whom he had never met.

"Please, you must eat for this celebration will likely take _more_ than a few hours." Loki insisted and filled a plate with some things that he thought Jay would eat before sitting down and eating them himself; leaving Jay to just stare at him with an upturned brow at his selfishness.

Jay got up carefully and grabbed his own plate before huffing off to grab some food that he actually recognised. It was a failure as none of it looked remotely appetising for the early hour, he just chose a healthy option and loaded his plate with copious amount of fruit and a goblet of what he thought was apple juice.

Loki was still clutching his fathers's staff known as 'Gungnir.' His physical form to everyone in Asgard was that of Odin, but to Jay and Sigyn he was still Loki the God of evil, lies and mischief.

He smirked when he watched Jay take a hearty glug on his mead and stifled a laugh when Jay began to cough and splutter at having consumed such a strong alcoholic beverage for the first meal of the day.

"Wh-what is that? That was not apple juice….eww. yuck."

"That was oak matured honey mead….the finest warming beverage we have besides our wine and ale. All a big part of our heritage or so I'm led to believe." Loki chortled.

Jay was still coughing having put the almost empty goblet down.

"Well it bought some colour to your face at least. Next time ask before you take something; petulant imp." Loki replied and sat back with his long legs stretched out in front of him. His outfit was almost the same as Jay's except for his tight trousers and other items which were deep green with gold accents.

"The warriors three and Lady Sif favour the mead alas I have never touched the stuff myself." Loki narrowed his eyes at Jay who was still recomposing himself .

"I know what goes into it. Believe me my potions are safer ha ha ha ha." The God looked over his shoulder to Jay but rolled his eyes and instead chose to chastise the scullery maids who were talking amongst themselves instead of working.

Jay pushed the goblet away and straightened up as he attempted to eat his breakfast.

"Sorry my liege."

"Don't let it happen again Jay, next time I won't be so lenient." Loki sneered and got up to scold the maids who quickly carried on with their duties running in opposite directions.

* * *

 **In Ninjago**

The Dojo was situated just outside of Ninjago city, close to what was known as the grassland wilderness area. A quiet area but still moderately populated with the right age group.

The ninja already had a steady list of ambitious students ready to join up in the New year, some had even joined in late fall. It was fair to say that they were busy most of the time for they had no troublesome enemies to take care of other than Loki but he would have to wait until he arrived back on Earth before the ninja team could attempt another rescue.

The current time of year in Ninjago was late October and the school holidays were in full swing. Children were everywhere and the dojo had been busy during the few weeks. But now the children were about to go back to school for the remaining six weeks up to Christmas leaving the ninja with a thought of closing the dojo for those six weeks or having a solitary ninja stay behind to oversee things and activate the cube when needed.

Nya had opted to stay behind citing that she knew how to operate Jay's invention being that she helped him to design it. Cole and Kai had agreed with her, Zane was unsure at first but her reasoning was sound and he accepted her choice. Lloyd didn't question her at all but continued to prepare for the journey; noting just what they might need. Typically all the jade blades had been collected and bagged up after being soaked in more devourer blood for added strength.

Cole wanted to be the one to drive the green blade through Loki's heart for what he had done to Jay, but that was only if they could capture him and get past all of his deceitful lies and tricks.

Their metal weapons had been sharpened in preparation for the journey and their individual stories had been practiced in depth for the interrogation they knew they would be getting from Shield.

Jay, when he had returned a few weeks ago had mentioned the timescales of Earth, Asgard and Ninjago respectively. None of the Ninja team actually realised there would be a time difference but Zane having thought about it deduced it was entirely accurate considering how many light years each realm was in relation to Ninjago.

Cole was shocked when he realised the timescales considering Jay had been insistent that he had only been gone eight weeks but one day in those other realms was an entire week here. Jay hadn't aged a day; he looked younger and healthier than Lloyd did, which was odd as Lloyd was the youngest. It was like time was catching up on the ninja team, they had all aged and become weary too.

The Nindroid had figured out that if space travel were a reliable thing with the added option of light speed then a journey to earth or Asgard could be made in a matter of months or years but as yet both Earth and Ninjago were behind in terms of scientific developments where as Asgard was vastly more advanced yet steeped in medieval history.

Jay had told them that the tesseract was Asgardian and was an interdimensional portal capable of space travel across the multiverse. He had then gone on to tell them of the Bifrost and the fact that it could transport you anywhere within the blink of an eye, but it wasn't just a transport it was also a realm killer. If the Bifrost was left on the surface of a planet for too long the planet would explode, in effect the Bifrost was a weapon of mass destruction.

* * *

The ninja having closed the school in preparation for the journey were training. They needed to be ready for their dangerous expedition back to Earth in order to rescue a very missed dear blue ninja of lightning for he was the life and soul of the party, the jokester and the inventor of the team.

Zane had been perfecting his fighting skills and calculating room for error. Lloyd preferred to train his mind to become stronger and more able to withstand any outside forces. He spent most of his day meditating in preparation for facing Loki, in the event of the God using his magic to get into Lloyd's head. Cole was outside sparring with Nya and would occasionally grab her passionately and kiss her. Kai was fed up of the frequent shows of emotion from his sister and her new beau. So much so that he walked across to them and broke them up from their extended kissing session. The honeymoon phase between these two was sickening for Kai; considering he had only just gotten used to Jay kissing her and they had been together for over four years, they were very nearly engaged.

"Look why are we doing this guys?" Kai started.

"I mean is it worth it...we've got everything we need right here. We have our own dojo, students to teach and a business to run."

"What exactly are you getting at Kai?" Cole asked in an agitated manner as his brother had rudely interrupted him and Nya, literally pulling them both apart.

"Well, we don't need to go back to earth, we can stay here. Heck we don't need Jay anymore, you two are together and he'll only cause trouble if he comes back."

Cole looked at Nya and then back at Kai with uncertainty, he rubbed his mouth with his free hand and tried to think of a reply that sounded plausible enough. One reply to give a reason as to why they were going back. He was still unsure where Kai was going with this topic but let him continue regardless before he added his opinion. Cole did often regard Kai's opinion highly sometimes, more so than he had with Jay's childish ones.

"Well why would he cause trouble, he has no issues with us." Cole questioned with his head high as he sat down on the wooden bench with Nya.

"He left us Cole, he chose to live with another. He didn't care enough about us to choose the right decision."

"Wh-what are you talking about Kai? Don't you remember, he did it to save us." Cole said as he stood up to face Kai, not liking where the conversation was heading.

"Uhm, all of us." He added with an air of finality, cementing his reason with that solid grounding of evidence. Simply put Cole owed his life to Jay, everyone did and it was because of the blue ninja that they all still had their own lives free of Loki and his cruelty.

"Oh god what did you do?" Nya asked as she began to fear the worst, she stood and joined Cole's side; trembling slightly.

"I spoke to him a few hours ago and told him some home truths. That's all, and I'd do it again." Kai hissed as he stood up to Cole, edging ever closer testing the strong master of earth.

"Oh my god Kai, what! what did you say to him?" Cole shouted feeling his nerves about to implode.

"I said what needed to be said."

" **TELL ME KAI OR SO HELP ME GOD I WILL PUNCH YOUR LIGHTS OUT!** " Cole's voice boomed across the training area as all his remaining ninja brothers were looking at him, noting a scene beginning to unfold. Just by the fact that Nya was restraining Cole's arms and Kai was standing his ground taunting him further trying to make the master of earth snap.

"What's going on Cole?" Lloyd asked with some definite leadership qualities, he was trying to dissolve the situation. Whilst attempting to get both sides of the situation before he could even attempt to pass judgement or impart any wisdom.

The red and black ninja looked like they were about to fight for real using fists and elements; a possible all out brawl caused by something as yet unknown to Lloyd. It was his job to figure it out and stop this before it progressed, splitting the team further.

Something had them both riled and Lloyd was concerned because to him it looked like his team of ninja was falling apart without Jay. He walked towards them both cautiously, looking at both the black and red ninja. Nya was standing between them both acting as a balm. She wasn't taking sides but preventing an all-out brawl between her brother whom she loved and her boyfriend who she was fond of.

"Kai spoke to Jay this morning and said something to him, something that will likely affect our chances of ever seeing him again." Cole growled out and kept his gaze on Kai with his fists clenched. The ground was trembling beneath his feet.

"Just...whatever, he needed to know how much he hurt Nya." Kai sneered back at Cole, his eyes aflame.

"For the God's sake Kai...just spill it." Lloyd said impatiently.

"What did you say to him?….Tell me!" Lloyd said again, licking his teeth in frustration but hiding his anger.

" **FINE** , whatever, I told him that he broke Nya's heart, she tried to kill herself."

"Oh, and that you and her are together now. That was probably the straw that broke the camel's back hahaha. You should have seen his face, he was broken….like completely destr…" Kai stopped talking as Nya slapped him hard across the face and began to cry herself turning away from her own brother.

"Like I said some home truths." Kai said and rubbed his face hiding the welt.

" **WHAT! WHAT THE HELL KAI?"** Cole boomed in response, rocks were starting to come up from the ground under his feet as he struggled to control his emotions. The master of earth grabbed Nya and held her close comforting her as best as he could without hurting her.

" **COLE** …..calm down…please." Lloyd spoke clearly and shook his blonde head at what Kai had just admitted.

"Why would you do that?...You know he made that decision to save us right...Loki is evil he would've killed us...Jay sacrificed himself so we could escape." Lloyd replied.

"But yeah, home truths right Kai? Because that's all that matters at least in your head. But you know what, when Jay is trying to kill us...I'll be blaming you and you alone. You've probably tipped him over the edge and there's no coming back from there." Cole added, his voice full of anger and sorrow, both battling with each other to elicit a reaction from the master of earth.

"I did tip him over the edge, that was the idea. Now we don't need to go back there."

That same weakness coming to his forefront, his fear of the unknown. What exactly had they said to each other that could have provoked such a reaction from Kai? What could it mean for their next meeting on earth. Was it even worth going back for him now?

Whilst Kai was in his mood he accidentally did the utmost to make Cole angry, when in all honesty Kai was falling apart inside, he just couldn't stop himself as he spilled a hidden secret that only he had seen the morning before the cube was found. He had seen Jay arrange a proposal, he had even asked for his permission.

Before setting the whole thing up together, Kai had been the one to get Nya ready for Jay's surprise lunchtime meal. This was typically the same day that they had found the cube just before sunset. Just before they had tinkered with the infernal cube. He was also the one to pick up the pieces when Jay was taken by Loki. The red ninja had a lot on his young plate and he wasn't handling it very well, he was making himself an outsider but he refused to admit there was a problem because he kept himself locked away.

"Cole I forget to tell you but before Jay disappeared he, ...well he proposed to Nya just thought you ought to know." Kai finished and threw the black pristine jewellery box at Cole, where it landed at his feet.

Cole's face dropped, the colour disappeared from his face. Had Kai lost his mind? He was furious with him but he had to try and remain calm because all that was now on his mind was Jay and how he was feeling all those millions of miles away.

Kai did just say Jay was destroyed at having found out, 'The straw that broke the camel's back' was a little below the belt. Kai had obviously revelled in riling Jay up so much because he knew he couldn't do anything about it, there was no way that Loki would let him escape again. So now the former blue ninja was in a world of mental anguish in Asgard.

His arms dropped from Nya's side at having just found out that Jay had proposed to her and here he was again stealing her from him when he couldn't do anything about it. And she hadn't even told him.

Cole bent down to retrieve the tiny black box that he knew Jay had been saving up for, he took a brief glimpse into the box where the ring had remained still shiny and unworn.

The master of earth knew that she hadn't given Jay her answer. He had never known her answer because he was stolen away from them before she had a chance to tell him. His fate had been sealed by a greater force beyond his control.

"I-I'm sorry, I was fed up okay...look it's not been easy for me either" Kai shouted in a typical childish way refusing to make eye contact.

"That's not okay Kai, what, you don't think this has affected all of us?" Cole said holding the black box tightly in his grip, fighting with his emotions.

"And why on Ninjago didn't you tell me about the proposal? Jay is going to be pissed at me now...that's just great." Cole spat as he attempted to calm down, he was trying his hardest not to punch the exterior wall in the newly decorated dojo.

"Okay Zane, you got to try to at least get back in contact with Jay. We need to sort this out before we visit him...we don't want an all-out war when we arrive."

"He might not answer anymore, Cole." Zane replied having heard the whole conversation but chose to bide his time.

"His element like ours is connected to his emotions. I-I am sorry but I will try." Zane nodded, looking down to the ground.

"Kai you need to think of a damn good apology." Cole shouted after the master of fire.

The master of fire was walking off with his head down, following his belittling treatment at the hands of Cole and Lloyd. He walked away and slammed his bedroom door locking it securely from the inside, he just collapsed onto his bed and shouted into his pillow.

* * *

"Aghh shit, now what do we do?" Cole hissed and sank to his knees, looking up to the sky shaking his head.

"Lloyd...where's Lloyd gone?...wait he was here just a minute ago!"

"He has just gone to meditate...apparently!" Zane answered without looking up, he was trying to contact Jay but the device wouldn't connect anymore, it just seemed to ring.

"I-I am sorry I will leave you two to some privacy." Zane stated and walked away pressing the device again and again hoping it was just interference that was blocking the signal.

* * *

"Nya,...Nya could you just rub my shoulders, I'm feeling tense all of a sudden" Cole said as he sat on the bench in shock at what his brother had done.

"Sure thing Cole...by the way I think you restrained yourself pretty well, looks like my gentle touches are working on you...hmmmmm" Nya said as she approached the master of earth, joining his side.

"Yeah babe they are, but what do we do now...I mean Jay loved you too and why didn't you tell me about the proposal?" Cole asked as he lifted himself up off the dusty floor and back onto the bench.

"I'm sorry Cole, I tried to but then this all happened and I put it to the back of my mind. It had been so long and I thought we had kind of moved on." Nya replied and sat next to Cole on the wooden bench.

"It just makes it more uhm, difficult now because he'll be broken up about it." He replied and accepted her hand as it rubbed circles on his back.

Cole grabbed Nya's waist and lifted her effortlessly onto his lap, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply. A tear escaped down her cheek and Cole wiped it away with his thumb.

"Don't cry Nya...I hate to see you like this." He said as he caressed her face and neck, his other hand trailed down her back.

"I know Cole, I'm just scared...scared of what will happen...scared of J-Jay."

"Scared of Jay, really? I'm not I mean I know he's powerful now but he's still Jay. He wouldn't hurt any of us."

"But we've both broken his heart, I was his fiancé….almost and you were his best friend."

Cole stalled at her comment for she was speaking the truth. Jay could be baying for their blood all those millions of miles away with a vengeful God at his side. Or he could simply be sinking further into despairing darkness being surrounded by complete evil every waking moment.

"Nya, hopefully Jay will understand. It's not been easy for you babe or us as a team." Cole said as he tousled a strand of Nya's hair between his finger and thumb.

Cole lay back on the bench and pulled Nya onto him as they continued kissing.

"Do you wanna continue this in your room Nya?" Cole said after a particularly long kiss and a cheeky wink, feeling all tension disappear Nya nodded and followed him.

"No more distractions" Cole said as he closed the bedroom door to Nya's cosy red and dark wood room with his foot.

"Let me get rid of that tension Nya, I've got an excellent cure for it." He winked.

"But it requires the removal of some of your clothes." Cole said as he bit his lip. Removing his ninja gi in the process and crawling onto her bed.

"Uhm Cole, what about Kai, I don't want him walking in on us again. The last time was embarrassing enough."

Cole bit his lip and remembered it fondly. He had some serious explaining to do after the interruption of being found naked with Nya underneath him. They were both a hot mess when Kai had walked in on them, panting and grunting. They were both so close to release but Kai didn't care he was furious at seeing his best friend on top of his sister having sex with her. It took all his mental strength not to set fire to Cole as he continued to pump into Nya. He actually had to clear his throat because they were so consumed in the throes of passion to even notice he was standing in the room.

Eventually they had turned their heads to face the noise and Cole could swear that he could see a pure burning flame in his brother's eyes.

Kai knew she was an adult but it didn't stop him from being protective of her. He didn't want her heart breaking again after Jay had destroyed her. In all truth Kai thoroughly hated Jay for breaking her heart because he had promised never to do the very thing he had done; regardless whether his life was on the line. The red ninja thought that death would have been preferable at least Nya could have mourned for him, but this was just cruel and he held Jay fully responsible for it. He still believed that Jay could have and should have said no to Loki but no Jay's self-righteous mind told him that this was 'the best course to take to save them all' as he had put it.

Cole once he had calmed down both mentally and bodily went out to find Kai, he was sitting away from the dojo under a cherry tree minus its deep green leaves. Fall season had been and gone leaving a crisp pile of brown frosted leaves; soft enough to sit on. The earth master had approached with caution and had then spent the next few hours listening to Kai talk about his own troubles before he could even attempt to apologise. He was then given the same heartfelt discussion he was sure that Kai had given to Jay at some point of being careful with his sister.

"Kai's fine with it now and he won't...think he's got size issues." Cole said with a smirk as he began to approach Nya with lustful anticipation in his eyes.

His lips locked with hers in unbridled passion before pulling away. "Nya do you still love Jay?"

"No…I-I don't…." Nya replied breathlessly….she lied.

Cole continued to make love to her but all she was thinking about was Jay and how cruel she felt at keeping that answer from him. She should have just said yes when she had the chance and then maybe he would have fought harder to stay.


	11. Choices

Quite impressive for Jay to behold. He hadn't been in that many palaces.

The throne sat at a cross guard in front of two large golden doors. Then golden steps swept down and away from the throne where Loki's royal subjects stood. His royal aide Audunn, stood nearby, the royal personnel; behind him respectively.

"Asgard thanks you for your audience." The royal aide intoned, raising his hands to allow the audience to stand. "Jay Son," He motioned. "Come forth, approach the steps."

He did, reluctantly. His feet felt like lead weights were attached. Was he dragging his feet, shoulders slumping? He felt like he was.

It took forever and a day to get there. All eyes on him. No pressure...

Loki took his time to talk about his recent endeavours. He hadn't actually done them, he'd sent Jay to do it on his behalf.

It was hilarious, Jay bit his tongue to prevent himself from laughing aloud.

Gods, it droned on and on. Jay was struggling to keep his eyes open. It didn't help that he'd slept on the floor all night. He still had a lump on his temple and resulting headache that reminded him of the fact.

Eventually, after an hour of speaking with the obligatory applause, Jay was called forwards. Allowed, with assistance, the chance to grace those steps until he was as near enough at Loki's feet.

He hated this stance. So demoralising.

After all of his gloating, Loki was going to introduce his soon to be long-suffering slave to the people of Asgard.

"Approach me, Jayson."

He walked, aware that all eyes were on him, almost waiting for him to make a faux pas.

Quickly, Jay remembered what the royal aide had uttered. He'd been told to walk up to the third step and bow before the King, so he did.

Painfully. It was in this same position he had taken her hand, and pledged his love. Jay remembered this position for his failed proposal.

 _Dammit Nya why couldn't you just say yes?_

Using a free hand to wipe a tear away, Jay noted the people around thought it was because he was extremely thankful for being made part of the patriarchal Kingdom of Asgard.

When in all facts it was because this position was submissive, and something he didn't really want.

Loki, for reasons unknown, wanted him to be a Prince. He had made it royal decree that this wayward soul was destined for greatness. A prized possession to behold, to give Asgard the upper hand. And where would he be safer?

In Asgard, of course. Where all relics and weapons were housed.

"In the name of my father Bor Buri-son and his father before, I hereby crown you Prince Jayson of Asgard, my royal protector, prince and brother."

The last part he said so quietly only Jay could hear, yet there was something malevolent about the tone.

The royal aide, passed Loki a silver sword. It was one imbued with purple gems on the scabbard and hilt.

Loki simply walked down to the kneeling one and slotted it into place in Jay's belt. The next was a smaller silver dagger, this one was pushed into an empty sheath Jay hadn't noticed on one boot.

"Rise!" Loki ordered.

Jay did so, his head lowered. He heard Loki walk down the steps towards him.

"Look at me," he whispered and lifted Jay's chin, showing him the crown.

He wondered how something could look so delicate yet so masculine? Kai might have liked the craftsmanship...

Fists clenched, Jay bit back the anger. . . _Kai_.

The impressive metallurgy looked like it was made by elves, the details were so intricate. Lightning bolts could be seen as could tornado's and yet when it was placed on top of his head, he couldn't feel it because it was as light as a feather.

"It's enchanted." Loki whispered. "Made by descendants from those who crafted Gleipnir."

Jay didn't know who or what Gleipnir was. It wasn't like he'd been schooled in Norse myth, not like was he given the time to study it either.

"This crown enhances." He said, cryptically. "It will increase strength when you feel weak, will show light when there is only dark." He smiled.

"How?"

"Kennings, cantrips and runes."

"Wh-I don't understand..."

"Silence." Loki warned, his fingers on his lips. "It is a gift, of course I will expect something in return. I offer nothing for free."

Confused, Jay stared into his eyes, wondering what on earth Loki was talking about. Did he expect payment? This, considering Jay had given him his life and soul?

He really had nothing more to give, this wasn't exactly a paid career choice.

But yet there it was, the double edge of a sword, the thorn in Jay's side. Loki was as evil as ever, he always had a plan up his sleeve. Jay shuddered at what Loki might expect in return.

"Thank you My Lord," Jay nodded, backing away. He was quickly motioned to stand at the side of the sweeping steps.

Jay half listened to Loki drone on about greatness, freedom and the importance of ruling over others.

As Loki talked about Asgard. Jay himself, thought back to being a child and what he imagined he'd become as an adult. Today was a strange one, it didn't even come in his top 20 list of things he'd wanted to achieve.

A prince definitely wasn't on the list. Being Fritz Donnegan was on his list, as was going into space as an astronaut. Fighting bad guys and saving the girl was on the list. Being a successful inventor, he loved doing that. At least he'd achieved three of them.

Something that he missed greatly was inventing and tinkering but it was also what got him into this mess.

If only he hadn't touched that cube. There was nothing he could do about that now, decisions had been made, mind's had been made up and lives changed forever. But he was happy, in a way. Jay was a Prince and eligible one at that.

Sure, finding a suitable girlfriend wasn't high on his list of priorities. But, being that he was now the spurned lover, Jay wouldn't completely ignore the notion of getting laid tonight. In fact, he was looking forward to it. Revenge sex as Kai had called it.

Jay felt he had achieved a starting level of greatness. It just wasn't what he'd imagined it to be. Besides, all this drinking and chatting to pretty girls, he still had a job to do in protecting Loki wherever he went.

Eventually after the ceremony had finished, Jay accompanied Loki into the feast room. It was occupied with a large number of women and some Asgardian warriors.

Everyone was having fun, some were very drunk. The wine and mead was flowing plentifully and the women were mostly in a state of undress. Loki was right, this was almost a drunken orgy but he didn't want any of it. Least not in front of everyone.

If he was going to have sex tonight, he'd do it in privacy. Besides, Jay wasn't comfortable with all the public groping he could see. Some people were doing far worse. Especially the odd few females under the tables, obscured by drapes. The looks on the men's faces alluded to the sexual act taking place.

Originally, Jay had only wanted Nya... But now, his lilac eyes roved the hall to find a female that wouldn't look like her at all. He wanted a complete contrast.

He sighed, shaking his head. Continued to eat the food as more was brought out. Drank and talk, ate, liaised and mingled with the masses until the distant sun had risen once more.

Loki was right of course, this had been going on for almost two days. A celebration of excesses.

Sitting down again after a slow dance with another eligible female. Jay wiped his brow, that girl was really quite forward. Her hands were all over him.

Jay bit his lip, her provocation had been inviting him to think of things he had only dreamt of. Surely this female must have been a concubine. Not with that mouth and those ideas.

He didn't have too long to linger because he was joined rather quickly by two beautiful blonde women, who seemed to take it in turns to feed him.

Jay was sure he could feed himself, he wasn't that drunk. They seemed insistent though. And eventually, he gave in, allowing them feed him. He figured it wasn't worth the aggravation.

Typically as soon as Jay gave up, one of the women straddled his hips and before he knew it, she was kissing his jaw before sliding her tongue into his mouth.

Not just any kiss, like the passionate ones shared with Nya. These kisses were born of desire.

Her tongue thrust into his mouth and he accepted it. The other twin allowed them to take a breath before spooning a small amount of pudding in his mouth, following it just as fast with her own lips.

"So sweet," She mumbled, biting his bottom lip.

Between them, they seduced him. Jay, in his state of visible arousal quickly wondered who had put them up to this?

Fighting the urge, he wanted so much to trace his hands over her curves. But in this place and in front of everyone...no, he couldn't.

"Would it be alright to finish this in your quarters?" They asked in unison. Finishing off each other's sentence; they sounded exactly the same!

"Uhm, h-how far do you want to take this?" He asked nervously. Though he already knew the answer. And it still excited him, sending a rush of blood and a subsequent pleasured jolt to his groin.

"All the way...". The standing twin replied, licking his ear.

The colour came back to his cheeks. A twitch down below and suddenly he was attempting to stand.

"Okay, fine my room it is then." He replied. Standing abruptly, Jay began his steady walk from the room, one woman on each arm.

The ceremony and feast had lasted an entire two days he was surprised he could still function on such little sleep, but something inside kept him going like a dynamo.

Loki watched with an evil upturned grin, as Jay attempted to leave with these twins. He himself turned to his beautiful fiance Sigyn. "Good night my young Prince," he hollered, making Jay turn.

Jay stood rooted to the spot, watching as Loki hurt Sigyn intentionally. The disturbing thought, Sigyn seemed to be enjoying of Loki's overly rough ministrations. She didn't seem to be fighting him off or his wandering hands.

Worse still, Jay could see where Loki had his hand, the movements a clear giveaway of what pleasure he was giving her. In fact, he was surprised that neither were writhing on the floor.

"Shall we retire for the night, my dear?" He said, kissing her neck before marking her as his and his alone. His salt white teeth bit into her skin, leaving an unsightly mark where he had drawn blood.

All Sigyn did was gasp in pleasure, she pulled his hair, luring him closer to her heat. Nodding her head as he pulled her dress up higher revealing more of her heavenly skin.

Sigyn was beautiful in her own right, she had long brown hair that reached past her petite bottom, she was almost as tall as Loki himself. Her eyes deep blue and her skin fair. She spoke softly and at times refrained altogether.

Loki openly tested Jay. Teasing for his response to see if the young Prince could control himself. Luckily one of the blonde twins lost patience, she captured Jay's face with her lips, breaking the trance or more precisely Loki's small trick of mind.

"S-sorry...m-my room it is then." Jay giggled, leading both females away.

Loki stood, pulling his fiancé with him. All the while leading her back to her own home not caring if her mother or brother could hear them.

Sullying her virginal status, marking her as his each and every time yet making her live in sin and refusing to wed her.

Of course, he wasn't foolish enough to show up at Sigyn's home as himself nor Odin he disguised himself as a warrior.

A few minutes later, Jay opened the doors and led both girls into his large room.

Before he even had the chance to close the door one of them grasped his face and started kissing, just as passionately as before. Jay's eyes opened, lustfully watching with increasing desire as the other twin began removing her clothes.

The dress fell to the floor, landing in a pile of silk and taffeta.

"You wish to close the doors?" The twin asked. Her kiss broken.

Jay nodded, stumbling backwards, Lips still locked with the dressed twin. He kicked the doors shut and further latched it so there would be no disturbances. Hands instantly roving across her breasts, he kissed her desperately.

They were slowly pulling him to the bed. And he complied until he felt the bed against the back of his legs. Falling upon it gracefully with one girl in his gentle embrace.

They both pushed him onto the bed and one straddled him almost immediately.

How have they lost their clothes so quick, yet I'm still fully dressed?...whoa not for long!' Jay thought, gulping as one of the twins removed his trousers expertly like she'd had practice.

She was impressed with what she saw. Her eyes widened when he was free. Hands grasping the length, She sinfully began jerking his shaft.

He could feel her hands on him and it felt good but his hands were busy roving over bare flesh and firm rounded breasts, that he hadn't seen the other twin. His eyes widened when he felt a mouth attempting to cover his length.

"Is this really happening?" He broke the kiss, fisting the sheets. The slurping sounds adding to his obscene levels of sensual arousal.

"The other prince is fallen, one is banished. You are so young..." The twin said, lowering herself onto him, gyrating her hips and feeling the depth.

"So eligible..."

He groaned into her mouth. Pinching one twins nipples between index finger and thumb.

"So virtuous...". She began riding him.

Slick thrusts, the sweaty groaning mass of tangled bodies.

Oh gods...

He didn't talk, the words wouldn't come. Even if he'd wanted to, her lips would have provided a barrier. The other twin...wow.

Eyes glazed over, pupils dilated. The first orgasm rocked his body, hitting him hard and leaving him wanting more.

A few hours passed and after copious cuddles and inventive sexual positions, Jay had to bid them a farewell. He had physically exerted himself over the past two hours and was in desperate need of sleep, so he grabbed the blankets off his bed and wrapped them around his naked body.

The girls had dressed, eventually.

"Thanks for that," He said, rubbing the back of his messed up hair. He bit his kiss-swollen lips before one of the women kissed him goodbye. "It was, fun."

It was so much more than that...his inner beast growled.

Begrudgingly, they left and Jay slowly made the return journey back to his bed. His eyes struggling to stay open as the effects of alcohol and a lust filled night began pulling him to the depths of slumber. But this time he would be sleeping in his bed rather than the floor.

All he wanted was the warmth of a sumptuous bed, good quilt, soft pillows and a good night's sleep but his was body protesting at having to walk so far just to get to his resting place.

He caught a glimpse of himself as he walked past the large mirror. His milky white skin was peppered with red marks, adorned with tokens of affection. The affection that he had been craving.

Suddenly, a vibrating noise could be heard coming from near his night stand, he turned his head attempting to find the offending item. Jay didn't realise that Loki wasn't in his room but panicked when the device and the subsequent ringing tone increased.

Panic suddenly gripped him when he couldn't find the thing causing the noise.

"Shit. Wh-what is that?" He muttered, groping around blindly buck naked. "Where is it? Aha f-found it." Jay gasped, stretching his hand under the nightstand. The device had fallen behind the bed when he had thrown it in anger. Had it been in his own room back in Ninjago, it would have been covered in dust. But here, the room had not a speck, even under his bed or nightstand.

He looked at it, the case was sporting a fine crack. He didn't want to answer it though, only looking to silence it.

Jay didn't want to talk to them anymore. What else could they possibly want to tell him now? That he was the useless one. That they were better off without him?

"What?" He hissed quietly, answering the infernal thing. "What's so important, something else I should know?"

There was nothing but static coming from this device and Jay was close to crushing it in his hand for all the recent heartbreak he'd received from it.

It rang again and Jay ended the call immediately. He climbed on his bed still clutching it.

Laying on his front where he fell, the device buzzed to life. Jay ended the call, pressing the button with an added groan; his frustration mounting at his sheer lack of sleep.

"I-I can't do this all night," Jay mumbled into his blue bolster cushion. "I'm tired, j-just leave me alone. It's n-not like you care anymore."

He squeezed until it broke in half and finally, it fell silent. His eyes closed a few seconds later.

A couple of hours passed, and he was woken by an odd noise that sounded like a fading noisy greetings card. He fumbled around the large bed until his fingers found the remains of the device.

He sat up, rubbing his eyes. Previous anger was gone thanks to the rest so he started in earnest and reattached some of the wires into the correct ports before replacing the lid until a click could be heard.

It rang instantly, Jay tried again to activate it. His patience wearing thin, stamina rapidly waning until the device sprang to life. He didn't talk he just activated the screen function and listened. He had no energy or heart to talk to his brothers anymore let alone look at them.

"Jay?" Cole spoke, cautiously. "Jay is that you?" He could see Jay's form in front of him, although his eyes weren't looking at the screen.

"Please talk to me..."

Nothing. Silence. Jay kept his eyes on a fixed point.

"Look...I'm sorry I-I am really sorry. I didn't mean you to find out like this, I mean about Nya and m-me." Cole stuttered, struggling to find his words. The fact that Jay hadn't even acknowledged him made him worry.

Jay was normally talkative, he couldn't help it. Even when nervous or anxious. When Nya had dumped him all those many years ago, he had taken to starring in a TV show and he did what he did best. he talked and got paid for it.

But now, he was mute. And it almost broke Cole's heart to know that he was possibly the cause.

"Kai was out of line, h-he shouldn't have said what he said..." Cole faltered.

"Nya was upset as you would expect, that much was true but you didn't break her heart. "

He shook his head. Never taking his eyes of his lost brother. "She couldn't cope with losing you, she knew you had chosen this path of your own free will...it didn't stop it from hurting though."

"I'm sorry, please! Come on talk to me," He urged, looking down in defeat.

Jay looked to the screen and finally made eye contact. Cole felt like the back of his head was being burnt by the intense stare Jay was giving him. The hurt in Jay's eyes was clearly evident, it was too late now.

Jay hadn't regretted what he had just done. Cole was still with Nya. Rubbing his nose in, bragging.

"That all you want to say?" Jay muttered, looking away.

"I'm sorry...Jay please."

Jay closed his eyes, hovering his hand over the device and the button. His fingers sparking with enough energy to fry the little device so it would never work again. "Why are you even doing this? It's clear you guys are happy now, you've moved on I can accept that."

"We haven't moved on. We're not that heartless."

Jay ignored Cole's response. He hadn't backed it up with anything solid. "Why bother anymore? Maybe you should knock it on the head, you don't need to waste your time coming to Earth now."

That stung. It was almost word for word to what Kai had muttered.

"Jay? Come on." He said, biting back the sigh he so wanted to unleash. Instead, he tilted his head to the side. "I'm sorry you found out like that."

He sat up facing the screen. He could tell Jay was laying down on his bed in a predominantly golden room. That was the only view he could see, for the moment.

"I was this close Cole. This close to, losing everything." Jay mumbled after what seemed an awkwardly long pause. He looked away, unable to hold a gaze, didn't feel any connection with Cole anymore.

"I gave in to the darkness, I had no choice it just took hold of me. Some human emotions were lost, destroyed in a heartbeat. Loki said it's the final step, the ties that bind you to a mortal life are finally broken...until self-realisation takes its place."

"But, it's just another thing for me to deal with." Jay stood up, stretching his body and taking the device with him. He grabbed a large bathrobe and placed it on the marble floor directly in front of the door to provide a soundproof barrier as he knew how loud the device could be.

"I hope she's happy with you," Jay mumbled. Small talk, because he didn't want to hold a decent discussion. "You should get on with your lives y'know?"

The impromptu walking around gave Cole a further glimpse into Jay's room. The room was huge and golden, except for the furniture that was all silver except for his bed and other dark wood items, everything else in between was dark blue. He even had his own weapons rack with his sharpening stone sitting on top. Rows of working armour stood neatly against the furthest wall, the rest of the room was bare, no pictures were on the walls just pure gold and solid marble stone.

"But still, life here y'know..." Jay mumbled walking around butt naked. "He tests me all the time, doesn't really care just like you guys, but hey what's new right? Had a busy couple of days, still not really sure why we need to go back to earth I was only in Vanaheim a few days ago. Always so busy, no actual time to rest, just fight this fight that..." Jay mumbled mostly incoherently.

Cole just listened he had picked up on most of what Jay had said. It was something he had learned, he was able to pick out the important parts of what was said. And it sounded like Jay was being worked to death with no time off.

He was saddened to hear how much Jay had changed in the three weeks since they had spoken and the six since he had visited. Cole did notice new marks on Jay's upper body as the picture quality was exceptionally clear. He was worried that Jay was receiving rough treatment again.

"W-what happened to your body, you look bruised?"

Jay caught a glimpse in the mirror. "Why do you care?" He spat.

"Jay...please I'm trying to clear the air."

"Fine!" Jay rolled his eyes, blowing out a sigh.

"They're uh," He looked down the length of his body. Blushing. "Well, love bites, I think." He replied coyly, withholding the full details.

"Wow ok, wasn't expecting that." Cole gaped. "Sheesh, how many bites can one woman give?"

"There were two, women!" Jay said with a poker straight face.

The master of earth stared at the screen trying to work his brother out. Jay had certainly changed. He was never normally this confident and especially not with women. That was usually Cole's forte, he was the womaniser. Disappointingly, Jay wasn't divulging anything, he was answering Cole's questions but the answers were vague.

"Whoa two...Was it some kind of special event?" Cole asked, testing the waters to see how much Jay would talk.

"I was part of a royal celebration yesterday, kind of adopted into the family," Jay muttered. collapsing back onto the bed. "It was to make me feel more a part of this kingdom, being that I'll be here for the foreseeable." He sat back, pulling the sheets up over himself turning away from the screen again.

Cole frowned at Jay's back and narrowed his eyes.

"The celebration lasted two days. I'm so tired and he wants something in return, as always." Jay yawned. "But I've nothing more to give. He took my life, my hopes and my dreams."

His eyes suddenly tear filled stared back at the screen. "And you took my love, the both of y-you." Jay yawned, closing his eyes in defeat. He groaned into his blanket. "I'm so tired."

Cole had managed to get Jay to talk but he didn't seem like the old Jay anymore, he'd spent too much time with Loki...too much time with evil and the strain of this on an innocent but immortal soul was too much to bear as the master of earth sighed deeply...he for once was lost for words.

"I-I think Zane wants to talk." Cole said awkwardly as he got up, allowing Zane to take over. He had at least broken the tension, and attempted to clear the air.

Gods, it felt like his body was sinking into the mattress.

His eyes shot open when he heard Zane's voice, he turned his head rapidly seeing Zane's face appear on the screen.

"Jay, how are you?"

"H-hey, keep it down!" Jay hissed.

"I am sorry about what Kai said to you, we had no idea. Only found out three weeks ago and we have been trying to contact you ever since. We were worried that we had lost you."

"Well, you kinda have in a way."

"Kai was affected by your loss more than we anticipated," Zane stated, hoping that would alleviate some of Jay's anger. "He kept his emotions inside and in effect he had an episode of mental instability after seeing Cole with Nya. That, and he had not handled the death of Sensei Wu very well."

"Right." Jay's response was monotonous.

"Jay, you need to talk to us. You cannot keep this up, alone."

Jay wasn't so sure that talking would help at all. The last time he tried, Kai had ripped his heart out and stomped on it. "Someone could have forewarned me, I mean she was my girlfriend. But hey, it's okay, really it's fine; no harm done. See I'm fine...I am just fine." Jay stated.

He was anything but fine. Corruption was eating away at him. He'd become cold, uncaring and apathetic over the space of two days. Since Kai's outburst.

"I've had a busy few days filled with pointless brutality."

Zane refrained from saying anything. As long as Jay was talking, he was communicating and that was all that mattered.

"And, to top it all off he's made me a freaking Prince, so now I have that on top of protective duties."

Zane again, was reticent, nodding. The time ticking by quickly in Ninjago was mere minutes in Asgard.

"Honestly I swear to the God's, he must think I'm a machine. Sorry, I mean no offence, Zane." Jay chastised himself for momentarily forgetting that Zane was a machine and a damned good one at that.

"None taken..." Zane replied truthfully. "I did not find out until Kai told me. I-I do not know what to say but if it is any consolation; I do not think it is a permanent arrangement. It would seem that both Cole and Nya are exceeding their stress levels and I sense they are both suffering from anxiety and lack of sleep."

Jay shrugged.

"Not that this means much to you but I suspect this is just a chance of escape for both of them. Cole has recently disclosed that he has met someone new, I think I recall her name was Seliel but I am not entirely sure."

"That's great, but what; after Cole discards her, she'll undoubtedly come back for me. How can I trust her?"

" I cannot answer, I do not know the exact reason why this happened or what caused it other than shared grief. They both believed you had gone, had chosen this new life, embraced it?"

"Well, they were wrong," Jay growled. "I loved her, wanted to share my future with her, I proposed."

He wiped the tear. "And she couldn't even be bothered to give a simple yes-no answer? She left me hanging."

"I am sorry." Zane bit his lip. The emotion on Jay's face was gut-wrenching and he was so far away that even his words weren't soothing.

"Just like old times huh?" Jay mumbled, unashamedly wiping his face and the steady trail of tears that followed. "My best friend took her for himself. . .again because he knows there's nothing I could do about it."

"Jay, please."

"Can we change the s-subject?" Jay begged, looking away. Even looking at the stars outside had the tears come back. "I haven't slept properly for over two days. Can you forgive my erratic and moody outbursts?" He groaned, grasping his head.

"I think it has something to do with where you are," Zane pondered the realm Jay was residing on. It was ancient, older than Ninjago itself. Steeped in a rich history that depicted great and yet gruesome battles involving not just the Vanir and Æsir Gods but other races too.

"The realm you are on, is magical?"

"Yeah, so?" Jay was still grasping his head, fighting the tears. "What I wouldn't give for some anxiety meds. All they have here is mead, elixirs, the soul forge and the healing rooms."

"Then what you may be suffering could be a side effect. It might be your mind and body slowly adjusting to the pace of life. Your time there is slowed, exponentially, that must be a contributing factor?"

"Grin and bear it then?" He cringed, rubbing his temples. "I guess it's a double-edged sword then. We'll be back on earth in less than 24 hours?"

"Timescales are only slightly better there." Zane replied. "You, yourself can attest to that?"

"Yeah. It was nine days I was alone for. Somehow that equated to what nine weeks in Ninjago?"

"Sorry Jay," Zane replied trying to keep Jay's spirits up, he changed the subject quickly.

"Well congratulations on becoming royalty, should I call you by your newly appointed title now?" Zane added with raised eyebrows.

"Thanks and please don't use formality, just call me Jay," he added, cheeks visibly blushing. "And just to add, because you're the brains behind the brawn. In one day we leave this rock for earth, but, Loki will have some sort of plan that he'll expect me to be involved with, so don't expect contact straight away. Also, I'll keep this with me and send you a message when I get there?"

"Thank you Jay." Zane nodded, appreciatively. "Not just for this but for thinking about us. I should have said earlier but your selfless act saved not just me but all of us as a team. And, we owe you a debt of gratitude. Therefore, I speak for our team, when I say thank you."

He bit his lip and a tear fell. "You don't need to do that." His voice was cracked with emotion. "I like to think that if the tide was turned, you would have done the same."

"Jay, we will make contact with you in seven days but for you, it will feel like twenty-four hours. Do not forget."

"How could I?" Jay laughed, it was partially devoid of humour. "Don't stress, I won't forget. Anyway Zane, until tomorrow, you and Lloyd take care." He didn't care to utter the same for the others.

"Same to you. And Jay?"

He yawned, "mmh, yeah?"

"Get some sleep, you look exhausted," Zane suggested, it was his own attempt at humour.

Jay shook his head, hiding the grin in his pillow. Quickly he raised his thumb and allowed for Zane to disconnect the call from his end.

"Until tomorrow," he mumbled, falling asleep within seconds.

* * *

He heard knuckles being rapped against the door. The insistence of his unknown guest woke him up. "The King requires your presence to accompany him to breakfast."

"What? Why does he need me?" Jay groaned.

"It is an order."

"Oh, r-right, th-thanks," Jay yawned. "I'll be out in a bit."

Why wasn't Loki capable of taking himself for breakfast? It was becoming irksome, having to get up just to walk him down the hallways. He could certainly think of better things to do.

Getting out of bed at the second round of knocks, Jay stood in front of his mirror, he looked so rough. The love bites or tokens of affection were fading, but set against his skin, made him look all the worse.

It was to be expected really, partying hard with a couple of hours sleep at most was bound to have had an effect.

Groaning, Jay washed and relieved himself. He felt marginally better at least. Enough to face the world and whatever Loki would throw at him.

Opening the door once dressed and ready, he marched across to the room opposite to wait. And, as usual, Loki seemed to take his sweet time in opening his door, infuriating.

Jay wondered if he was even dressed, he could have had an extra thirty minutes in bed.

Eventually, the raven-haired god quickly disguised and strolled out a good ten minutes later.

Jay instantly realised something was wrong.

Loki's expression wore a picture of sadness, but he was angry. His grasp of Gungnir was a testament to how wrathful he was because his knuckles were white.

"Something the matter?" Jay asked, timidly. He didn't really care to hear it but knew he would be the one who would get the wrath if he stepped out of line.

"Nothing that I can't sort for myself Jay." He stated, coldly.

"I would kindly ask that you keep your focus on Midgard, not on me." He hissed as he spoke.

"Sorry I asked." Jay mumbled. "You looked, pensive?"

Loki ignored him. There was something on his mind. And, being that the celebration had ended, there seemed no better time than the present. "As I recall, the crown I gave you yesterday requires a payment from yourself."

Oh gods...Maybe I should have just stayed mute for the entire day.

"You remember this?"

"Uh, y-yes.?" Jay stilled. "Wh-what sort of payment? I-I mean you don't exactly pay me for...?" He stopped talking when Loki's dangerous green eyes stared back at him, testing, urging him to say something he'd regret.

Jay backed down, looking away.

Wow, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed... I thought I was grumpy.

"I have the ability to shapeshift myself and others into different creatures as I wish."

"Okay, that's kinda cool." Jay agreed, not really paying attention, more humouring him.

"Other genders too," Loki said, smirking. "I turned my oaf of a brother into a rather beautiful woman a long time ago, he was ravishing. Almost married a giant too, hilarious."

It was really, Loki had so much fun replacing Thor's mighty cock with a hairy cleft. Especially when the lumbering fool realised he was still female a good few days later.

"Wh-what, really?" Jay almost spat his drink out. "Then what happened?"

"I turned him back, at his behest of course."

"Oh, r-right. So, that's good then?"

Loki smiled, it was crooked and suddenly his stance was verging on lecherous. "I have a request of you too."

"Uhm, what is it?" Jay squeaked, squirming under the intense scrutiny.

"I wish for you to come to Midgard with me tomorrow," He paused.

"I am though," Jay replied taking a bite of a pastry. "We talked about it a few days ago?"

"I was not finished," Loki uttered, taking the snack gently from Jay's hands. "I wish for you to come as my female companion."

Jay's eyes widened. Did this mean he'd have to cross-dress or something? Sure, he could pull that off, he'd done it before. "For how long exactly?" He didn't see any issue with cross-dressing, as long as his brothers didn't see it. "I'll do it but why not take Sigyn?"

Loki smirked at the naive enthusiasm, Jay hadn't been listening.

"She is none of your concern." He uttered. "Timescale depends, one day should suffice unless I have need of you."

"Why would you have need of me, is it a costume party or something, I can dress up?"

He snorted at Jay's naivety. "I mean to make you female; not dress you as one. Your gender will be altered?"

"Uh, excuse me?" Jay stiffened. "I'm not, WHAT?" He felt himself blushing. "Female?"

"Not yet, no,"

Now that would be something he wouldn't be able to explain to his brothers. And his heart started hammering when he thought of the consequences and ultimately, Loki's request.

He didn't like it one bit. Not that he thought the female species as weaker. But still, would he become more vulnerable in female form? No, he couldn't accept this request. Loki would have to coerce Sigyn instead because this request; was a flat out NO.

"I can't. I-I refuse. Surely as a female, I wouldn't be strong enough to protect you? Wouldn't I be more vulnerable?"

Loki shook his head. "You seem to speak so lowly of the female form?"

"I-I no, that's not what I mean to say." Jay stammered, nervously. He made to rise from his chair, to clear his head and get some air. "I meant that I can't accept. It's ridiculous, it'd never work."

"Are you refusing?" Loki's eyebrow quirked. "You refuse your King?"

Jay's expression dropped when the nearby Einherjar tutted. "I'm uh...yes."

"Well, then," Loki said, making to stand. "This is a new low, and it will not be tolerated." He stood, domineering and glowering at Jay.

From all angles, especially Jay's. This did not look good.

"Everybody leave NOW!" Loki shouted. His voice, that of Odin's and it echoed mercilessly around the feast hall. People had quickly dispersed, leaving only the two royals to square off.

Jay was instantly aware that Loki was watching him. Instinctively, he backed away, ending up against the wall. He had been aiming for the doors but there were so many support pillars in the way.

To approach, Loki used a form of arcane magic to part the way, sending tables and stools tumbling to either side. Still, he continued walking. His astral projections appeared all around him, eventually circling Jay, holding him against the wall.

"Please Loki, d-don't do this,"

His eyes narrowed at the tone and further use of his name. The malevolence in them was obscene.

It occurred to Jay that Loki still hadn't fully explained the reason why he wanted him as a female for this trip. Now, it looked like he would never find out because the God was going to do it for the sheer Hel of it.

"You are extremely foolish to call me by that name in this place." he seethed. The spittle from his harsh words landing on Jay, though he continued to squirm.

Amazingly, he fought back. The astral projections were not affected at all by the lightning strikes, but Loki was getting angry still the same.

"I cannot believe you would dare use your elements against me." He spat, struggling against the wriggling Prince. "I was the one who strengthened them, you petulant imp. But, no matter, you have no choice in this request."

He yanked Jay, shoving him against the wall, wind knocked from his lungs in the ensuing struggle. "And just to think, I was going to make it easy for you and give you control of your female body, to do as you wish. Now, I rather think I would like you to feel the full extent of being a female human. Excessive pheromones and all, though I may spare you the menstruation, that can be messy and overly hormonal."

Jay stilled. His mouth dry. Tongue rolled up tight. "You, you can't?"

"Oh, I can."

Damned sceptre.

It appeared in his hand and he whacked Jay in the stomach. So easily he fell because he hadn't expected the blow, it came as a complete unwelcome surprise.

"You will be my female companion and you will make it look realistic." Loki snarled, nearing the Prince. "You never know, you might enjoy this experience, for all it may hold."

Loki conjured a grimoire to read verse from before the green mist appeared to make the change. He began chanting an almost archaic language that Jay couldn't understand. And before he had a chance to listen further, the mist was entering his body.

This time, unlike the time he was altered into the man he was. It didn't hurt, it was the exact opposite.

"Embrace it, let it take hold of you, feel it, accept it."

Jay's head flew back, and his back arched up against the wall. Breath coming in harsh ragged pants, his feminine hands came to grasp at his changing body. Writhing on the floor, moaning softly.

From Loki's perspective, Jay looked spectacular. He seemed to favour this version, so much better on the eyes.

Her hair seemed more vibrant, her body was truly exquisite. Long auburn hair, cascading over her face as she lost consciousness.

The clothes though. If anything she was cross-dressing now.

Scooping her up, easily, and disguised as Odin, he carried her out of the feast hall. Constantly whispering words to strengthen the spell. "After a few hours, you will think and act like a woman. Your body may attract the sexes but despite what you think about this form, you will be just as strong."

He passed the palace guards, before placing the female on his bed. "Remember, Jay-son, you are still immortally strengthened, powerful and still mine."

When Jay woke up, he realised he wasn't in Asgard. He was in Loki's room, judging by the books and colour scheme. The windows here, nothing like the ones in Odin's palace. This was Loki's private estate.

His body felt sore all over but more noticeably, it stung around his groin. A very distinct pain that was reminiscent of a keen sting. As if he'd somehow acquired a skin tear near his balls.

Jay shrugged it off because the past few days had been literal Hel what with taking over an area of civil unrest in Vanaheim and the celebration. It was probably just his body crying out for rest, maybe the Twins had worked him too hard?

But there was something else. He couldn't quite place why he felt different. He looked around, noticing it was dark outside. And figured that he had missed the journey to earth. he hoped they hadn't been here for too long because he'd promised Zane he would contact them.

Gently, he got off the bed and stretched. Making his way to the bathroom, he stifled a yawn.

Subconsciously, he'd began removing his nightclothes. Jay didn't notice he was wearing Loki's tunic, hadn't even registered the colour green. Nor the blood between his legs.

And again, upon getting into the shower room. He ached when he stood there and turned the faucet on. Was it something he'd eaten?

He stood there, in his birthday suit, heavy drops of water hitting his skin. Not understanding why he felt so ill. "Mm hair feels longer" he mumbled, coughing to correct his higher pitched voice.

At first he thought maybe the starts of a cold? Subconsciously, tousling the ends of his aurbun hair, he let it to trail down his front to see just how long it was.

Only then did he notice the bulging protrusions. And he panicked.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Jay slammed himself backwards into the shower, hitting the tiled wall hard. He was evidently trying his damndest to get away from his own breasts and that scary triangle of hair that should have been surrounding his cock.

Breathing was suddenly erratic, he stared at himself horrified at what he could see. Or rather couldn't see anymore.

He even felt for his manhood and testicles, panicking when he couldn't feel anything but folds of skin in their place.

"LOKI?" He screamed. "WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?"

Swearing be damned, this was insanity.

"I-I'm a w-woman..." he admitted, letting the words sink in. The water soothed him a little. Enough for him to attempt to stand again. "A WOMAN, are you kidding?"

Legs shaking, heart hammering wildly. "What in the Hel were you thinking?" He shouted, smashing his fists against the walI.

If he had been a man, at that moment he would have enjoyed the show. There was a full-length mirror, how so typical of Loki and his promiscuous ways.

Jay stared at the body he had in place of his own. Slender hips, moderately sized breasts. A good handful Jay mused, holding them himself to check for firmness. The nipples hardening almost immediately when his fingers brushed over them.

"Damn."

A perfectly rounded peachy bottom and he was too embarrassed to look at the female parts. He didn't want to stand there and spread his legs to find out what that looked like.

"SHIT!"

The possible implications of being a female on earth, especially in front of Cole, Kai and Lloyd. Those guys were horndogs at the best of times. Jay had seen them, all three of them attempting to seduce women in Ninjago city nightclubs, and they were good at it.

Right on cue, Loki entered the room. He could see that Jay was showering. He observed her.

This female form was an astonishing transformation. And, troublingly, he was having difficulty shaking the lewd thoughts from his head.

Evidently amazed at his own abilities, Loki took in the sight of her, not realising the full strength of infatuation he had cast. "I think we may need to reconsider your name, at least whilst you are in female form."

Jay flinched when Loki's cold fingers grasped his naked back. "P-personal space still stands, r-right?" He squeaked, nervously, keeping his back to the God. "My-My Lord."

"It's ok Jay, you don't need to call me that." He soothed, plying her with soap. "You are, after all my fiance in this realm." He smirked, carding his ice cold hand down Jay's damp back, stopping at her buttocks. "I still may have need of you tonight my dear. For now, reacquaint yourself with some clothes," he said, walking away.

"One other thing..." Pausing before he left completely. "I apologise. I may have hurt you last night."

"You touch me again and I'll break every damn bone in your hand...". Jay hissed under his breath. Already his skin felt dirty, the blood was a testament to that.

Blushing madly at the embarrassment of being a woman and then having Loki hitting on him was horrendous enough. He still had to get dressed and greet the world like this.

Jay shook his head, drying off while searching for a clean outfit. He thought that perhaps he could wear his regular robes but they had looked hideous. They didn't fit, too baggy in places and bits were sticking out.

"N-nothing fits," He mumbled at the closed door.

"Try the armoire, Loki suggested.

Jay searched for it, this wasn't his room, Loki's was large in contrast. He opened it hesitantly, gasping in surprise when he saw the clothes within. Since when did Loki have these in his wardrobe?

"Pretty." He said under his breath. Grasping a short bodycon style.

"Wh-what's happening to me?" Jay staggered backwards, in shock. His mind was changing, thinking more like a female than a male. It didn't help that Loki was chuckling outside the room. "You evil conniving bastard. You'll regret this," He hissed under his breath. "Fucking fine mess."

Grabbing the dress, Jay slipped into it and scowled at his reflection. Before long he had started admiring himself. He didn't look that bad. The clothing choice seemed okay, though he felt he was more eye candy than warrior.

He still felt like the outfit was missing something. Other than stockings and some racy knickers he could peel off with his teeth.

Shit, he was going commando. Loki had no female underwear.

"Shoes..." he mumbled, spotting some nude coloured high heels. "I'll need shoes?"

"The armoire." Loki repeated.

"Four inch heels, are you kidding me?" Jay growled. Pulling the dress down to cover his pert ass, providing more modesty. "Why don't you wear these?"

Before leaving, Jay fumbled around in his regular robes and retrieved the device. He placed it securely between his firm breasts as that was the only place he could think of hiding it. The dress was too tight to place it anywhere else.

"I'm so going to regret this," he hissed, attempting to stand and then walk.

It was unsteady at first. Jay looked like a drunk but he made it to the door and Loki supported him from there on out.

"You look ravishing. Please, will you join me for dinner, darling?" He added, smirking at his own skills. It was more a request than a question. Jay knew he wasn't eating at Loki's palace. They had transport waiting for them to take them to the nearest aerodrome.

And it was during this journey that Loki pushed past the boundaries. His hand settled on Jay's thigh.

"If you touch me, I'll snap your fingers off." Jay whispered. Seeing Loki's gaze lingering on his female legs.

Loki leaned in, so close that only Jay could hear. "You need to make it look real, darling." His hand strayed under the dress and Jay grit his teeth. "Kiss me." He ordered.

The kiss was carnal and dark. Minty and ice cold, strangely addictive . Pleasant, but disturbing when he felt something else. "Stop touching me up, asshole." Jay growled. Stiffening at the unwelcome fondling.

"You shaved the hair?" He whispered. Thumb circling, fingers pushing inside.

Jay's face flushed red. "I-I did, there weren't any knickers." His fingers clenched the seat. "I thought it would be better like this."

It was evident that Loki was putting on this show for HYDRA. The company had put on the transport.

"Relax, I shan't hurt you." He whispered, "at least make this look believable. Currently, you seem to be a little _frigid_."

"Get your fucking fingers out." Jay hissed through clenched teeth. Moaning softly, as he felt them sliding smoothly, slick and wet. "Pl-please."

"If you insist. Stay close tonight, dear." Loki warned. Complying with Jay's request.

Luckily, the venue was far from their current location. A good thing really because it meant that whomever the disguised Loki was talking to wouldn't be privvy to where Loki was staying whilst here.

It was so far away that once the cars had arrived at the small aerodrome, a helicopter was there to take them the rest of the journey.

Dinner was held by an international conglomerate known simply as HYDRA. Surreptitiously, they wanted to join forces with the man that had accompanied Jay this night.

Jay was sure that they suspected it was Loki, after all, why were they paying him such respect? He kept up the premise though, never let his disguise drop. Loki couldn't afford to be captured here, neither would make it out alive. So, he remained in disguise, a spokesperson for Loki. Someone who would pass on messages.

The whole evening was exceptionally boring, and Loki was deep in conversation with some important looking people.

And at no better time, his comms device started vibrating, this in itself wasn't bad, but it made his breasts wobble. Getting up, Jay stalked into the garden.

"What?" he hissed into the device. "Who is it?"

"Is that?...Can I speak to Jay, if he's there?"

"Speaking, I mean...yeah this is me...uh...him." Flustered, he ran a hand through his much longer hair. "Lloyd it's me!" Jay stammered, blushing.

"Uh Jay, why uh? Why are you a woman?" Lloyd giggled.

"It was Loki...again with the deception...he gave me no choice...it's only temporary Lloyd, don't get your hopes up."

"Well, uh, I'm letting you know that we're staying at a motel. Uhm hang on."

Lloyd paused for a few seconds before clambering over the bed. "Uhm Motel Five, literally no more than four blocks from your current location."

"H-how do you know that?" Jay inquired.

"Zane amended our devices so we can track each other, ya know since we lost you; he thought it would be a useful addition."

"Hmm, I hate that I'm the reason that he's invented these things."

"Uhm Jay,...C-Cole will be en route to Loki's palace tomorrow morning, you need to meet them there asap and..."

"What about Kai and Zane?"

"Reconnaissance," Lloyd joked, "they've gone to source some food. Are you going to be there tomorrow?"

"Sure thing,"

"Can we meet, tonight?" He asked, eyes trailing down Jay's chest.

" I'm trussed up in four inch heels here, I can't exactly run, plus, this place is crawling with agents."

"Jay, I uh..."

"Lloyd stop looking at me like that. It's not healthy..."

"Mmh...beautiful."

"LLOYD, snap out of it."

"One night stands?"

"What? You're really starting to freak me out a little here." He wouldn't stop looking at Jay with lecherous green eyes.

"Can I get your number, maybe we can go somewhere, we're only here for a few weeks."

Suddenly he found himself talking to Lloyd provocatively as if a spell had been cast. It was an out of body experience, was this is what Loki meant?

He had foolishly arranged to meet Lloyd nearby to go over the plans. The journey there was quick. Sneaky

Lloyd poked his head around the corner of his motel room door and motioned Jay to enter...Before they even had a chance to go over any plans, Lloyd attempted and succeeded in making out with her.

Jay cut the meeting short. Blushing furiously.

That was the most mortifying thing he'd ever done. His mind hated every minute, it was cringeworthy. He'd even cringed when he passionately kissed Lloyd goodbye. Green bean was still mesmerised, instantly getting up to grab at her.

"Please stay here..." Lloyd pleaded, grasping at Jay's wrist, unwilling to release her.

"No, I really have to go." He pulled his wrist away. "I-I'll see you tomorrow I promise."

How was he supposed to explain this to Lloyd? he'd never speak to Jay again.

Jay quickly made his way back across town with his shoes in his hands. Luckily getting there just in time to see Loki walking away from the main table.

He was drunk and approached quickly, sweeping Jay into a low embrace, kissing her deeply in front of a majority of single ladies.

Jay knew why he had done it, this had to look real. This was so wrong on so many levels.

Although it pained Jay to admit it; he did enjoy it. Somehow seeing their faces made it all the more enjoyable, Loki knew it too.

But a part of it still felt wrong, he was taking advantage, knowing the female body wouldn't complain.

"Come, this dinner has given me a ravenous appetite and food will not slake it."

Oh god not again.

This is beyond humiliating. He knows it's me and he's enjoying this. Taking advantage while I'm unable to protest...

"You never know Jay maybe you'll enjoy it." Was all he said as he removed his clothes standing tall, naked and proud.

If Jay didn't have size issues before seeing Loki then he would have had now,

Are all God's like this? Now don't get me wrong he's not like the Hulk at least I don't think he is, shit what am I saying? I never saw that, I was too busy fighting.

Loki was uhm, well, he was oh god...

The God was very experienced he knew what he was doing.

The female body of his was pushed to its limits numerous times as Loki took hold and ravished her into the night.

He slept so well because of it, that it was midday when Jay woke. But it wasn't the brightness or bird song that woke him. It was hunger. He couldn't remember eating all that much yesterday, didn't even get a dinner.

The clock read 3pm.

Climbing carefully out of bed and in to a short golden dress, Jay stalked around the palace in bare feet, finding it oddly quiet.

It would appear that Loki had just upped and gone, leaving with no note.

And worse, Jay didn't need a mirror to see he was still trapped in this form.

"Gahh...come on really."

This was good though. Jay could possibly escape if Loki wasn't here but then he would still be trapped in this form and of course there was the enchantment that he'd cast.

Wallowing in self pity, Jay sat in the hallway. Trying to understand what was happening.

Why would he do this...maybe he had some sort of meeting.

Something to do, need to make myself feel useful. The tesseract!

He remembered Loki mentioning it being in the vault. No problem there as Jay could easily get inside using his versatile element.

In fact, he was still forming a plan when he heard a rustling and further muffled sound outside. Listening carefully, Jay recognised the voice, it sounded like Cole, and he quickly found his way to the nearest access window where he saw the master of earth trying to scale the building.

"Cole, is that you." He squeaked in a tone much higher than his normal voice.

"Why, who wants to know?" Came an earthy growl.

Obviously he didn't recognise the voice. "It's me Jay, uhm, I'm over here." He said, cringing waiting for Cole's expression to change.

"Jay?" He questioned. "Oh my god it's really you...whoa!" Double take, he stepped back to take a better look. "Uh, is it really you?" He stood back from the other side of the window unsure of what he was seeing, he smirked.

"Yes Cole. This fantastical shitheap is an enchantment, and hopefully not permanent."

"Are ya gonna let me in." Cole said, looking at The female Jay incredulously.

"Are you gonna promise to keep your hands to yourself?" Jay replied.

"Uh, your my brother. Just in a woman's body. Has, what type of guy do you think I am?" Jay looked at him unsure of what to think . Cole had, after all, stolen Nya in his absence.

"It's an enchantment? Undesirable side effects?"

No response just a smug grin.

"Fine, the vault's in here. Just need to access it." Jay said, opening the window to let his brother enter.

Proximity alert. Back away from the testosterone ridden man...

As soon as he got close, Jay's mind went blank and the spell took over.

Ways to seduce Cole. 101, wear a short dress and flash some leg. Tell him you're going commando, blow him a kiss and show him your breasts. Great just great.

As Cole approached, his demeanor changed, his task of retrieving the cube was now gone and his new task was the woman who stood in his way...Jay gulped.

Cole grabbed her forcefully, pushing her against the vault.

"So rough and firm. Hard planes and contoured muscles... " she moaned at his touch.

"So fucking hot." He replied lifting the dress to sneak a peek.

"Haa, st-stop. Cole, it's me, J-Jay,"

"No talking," He mumbled, pulling the female against himself. "Where's your bedroom?"

His voice husky with need. He'd already removed his trousers. Arousal bobbing up and down, shiny and ready for action.

Jay gulped at the sight of how turned on Cole seemed to be. He could have run, should have but he was glued to the spot.

Cole was ferocious. His skills were pretty unmatched. Even as a man, Jay wouldn't have been able to keep up with Cole's ravenous sexual appetite.

Jay had foolishly thought that Nya was all Cole had needed but evidently, judging by this overly energetic rough sex. He seriously doubted it now.

It was certainly intense, Cole bit down hard when he came. Jay was sprawled underneath him. "I-I d-don't know what got in to m-me." Cole stammered, quickly dressing himself. "Did I h-hurt you?"

"No." Jay shook his head, sweaty curls fell over her naked body. Suddenly self conscious, she pulled the green bedspread over the blood stains and redressed.

"Why did you come here Cole?"

He was kissing her again. No direct response. Jay had no time for this. "What was your objective?"

"You,"

"No, idiot. You came here for something else. Think with your head, not your dick,"

"The cube," He finally mouthed, breaking the repetitive kisses. "I came to get the cube."

Quickly, they moved back to the vault room and Jay managed to override the security systems allowing Cole access to the tesseract.

He'd put it straight into a sealed container and left it outside the opened window he had come through. The close proximity was affecting his thinking.

"Cole, you need to snap out of this," Jay urged, exasperated at having to repeat himself.

"We...don't...have...time...for...this."

His hands were so strong, relentlessly grasping. "St-stop, you're hurting me." Jay winced, pulling from his grasp.

Cole lunged forward and forced his hands onto Jay's body, attempting to kiss her again. This time, he was too rough, the dress ripped as he fought to free her of the clothes. He wanted her body, craved it. And damn it, he would take it. Again and again.

"I'll punch you, if you don't stop."

"I want you." He growled. Sliding fingers inside.

"Aww sweet but haa, C-Cole, st-stop, please." Jay let out a strangled gasp.

The enchantment was taking its toll on Cole's mind and body, Jay had given fair warning. Quickly and to avoid being raped, Jay unleashed a powerful punch to Cole's stomach.

He went down, grunting in pain. Having not seen it coming.

"Look, I'm sorry, I-I didn't wanna hurt you." Jay rubbed his knuckles, surprisingly they didn't hurt. "You need to think rationally...C-Cole?"

He got up to his feet and ran at Jay.

Sensing danger, Jay bolted for the hallway. He quickly tried to make his escape but Cole surprisingly, was too fast.

A hand grabbed hold of Jay's arm and he was swung around to face his captor.

Since when were Cole's eyes so full of rage?

Instinct kicked in and Jay swiftly punched him in the face, a sucker punch that made contact with the jaw.

He didn't go down as Jay had expected, Cole merely closed his eyes for a split second. If anything, it had angered him further.

Again, Jay tried to run but as he turned to run he grabbed her hair and yanked it until Jay fell on the floor.

Damned long hair.

Typically, Jay's dark element was trying to protect him but he fought the urge to use it in his defence.

If he used it against Cole, he'd be dead in an instant.

But, not using his element was a bad move because Cole pinned him down, straddling the waist of Jay's female body.

He was expecting to be groped, instead, Cole unleashed Hel, and viciously hit Jay with a right hook to his jaw.

It smarted instantly. Made his ears ring.

"Motherfucker, Cole. What the hell?" He shrieked in pain, retaliating with a burst of lightning. He'd zapped him with a small scale stun.

Cole quickly got up. Taking on an attack position ready to fight. Jay stood wearily feeling like his jaw was broken.

"Cole, please don't do this." Jay pleaded, looking at his brother. The one being drained of his essence the longer he remained here. "Look, see what you've come to collect? It's right there, you got what you needed." Jay got into a defensive stance. "You got the cube, you got it now, j-just leave."

"If I can't have you...no-one can..." He replied, running at Jay.

The dark element again tried to protect him but Jay refused to let it because it was pure darkness and the more he used it, the darker he became.

Cole was furious, he beat Jay's female body with a volley of punches and kicks until Jay couldn't stand. At which point he turned his back, leaving with the case.

It could have been much worse, the infatuation could have resulted in rape.

Jay didn't remember much after that, he fell asleep on the floor of the vault waking up in almost complete darkness a few hours later.

Wincing as he stood to his full height. Jay cursed under his breath, holding his ribs. He needed food, needed something sweet to comfort binge on.

"Thanks Cole, that was real classy." He grumbled, grabbing his ribs.

On the way to the kitchen, Jay stalked to Loki's room and noticed the messy sheets.

Loki would be beyond furious if he knew what had transpired, let alone that the ninja had been here so he quickly tidied the bed, removing all evidence of Cole from it.

"How am I supposed to explain these injuries to Loki, or Cole and Lloyd?"

"Where is Loki?" He looked at the nearest clock, hours had passed since he'd been absent. It was now so dark outside you could see a sky full of distant stars.

Now that Loki's room was tidied, Jay got up at the sound of his gut churning. He needed to eat.

It just happened to be one of those days where there'd been no staff at all. So, he entered the kitchen and grabbed handfuls of earth food, crisps and snacks, chocolates and soda. He was going to enjoy this, maybe it would take his mind of his brothers strange behaviour and the undeniable fact that he was a man in a woman's body.

This midnight feast would have been great until he heard the main door slam.

"Hello." He shouted. Damned female voice making him sound meek. "Wh-who's there?"

"It's me my dearest." Loki reappeared next to his female companion, instantly frowning at the extensive injuries. "And you have some explaining to do." He said, looking at the bruised, bloodied face.

For some strange reason, unbeknownst to Jay; Loki was wearing his functional armour and carried his mind altering sceptre.

"I'm not explaining anything to you." Jay spat, Loki could sense the disgust. "I told you this was a bad idea."

"Jay, I could just utter a cantrip that will get you to reveal your secrets."

"Turn me back." He demanded. "This isn't fair, it's immoral,"

"At your request, of course. Besides, the deal is done, We do not need keep up the premise."

With a quick flick of his fingers Jay was back to his normal male physique.

Humiliatingly, he span quickly into his robes, registering the fact he was wearing a dress...

The humiliation, will it ever end?

"Perhaps you could enlighten me to a few truths."

"I'm not gonna tell you anything, this was out of line." He seethed, fighting back the anger. "You took advantage. How dare you?"

"Don't take that tone with me. I rather think you forget who you are talking to."

"Fuck off," He spat, squaring off, "This is all your fault." He uttered, pointing at his bruises and split lip.

"I could rip out your still beating heart and watch you die only to bring you back again and do it all over." Loki hissed.

"You would do well to remember where your allegiance lies."

"Allegiances, fuck y..."

He slapped Jay across the face. Sick and tired of the constant use of earth bound expletives.

Such tempered rage lay underneath. Jay's heart was hammering against his chest. His head had flown to the side with the force of the hit.

"You should already know this, but evidently I need to remind you. My title is King, remember?" He said, not before hitting the Prince with his sceptre.

"Remember your place."

Jay didn't go down, he stood his ground and scowled before storming away back to his room.

Infuriated didn't come close to how Jay was feeling. He was livid, he wanted to tear a strip from Cole and lay into Loki.


	12. Trust works both ways

The doors to his room were wrenched open with the force of his anger.

"GET OUT!" He yelled, seeing the women in his room made him feel even worse than he already did.

Concubines were what Loki referred to them as. Jay could safely assume that they didn't even know what it meant. They probably thought it was a term of endearment or something.

They were just paid whores. Jay only chose the black haired girls, never looked at them though, Loki had the stunning ones.

Right at that moment, Jay needed solitude, he didn't want company or sex. He didn't crave the physical, if anything, he didn't want anyone to touch him. He'd just endured a full day of being penetrated as a female. And not once did he fight back.

He stupidly thought that he would have been able to control some of it, but no. He had made out with Lloyd and Cole, Loki too.  
His female body had craved the physical touch, the pleasure. His repeated orgasms were a testament to that.

And now...?

Jay was beside himself. A humongous secret he would need to keep from his own brothers. Loki could even use it as leverage, to punish him further.

"Go, get out of here," he repeated. Voice cracking with emotion.

They had left and as soon as they'd gone, Jay stripped himself bare and showered. What was worse? He had a feeling that he still had remnants of Cole and Loki's DNA inside him and it made him wretch violently.

The sparse food he had eaten, splashed onto the shower room floor. Fighting the remaining heaves, Jay began scrubbing himself. Plotting some form of sweet revenge.

"I-I can't believe he'd stoop so low."

"I-I mean, why...why didn't he just bring Sigyn? It would have been so much easier. L-less painful?" He mumbled. sitting on the shower room floor hugging his knees, feeling emasculated.

He kept looking down to check everything was as it should be. That nothing was missing. He remembered what Loki had said. The cruel trick he had played on Thor during Thrym's wedding banquet. Thor had been changed into a girl, though he had  
retained his strength.

His hands grasped his manhood, relief swept over him. "Oh, thank the First Spinjitzu Master." It was still there. His chest was flat. No protrusions at all. Just all sinuous roped muscles as before. It didn't stop the torment though.

What he had done last night and earlier today with Cole.

He was shamed by it all. Shamed and conflicted.

After his shower and subsequent hurling session. Jay dried himself off, subconsciously rubbing his face where Loki's hand had slapped him.

It was the same hand that had been grasping at his body last night. Molesting, squeezing...fingering.

Dry heaves returned, the bile slowly rising in his throat.

Loki had been enjoying of the experience of manipulation. Taking advantage of the female body Jay had possessed. And for Loki, possession was nine-tenths of his own law.

Jay had no right to fight back. He couldn't even if he'd wanted to. The infatuation was too strong, it became obsession. In a way, he was glad Kai hadn't been at the Motel last night, or Zane. He might have ended up having an orgy.

He shuddered. Cringing at the thought. Hands checking he was complete again.

When would this obsessive compulsion end? He was checking his balls every few minutes, it almost looked like he had an STD, gods forbid.

A deep sigh, and he decided what he was going to do. He needed a breather, Jay was getting cabin fever because he'd been cooped up all day.

He was going to go out, be sneaky again. Wouldn't let Loki know either, he'd just go for a few hours and come back before the sunrise in six hours.

Plenty of time.

He'd never get away with fully running off. Loki even said so through his closed door. Besides, Heimdall would find him in a heartbeat, he'd alert Loki to his presence.

It would be futile.

Dressing promptly as time began ticking away. He selected and placed all his weapons into their respective sheaths. Everything was where it should be, Katana, throwing stars and kunai, a few hidden ones strapped under his robes for emergencies.

Jay had to be prepared to fight if the occasion called for it. Loki had told him so, given him extensive training in close quarters combat. The rest was upto him to figure out.

For one, he couldn't risk being found by the so-called 'good guys'. Even the thought of being accosted by the Ghost rider would be a death wish he'd rather avoid, let alone the so-called Avengers. He had been warned of the stare of penitence.

Jay's soul would be obliterated in an instant. It was already tarnished with the people he had killed on Vanaheim.

His increasing sour mood wasn't helped one bit by Loki's reluctance to listen, let alone, apologise for the way he had treated him.

Truth be told, Jay didn't care if Loki found out about this. Sure, it wouldn't be ideal and secretly he would relish the pain that came from it because he could switch off to that. But, it would also guarantee in making Jay's point as clear as day. It would make Loki see that Jay wasn't going to put up with this treatment anymore.

He was a someone before all of this. Had a life and was in control of it. But since joining senor psychopath AKA Loki; he'd pretty much become a warrior slave. A Gladiator in modern times.

Making him into someone who did as he was told, when he was told. Only speaking when spoken to and fighting when ordered, day or night.

"Tested daily, punished for weakness," Jay muttered to himself. He lifted the blinds and slid his fingers under the ridge before lifting the transom.

"How is that even fair?" He muttered, checking once again that his family jewels were intact.

Now was his chance to show Loki how angry he was, injuries and all, Jay didn't care. He decided to leave Loki in his own little world for a few hours.

Just like he had been...

Left alone in the palace; in the form of a woman. Jay had been largely unable to fight off Cole's advances and then things got out of hand. Cole became too aggressive and his thrusts more painful. Then came the violence and the punches.

He hated that he now held that against Cole. That the reason his face looked like it did was because his best friend had attempted to beat the SHIT out of him, as a female.

Jay wasn't really sexist. But he knew he had been vulnerable today, the proof was all over his face and body. Still, Loki wasn't having any of it. He was in his room, fucking for Asgard.

While Jay was wallowing in self pity right next door.

"Let's see how you like it, being vulnerable and alone."

Jay opened the transom, pulling the heavy panel up with a grunt. He only needed to squeeze out of the smallest gap.

"Yeah, I can squeeze through that, I'm a ninja right?"

Doubting himself, he frowned. Was he a ninja anymore, he didn't feel like he was part of the team?

"Ha, he thinks he can control me, pfft...I don't think so."

Slipping out of the window was actually the easy part. He expected to feel the lintel near his feet but there was nothing there, just a sheer drop. Squeezing his eyes shut, Jay hoped for the best.

Typically, he misjudged the drop and ended up free falling thirteen feet, landing on the grass.

The first noise he heard was his ankle crunching under the weight. He bit down hard on his knuckle to avoid shouting out.

His excuse for that blip was that it was exceptionally dark and he couldn't see the ground. Still, he had landed, in one whole piece.

Possibly sprained or broken his ankle too, he wasn't sure.

And then rain to add insult to injury. Up ahead, towards New York's city skyline was a gigantic amount of storm clouds.

It was almost as if the weather was picking up on his mood. There were long branches or forked lightning hitting the ground and undulating flashes of sheet lightning. The comforting sounds of thunder, the humidity heavy in the air.

The further he travelled from the safe confines of the palace, the clearer his head felt. Lightning was still coming down at regular intervals. It made him feel energised, it was invigorating.

He could smell petrichor; the smell of newly dampened earth.

For a few fleeting seconds it reminded him of pleasantness until the vision of a certain black hearted someone he used to call his best friend assaulted his visions.

Well, he had been Jays best friend up until a few days ago. That was until he found out that Cole had been screwing Nya, and, of course, until Cole had beat the shit out of him today.

The next task was to get out of this expensive neighbourhood. Jay even had a resident's pass which Loki had reluctantly given to him, as well as a scant handful of dollars. Stating that Jay was to never leave, so why would he need the pass.

At least the stupid pass was being put to good use. Jay didn't even care about the fact that Loki would be angry, wrathful or whatever. The impending pain and hurt he knew would soon be happening, would all be worth it.

As luck would have it, Jay knew where his brothers were. By way of his earlier disguise as a female and Lloyd's eagerness to give their address before the enchantment took hold of him.

A full on make out session ensued. Jay cringed. How was he supposed to look Lloyd in the eyes after what they did last night?

"Urgh the embarrassment..." If they found out about this, they'd never forgive him, ever... Jay would be cast out.

He pulled the slightly damaged comms device from his clothes allowing him to contact his old team mates. Secretly hoping that two of them wouldn't remember the last twenty four hours.

This was a huge secret he would have to keep, but how to do it? He never was a good liar. Even now, he was covered in scrapes and bruises and they were bound to ask where he'd got them. As usual, they'd suspect Loki.

But this time, it wasn't him.

Jay hailed a cab after the first couple of hours walking because the pain in his ankle was throbbing and the rain had soaked him through.

Had enough cash to get some food though, but no more and he figured it would be a long walk back in solitude.

The journey there gave him enough time to think of a plausible reason as to why he was injured, considering Loki hadn't hurt him at all.

He eventually arrived at the motel, wet and cold, shivering slightly. Knocking on the door gently, Jay stood back and waited. He could hear hushed voices, possibly Lloyd standing behind the door.

"Who is it?" The muffled voice asked suspiciously.

"Jay," He replied, _bluntly_. "Open the door, _please_."

The faded metal panelled door flew open rapidly and he was quickly hauled into the room by Lloyd and Zane. Cole was present, he stood up quickly to greet as soon as Jay righted himself.

Wincing as he corrected his stance, the sudden quick movement took his breath away but he didn't let it show. Jay found the nearest sofa and proceeded to take his leather boot off, assessing his ankle for damage.

"Oh my god, Jay, it's been like...like weeks since we saw you." Lloyd said excitedly.

 _Try twenty four hours green machine._

Lloyd helped to remove Jay's wet leather and suede overcoat; the colours of which were black and blue just like his ankle strangely enough.

He took them, hanging them carefully near the air conditioning unit in an attempt to dry. Lloyd stared at it for a while admiring the style and additional pockets. It also had all of Jay's blades attached.

The black throwing stars and kunai were still attached to Jay's inner clothes, secured in their own sheaths and pouches. Having protective weapons on every layer of clothing was a necessity.

"You remember anything from yesterday Lloyd?" Jay asked, eyebrow raised, hoping Lloyd wouldn't pick up on his nervous tone.

"Well I met this hot thing last night, she blew my mind. Haa, you sort of remind me of her."

 _I blew more than your mind..._

The heaves returned.

Jay blushed. "Was it the eyes? I get that a lot."

"Yeah the eyes for sure. She was a right stunner, beautiful in fact." Lloyd added, proceeding to tell everyone what she looked like in every detail possible even down to breast size and everything in between. Even how tight she was.

 _God this is humiliating!_

 _Well, what was he expecting? My female side was brand new, had never had kids or a cock, until yesterday._

Then, the most horrendous chills went through him. None of them had used protection, not even the bastard who made him endure it.

Jay could just imagine Loki's super sperm, although he didn't want to. He imagined them having have two tails and a fucking horned helmet too, likely decimating everything in their path.

 _Oh God, please make it end_.

But what was he supposed to do? He couldn't exactly cut Lloyd off. He cringed as Lloyd continued to recall every sordid detail and position whilst Kai and Cole smirked in response.

Cole and Kai seemed very cynical about the whole thing. They thought Lloyd was making the whole thing up.

"One thing we don't know, was how Cole managed to get the cube...he came back with it but couldn't remember how." Lloyd quickly changed the subject, fighting to control his embarrassment at giving out way to much information.

"He had a female companion with him, yesterday." Jay muttered quickly.

Cole approached Jay with a warm towel and hot drink and sat next to him. The towel was placed on Jay's shoulders and the drink, in his shivering hands.

"All I remember was meeting a gorgeous woman and uh. Well, we uhm, a few times I think." Cole rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Look, that's not important. I know my knuckles were sore when I got back, guess I must have been attacked."

His knuckles were hideous, the bruises looked far worse than the ones Jay had.

Jay turned slightly to look him in the eyes and nodded with a sense of intrigue. He painfully remembered what had happened.

Kai shot Cole a menacing look full of distrust as he heard him change the subject quickly. The master of earth kept his gaze down, it was like Kai could tell he was keeping a dirty secret from him just by his body language and his unabashed admission.

"Is that so...that's odd." Jay said, biting his lip. Holding his lower rib area with a wince. It was apparent the rib was still healing.

"So how have ya been, Jay? What's cracking and why are you covered in injuries again?" Cole said trying to change the subject.

 _Haha, hilarious. He's so funny, if only he knew._

"Take it the psychopathic God with a chip on his shoulder is still up to his old tricks, judging by your face?" Cole said.

Jay let out a dark laugh, "N-no it wasn't, uhm it wasn't Loki this time." He replied quietly.

 _You stupid fuck, it was you, you did this Cole_.

Maybe he could skim the truth a little. "Look, I twisted my ankle trying to get here. Some asshole beat seven bells out of me yesterday and, to top it all off...I'm royalty...so not much really other than those few unimportant things."

"Whoa, you're a prince!" Kai suddenly spoke. Cutting Cole's questions off instantly.

"Since when? Where's your crown?" He scoffed.

Kai didn't believe him, Jay could tell that much.

"Three days ago, give or take." Jay replied. Still painfully aware that Kai hadn't spoken to him since blaming him for Nya's breakdown.

"Prove it!" Kai ordered.

The firestarter hadn't changed, he was still being a jerk.

"Wh-what?" Jay raised his eyebrows at the distrust and lack of respect.

"I said _Prove it_ ," He repeated.

Kai was obviously still mad, though Jay had nothing to hide from him. And to give this stupid proof he so craved, Jay obliged him.

Spinning in to his purple spinjitzu tornado, he reappeared in his partially damp ceremonial robes, minus most of the trimmings save for his crown. He hobbled in the stiff outfit and sat with a wince.

"What?" He said, noting they were all looking at him in shock and awe. This was embarrassing, the way they made him feel was beyond humiliating.

"That is impressive." Zane finally said, breaking the silence. Cole and Lloyd were still staring. Kai's eyebrow was elevated.

"I am once again in the midst of royalty, your majesty?" He questioned.

 _Ugh, to appease, I'll take it as the compliment it's meant as._

"Thank you Zane, it's still Jay." Winking at him. "Remember?"

"Sorry." He said, his metal hand came to rest on Jay's. "Tell me about this." He motioned, pointing upwards at the decorative headgear.

"Apparently it's enchanted." Jay replied, taking it off to show him.  
"It amplifies my element, so I'm told. Besides, Loki doesn't really allow me to take it off so it kinda stays in place all the time."

"So why couldn't we see it when you walked in here?" Cole queried.

Jay didn't answer, he just put it back on and changed into his damp working armour with a final grunt at having to perform the same manourve on his twisted ankle.

He used his hands to emphasise, a kind of jazz hands manoeuvre. "It's magic." Jay said, sitting down once more.

"Look guys, I've come here tonight to make you aware that Loki doesn't know of the missing cube yet. He is, however, suspicious of me, thinks I'm keeping things from him."

"Well are you?" Kai asked.

"Maybe." Jay replied dryly. "Come on Kai, keep up. I'm obviously keeping things from him." He joked. "I'm here and he doesn't know."

 _Kai_ _, you're being_ _such a dick._

"Great, so he's gonna be looking for us!" Kai fumed. "I told you guys this would be a bad idea." He added, hissing at both master's in front of him. Even his posture was dangerous and closed. Kai was standing, leaning against the wall with his arms and legs crossed.

He had been standing like that since Jay had arrived. Hadn't even acknowledged him when he walked through the door. Kai had been stood there, staring at Jay like he didn't know him anymore.

"You keeping things from us too? Or are you gonna set us up?" Came a reply so distrustful in tone, Jay was surprised that it wasn't accompanied by a flying kunai.

Still, he remained calm, showing no emotion, "W-what are you talking about Kai?...why would I set you up, you're all important to me...we're brothers, a team."

 _Right?_

"Nya isn't important though is she?"

"Wha...what?" Jay looked at him in confusion before looking at Cole who had quickly moved to approach Kai.

 _Whoa, what's going on here?_

"Nya is uhm...well she's with C-Cole now.." Jay replied, looking away. Now he was feeling small all of a sudden and quite scared at the body language of his brothers who were all looking at him and Kai, intermittently.

"Jay, you're the most selfish person I know." Kai hissed. Zane frowned at the words spewing from Kai. He looked at Lloyd, unsure of what to say. A part of his programming wondering if he should let Kai get this off his chest.

 _This is massively overstepping the mark, Kai_. _Out of line._

"Of course she's important. What's wrong with you?" Jay asked, confused. He could feel his anger rising but refused to bite back.

Kai looked at Jay, leaning across, whispering to Cole and Lloyd. "He needs to leave and we need to get out of here, I don't trust him anymore."

"And then what?" Cole growled, his arm restraining Kai. "We came here to get him, not leave him."

"He's not one of us, anymore. He's changed."

 _As would you. Asshole_.

"Is Kai even aware that I'm in the room with him?" Jay muttered under his breath to Zane. The only one he felt was on his side.

"Kai, I'm right here, you realise I'm in the same room with you?!"

The pain in those eyes. Zane could see it clearly. The more Kai said, the worse the damage got.

"We, we're still a team aren't we?" Jay repeated, verging on uncertainty. Only now did this whole meeting feel like a terrible idea.

"NO, we're not a team anymore. You're not a part of it, remember? You quit." Kai growled, walking out of the motel room with Cole following quickly after him.

At least Cole looked remorseful of Kai's words as he passed his shocked lightning brother. He was obviously going to talk some sense into Kai, not realising that Jay too, needed comforting more than any of them.

And there it was, the final truth from Kai, one of Jay's closest friends. At least he knew how Kai truly felt. Jay's heart literally cracked in half, he wanted to leave, put all of this behind him and finally move on, knowing he wasn't part of their team.

He was on his own, with a God who took pleasure in bringing him down.

 _They can get on with their lives, I will with mine. Because it's obvious they all feel the same, no-one's willing to say otherwise._

"Why did I bother?" Jay sighed, looking to his nindroid brother for answers, knowing that he would at least try to lessen the anxiety with some sound reasoning and neutrality.

"When Loki finds out the cube's missing, he's going to suspect me."

"I am sorry, Jay."

"When he realises I'm not there, I'll be the one getting hurt, mental and physical, and Kai still thinks this is about him."

"Jay, we thought Kai would have calmed by now, but evidently seeing you has reignited his anger." Zane replied.

"Evidently!"

"He refuses to talk about it." Zane finished, looking up at Lloyd.

Jay shrugged his shoulders, accepting it. "It's fine, I'll just go, it's not like time is a big issue is it!"

"Maybe give it some time. We can reason with him?" Lloyd soothed, leaning down to console.

 _This is hopeless_

"So, what, you want me to wait a few more years before contacting you again. Is that enough time for him to get over himself? Maybe ten years?" Jay said, voice cracking with emotion. He stood, ready to leave. "I'm reckoning that'll be about 70 years for _your_ home realm, when you take into account the time zones and methods of travel!"

Lloyd's face dropped and sadness came to the forefront at what Jay had just uttered aloud. He didn't refer to it as his home world any more.

Awkward silence...pain and anger bubbling under the surface.

 _I did this for all of you..._

"I'm sorry okay, I didn't mean it...Sorry Zane, Lloyd, can you forgive me?"

"Jay, don't apologise, this isn't anyone's fault, but Loki's."

"Well, Lloyd, someone's blaming me?"

Silence, like a thick blanket came between them.

"It's okay. You don't need to say anything. I didn't want to make you guys feel uneasy around me but maybe it would've been best if you hadn't come at all. In fact: you shouldn't have wasted your time."

He accepted it. There was no team, no reason to believe anymore. They had moved on.

"Now you have the cube, you can go home without me, just destroy or hide the other." Jay pulled his wet black boot on. He limped to grab the leather overcoat, slipping his arms into the soggy leather and pulling it back on with the same hint of sadness that he'd felt when he was last in Ninjago.

"Don't go," Lloyd pleaded. "Stay, we'll work this out."

"Jay...please do not let him get to you. Kai is struggling at the moment. Besides, we came for you, to take you home with us this time."

Jay said nothing, just carried on with fastening his overcoat. All the time, listening intently to Zane's robotic voice.

"We were not planning on leaving you here again and especially not with Loki." Zane soothed in a stern but well-meaning tone.

He sighed, shaking his head. Leaning back on the makeshift sofa.

"Take Kai's attitude with a pinch of salt." Lloyd replied. "I do, all the time!"

Jay half smiled.

 _I would easily take Kai's attitude and dismiss it but his words are cruel. His negativity is draining me more than Loki's repetitive tasks_.

Kai was obviously having second thoughts about this mission, it was almost as if he'd cut all ties.

"Hey err, weren't you at Loki's palace yesterday when Cole arrived?" Lloyd asked.

"Uh, yes I was...sort of."

"Then did you see Cole? I mean how did he even get into the vault?"

"Well, he just did...I think." He blushed, turning away. "Maybe a rogue security official or Loki's female companion?"

The motel door opened, Cole and Kai walked in, both of them promptly walked to the far side of the room and sat in silence for a few seconds. That was Jay's cue to leave.

Cole was asking Kai to apologise but he wouldn't, he was too stubborn.

Jay rolled his eyes, looking to the floor, the atmosphere was becoming uncomfortably awkward. "I-I'm going to head back now, before Loki suspects that I'm gone...I'll be in touch as soon as I can."

"Oh do you have to go?" Zane said, frowning.

"I know when I'm not welcome."

"Jay?"

"I'm sorry Zane. Kai needs his space."

"We'll talk to him. Please stay, at least let us get you something to eat?"

He shook his head, making towards the door. "You know, it's not healthy for you, Cole or Zane to be in that environment with him, especially whilst he's in that mood." Jay said quietly, giving Lloyd a final brotherly hug.

"Keep in touch." He said as Jay stood outside the door.

"Bye guys," Jay mumbled, "See you around."

Those words sent a chill through Lloyd. He had wanted so much to grab him back. Lock the door so Jay would be safe.

He looked at Jay's disappearing visage and he wished he'd said more. Jay was breaking inside.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

It was still raining and he knew this night was far from over. Hel, Jay had been away for almost three hours and two of those had been spent travelling, leaving another two hours before he'd be getting back.

Trust Loki to live on the other side of New York.

If Jay was back at HYDRA's grand ball like he was yesterday, then it would be a simple case of walking a few blocks and he'd be there but this was ridiculous. Jay still had a scant amount of American money, so he could catch a taxi if he wanted to but he was hungry and hunger won over everything else.

Back at the Motel Cole had been laying into his hot tempered brother. Along with Lloyd and Zane.

"What's got into you? I thought we'd spoken about this." Cole quizzed, angrily.

"We did, I said it was a bad idea..." he replied, defiantly.

"I thought you wanted him back on the team, in Ninjago...what's going on in your head?"

"Nothing, just back off..." Kai paused, rubbing his face in anger.

"This isn't _nothing_ , Kai. There's pent up aggression." Cole replied. "Come in, We can't help if you won't talk."

"I-I don't want him back on the team."

Lloyd frowned. "Why, I thought you two were close?"

Kai shook his head. "He's dangerous. If he comes back home, he'll be our next enemy and when we die, he'll target our children and then their children."

"Wow ok. You've really thought about this." Cole said, biting back a smirk. "But you gotta remember, Jay is still Jay for the moment...yes there's the small issue of immortality, that doesn't make him evil."

"Not yet...but it will." Kai said, persisting with his idea of Jay being their next villain before stalking off to his bedroom for peace and reflection.

"Leave him." Lloyd said. "He's just being stubborn. Backing up his attitude with excuses."

"I do not know what to suggest. His attitude is getting worse. At most, jealousy could almost describe his feelings, perhaps a hidden resentment?"

"Great. I mean, I do sometimes question why too, ya know!" Cole said.

"What do you mean?" The nindroid queried, glancing at Cole as he fumbled with his clothes.

"Kai isn't the only one to think about the 'what ifs' is he? I did too, just not as much." The master of earth groaned, holding his head in his hands.

"Maybe we should have given this more time." Cole muttered. "A few more weeks or months."

* * *

His face, contorted with rage. There was no evil smile this time, although his eyes had narrowed so much, it looked like he was scowling. "Next time I will not be so lenient." He said, slamming the doors.

"For now, you are forgiven for that pathetic show of petulance," Loki hissed. Aware that security were staring at both. He thought whether he would need to show his directorship, by putting Jay in his place. At present, Jay was acting like a child.

"I'm not petulant," Jay argued. "You took advantage of the situation and still you don't have the balls to apologise."

Loki so much wanted to slam him against the door but refrained. "I asked you nicely, you denied me. So, I did what any ruler would, I controlled you."

Knuckles clenched, a sour taste in his mouth. _You raped me, you asshole_ _._

The scowl increased. A furiousness to his expression that, to Jay, should have told him to back away. "I did nothing of the sort." He hissed, defiantly _. "Telepathy,"_ he motioned. pointing to his head. "I can hear what you think."

Out of the corner of his eyes, Jay saw additional security here. They weren't here yesterday, He would have known.

Jay didn't much care about them, but could see they were regarding him with the same respect as Loki. He guessed by them being distant, they just didn't know him well enough to strike up a conversation.

Either way, Jay didn't like them. Loki tolerated them. Unsettlingly, they were all armed to the teeth. Modern warfare, guns, knives and tactical armour.

And there was Jay with a battered pair of nunchucks and a few obsidian blades. A shimmer on occasion in his hair where the crown remained.

He didn't like the thought of going up against bullets. He'd never been shot before. Had taken a few blades and an arrow, but never a bullet.

Troublingly, Jay knew that Loki had a plan to take down SHIELD. Rumours that he'd probably been put up to it by HYDRA. Only Loki knew that HYDRA was corrupt, a company caring little for human life.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Haa, so...these are the rumours I'd heard since being back in this place. The idiot wanted protection because that was the whole point of this partnership between us. So, get this for insanity :

Loki had actually travelled to HYDRA twice without me. Both times' he disguised himself, carrying his sceptre. Only it, didn't look like the glowstick of destiny. It was cleverly disguised as a black walking cane. I figured that Loki couldn't exactly afford to give away his true face could he?

He was a wanted war criminal. In the USA and worldwide by the UN.

Him more than me but honestly, what a fool _. FSM, how am I supposed to protect him if he doesn't tell me where he is?_

The sceptre, he took it with him where ever he travelled. It was an accessory, a statement piece. Loki only ever used it for protection because it was an excellent close range weapon and mind controller.

Oh yeah, I knew of the power it possessed because it was used on me twice and I too had been told to use it to control others, so I knew it to be an exceptional weapon for protection and oppression. It beat the Hel out of any existing ones in Ninjago. Apart from the golden weapons, because all four of the weapons of creation were powerful enough for materiokinesis.

Anyway, I'd been with Loki whilst visiting HYDRA and the way they spoke about humans made my skin crawl. This company bragged about people with special abilities who were locked away in cages.

I wanted no part, shady deals weren't really my thing.

It was disturbing. What if something happened, then they came after me?

A few hours had passed and Loki had come to wake me. He had a request of me; he wanted me to infiltrate SHIELD. That wasn't the worst part; he wanted me to find out about existing allies and then take down the director Nick Fury.

 _Piece of Cole's cake, haa, no. It's never that easy is it?_

"Take down as in kill! Or just subdue?" I asked, completely disinterested.

"Kill, I don't care it's not like HYDRA haven't already tried that." Loki replied, sitting on the table playing with an apple by turning it from a healthy green into a disgusting mouldy mess of hair and spores.

"Why do I need to do this Loki?" This mission was another way for him to do something behind my back because it meant I would be busy and he'd be elsewhere.

He didn't look at me. Green eyes were staring at the security guards instead.

I wasn't trying to annoy him, but he hadn't apologised and I was reluctant to formally address him. Because hey, that would be respectful, and according to my Ma, respect given was also respect earned.

 _Look at me, you idiot. You can't even look at my face_.

My immediate reluctance to comply with Loki's request raised an eyebrow.

He looked at the ceiling, the walls, everywhere except at me. "You will do it or you will be punished." He said, clasping his hands together in front of his face waiting for my reluctant response.

"But I'm not supposed to be your solitary soldier," I argued, standing my metaphorical ground. "You've got an entire team, this is just stupid." I said, biting into my hot toast, waiting for his response.

"YOU DARE QUESTION ME?"

"W-well, yes." I replied, deadpanning. "When it's a suicide mission!"

"Suicide, for the ones to be taken down more like." He chuckled obviously didn't see any danger. "Ha, you _know_ how I love these little chats." He mused, turning his gaze towards me. "It would be awfully refreshing of you to just...agree with me for once."

I rolled my eyes at his sarcastic tone, this was quickly becoming a standoff.

"I won't agree, it's ludicrous."

Putting his breakfast items down, Loki stared at me from the only other seat at the table. He was directly opposite when he stood. His outfit suddenly changed before my eyes into that of his working armour.

"Had we not already discussed loyalty? Denying a simple request?" he asked, disappointment clear to sense in his tone. "Evidently, you remember what transpired yesterday, Hmm?"

Loki never wore his working armour to breakfast and neither did I. It was too heavy and cumbersome.

Most times we just grabbed the overcoats and weapons as we left the room. But now he was standing, it was clear to see that Loki was wearing everything, his golden helmet, all of his throwing daggers, a sword and his armour plating. I wasn't intimidated really just a little nervous and none more so when he stopped talking, scowling at me.

"No...I won't do it, use your security team." I said, making to stand. An attempt to walk away and get some distance between the both of us. I was stopped almost immediately by his astral projections, they stood surrounding me.

Instincts kicked in and I tried to get out of his grasp but he was deceptively powerful. And regrettably, I did the first thing that came to mind, using spinjitzu to subdue.

I guess I was annoyed.

When the spinning stopped, I could just make out the image of Loki, skidding across the dining room floor.

His body stopped sliding when he hit a chair in the process, the action of hitting the chair brought his body to a complete halt. Instantly I gasped. I became aware of just how much trouble I was going to be in as I attempted to run from the room.

Loki was too fast for me, he grabbed at his close combat daggers. Lucky for me and my ninja training that I was also schooled in close combat tech, so I found it easy to disarm him before he could deliver a knife wound.

"You realise how absurd you are being? I saved you from the brutality of this world. I knew what they had in store for you. You would have spent your last days in prison here. And I should add that they are considerably worse than the ones in your own realm." He whispered into my ear.

"You'd simply become their concubine..." Loki bit his lip,pushing me hard against the wall.

 _I won't be intimidated by you...not now not ever._

I pushed his hand up awkwardly, causing his dagger to fall out of his hand. Just as I was about to punch him in the face, he placed his sceptre on my stomach and laughed maniacally when he pressed the trigger. I could feel myself skidding across the marble floor until I was stopped abruptly by a marble column, the air felt like it had completely left my body.

I couldn't help myself I retaliated verbally in anger. The uniform I was wearing was now ruined, I literally only had one more spare set and this one had most of my blood spilling out onto it.

Loki, you idiot...how am I supposed to protect you when you treat me like this?" I grunted, remaining on my side.

He sauntered across, recomposing himself and straightening his attire.

Haa, well what do ya know; I injured him and, the bastard bleeds, just like me.

"This behaviour is exactly what I don't expect to see from you." He said as he towered over me, he winced as he touched his now bleeding head...I smirked...and he saw it, his eyes narrowed but there was no smile.

"This is the gratitude I receive from a mortal. A mortal whose life has been improved tenfold, whose life holds no bars, free from the mortal perils of ageing and disease." Loki hissed. His bitter criticisms reverberated through the room.

"Your selfishness knows no bounds, you test me and still you refuse to call me by my rightful title."

"Respect is earned, _LOKI_." I growled, refusing to back down. Technically I was down but I clambered to my feet again.

"Will you yield or apologise?" Loki asked, waiting impatiently. "No response...hmm. I must say I am disappointed...maybe some mind games will help you decide where your loyalties lie."

"No, No please...don't."

The evil God used his sceptre touching it on my head and my vision blurred. All that I heard was his sardonic laugh as my own will vanished.

* * *

 _ **A short time later**_

I had an address to infiltrate, a location on the outskirts of New York city being my first target. The warehouse was secured and had many security guards surrounding it...I was expected to retrieve the electronic details held on SHIELD's secure servers using a small USB provided by HYDRA.

An easy task and one that would be best completed at nightfall, because stealth and attire would blend in with my surroundings.

Waiting for my chance to strike, katana poised for action as I watched from a low lying tree branch. There were two security guards heading my way because I'd set a trap having purposefully cut the perimeter fence; signalling the small security team outside...

I was expecting more but still laughed at the two poor fools about to suffer their fate by my blades. Jumping down from my position, I landed on one of the men, his neck broken from the impact; the other. I ran through with my blade.

"Two down," I said, checking in with my security team. "Making my way into the building."

There were more inside, but I opted for stealth and expertly hid around the many boxes scattered around the room.

 _Freaking fire hazard or what._

One walked past me unknowingly, I jumped out behind him restraining him with one hand on his mouth...my kunai blade sank into his neck like a hot knife through butter. My other blade into his throat to silence him whilst he lay there bleeding to death.

Five more to go, three of which were slacking off, smoking weed. I used my dark element to stun them, a large beam of purple electricity had shot from my hands before they even noticed I was near them.

I walked past their lifeless bodies, realising that I was probably meant to stun them, but hey why stop now? Besides, I've killed everyone else, it's not like I'm leaving a message is it?

A siren had been set off somewhere. I was aware that I needed to complete the task before new security teams would arrive. Quickly traversing the last few steps towards the main server. The USB was placed into the slot and the security functions on the server went down in an instant.

My USB device was filling up with all the files holding all the details that HYDRA required. It only took five minutes which seemed to be long enough for the remaining two security officials to find me.

I removed the USB, hiding it securely within my robes, the perfect place was under my chest plate. I turned and raised my hands in mock defeat to wait for them to approach me...they did but they didn't know that both of my raised hands were holding onto the handles of my long blades that were mostly obscured by my cloak.

"Hahaha, gullible fools." I hissed, watching them exchange glances. They both touched their earpieces but heard static. Now evident that they were both alone, having just realised that too.

I removed my two black obsidian blades too quickly for them. They were both armed with handguns. I slashed through the air as both of the security officials went down, one of them had managed to pull his trigger and I felt the bullet graze my arm, the force of it sent me stumbling backwards.

My task was complete and I had been successful, my next task was to disable the Avengers tower which I was told was Stark tower. I raced back to my rendezvous location to be collected by Hydra who were overseeing the entire operation.

The task Loki had set me off on was completed in a record three hours with minimal injury to my body but now I was required elsewhere even though I was unsure as to when I had last slept.

"Your next target is to bring the SHIELD agent known as Black Widow to us alive, we'll collect you at six am to finalise the plans and advise of locations...good luck."

I checked the time it was 4am, there was no time to get back so I remained where I was.

"Look, being as you're not going to take me back I may as well just do it now. So just take me where ya need me to go."

"Okay get in, we'll drop you at the rendezvous point and once you're infiltrated them meet us...here." They replied and gave me a small handheld device with a flashing red dot which I took to mean the car we were currently in.

Ha I didn't need luck, I could take her down, she's a woman and I had time to study her fighting style during my time with Shield, she fought dirty but she was an experienced close quarter fighter and she had weapons. This was going to be fun.

They dropped me off and it was dark outside, the sun was starting to come up again, a feeling of déjà vu hitting me but my mind was blank. I had a mission and I was to follow it precisely because the Prince had told me to do it or face death.

I quickly found my way and stopped outside, staring up at its height, noting the side of it looked charred. There seemed to be a clean-up process in operation. All that remained at the top of the building was a solitary 'A.'

I walked around the side of the building and looked for electrical access panels.

"Found it."

I bent down and opened the manhole cover with both small blades, using them as levers. I pulled the metal cover off and peered into the depths of what was a mass of tangled wires, all in a multitude of colours signifying more than just electrical devices. This was an isolated IT box and was further protected by additional waterproofing. I used my element and burnt the lid of the box, before plunging my hands into the wires and pulling them all up and out into the open.

"Black or blue, red or green?"

I stood with a handful of wires in my hands and pulled them clear of the box. I smiled happily when I saw the backup power coming on in Stark Tower. It would appear that the few occupants that were still in there hadn't been alerted.

Perhaps they were sleeping and the AI had been unsuccessful in rousing them. That wasn't a bad thing though. I quickly put the manhole cover back on and made my way into the lobby of the tower.

Everything was going to plan, the security cameras were down and the relevant staff were now running around trying to figure out what had happened. The lobby of this huge building was as black as my uniform providing yet another opportunity to strike.

I eventually got up to the top floor, although I had to use the staircase and that alone was exhausting. The lift was now out of action and even if I had used it, well it would have made a noise and roused suspicion and I was trying to be stealthy, simply put there was no time to be caught and I couldn't risk it.

Eventually, I got to her room, entering it quietly. Retrieving my cuffs, I was just about to put them onto her until I felt her foot make contact with my head.

"Light sleeper huh?" I quizzed, standing up to rub at my bruised head.

"Sleep with one eye open more like." She replied with a cocky attitude.

"Let's not make this any harder than it needs to be, I've been sent to get you and I-I."

"Look sweet thing...Jay is it? You want me to come quietly you'll have to take me down." She smirked, punching me clean across my jaw.

"Fine, if that's what it takes, but it's such a shame to ruin that pretty face of yours." I replied, rubbed my jaw hitting her back with just as much force sending her careering into a set of drawers behind her.

She stood quickly, coming back at me with a flying kick but I ducked down low and avoiding it completely but when she landed, she span and followed through with what looked like a roundhouse kick.

"...Ungh...wh-what?"

"I like you kid. But your still a boy, you have some growing up to do." She mocked, punched me in the jaw, the blow knocked me backwards.

I fell to the floor, wiping the blood away from my vision and off my lips. She came back at me but one powerful kick to her stomach sent her to the floor. I approached with caution and the same cuffs ready to apply to her wrists. But again this secret service assassin was ready for me again.

Her time on the floor gave her the prime opportunity to grab one of her handguns. It was under her bed and she had grabbed it without me even realising. I pulled her from her front onto her back but she quickly unloaded two bullets into my arm and chest making me fall backwards in shock.

I stood shakily and fought back with a newfound rage, shocking her before she could empty the entire magazine.

Tendrils of electricity left my uninjured hand like a blast from Loki's sceptre. I had to aim it because I was in too much pain to just let it free flow from both hands. A small amount of electricity was all that was needed, enough to stun but not to kill.

She went down quickly, crumpling at my feet. It would appear as if she slept in her Avengers uniform too, I guess the assassin in her always had to be ready for any eventuality. I kicked her guns under the bed counting my chances of leaving this place alive having not checked in with the prince as yet as to my endeavours whether successful or not.

 _What was his name again, was he just the Prince?_

She was down but not dead and another mission was successful.

The sun was up and I still had to get out of here. I cuffed the unmoving but still breathing bitch and hauled her up and over my good side, leaving my injured side to hang painfully.

My head was a complete mess, some images coming back to me but I wasn't sure if they were real or not and others which seemed completely outlandish had indeed been true. I could remember a glimpse of me and the woman I was carrying and I could remember killing the seven or so guards yesterday and the people who brought me here but before that, hazy at best.


	13. What doesn't kill you

Once I'd escaped the tower, I had amassed three wanted personnel, well they were wanted by HYDRA. And, HYDRA, were somehow in charge of me, by orders of the Prince, the one I was bound to serve.

The black-suited men had promptly taken Black Widow, Hawkeye and Agent Hill from me once we were clear of the building.

I don't think they even cared about my injuries, why would they? They just had a freebie assassin who worked for a nameless dark-haired prince.

I had done all of the hard work myself, subduing and then dragging their sorry asses around the building and down the same access stairwell. I knew the lift was working but it had cameras as well as the same AI voice that seemed to circulate around the entire building.

The last time I came into contact with that AI, the damn thing near tried to gas me with Entonox but my scarf had given me some protection and had provided a temporary gas mask in the way of a filter.

I was finding it somewhat pleasing to drag these three people down the stairs. I had Natasha Romanoff over my shoulder and Hawkeye and Maria Hill on each arm, dragging them by their collars down the long and lonely concrete stairwell.

I guess if I'd dragged them by the feet, they'd be long dead by now, almost how I was feeling inside. The 'Black Widow', haa yeah she was eventually subdued by a kick to her unprotected mid-section which proved to be a weak point in her defences then a stunning shot of lightning. Agent Hill, fairly easy, she was sleeping, Hawkeye too.

Gotta admit though, Black Widow had fought well for a woman but I was better. I had typically misjudged her but I was still successful.

Of course, HYDRA wanted her alive for interrogating, so there was no need to injure her unnecessarily. I think I went easier on her, shame she couldn't return the favour...Stupid bitch shot me, lucky for me that the slugs went right through.

' _Gahh my arm and chest is killing me, .I-I really need to rest.'_

I winced and helped the HYDRA agents haul these wanted people into their vehicle before getting in myself. Wondering where our next port of call would be, I was about to get out of the car to find my own way home but they only allowed me a couple of steps before they pressed their ear pieces.

' _Too slow black widow, now you're caught in your own web.'_ I turned my back and began to walk away to leave but before I had left the vicinity I had been given another task.

My face dropped, "I can't do this, now." I hissed at the suited men in front of me.

"I-I need rest, unless you want me to unleash my tiredness on you."

If the prince wasn't going to help me then I needed to try and do it myself. I was too tired to even feel pain now. My only guiding force was the vision and promise of a warm bed but now even that would have to wait.

Evidently, it would be a while until I would see a bed. I just had a feeling that this punishment, that I'd been told I had to endure was far from over, like something bad was about to happen.

 _Was the prince testing me or was this show purely for HYDRA?_

I waited for their response but it wasn't gonna come. So, I continued testing their metal. "Believe me, I'd take immense pleasure in watching you squirm as I slowly electrocute you." My face and expression unreadable.

I was exhausted, I couldn't do this anymore.

"They say, my strength knows no bounds," I said with a shrug, watching as they shared the same unsure glances. They knew I was different, they didn't know how to stop me.

One of the men listened to their earpiece. "You've got a job to do tonight. You can go back tomorrow if you're successful."

I looked downward, my strength disappearing by the minute.

 _Why am I doing this, who are these people? I just want to sleep._

"FINE, where next then?" I hissed, stretching out my aching arm and chest.

"Debrief, you are required to leave a full in-depth report with HYDRA."

"What? I've never had to do a re..."

His face had a certain smugness to it, "Welcome to the big leagues kiddo, it's what we do here. We write reports on what we could have done better." One of the men replied cutting me off as I spoke.

I just stared at the two men in front of me but got into the back of their vehicle as ordered. Once we had made the quick journey to an office in the middle of nowhere I was debriefed and then given an office to write a report in, just a pen and a sheet of paper with multiple questions on.

There was only one other person in the office with me and he just stared at me, his eyes watching me like a hawk.

Once I had been debriefed and written the stupid report, I was given a new set of orders. These new ones involved being stationed as a guard. I was to stand and keep watch of Shield's head offices to watch and wait for my next objective. I was literally just dropped off there after being up for over three days.

"Really no rest for the wicked eh?" I mumbled as I was pushed out of the open car door and told to watch and wait, they expected a full-scale analysis of Fury's activity patterns and the only way to do this was to watch.

And again, another sunset approached, another day had gone. My arm and chest were still bleeding, I didn't let it distract me from my task. I was supposed to be bringing Nick Fury in but he always appeared to have so many security guards surrounding him.

"What exactly are you wanting me to do with this, he's surrounded and I'm not bulletproof." I hissed into my earpiece.

' _Well my uniform is supposed to be but the prince removed it as a punishment before he sent me off on these missions. All I had was the leather and suede which just provided that extra layer of toughened skin to bypass.'_

"Just use your brain. Take some of his men out and then take him down. But don't kill him, we need him alive."

"Why?"

"He said you'd do it without any questions, should we contact him for ya and tell him you're not doing what is expected?"

"No, I-I can do it, although a little help wouldn't go amiss." I snapped.

"You're on your own. You can call it a learning curve."

"There's too many to take down. You want me to be stealthy right? Well, how can I, seriously?" I replied incredulously, trying my hardest not to shout out loud.

"Just do it, stop complaining."

"Shit!" I rolled my eyes at the derisive tone, crouching low trying to gauge any chances of getting out of here alive.

There looked to be roughly ten, no twelve men nearby. Three of which stood surrounding Director Fury.

Even if I could aim a shot at his back I'd be captured in a matter of minutes. The brightness of my attack would attract attention so I couldn't use it unless I was standing within a few feet.

But these guys were standing over thirty feet away. I knew I had to get closer.

I managed to sneak up on a small group, noting they all had the same weapons as Black Widow and Hawkeye. They all wore the same protective vests and cargo pants, where more ammunition was probably located. A spare sidearm on their thigh and an additional rifle attached to their back.

 _Damn these guys have some serious weaponry...This could be painful._

I looked down at myself and poked the hole in my tunic feeling a small hole underneath. It was my skin, the hole was still there, I removed my finger and wiped the wet sticky blood on the grass as I stayed low to the ground.

Within a few minutes I'd managed to stun a few without attracting the attention of the remaining men up front but I was getting too close. So far, five were down and I had only managed to hide three of them before pain became an issue for me.

I didn't like this, it was too risky and my cover was close to being blown. There was no way I was going to move forward to hide the two other men I had just taken down so they lay a few feet in front of me, their white shirts being reflected in the security lights was sure to attract attention and it did.

I stepped back further and hid low to the ground, my uniform blending in with my darker shadowed surroundings. None of these upright and uptight security guys had thought to bring a torch with them but it wouldn't take them long to figure that out.

"Abort, Abort..." I heard coming from my earpiece.

Crawling backwards, keeping my head low and my dark blue scarf up and over my mouth. My longer hair provided a hidden element to my face, giving a level of obscurity I was content with.

Almost clear of danger from my position, I shot a burst of lightning at Nick fury in an attempt to stun him, but his security stood in front of the blast taking it full force. Whoever it'd hit, they'd crumpled to the ground, non-moving.

A millisecond of a man falling at his feet, the view behind revealed none other than an angry, focused and calculating Nick Fury with his handgun pointed at me.

He stared, narrowed his gaze and pulled the trigger. It hit with precision.

The bullet felt like fire when it passed through, leaving a trail of burning rage. Now if I'd had a chest plate; it would have at least bounced off but this one had gone in and come out with a burning pain in its wake.

Quickly, I lowered to the ground, all the breath sucked out of me. Was it a pistol that shot me or a sniper, I didn't even hear him unload the chamber, let alone pull the trigger.

Maybe he'd put a suppressor on it.

I had heard of those, they were usually used to hide the sounds of a gunshot, used to detract attention and I guessed he had done it to save anymore of his men being hurt or killed by me.

HYDRA were there to grab me before he could finish me off. They had come just as I was about to send that final burst of energy at him. Fury was quickly bundled into a black SUV which raced off into the night.

This was bad. I'd failed a mission. The Prince would be mad at me...

I was quickly hauled up off the grass and thrown into the car before being driven at breakneck speed. I wasn't going to the hospital, I was going back to the prince. He had ordered them to bring me back considering I had been away for four days.

I was returned to this huge white house when I had completed my mission's. So far I'd killed seven and captured three. It wasn't easy, I wasn't completely unscathed, thanks in part to Natasha and Director _Prick_ Fury, haa.

This in itself wasn't an issue as I was told I had Einherji strength. The issue was exhaustion and the lack of rest simply meant my injuries would take longer to heal.

The effects slowly catching up, one by one. No food, sleep and a constant workload...

 _Why was the Prince allowing them to treat me like a machine?_

An evil glint in my eyes when I saw my battle-weary body. I admit that it was painful to see, it was starting to become a regular occurrence.

First, there was the Black widow, she attempted to shoot me. Well, she didn't attempt to, she succeeded. She was in the hands of HYDRA, being tested and questioned and everything else they wanted to do with her, brainwashing would be good.

Good thing about these borrowed clothes from the blue room: the leather clothing provided some protection. Had probably helped me to retain limbs. But, at the same time, in the of 48 hours; three bullets had gone in.

Then there was the issue of my newest gunshot wound, I checked my back but there was no exit wound which could mean that it came out of the other two holes, one of which was healing slowly, the other not so much, that was bleeding at a steady rate.

I shrugged, wrapping my front and back as best as I could before wrapping an additional bandage around my chest and upper arm. Sliding my aching body into an identical set of armoured clothes. I fastened the chest plate; making a mental note to myself to watch out for guns. The final part of my uniform was the new leather overcoat and plaited long leather tunic which served as a second and third skin.

"Are you ready yet? Another mission awaits you."

"Yes, I will be in a few minutes m-my prince," I replied, admiring myself in the mirror before collecting my weapons. Each katana had its own jet-black scabbard and each kunai blade had a formed leather sheath to go into.

The prince whose name I couldn't remember was waiting for me when I walked out the blue room. He had allowed me the chance to redress in there. He said that I would find some spare uniforms and I had. He hadn't been lying, I knew I could trust this prince because everything he said was true. Everything in the blue room fit me perfectly.

Upon exiting the room, suddenly I was face to face with the Prince.

Just slightly taller than me with shoulder length black hair. He wore green and black with bits of gold here and there. I bowed in respect and he frowned.

"Not necessary, you don't bow to anyone, anymore remember?" He tried to raise me but I moved away.

I turned my head slightly and bunched my eyebrows together. "I'm sorry, forgive me m-my prince," I replied, lowering myself again, afraid of insulting him.

He stood there, aghast, looking fearfully at his sceptre before placing it down rapidly at his side. It appears he was speechless. Suddenly I was scared, had I somehow insulted him?

He smiled but I could tell it was insincere. He was more eager to know of my endeavours. "Where next my prince, what's my new target?" I wheezed, panting out as I spoke. My gaze rising to meet his eyes. His facial expression seemed unconcerned at my battered and bruised body.

"Your prince hmm? Acceptable, much better than before." He said, observing my attire. "A chest plate? Your punishment does not allow you this luxury."

"You want me to remove it? I-I will." I replied in a shaky voice, hands slowly unbuckling it. I removed one hand and it was covered in blood.

His hand raised to stop me. "No, it is fine."

"M-my new mission?" I asked again, refastening the chest plate.

"Well, now that you ask, your new mission is to retrieve the tesseract cube that was stolen from these premises five days ago." He stared at me briefly as he spoke, almost as if waiting for an answer.

 _'Did he know something?'_

My mind was blank, all I could see was a green haze. I was in too much pain and had an overwhelming desire to sleep so my wounds could heal. "My Prince?" I was uncertain, was I meant to remember something else?

He looked up and licked his lips before he spoke. "Two days ago I was informed of an incident that happened here. Let's just make it easy and say that I made a mistake."

 _Was that an apology of sorts?_

"The ninja were here. The black one stole the cube, therefore I expect you to retrieve it. Bring it here in twenty-four hours?"

I nodded. "You want me to go now?" I wasn't really questioning but I hadn't slept for over seventy hours yet I felt no exhaustion, just pain and anger building up.

"Like I said you have twenty-four hours, the sooner you retrieve it the sooner you can rest." He scoffed before casting a concerned glance at the floor where my blood had trailed of my hand dripping into a small puddle at my feet, my eyes were heavy.

"You're hurt, where?"

I nodded, breathing slowly pointing to my bandaged areas and the blood that was soaking through. Giving him a glimpse as he had asked, I lifted my top and he recoiled so much that I cowered at his feet.

His hand had shot up to his mouth so fast that I thought he was going to hit me but it never came.

"Jay this isn't as important, m-maybe you should get s-some re..."

He was about to say something to change my mind but I quickly stopped him. I didn't want to disappoint him again. Maybe it was just better to get this over with then at least he would allow me some rest and I wouldn't have it hanging over me. Maybe then he'd be happy with me and everything I'd done?

"As you wish, I-I'll retrieve it t-tonight." I muttered, turning my back and walking away. My blade dragged across the floor momentarily before I yanked it up, re-sheathed it with a pain grunt.

Holding onto my injured arm, I walked away thinking that maybe I should have redressed my entire body before agreeing to a new mission where I was due to go up against more bladed warriors.

I could sense him watching me, a frown was etched on his face as he trailed the small droplets of blood I was leaving until I exited his large palace.

Cold wind blasted me once I stepped outside. Hailstones were coming down, stinging my exposed skin. The wind and the rain never let up, trying to hold me back, preventing me from going out into the night.

A sign from above maybe, of what may come. The sinking probability that tonight could well be my last!

 _What good is a protector who is too tired to protect, fight and too tired to care?_

* * *

Loki's new security team had given me an electronic device, which I could use the USB card in. I plugged the device and instantly it began tracking them. It gave me a clue as to how many targets I was up against and the type of accommodation they were residing in. Motel five was an odd name for a place of abode but who was I to judge, I was staying at a white house named 'the palace' by the prince who lived there.

But this place looked dismal, I guessed it was a roof over their heads as they slept. Something I could really do with, but my desperation to sleep would have to wait at until I'd collected this cube that the prince wanted back. The only things standing in my way were the four ninja in the room.

* * *

I didn't know about the ninja, I hadn't had a chance to study their fighting skills or their weaknesses, so I decided to track them down, using the information provided on the usb card of their approximate whereabouts.

I noticed there were at least four ninja warriors, all different colours easy to tell apart from each other. One was dressed in white with a strange silvery complexion, he was an odd looking human as far as humans go. Still, I continued observing my next targets. I saw a black ninja, his hair was long black and obscured most of his face, making his features difficult to distinguish, he appeared strong but that could just be his muscle tone.

Next I moved onto the red one, he had exceptionally spiky hair and what seemed like an extraordinary lack of respect for his team. The last ninja I saw was wearing green, platinum blonde hair and a childish look to him which looked like he was older than he should be. I watched in interest as they went about their lives completely oblivious to the fact they were being spied on.

I had already been watching them for a fair hours, it was incredibly boring. I saw them go about their daily activities, eating, washing, dressing, squabbling and everything in between. At one point around midday they all left for a short period and looked like they took a brief case with them. The energy signature of the case matched the cube I was tracking; so they were smart enough to take it with them rather than leave it in their motel room.

' _Smart ninja, well played but that could be your biggest downfall too.'_

They had come back after a few minutes and were eating food from the local fast food joint. The one who dressed in a black hoodie was eating something covered in a shiny sickly sweet frosting, my mouth drooled at the sight of it. I shook the vision out of my head and focused on the other members.

The red one was eating what looked like fries, the white one wasn't very exciting he had a plastic bowl of what looked like salad.

I adjusted my small binoculars. _'Salad, with chicken…healthy choice, maybe he's the smart one of the lot.'_

Finally the blonde haired green dressed one seemed to be eating a burger, he seemed to be mumbling about it. If only I had a microphone of sorts I could actually hear them too, but my position on this grassy hill, this unused piece of land that was hiding me would have to do for now.

I knew I had a few more hours to burn so I lay down on my back and looked up at the moving clouds watching as they flew by, the sky gradually turning different shades of blue until it became so dark it was more black than blue. My stomach was rumbling angrily, alerting me to the fact I hadn't eaten anything for a few days at least. I couldn't even remember when I ate last but the visions of seeing these ninja warriors eating food had made me hunger for it too.

* * *

I must say I wasn't overly impressed with their living conditions, they were dare I say it 'cramped' in comparison to my home. I felt pity for some fleeting seconds and then I laughed. The living conditions looked to be temporary, after all they were in a motel and they had no security teams surrounding them like black widow, Hawkeye and Agent Smith had and it was almost as they wanted to be attacked.

At nightfall I noticed that the white one was pacing back and forth in his room. The curtains and blinds were open and it was easy to see in with or without binoculars. But at least with these things I could see why he was pacing. The white one was agitated and he held a small device, waving it in front of the red one. Were they having some sort of disagreement? The red one shrugged his shoulders and shouted something inaudible and swiftly left the building to an unknown location.

He wasn't my concern, I could subdue him and then I'd have one less to deal with, I watched him leave he seemed determined, like he was on a mission himself.

' _No, I'll let him go, I can take on three ninja. But I wasn't sent to kill them this was purely a retrieval mission.'_

I decided to wait until the lights went out before I made my move, I quickly approached the motel room after waiting for almost twelve hours and opened the door quietly. It was deathly silent inside save for the sounds of their regular breathing patterns. Surreal though considering there was supposed life in here and none of these three men were snoring.

I scoured the room stealthily, being careful not to disturb the sleeping men. I didn't want to fight them if I didn't need to because if they did wake and a fight ensued it would quickly attract further unwanted attention and that would be beyond my current skill set.

It appeared as if these ninja travelled lightly, their only belongings were some impressive green weapons, their clothing was nowhere to be seen. Of course their clothes could be in the drawers but I didn't check, surely they wouldn't be stupid enough to put the cube in there.

I looked under the desk in the first room but found nothing except a waste paper bin so I stealthily made my way to the adjoining room and found a shiny metal case hidden under the desk. considering how dark it was in the room, the case was easy to spot. The case was shining brightly in the night as the power source within it was emitting small beams of light, all escaping through the edges of the case it was contained within.

I opened the metal case to check it was what I was looking for, I didn't relish the idea of travelling back to find that it wasn't in here, so I had to be sure.

 _'Perfect it is the cube but how did these ninja end up with it?'_ I thought, these were questions that the prince hadn't really answered.

I fastened the case quietly and turned around to be face to face with none other than the black ninja, he appeared instantly startled as he registered who he was looking at. He began backing up as I dropped the case at my feet and quickly removed my blades from my back, blood was still trailing down my hand, my eyes stayed focused on him, his next move could potentially be his last.

"JAY! J-Jay?" The black ninja stammered my name.

' _My name?'_

"Wh-what are you doing?...GUYS WAKE UP...err Jay's here and..." He shouted loudly into the semi dark room and took a deep breath.

Suddenly the room was illuminated and the three tired looking pyjama wearing ninja were all looking at me in puzzlement. They could still be identified even in their nightwear, they seemed to favour the same colours for that too.

I remained in my stance as I looked from ninja to ninja seeing who would make the first move. I wasn't afraid to strike first but refrained as I didn't know of their fighting style. The black one motioned to his comrades to stand back as I saw them all exchange glances.

"Jay, what are you doing?" The green one asked me, he knew my name too. Odd I don't remember speaking aloud but I didn't answer him I just kept my stare on the black ninja, he would be my first target and I would run him through if I needed to.

I quickly ran at him which wasn't too difficult as he was less than three metres away. I watched as he jumped out of the way, he seemed to be very agile and flexible for his size. I tried to thrust my katanas at him and thought I would succeed being that he was unarmed, but he avoided my strikes, I was impressed.

He span into his ninja gi before I had a chance to attack again and he appeared fully equipped to take me on as an equal. He was holding a rather macabre scythe akin to the grim reaper.

 _'How fitting considering he was wearing black.'_

"Hahaha." I laughed out loud at my own internal humour. His focus was solely trained on me as he continually motioned for his comrades to stand clear.

"Jay! What has gotten into you? Zane, mind control again maybe?" I heard him say to me whilst communicating to the white one as he shrugged.

"It would make sense Cole, I mean it could be, how else do you explain this behaviour."

"Jay I don't want to hurt you." The black one said as he poised his weapon above his shoulder to strike.

' _So he is called Cole and the white one is Zane, hmmm okay.'_

"We came to get that cube that you're attempting to leave with."

I didn't look down at it, I knew what he was referring to. I knew that if my gaze dropped he would strike first but that wasn't going to happen because I had only come to take the cube and that was what I was going to do.

"You won't hurt me." I said as I span at him and got a swift punch into his midsection, it went cleanly through his defences. Cole fell backwards and grunted.

"You're too slow!" I said as I motioned the green one next, his name I was still unsure of as there were still two ninja who hadn't introduced themselves and the red one had left an hour ago.

Both of the remaining ninja had simultaneously span into their gi's before my eyes and both ran towards me with their katanas.

' _Hmm dirty tactics I can play this game too.'_ I thought as I created lightning in the palms of my down turned hands.

Their respective blades eventually came into close contact and I grabbed them quickly with both of my upturned palms. It was a painful manoeuvre as I grasped the sharp sides and then simultaneously released the electrical currents I had generated through the metal of their weapons, the green one fell to the floor quickly, he was unconscious and sleeping.

"Aww he must be tired, care to join him?" I asked tilting my head with a mock downturned smile at the white ninja now known as Zane.

That little shock wasn't enough to kill him just subdue him painfully enough that they wouldn't get up for a few hours at least. It was a pained sleep for want of a better word.

I smiled as I looked at the remaining white one, he was different he wasn't human at all, his metallic face told me so much. If I had really wanted to I could have ended this one with a larger current or I could turn him with my dark energy. We could be a team, well if the prince cared for a mindless drone. Hahahaha no maybe not.

I smirked at him. "Give it your best shot."

He did not respond but he looked at me with pity in his eyes as he raised his blade but faltered, he could of course use his shurikens but we were too close quarters for those. We were at an apparent stand-off or so it seemed because he might have been glitching. His face was difficult to read for signs of weakness but before I had a chance to strike him down, I saw the black one stand up, he looked angry.

"You want to go again big guy?" I said in a rude mocking voice.

Trying to get him to react to my insults was fun, Cole cocked his head to the side and shook his head slowly his tongue was literally in his cheek.

"Performance issues maybe?"

It worked he was enraged within seconds and ran at me. I had identified a weakness, his sexual prowess was being questioned.

' _Haa hah the idiot, thinking about his sex drive at the time of battle was one way of getting someone to fail.'_

He pushed past the white one who was still twitching from the electric shock I had delivered and he swung his scythe at me at a tremendous speed.

I was sure he was aiming for my midsection but looked at me incredulously when I caught it within an inch from my body. The blood from my arm trailed down and settled on to his blade coupled with the deep cuts on my hands, the effect stained his silver blade with a sickening purple colour.

All he could do was stare at it as it trickled slowly down my arm, he looked at me noticing my wet undergarments, Yes I was bleeding but then I had been shot a few hours ago. I was aware that I probably looked like a deranged madman but I kinda was and I was on a mission.

"Useless as I thought. You have no skill." I said as I released a small jolt up his scythe and watched as he received shock after shock of the small electrical currents I was providing him with.

I was enjoying watching him twitch involuntarily as I looked into his eyes.

"Does it hurt hmm? I bet it does haa haa. That's the thing about metal though it can carry a current." I said as I sent a more powerful pulse which earned a satisfying shriek from the black ninja.

"St-stop pl-please." Cole muttered through clenched teeth.

I was mere inches away from his ear and still holding his scythe. I could see a sheen of sweat appearing on his familiar face as he fought the pain of my shocks within. I laughed mirthlessly it wasn't as enjoyable as I had hoped, maybe it would be more fun to just kill them.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by an almighty crack to the back of my head as I felt a hard object make contact with my skull. The new intruder I hadn't seen had found a weakness, my complacency.

I stumbled to the ground as I landed on my knees. My hands shot up to protect my head from further onslaught but I was hit again on the side of my head by what felt like the handle of a katana.

I wasn't unconscious just bleeding and wincing, all my foes bar this red one were in a pained sleep, I knew I should have taken him out when I had the chance.

He had tied me up so I couldn't move and he had dragged me away from the other ninja. I was now next to the coffee table in an uncomfortable position. Sitting with my legs tucked underneath me, I was tied hands and feet together.

The red ninja kept looking at me, was he distrustful of me for some reason? I mean obviously this didn't look good for me so I guess maybe he was distrustful but there was something else too.

"What do you want? I didn't come here for this." I said through clenched teeth.

"What did you come for then? To kill my brothers, me, Nya?"

"No! I came for that." I motioned with my head towards the briefcase which held the cube, the sudden movement to my head caused my warm blood to seep down the back of my robes.

"Why? Oh I see, it was a setup after all." The red one said. Now I was confused, it's as if we'd had this conversation before.

"You are evil, I knew it all along and no one believed me." He said as he got up of the bed and looked at me menacingly, he picked up his katana and a sharpening stone and walked back across to me.

"I've just been around this city, it seems you've made quite a name for yourself. Making lots of people angry."

"Really ya think, it's kinda what I do." Came my bitter retort, a sour taste in my mouth. I looked at his case again, he was guarding it...

"Well, there are people out there who really want to speak to you, one of them is called Hydra, ya heard of em?" He added whilst looking at me waiting for my response.

"Yeah, of course I have, I'm not stupid." I spat. My neck was stiffening because of the stress position.

"Well it just so happens that they have a perfect holding cell for freaks like you." He said without eye contact his sharpening stone travelling up and down his silver bladed katana.

"They'll pay good money too." He said as he sharpened his blade and looked at his unconscious comrades lying on the floor around him.

I sighed tiredly, fast becoming bored with the stale conversation. "Great you'll be rich then right?" I hissed.

"Ya know, I used to think that we were all close. You, me, Cole, Nya, Lloyd and Zane, I guess I was naïve and mistaken, because you had to go and change all that."

"Saint Jay and his selfless act of kindness, well screw you Jay, you selfish ignorant self centred prick. I can't believe I ever called you my brother."

"You're nothing but a waste of space and I hope you rot in hell." He said as he finally looked me in the eyes.

 _'I could have sworn his eyes were reflecting fire and that it was solely directed at me.'_

Wow! I didn't even fight this red one but he sure was mad with me. The venom directed at me was unlike anything I had ever experienced. Likewise, I was becoming irked with his attitude as he was with me and I knew something was about to happen. He was stalling me and delaying the inevitable.

"Why are you keeping me here, just do whatever you're going to do." I said hoping to test him, he couldn't kill me anyway but I still struggled in my restraints.

"I'm keeping you here for a short while and then Hydra are coming to get you, my treat. Besides I think you'll like it there." He said as he sharpened his blade meticulously following through with the cleaning cloth.

I frowned at his words, what exactly did he mean? I worked for Hydra, what would they possibly do except take me back to the prince I was working for?

Kai put his sharpening stone down on his night stand and stood, he approached me slowly and grabbed me by the hair removing my chest plate with one hand, carefully unbuckling each strap and buckle with a degree of difficulty.

He frowned slightly when he noticed the bullet holes in my chest, a moment of doubt clouded him from his task of despatching me.

* * *

"Do it, s-set me fr-free, you kn-know you w-want th-this." I hissed as he pulled my hair upright.

"Y-you want it I-I can tell. J-just by your eyes I can see th-that you hate me. Do it...you coward. End it because whilst I'm st-still here I'll never st-stop coming back f-for that cube."

He yanked my face up to his and looked me in the eyes as his endeavour had paid off, my chest was now completely exposed with all the injuries I had sustained over the last two days.

"I won't set you free, Hydra can have you ya piece of shit."

Then all I felt was pain as he stabbed his katana through my chest roughly.

 _'Thank the gods it was sharp...I'd hate a blunt sword.'_ I was trying to focus, his hand was still on the handle.

"That was for Nya." he said as he removed the blade slowly.

"And this is for my brothers." He said as he stabbed me again, this time aiming for my heart.

"Mmmmphh…..d-does it feel g-good to kill a-an unarmed m-man?" All the wind was knocked out of me again, my body assaulted by the immediate pain, it was becoming too much. I had been shot and stabbed all in the space of 48 hours…all I wanted was to sleep.

He didn't answer me but I could tell he was as conflicted as I was.

"Well there goes the deposit for this room." He hissed.

He watched as a pool of purple blood seeping from my crouched form. He didn't care about me I understood that much, this was deep. His hatred of me surpassed all evil, even that of the prince and that was saying something.

He stood and cleaned my blood from his blade before hitting me in the forehead with his fist, my head flew back with the quick action and made contact with the coffee table. I had blacked out and when I came to I wasn't in the motel anymore, I wasn't even at the palace with the prince.

* * *

When I finally woke up I realised that I was in a darkened room. I was lying on my back but at least my hands weren't restrained anymore. I felt around gingerly on the floor and to my horror, I felt a floor full of spikes, akin to a bed of nails.

There were only bars to the front of me and the remaining three walls were as black as the night further adding to the lonely dark cell.

Luckily the small sharpened spikes under foot didn't go through as my boots offered exceptional protection. This obviously meant I couldn't lay down properly which also meant I couldn't rest. This could be a problem!

' _What the Hel happened?'_

I touched the back of my head and felt a small area of sticky wetness. It was too dark to see the colour of my wet hand which was quickly becoming sticky as I fumbled in the dark. But the pain that accompanied it made me aware that I was carrying a head injury. I grabbed onto the bars in front of me as a wave of dizziness threatened to overtake me and somehow I couldn't move.

It felt strange, a feeling like no other before except maybe when I was in the cloud kingdom and being hugged by that huge electrified creature.

' _I'm being...electrocuted, ungh.'_

It took all of my remaining strength to prise my hands of the bars with a pained yelp.

I panted harshly, I had no recollection of the past five or six days but I knew my body was in immense pain. I could feel slits in my armour and where the slits were the areas surrounding them were wet. I pushed my hands under my robes and removed the wet cloth, it was too dark to see what it was other than a disgusting wet cloth I cast it to the floor in shock and then felt blindly until my fingers grazed over three perfect circles.

"Stabbed and sh-shot? Wh-what are the chances huh, what happened to m-me?'

I was beginning to lose consciousness again and felt my legs buckle beneath me, lucky for my body I landed on my back and not my front as the sharpened spikes only pierced my knees and not any areas of importance.

I was still awake but barely, as I watched my blood slowly trickling into a collecting duct where pipes were leading out of the cell.

' _Oh this looks bad!'_

I thought as I shifted uncomfortably on the spikes, my leather covered armour helping to protect my arms and body meant I could at least stay in this position and rest my head but the disconcerting thing, where was I? Why were they taking my blood? Where are my brothers? And where was Loki?

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, or so I've heard, but hey I've been stabbed and shot and now I'm stuck in this shit hole. What's the worst that could happen pfft." I whispered and smiled despite how tired I felt. My stomach gurgling did nothing to help my tiredness.

"Really no food either what the Hel?" I hissed and rubbed my rumbling stomach, It almost felt like I hadn't eaten anything since, since I had left the motel about six days ago.

* * *

Kai was sitting watching the tv, nothing of great importance was on except the occasional news broadcast detailing the most recent murders of seven security guards at a Shield facility. Kai smirked he knew who was responsible for that and now he was locked away. This was what he had been waiting for. The chance to go to back to Ninjago and get on with their lives without Jay. The mission had effectively been sabotaged by none other than a joint effort by Kai and Hydra.

He saw his brothers reviving around him and didn't acknowledge them, he waited for them to speak first.

"Kai?"

"Yep what?"

"Err where's Jay, did you get him to calm down?"

"Yeah you could say that." Kai laughed and finished removing the blood from the handle of his katana.

"Well where is he, is he out cold?" Cole asked as he rubbed his bruised middle and winced when he looked at his palms which appeared to have minor burns to them.

"Urgh what the hell happened?" Lloyd groaned as he got up of the floor.

"We were attacked, Lloyd." Zane replied as he checked his power functions inside.

"Yeah by Jay!" Kai stated.

"Do you know where he is?" Cole asked feeling a little dazed by their most recent fight.

"Nope not really."

"Well did you let him go?" Cole asked as he was trying to piece together what had happened.

"Yeah you could say that, he came for the cube. It was all a set up just as I knew it would be."

"But you all didn't believe me" Kai spat as he looked at his brothers.

"Don't worry the case and cube are still here so we can leave tomorrow."

"What! No we're not leaving without Jay." Cole said with a frown plastered onto his face as he shook his head in refusal.

"I sense Jay was injured, this blood is his." He pointed to the floor as Cole and Lloyd gasped at a large purple patch near the coffee table.

"He was injured before he came here actually, he'd been shot three times. Well he had three bullet wounds."

"WHAT?" Cole growled.

"Yeah he was, but sorry guys we've probably lost our deposit for the room now." Kai shrugged, not noticing how irate his brothers were getting, he didn't care he just wanted to go home. That is what he had agreed with Hydra anyway.

The ninja were just supposed to pack up and leave, all evidence would be cleaned away, no evidence of Jay ever having existed once Hydra had experimented on him anyway.

"What happened here Kai?" Lloyd asked.

"I saved you and you're all welcome." He said with an evil smile as he cleaned some bloody residue from the blade.

"What did you do Kai?" Cole said with an air of unease, he wasn't sure he wanted to know considering this was almost the same as back at the dojo when Kai was being secretive again, having only revealed the truth when it was almost too late.

"I came in and you three were playing nice an all, but he was too fast for you, even I could see that, he was always one step ahead."

"What do you mean _**was?**_ " Cole raised an eyebrow.

"I'll get to that, Cole, would you like me to continue? Anyway I hit him around the back of the head with that." Kai pointed to the broken heavy glass vase laying on the floor near the doorway.

"Then I hit him with this, because he still refused to pass out." He said as he pointed to the handle of his now clean blade.

"Finally I stabbed him twice, through his heart and chest." He replied in a monotone voice devoid of any emotion.

Cole and Lloyd just stood open mouthed, they exchanged glances. "What the Hell has gotten into Kai." They whispered between themselves.

"So where is our fallen brother now, Kai?" Zane quizzed in his trademark calm and soothing tone. His questioning techniques were trying to pick up vocal patterns and the possibility of lies. Kai's voice was laced with deceit, he was holding back on the truth and being vague.

"With HYDRA." He smirked.

This immediately created an uneasy tension in the room, why the smirk, what was Kai hiding?

"I knew it was a setup and it just so happened that this HYDRA company have holding cells for freaks with powers such as Jay. Apparently they'd been wanting him for a while but he was always with Loki and Loki was always with him. I think they mentioned about it being a protective enchantment, they protect each other without realising at least that is what I was told."

"So are you telling me you sold him out, I mean you sold out our brother Jay to an evil corrupt organisation? Is that what you're trying to tell me?" Cole said, his voice rising in anger and tone.

"Yeah dirtbrain, that's exactly what I'm saying." Kai spat as he stood face to face with Cole.

"You evil bastard, how could you? HE'S OUR BROTHER DAMNIT KAI, gahhh what is wrong with you?" Cole said as he began to raise his fists in anger.

"Well he's not my brother!" The fiery tempered ninja retorted as he took in a deep breath and remained in place, refusing to back down.

"He's our brother, Kai. Get your fucking head in the game!"

Zane restrained Cole by holding his arms behind him, thus effectively preventing the master of earth from delivering a seismic punch to Kai's overly smug face. It was a punch long time coming and one that he had restrained long enough, but his nindroid brother's strong titanium arms held him back. Stopping him from unleashing the punishment he knew Kai had deserved.

' _How could he? H-how could he sell Jay to them, to Hydra after all we were told about them.'_ Cole shook his head and struggled in Zane's grasp.

The nindroid and master of ice didn't expect Kai to take full advantage of the situation, he looked Zane in the eyes and smirked as he delivered a quick painful uppercut to Cole's jaw.

Zane was appalled at what he had just witnessed and had unknowingly been a part of. He hastily let go of Cole not realising the master of earth's apparent disadvantage. Typically as soon as Zane had released Cole's arms the black ninja just fell from his grasp. The dead weight he was momentarily carrying had not been apparent because he was so caught up in the tension of what had just transpired.

The black ninja was unconscious before he hit the floor of the small motel room. Luckily he only hit the corner of the bed and Lloyd caught his shoulders. Cole had fallen to the ground in front of his brother in white. He was still breathing, it wasn't a killer punch after all just one that would leave a mark and a lingering head and jaw ache.

But the hit from Kai was a pretty dirty move by any ones thoughts, a move very unbecoming of a ninja. Although not completely unexpected after all they were seasoned warriors and they had to learn to look for weaknesses and openings alike, taking the killing shot where possible. But this rule wasn't meant to apply to team mates to brothers or to supposed best friends.

Kai winced and rubbed his knuckle looking in Lloyd's direction. He looked down at the green ninja who seemed to be more focused on reviving Cole than listening to instruction from his hot headed brother.

"We're going home tomorrow." He said through clenched teeth. "Start packing NOW!"

"But Kai this wasn't part of the plan."

"I swear to God Lloyd, I will take you down too if I have to. Why can't you all see this was a bad idea. We should have never come here, NEVER!" Kai said as he eyed his very own black briefcase, his future had been sealed by the topmost management of Hydra.

Inside the master of fire was falling apart at what he had just done but it was too late to back down now.


	14. All we do is break up

Zane had put Cole on the bed with help from Lloyd. Both ninja brothers choosing to ignore 'the hot headed Kai', as he continued his angry tirade into the early hours.

He was still keeping an ever watchful eye on the spiky haired ninja, even when the latter skulked off with his black briefcase, slamming his bedroom door in the process. His behaviour hadn't gone unnoticed by the robotic mastermind, known as Zane.

Zane however, felt hugely responsible for Cole's injured jaw. He had after all, been holding him back literally, furthermore he hadn't expected Kai to lash out in such a manner. The whole sorry state of affairs had quickly spiralled out of control, maybe Jay was right...maybe they shouldn't have come back for him. He wasn't the only one thinking it.

* * *

Cole had woken rather uncomfortably, he was in his ninja gi and entangled in his sheets.

As soon as he woke, he felt soreness all over, similar to how he'd felt when he had been ill in his younger years. But this was different, all of his nerve endings were tingling. And then he felt another all-consuming ache that was mostly focused on his face and jaw. Instinctively, he grasped his jaw, wincing as he stretched it wide. His head, still buzzing as he tried to piece together the events of the night before. Cole certainly remembered Jay coming over, that much was clear. He also figured that Jay had been mind controlled because there was no plausible explanation for his strange behaviour and downright cocky attitude.

Then he remembered waking up on the floor after Jay had taken him down. Followed by a sketchy memory of seeing Kai lying on the bed looking like the cat who had got the cream. He was holding a black briefcase close to his body as well as a blade that he was cleaning, meticulously.

Of course then he'd had a heated argument when Kai had admitted to selling Jay out to Hydra as a test subject. Something that he thought of as so far-fetched and completely unbelievable had actually happened. The master of earth was shaken to the core with what the implications of Kai's decision would mean for the team as a whole and more specifically, for Jay.

That had been a few hours ago, at most and for the moment, no one else was awake except for him. Not like he could fall back to sleep with things as tense as there were now. Jay was missing again and this had been a failure of epic proportions, it was supposed to have been a rescue but one of his own brothers had gone rogue.

He sighed to himself, edging out of bed. Another day on earth was making itself known to Cole, as the early dawn light made an entrance underneath the thick musty curtains of the motel. Cole looked to his side and saw Zane sleeping next to him, Lloyd was sleeping on the sofa uncomfortably leaving Kai alone in the adjoining room.

It had only been ten hours since Kai had called Hydra behind their backs and effectively handed Jay over to an organisation who cared so little for humans and even less for those deemed as mutants or freaks as Kai had mentioned. He had been told that Hydra, once they had been called, had come and taken Jay without uttering a word to Kai. They simply picked him up, weapons and all, then none to gently shoved him into their black van, stunning him with a taser gun for good measure and then they drove off quickly into the night.

Cole hoped that Jay would be okay because it had been nine hours since they took him, since Kai had decided to enlighten them of the truth. In total, it had been ten hours since Jay tried to steal the cube, ambushing them in the process and overpowering them.

Standing up to stretch, Cole sighed, his emotions were all over the place since Kai had blown up in his face. Something was weighing on his mind, that woman at the palace, the one he had screwed twice, the one he couldn't get enough of. He had cheated on Nya with her twice in the space of four hours and he didn't even know her name. Heck he hadn't even used precautions either time.

 _Shit what was I thinking? I-I've got to tell her the truth, I owe her that much._

He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to think of a good apology which would likely need to double up as a break up. The master of earth sucked in a deep breath and held it, counting to ten as he attempted to calm his thoughts so he could speak to Nya and explain. He knew he would have to tell her sooner rather than later about his sexual encounters with the mystery woman because it was the right thing to do, no matter how guilty he felt about the how the whole thing.

He picked up the nearest communication device and walked outside, remembering to take a spare key card so he could at least get back in. Cole quietly pulled the door closed behind him, cringing as it clicked. Walking across the road, Cole sat on a grassy area over looking the motel, seeing it lit up in a red and yellow like a beacon that was meant to attract tourists or those sleazy customers who wanted to hire a room for a few hours to get their rocks off. Now finally out of ear shot Cole pressed the button to activate it and waited.

"Hey Nya, y-you there?" He waited until he could see her in front of him before he started. "S-sorry if I woke you…"

"What's wrong Cole?" She murmured, clearing her eyes.

"I-I err need to talk to you…" Cole stammered, rubbing his jaw to calm the ache.

"Where are you, it looks dark?"

Cole smiled. "I'm outside, it's almost dawn. Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine, I just miss you anyway what's wrong? You called me remember!" Nya's sickly sweet tone came through the communication device as clear as a bell.

There was an awkward pause and Cole knew that he had to do this this, he needed to make his peace with her. "I-I.." he paused, biting his lip. "Nya, I can't do this with you anymore." He could barely look at the screen with the guilt. "I'm so sorry."

"What do you mean, do what? Why are you sorry?"

"US, I mean us."

"What? What exactly are you trying to tell me Cole." Na asked as her tone increased and her words became sharp.

"Nya look I owe you the truth, and I don't think keeping things from you is going to be helpful for anyone."

"Cole…"

"Nya, just let me finish please. A few days ago something happened and I couldn't control myself…"

"C…"

"STOP! please, look I err…" Cole paused hearing her trying to talk in the background. She wasn't listening, she kept interrupting and he clenched his jaw tightly in annoyance, to save him from outright snapping at her.

"Look, I-I'm sorry Nya." Cole rubbed his sore face. "It's not you okay! This is...well, it's all me, I-I cheated on you….and I'm sorry." Cole huffed and looked away.

"I had a perfect apology ready but this is what happens when I'm rushed."

Cole rubbed his face but kept his gaze from her scrutiny. He could see her face from the corner of his eyes and she was noticeably annoyed verging on emotional. Her arms had crossed and he could even hear her breathing rate picking up.

"Look, I am truly sorry, it-it just h-happened."

She finally spoke but her voice was broken and wrought with emotion. "So that's it then, you screwed someone else, what you couldn't keep it your pants? Are you really that pathetic to blame it on someone else, did you even love me Cole? Or was I just another notch?"

"Y-yes of course I did, hey w-wait though I mean did you love me considering you didn't tell me about Jay's proposal? You dropped him quicker than a grenade!"

"What? Why do you bring that up now, that's all in the past. I told you why I didn't mention it."

"No you skimmed over the truth didn't you, what you didn't think I wouldn't pick up on your body language Nya. I knew you were lying even when I asked you if you still loved him, you lied again and still let me screw you."

"Who's the heart breaker here Nya, it isn't me!" Cole hissed, he flicked his raven hair away from his face angrily and looked into the screen but not at Nya. He looked everywhere but at her face, but he could hear that she was crying.

"Sorry Nya, please don't cry."

"Wh-who was she?" She asked, her voice bitter with disappointment.

"It doesn't matter Nya, why does that even matter who it was because it's not like I'm going to see her again is it? It's not important."

"Fine, so that's it then, you've told me the truth and now we're no longer together. I am disgusted Cole, but you know what it's fine because now I know how pathetic you really are, let me guess you…no, never mind just forget it." Nya stopped abruptly, she was done with insulting Cole, she took a deep breath herself and wiped her face before changing her tone somewhat.

Cole however, after being insulted and chastised was reluctant to divulge any more information, let alone the fact he had cheated on her twice with the same beautiful woman in the space of two hours.

He hid a smirk from Nya as he recalled the events which seemed to be burned into his memory. Her face was familiar somehow, her body unlike anything he'd ever seen, her abilities unmatched by any woman in the bedroom, she was almost a spellbinding goddess.

Her scent and everything about her he had craved, she was like a drug, he had to ravish her but it still didn't quench his desires even as he drank from her mouth and her body.

She was a true siren, he needed more and more of her and she gave it to him, she was far too intoxicating for him and he snapped. The rest as they say was history, well in Cole's case it was a blur, he couldn't remember the last part, only the act itself.

But there was one other woman, he had been seeing her too and her name was Seliel, she was known as the 'phantom ninja.' They had met a few years before when the overlord and General Cryptor were still around. And he knew back then that this ninja was an exceptional adversary even without the skills of spinjitsu. Cole however soon found out who she was and since then they had been meeting up occasionally going to the movies, out for a meal or back to her place for some fun and all behind Nya's back. Cole sighed and shook his head, he didn't want to upset her with the details so he kept it brief.

"Cole, was it someone I know?" Nya's voice cut through the lengthy silence, her tone soft again.

Cole sighed again, she wasn't letting up. "No I-I don't think so, s-sorry Nya. I didn't want to hurt you like this."

"So after all these months of being together we've now broken up?" Nya said as she took a deep breath in and sighed. She dabbed at her eyes.

Guilt and shame adorned his expression, he avoided her eyes. "Yes and again I'm sorry."

"Whatever Cole, Look can we just change the subject because I'm...I'm this close to just ending the call."

"Sure okay shoot what do you n-need to know?" Cole asked still looking away shamefully.

"How is the mission going?" Came her short reply, her tone now emotionless and uncaring.

"Well Kai, is out of control again and we made contact with Jay, twice" Cole added as he rubbed his jaw again.

"What happened?" She snapped.

"The first time he was more himself, he showed us his crown…."

"Crown! What?"

"Uhm yeah sorry Nya, he was crowned as a Prince." Cole bit his lip realising how stupid that sounded. "Anyway as I was saying, Jay didn't stay long and then last night he came again but he was different. Zane thinks Loki used the mind sceptre on him because he didn't recognise us, at all."

"He's a prince?" Was all Nya could get out.

"Yeah, and he knocked me down with one punch, then electrocuted Lloyd and Zane. Honestly, I still have the burns on my hands."

"I don't understand, wh-what happened?"

"Well, I-I couldn't let go of my weapon, his pulses kept me glued to the spot." He looked at his hands, seeing the burns for himself. "He was strong. Hell Nya, I even watched him catch Zane and Lloyd's blades in his bare hands. Fuck, how he managed to keep his fingers, I'll never know considering they swung at him full force."

Nya was silent, processing it.

"Jay didn't even look at them, he was still looking at me. He kinda grinned releasing electricity in the metal and up the blades into their hands. Lloyd passed out and Zane short circuited I didn't know what to do, I just saw red after that."

Cole sighed, shaking his head being as Nya wasn't contributing to the conversation. "He did the same to me too, even though I was mid swing with my scythe. Jay was so fast and w-we couldn't stop him but Kai did, he subdued him...only problem is, we don't know where Jay is."

"What do you mean, you don't know where he is?" Nya asked confused.

"Maybe you can ask Kai, when he comes back today."

"What does that mean Cole?"

"Kai handed Jay over to a corrupt organisation known as Hydra and that's all we know."

"Hydra? Why does that name ring alarm bells?" Nya asked.

"Shield might have mentioned them when we were with them last year." Cole suggested.

"And they said that Hydra were corrupt and not caring of the people they kept in their facilities for it was all in the name of science and guess what? That's where Jay is."

"Where is he, I mean is he okay?"

"I-I don't know Nya, he's been gone for over ten hours, his blood was everywhere."

"Well he is still alive though isn't he?" Nya shouted loudly, her anxieties being verbalised across the galaxies.

"I-I'm sure h-he's fine Nya, Jay is strong right?" Cole replied but didn't fully believe it after he had heard what Kai had done. Cole wasn't exactly going to tell Nya what her brother had done in his moments of madness.

"Nya, look sorry but I'm gonna have to go but we'll be seeing you hopefully real soon."

"Okay, bye Cole." Nya replied and switched the device off from her end.

Cole switched his device off and released a huge sigh of relief, one relationship over and now he could focus on trying to retain his place as the joint leader of the group or more precisely he could either make Lloyd take more responsibility or he would just do it himself and show the young green ninja how to do it properly.

He walked back to the motel and pushed the key card into the door waiting for the green LED to light up before he opened the door quietly and slipped in unnoticed as his brothers were still sleeping.

But yet his brother in red was determined that they should all go home today, he was insistent and his uppercut last night showed how serious he was. Cole walked through to the shower and stripped off his grass covered ninja gi and put the shower on hot.

He stepped into it and again all he could see was the same female, he couldn't shake the images out of his head of this mysterious woman and what they had both done together. Then there was Seliel too and as yet he had not admitted his true feeling to her. He loved Seliel he just hadn't the courage to formally ask if she would be his girlfriend. It had just been a long series of one night stands and romantic meals out.

The more he thought about it he realised he had missed so many cues from her. She had worn specific things for him, his favourite colours, bought him gifts and watched his favourite movies with him, hell she had even made him an ample supply of cakes. Cole shook his head, making a mental note to actually bite the bullet and ask her out upon his return to Ninjago.

He stood in the shower washing his hair, he regrouped his thoughts, how was he going to persuade Kai to stay and help considering he had given Jay away so freely only a few hours ago.

A few hours later everyone had woken up, Cole was dressed and had eaten, he had chosen to gather some breakfast items from the local fast food joint before bringing the greasy food stuffs back to the dingy motel. The awkward silence didn't last long though because Cole's favourite hothead was getting antsy again and this time Cole would not back down.

* * *

"We're not going Kai, we've come to get Jay and we're not leaving without him this time." Cole said with purpose and integrity as he stared into the brown eyes of his fiery tempered brother, the elemental master of fire. Cole didn't back down, he stood his ground he wasn't going to fall for the same tactic Kai used on him last night.

" **I'm not staying."** He shouted in defiance. **"You lot, y-you've all got a death wish and I don't want any part of it.** " He stared at his brothers one last time before activated his communication device. The signal was just enough for the cube to detect as an energy source.

"Nya," Kai hissed, voice cracking. "Activate the cube and twist it so it's in reverse. I-I'm coming home."

She cringed at the loudness of his tone. "Are you all coming back?" Nya asked timidly.

"No," he replied, staring at them all. "These idiots are staying here probably for the foreseable" Kai muttered. "Good luck finding him, hopefully he'll be dead or as close as possible to." he smirked and with a flash of blue energy he was gone.

"Out of line Kai!" Cole shouted as Kai disappeared from view leaving blue energy floating around, the energy seemed to float and hover momentarily until it found an exit route via the upper ventilation blocks.

"Well that escalated quickly." Zane said as he continued with what he was doing before Kai had started another angry tirade.

"My remaining brothers, we need to speak to Shield again for I fear something big is about to happen"

"Why, what do you know?" Lloyd asked feeling perplexed.

"Kai mentioned that he did indeed contact Hydra, they wanted our newly appointed prince and I believe it was _not_ to do tasks. They wanted him for personal reasons."

"We're listening." Cole said prompting Zane to continue.

"Hydra may have paid for Jay. Kai had about his person a black briefcase and he took it back to Ninjago with him. He may have literally sold Jay to Hydra, this leads me to believe that they want him solely as a…test subject. Remember his anatomy and blood group, he is immortal!"

"Well, in effect, Jay has now been successfully separated from Loki and now they are both at risk. The only issue we have is getting him out of there before they can get answers. You must remember that he is still Loki's protector but I do not think we can approach him, yet we may be able to talk to Tony Stark!"

"Well it's worth a try I mean we are now half a ninja team and we could use all the help we can get." Cole added. "But, Jay is still wanted by Shield and I seriously doubt that Tony will help rescue a known accomplice unless he's gonna hand him in to the authorities himself!"

Lloyd interrupted, changing the direction somewhat. "Do you think the jade weapons we've bought will have any effect on Loki?"

"I sense they might, but it really depends on the God himself. Simply put, I have not had enough time to research his weaknesses however the venom from a certain snake would cause him undue pain according to history books in this realm." Zane said with a sympathetic grin as he realised just how long it took them to find the jade blades in the first place.

"Look Cole, first things first we need to find out as much as we can about Hydra. We don't even know at the current moment if Shield will help or hinder." Lloyd stated.

"Good point Lloyd, personally I don't think they will. But we can still do some digging right?"

"We are not actually digging though are we?" Zane quizzed as the saying went completely over his head.

"No Zane, it's a figure of speech, not literal..,come on." Cole said as he laughed and rolled his eyes.

* * *

 _ **Two days later at Loki's palace**_

Loki was pacing his sleeping quarters, he hadn't seen Jay for over forty eight hours. The last time he saw him he had let him leave knowing full well that he was physically hurt and exhausted but part of his punishment for raising his hand against Loki was the reason that the god had needed to use his mind stone sceptre on Jay again. To remind him of where his loyalties lie and who he truly serves.

There was a growing sense of impending doom lingering over Loki's shoulders, the God could feel it. Something wasn't right.

' _How long does it take someone powerful to retrieve a simple cube from lesser mortals._ ' Loki thought.

He had to admit to himself that he had grown fond of Jay over these past few months, he was like the brother he'd always wanted despite his wayward allegiance. Jay had a bit of fight in him, a spark of life and the quest to prove himself to Loki and all helped to make him into a person that Loki was slowly beginning to trust. Jay was becoming that brother that he was starting to admire, even if he had taken advantage of Jay in her female form quite recently.

* * *

Loki sat on his bed and contacted Hydra to ask for the whereabouts of Jay considering they were supposed to be overseeing his tasks. They were being secretive with him, the answers they gave were vague, they refused to answer any questions and at one point they had put the phone down.

The God of lies obviously knew a liar when he heard one and humans were easy to figure out. Their body language, the tone of voice that changed, the pauses.

He knew something had happened and he would never approach Shield not after New York, he was still wanted by them. Loki thought to himself and devised a plan.

"Hmm, I cannot possibly go to Shield for they are just as corrupt and greedy, however the ninja, now that may actually work. I think they know more than they care to admit." He said.

"Of course I'll need to manipulate them a little and sway them to my views." Loki said as he laughed to himself.

He walked into Jay's room and sat on the large dark blue bed trying to find the answers that weren't particularly forthcoming, he noticed a small device on the nightstand in Jay's room which he looked at with interest, he picked it up and pocketed it hoping it would come in handy on his journey.

Instead of putting his physical self in danger whilst visiting the ninja he chose to send conjure an astral projection of himself, he didn't want ambushing he wanted answers and he would get them.

He eventually found a motel which matched the energy signature he was tracking. It would appear that there were now only three ninja here, alerting Loki to the fact that one had either absconded or just merely disappeared.

"Ahh the other cube, so it is still here, confusion surmounts by the minute, where is that boy?" He frowned as he realised Jay had not been successful for some reason.

He carefully approached the area and noticed large dark purple spots on the ground near a motel room door, the spots ended and were replaced by large black tire marks. For once Loki felt anxious as he bent down to touch the purple fluid at his feet. He recoiled in horror as he realised it was Jay's blood and there was lots of it.

He approached the door and knocked with his hand after wiping his fingers on the wall. Typically he would have used his sceptre or he would just walk in but he didn't want to startle the occupants in his full functional armour, so he dressed down a little, minus his green cloak and golden horned helmet.

"Who is it?" An earthy growl asked behind the closed door.

Loki raised his eyebrow and sighed, he had never really had to wait outside some ones door before in this manner, usually he would just walk in or appear.

"Why don't you open it and find out for yourselves instead of hiding behind a pathetic wooden door." Loki hissed and then mentally chastised himself for being too sharp.

Cole stood behind the door with a puzzled expression.

"I can't see anyone there, but I can hear him and he sounds oddly familiar and also a little angry." He said with a look of distrust.

"You sure it's a man, I mean a woman came here a few days ago hehe." Lloyd blushed as he remained on the bed watching the television.

"Yeah Lloyd, I'm fairly sure it's a man." Cole rolled his eyes and laughed at Lloyd as he threw a cushion at him with his spare hand.

"Zane, come here quick. Look can you scan or something to see who it is." Cole pleaded at Zane as the person was still waiting to be let in on the other side of the door. His impatience growing by the second at being made to wait.

"I sense it is, Loki." Zane's eyebrows rose in suspended animation as he looked at Cole and Lloyd.

"P-perhaps you should let him in, it is not his physical form at least merely a projection of himself."

"Whoa! He can do that?" Lloyd asked, he was impressed.

"Yes and I can just appear in the room if I want to but I'm merely trying to be hospitable whilst waiting for you to let me enter. I only wish to talk."

Cole looked around himself looking for the source of Loki's voice whilst Zane quickly bypassed him and opened the door to let the visitor in and across the threshold of the room.

As soon as he walked in the room it automatically seemed smaller, Loki was intimidating in any of his forms even if he wasn't wearing his helmet or holding his sceptre. He was taller than all of the ninja by a few inches and no more. His predominantly black and green clothing looked immaculate save for the remains of blood on his fingertips. He was still in his astral form because he couldn't be sure that the ninja would trust him enough to hear him speak.

"Thank you, Zane I believe?" Loki spoke clearly as he looked around the small cramped room.

"Hhmm charming I guess." He said as he took in the sight of the three ninja all keeping a good distance between themselves and him.

"I do not threaten!" Loki stated with raised eyebrows as Cole looked like he was preparing for a battle.

"I've merely come to talk about two of my possessions that have gone, missing!"

"You've got a lot of nerve showing your face here after what you did to Jay." Cole hissed in anger as the memory of Jay being turned into an immortal to save his brothers was forever burned into his memory. He stood his ground, he wasn't scared of Loki, just his mind games and his sceptre.

"Why have you come here?" Zane questioned as he put his hand on Cole's shoulder to calm him.

Loki looked around the room and noticed more of Jay's blood on the floor.

"I have simply come here to retrieve Jay and my tesseract cube. His blood seems to be all over this place."

"I don't suppose you could elaborate as to why?" Loki asked no one in particular as he bent to touch the almost dried sticky puddle of blood on the carpeted floor, his form flickered briefly.

"He came here two days ago and tried to steal the cube back." Cole said as he frowned at the large bloody patch Loki was touching which he hadn't noticed before.

"I see there are only three of you here, where is the red one?"

"He left." Cole said tensely.

"This blood was a product of his hatred. Tell me, does he have a fiery temper to match his element?" Loki asked with a smirk, it was rhetorical for he knew the answer.

"So what happened here? Anyone care to explain? I can remember sending Jay on a retrieval mission to claim the cube which you stole from me." He said as he looked solely at Cole.

"Jay managed to defeat us but Kai took advantage whilst his back was turned, he err, well Kai stabbed him twice I think and he said something about him being held at Hydra in holding cells of some sort. Look uhm, Loki we were actually planning on some sort of rescue mission anyway." Cole added as he felt Loki's eyes staring into his soul.

"We were about to contact Shield for their assistance as we have exhausted our data banks for any information relating to Jay or Hydra" Zane added.

"Well for your sake, I'm glad you didn't. Shield are incompetent, they only care for world domination and controlling the uncivilised populations with crude weaponry. You know they were planning on using the tesseract to create weapons just like Hydra tried to, back in the 1940's. Hydra failed of course because no one can wield the power of the tesseract except me, Jay and you." Loki said as he eyed Lloyd.

"So, I can clearly see you and your team are broken, corrupted! Yet you need assistance, I can be that salvation you so crave, that guiding light you look for when the darkness consumes your every waking moment pulling you back with its sharp unrelenting claws."

"Uh,can you help or not?" Cole interrupted rudely. Frowning as he looked sideways at the talkative God.

Loki held his posture, not looking at any of the men in his midst. "I _can_ help you, though I offer nothing for free."

This got the ninja's attention but they were unsure as to Loki's intentions, they knew he couldn't be trusted but they were running out of time.

"What exactly are you offering? We're not bullet proof." Cole hissed, grabbing a jade blade.

A crude smirk played upon his face. "Not yet," he said. "But you will be if you accept my terms. You see, I cannot rescue him myself. Hydra are not a corporation you would associate with stupidity they are calculating, resourceful, deceptive and yet smart. And of course they would be expecting me to arrive and claim him. However, they shall not be expecting you, now that would confuse them." Loki replied, eyeing the green blade with a subtle hint of envy.

Cole held the blade up and pointed it at Loki but was shocked when his astral projection disappeared to be replaced by the real deal.

Loki walked into the room helmet and all, cloak billowing in the breeze. "Let me guess, this blade only takes in what makes it stronger?" Loki mocked as he grabbed the blade. His hand movements were too fast for the ninja to notice that he had indeed grabbed the blade rather than the handle and it hadn't even cut his skin.

Loki was admiring the colour, frowning at it. He lifted the small blade and looked down the shaft, he smirked. "Jade? An actual blade made of a semi-precious earth bound stone."

Cole and Lloyd nodded nervously, Zane just stood back and watched with intrigue and anticipation.

"When will you mortals realise that Jade is so full of weakness." He replied derisively, snapping the beautiful green blade clean in half without any difficulty. Leaving the faces of Cole, Lloyd and Zane to drop, they just stared at the two halves of it as it lay by his feet.

"Okay fine just do it" Cole shouted. "We'll accept it whatever, just let us get Jay. But no mind control." He added.

"As you wish." Loki said, smirking somewhat. "Your mind will be your own as was Jay's, your unique bodies are a testament to that and alas I can only fully control humans." Loki with his sceptre in hand and a large vial of green liquid, approached Cole. Asking him to take a drink, he then did the same with Lloyd and eventually Zane.

"Eugh what was that? couldn't you at least mask the taste like, with a cake or something!" Cole said as he began to hack, feeling the urge to vomit.

Loki laughed he liked this black ninja, he was strong hearted and funny but determined to save Jay just as much as Loki had been determined to have Jay for himself. He watched the three ninja as they were beginning to change in appearance.

"Now for the final part, and it might hurt." Loki said as he raised his sceptre and recited a spell which surrounded all three ninja, the green smokey tendrils reaching into the ninja's bodies making them arch backwards as their bodies fought against the evil surging through their veins or metallic components.

Their ninja gi's replaced with impressive modern gi's providing adequate protection against any outside forces.

"I must warn you to exercise caution for you will be exceptionally strong in this form, do not get the attention of Shield nor Hydra if you favour your lives."

"Now you don't need to call me master or anything, after all you are not immortal but you are now almost as strong as me, your elemental abilities improved. Your bodies cannot be harmed whilst you are under my spell, this I should add is only temporary."

"Just like my other transmutation abilities though, temporary but powerful."

"So, do I have your undivided attention?" Loki asked whilst an evil twisted grin appeared on his pale chiselled features. None of the three seemed to be talking for they were looking at themselves and then each other in shock and awe.

"Good, I do so like a captive audience." He laughed gleefully as he took in the sight of the three intimidating ninja warriors stood before him.

"It's like my own set of the warriors three." He chortled to himself.

"You know this is fun and all but we have a task to do, so where is this place and what do we need to know?" Cole said in a much deeper voice than usual as he admired his new physique and attire.

"What have you done with my weapons?" Cole asked as he looked for his metal scythe or any of his katana's.

"Oh well Svatalfheim obsidian is far better than earth made obsidian, the slavery of the dwarves make it so much sweeter to use. The edges are sharper, the weapon is lighter and easier to handle, providing an excellent weapon which will not bend, break or rust unlike those clunky metal tools you carry with you."

"You all have your own set of weapons and I can't guarantee that they will revert back once the spell wears off so think of it as, I don't know perhaps as a token of gratitude." Loki stated before continuing.

"The Hydra base is located not far from here, it is heavily guarded during the day. So head my warnings for you would be better suited to attack at night considering your attire is as black as the night itself, the rest is up to you."

"I have taken the liberty of utilising this strange looking device to keep in contact with. You will of course feed back to me of your progress."

It wasn't a question, it was an order and all three ninja nodded in compliance.

"Good, the spell should only last forty eight hours so be aware."

Loki left the ninja in their motel room before disappearing to an unknown location, he knew he wasn't safe in the palace at least not until Jay was with him. The ninja all bid him farewell until they needed to speak to him again.

' _Of course I could turn all of them, then I would have an army of loyal protectors.'_ Loki thought as he left.

* * *

The ninja looked at each other in disbelief as they stared in awe at their new clothes, even their hair was different, it was slightly longer. They had never felt healthier than they did now. Zane felt like all of his major mechanical components had been upgraded to much more advanced systems, unlike anything seen on earth. He didn't even have to try hard to bring forth his element it just came and in his hand appeared a macabre blade made purely of ice. He was soon snapped out of his thoughts by the excited tones of his earth brother.

"Hey Zane can you contact the others!" Cole said excitedly, verging on bragging. He was still admiring his outfit in the mirror, but Lloyd was already on the case.

"Nya are you there?" Lloyd shouted into his communicator, not realising his voice carried a much stronger tone.

"Keep it down will ya!" Kai barked at the loud voices booming at him. His face face still looked like thunder.

"Whoa! What the Hell has happened to you? All of you?" He gasped, jumping back from his seat. The stool he sat on abruptly fell to the floor.

"Err well, Loki kind of did it." Lloyd squeaked excitedly.

"On purpose? Why?"

"To get Jay back of course." Cole said with a raised brow.

"Why else?"

"Oh him!" Kai paused and lost interest.

"Yeah...him" Cole replied sarcastically, rubbing his jaw. "Our brother, remember?"

"Whatever, lets take a look at you then, new uniform I see. Quite dark which I guess figures considering ya know Loki." Kai said chewing gum, his attitude hadn't really changed much.

"You look different too, you got new weapons as well?"

"Yeah, they're all obsidian ya know the same as Jay's." Cole added, he wasn't going to stop talking about Jay just because Kai had a problem with him.

"No mind control then?"

"No, remember he tried that on Jay but it didn't work too well on him before he was immortal, he didn't waste his time doing it to us besides it only really works fully on humans."

"Except for last night, when he was mind controlled." Kai trailed off.

"I'm struggling to tell you all apart, you all look the same." He said as he took in the new appearance of his brothers.

"Well there are subtle differences, for example, my scythe is completely black, if I drop it during the night I won't be able to see it. On a more serious note though; my clothes have diamond jewelled clasps to signify my earth element, diamond is the hardest precious stone and it can cut through glass which means we can get in undetected. The black suit is made from carbon kevlar and the main body is enforced to withstand blades and bullets. It's actually extremely light even with all these weapons." Cole said as he opened his robed gi and showed an impressive array of kunai blades and throwing stars.

Lloyd then came forward and showed of his attire. "Mine is pretty much the same colour as Loki's which is kinda funny." He said as he admired the green, gold and black.

"It's kinda blackened green, with golden armour on my shoulders and arms. My weapons are also black with emerald handles which amplify my element." Lloyd said as he did a twirl.

"Kai you kinda missed out of this one, shame you let your blindness judge you really. You would've been unstoppable in this form." Lloyd stated as he smiled at Cole.

Kai immediately became interested again as a hint of jealousy took hold of him, he listened intently to his brothers. "So how about you Zane, what you packing?"

Zane stood forward calmly, he spoke almost like the actual God who had changed them. "My uniform is black with accents of silver to show my titanium self, each clasp magnifies my power and serves to protect my body. You cannot see my armour as it is black the same as Cole's but it is there. I also have a selection of weapons most of them are black except these." Zane said and pulled out four shuriken's which were solid diamond, he span them on his metallic digits.

"Wow Zane, so what happens when the spell wears off?"

"Well we revert back to normal, but Loki said our weapons might not. Uhm has Nya managed to find the stone warrior body armour? We could really use it ya know, since Jay is being potentially tortured as we speak." Cole said before Zane could speak.

"Yes, she'll be arriving with it tomorrow, it wasn't easy to obtain."

"Hang on, I'm coming back guys, just got to write a note for Nya is the cube still there?" Kai said quickly as he activated the cube from his end.

"Yeah but it won't be for long as Loki knows it's here." Cole shouted at his brother who disappeared from the screen and after a few minutes appeared to be lying spread-eagled on the floor of the motel room looking pale and ill. He soon stood and re-joined his brother's side.

"Changed your mind then?" Cole said as he helped Kai to stand, he was aware that Kai was staring at all of them, they did look scary, intimidating but so cool.

"Well now we have an issue."

"What! Where's the issue?" Kai asked looking around himself but his eyes were reverting back to his brothers and their new fighting outfits.

"We need to call Loki back so he can turn you too, otherwise you'll be vulnerable and we don't need the additional weakness on the team." Lloyd stated coldly but activated the device with a resignated sigh.

"Loki, are you there?" Lloyd asked.

"Since when are you so friendly with him all of a sudden?" Kai hissed.

"You know he's evil right!"

"What, you mean as evil as you?" Cole retorted in his new deep voice.

"He came to us for help because he is in danger and Jay will be too. Remember we did not sell Jay to the other side _that_ was you!" Zane said sternly in an oddly godlike voice.

"To whom do I owe the pleasure of my disturbed reverie?" Loki hissed into the device as sarcasm laced his words.

"This is Lloyd."

"Ahhh yes my green warrior, you require my services? Has the red one returned?"

"Yes, he has."

"I'll be there in a mere moment."

Loki suddenly appeared in the room standing in the middle of all of them, he was taller by at least eight inches when accompanied by his helmet. He immediately locked eyes on Kai.

"So you're the turncoat? hmm! And here's me thinking you were one of his best friends hahahaha. How far from grace you have fallen, no matter though for you will undoubtedly suffer the most when this is all over." He added with an evil glint in his eyes.

Loki walked up to Kai and lowered his head to the red ninja's ear, effectively pinning him up against the wall. "If you hurt him again I will kill you myself, slowly, intimately but not as you would think. I'll savour the experience, relish it and I'll watch you burn!"

Kai visibly winced at Loki's venom filled words, he believed everything Loki had said. He gulped as Loki stared down at him, the God walked backwards all the time keeping his green eyes on him.

"Come forwards Kai, you'll need to drink this." Loki gave him a small vial of the leftover green fluid and watched as he choked it down, coughing and spluttering from the bitter taste as the magic within began changing him.

"And now for your look, although a punishment may be more fitting, No?" Loki shook his head and laughed. He finished with the same enchantment that completely changed Kai into a more effective warrior.

Loki had left before they could even thank him. He had a strong feeling that the motel was now being watched and there was nothing more he could do except wait until nightfall to hear from his new team of warriors. He knew he would be eager to hear of their endeavours and he hoped that his magic would be enough to sustain their strength for at least the next two days.

* * *

Zane, Lloyd and Cole all stared at Kai. "Wow Kai, you look good, kinda realistic anime what with your hair."

"What's wrong with my hair?" Kai said as he rushed to the mirror.

"Actually that's pretty good." He said as he admired his softer long spiky hair.

"What else is different?"

"Your uniform is like ours it's mostly black with added protection, it should amplify your powers too, you've got some great amber and obsidian bits on yours." Lloyd said with a soft sigh, he was pushing his real feelings back. He just wanted to shout at Kai but they had a mission to plan for and it would take a few hours at least to prepare.

"Well obsidian is volcanic ya know." Kai smirked.

"I-I'm sorry guys." He said as he held his head down.

He got no response though, just an uncomfortable silence which he was expecting. The motel room was exactly how he had left it before his departure, Jay's blood was just in this room but all over the carpet. Kai knew his brothers were desperately annoyed and enraged with him but they were being remarkably calm, they hadn't even approached him except to help him off the floor, and the conversations had been painfully brief in duration almost in comparison to small talk.

* * *

 **A few hours later outside Hydra headquarters**

"Right well we need to get in to this place any ideas Cole, Lloyd?" Kai asked.

"Every seven minutes and thirty three seconds they change direction, once they have scaled the outer perimeter of the ground floor the reverse. I personally suggest we each take turns." Zane whispered.

"Listen well brothers, we have a time limit of twenty five seconds to get up to one of the windows on the ground floor, which I believe is just enough time for Cole to cut the window and get in undetected. Be mindful Cole the glass may be double glazed or even bullet proof."

"Thanks Zane."

"Once Cole is in, he will need to signal us one by one once the immediate area is clear."

"Are we ready? Right lets go and uhm, good luck Cole." Kai Zane and Lloyd whispered.

They watched the master of earth traverse the steep earthy mound they were crouched on which overlooked Hydra's facility. All security personnel were heavily armed so stealth was of huge importance and the colours of their new uniforms was working exceptionally as Loki had planned. Cole was totally undetected, he approached a nearby window and began to count, as he removed his jewelled clasp and began cutting the glass. His scarf pulled up high obscured his breath and the gloves bore some protection from the simple act of glass cutting. The entrance hole had to be big enough for all of them to get through without shattering and without it looking overly suspicious.

"Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty one, twenty two...oww!" Cole hissed quietly as he fell through the window and hit his head on the filing cabinet in the room. He quickly covered his mouth as a security guard walked past the room with the now open window. He signalled another brother to join him and lay in wait as Lloyd was next to come through the window followed by Zane and eventually Kai, the whole process took less than thirty minutes and now they were in the facility.

"Zane can you try and scan the facility, blueprints that sort of thing, try not to arouse suspicion though because we don't want to be caught." Lloyd asked quietly as another security official walked past.

"We need to get out of this room." Kai hissed.

"It's only gonna be a matter of time before someone notices it's open."

"Well Kai you could always melt the glass pieces I've saved." Cole said shrugging with a devilish smirk.

"It shouldn't take you long, oh yeah Loki didn't tell you about your uniform. It sorta amplifies your elemental side." Cole snickered quietly.

"Okay I'll try it, I mean what have I got to lose right, except my own life." He said sarcastically as he took a large rectangular piece from Cole and placed it in the outer pane of missing glass, he raised his eyebrow as he didn't expect anything to happen, but he tried it using his finger.

He watched in fascination as his finger healed the cut in the glass effectively sealing it with no signs of previous damage or entry.

"Wow" he said once one sheet was back in place, he quickly ducked down as another security guard walked past. He sat there looking at his glowing fingers mesmerised at just how powerful Loki truly was.

The next pane was just as easy, it needed to look good and it did considering this was a new skill Kai had only just learnt. He stood back and admired his work and then quickly sat down again as the same security guard walked past.

"We need to head downstairs, the cells are mostly there. The majority of cells and corridors are guarded, they again have a similar rotational pattern. Finally and even though it may be tempting we cannot rescue everyone, it would be too risky." Zane stated.

"Black Widow, Hawyeye and Agent Hill are here too." Kai stated.

"I'm fairy sure they can get themselves out if we open their cells."

"Good point, if you see them let them out but be careful as we don't want too much attention. Rendezvous back here in t-minus six hours and keep your devices on silent." Zane stated before he motioned to get into pairs.

"Kai, Lloyd you need to search this part of the facility, there are approximately fifty or so cells facing due south, Cole and myself will be searching in the opposite side, due north."

"Good luck everyone." They said quietly as they all hugged each other. Cole's eyes looked suspiciously at Kai, but the spiky haired ninja didn't notice the look of distrust being cast his way.


	15. Then make up

He needed to sleep, if just for a few hours. Troublingly, he felt like his body had been well and truly pushed past the limits of endurance. Legs felt like he'd scaled a mountain or a couple hundred flights of stairs.

All he wanted right now was to stretch out his obliques and quadriceps rather than remain in this same pitiful fetal position.

Maybe if he could lay his head back, he'd be able to catch some Zzzs. But, each time he moved or stretched, his legs would drag across the sharp floor, snagging the leather.

Oddly, as he lay there, in the dark he mused about what had transpired directly before he got here.

Nothing would come to the forefront. Other than having a vicious fight with Loki, that was all he remembered and past that, he was drawing blanks.

Pondering about the fight he'd lost, Jay tried to figure out what kind of floor he was laying on. It was desperately uncomfortable. Making it impossible for him to sleep. Gently brushing his palm over the surface. A smooth movement had his hand recoiling fast when he felt what could only be described of as a bed or more precisely a floor of nails.

Sadly, he already knew the outer walls were negating his element. Typically, the floor there was tiled but it was too close to the electrified bars for him to attempt to rest. So he lay in the middle of the cell with his split tail leather overcoat providing some protection. Eyes squinting around in the darkness to see something...anything.

"Great to lay on apparently, so I've heard," he said to himself.

Jay heard a grumble behind him. A very definite human noise coming from not too far away. He wasn't sure whether to be happy about the fact he wasn't alone or panic because he could tell whoever it was, they seemed to be in abject pain.

He didn't attempt to shuffle onto his side. It wasn't worth the aggravation. "Y-you okay in there?" He hollered. Desperate to communicate, to find out more about why he was here.

No answer, deathly silence filled Jay with dread.

The cell they kept him in was preventing him from resting. It was a torturous cell, likely meant to cause pain and despair to all who were imprisoned within. Then was the issue of being unable to see much. It was dark, not completely, but there was a faint red glow from the corridor. There was a control panel out there and it left a warm glow, flashing every so many seconds to confirm all containment cells were locked.

In desperation, he whispered Loki's name. An attempt to reach out to him maybe, or to get an idea of how he came to be here.

Was this an attempted apology because Jay thought he had overstepped the boundaries? It wouldn't be the first time, probably not the last either.

Desperation knew no bounds at that point. Loki had told him about the thing that bound both. So, typically Jay was worried for the Æsir Prince and for his safety. This alone was an odd thing to consider, bearing in mind how Loki had treated him in the run-up to their most recent fight

Jay knew he'd seen Loki recently, well, it was almost a week. Again, he bit his lip, remorse biting for using his element in defence.

The element that Loki had strengthened. He wasn't overly proud of that fact, despite being treated like Walliper crap before that.

The fight was inevitable because Loki hadn't apologised. But then...

Jay guessed that this incarceration might have had something to do with him. For not getting the cube back in time. For being a letdown.

"Loki please, I'm sorry."

At the mere mention of his name, an astrally projected image appeared in the cell. His face, despite his flustered annoyance, was full of concern when he saw the mounting damage inflicted. Jay figured it was worse underneath the purple tunic, glad in a way that the god couldn't see under the material.

His clothes were sticky, not quite dry and not soaking wet with blood. The congealed stuff seemed to take forever to dry.

He couldn't get up to attempt to talk to Loki, let alone look him in the eyes. He'd failed him.

And this...this was to be his punishment. So why had Loki come when Jay had called him?

Subconsciously, Jay's fingers grazed two torn holes...bullet holes.

How?

More blind fumbling in the dark. Jay could feel two cleanly cut slits.

No chest plate. No weapons.

Leaving him in his working armour, an almost identical set to Loki's, except for the colour.

It was apparent to Loki that the wounds weren't healing because the blood was free-flowing. Leading into collecting ducts of some sort.

There wasn't even a toilet, not that Jay had eaten anything. But the smell of urine was present and very pungent.

Loki's projected image cast a worried glance. No denying now that Jay was suffering in here. His breathing was irregular on one side. Was that where the turncoat had stabbed him?

Crouching low beside his delirious protector. His voice seemed ethereal, distant. An echo to it as he attempted to look at the injuries he could see. "I'm sorry. I-I was too hard."

Astral projections could only surround and subdue. They could never heal or cast cantrips of seidr.

"*Cough*"

Green eyes suddenly shot to Jay's face. The appearance of frothy blood escaped his pale lips. A pained grimace visible.

How much pain was Jay hiding? How much could he endure?

He wheezed, looking Loki in the eyes. "St-still here?"

Loki wasn't sure if the question was directed at him or if Jay was stating a fact.

All Loki did was cover his mouth. Not wanting or able to shout out, it was obvious now. He was sorry. Guilt mounting so much that it was pouring out of him.

If Loki couldn't do anything about this then why was he here? To gloat? Jay wanted him to leave. He couldn't bear to look at him, didn't feel worthy of the attention anymore. All he wanted was to sleep, to feel better and to remember.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry for failing y-you." Jay uttered, weakly. "And I'm sorry for causing you harm. It, it wasn't my intention. I'm sorry." Jay shuddered when the wave of pain passed through him.

Pain brought closure.

"I'm sorry..."

Closure stopped the pain and it became pleasurable. He could escape from the pain, even if only for a few minutes.

Loki wasn't as stoic as Heimdall, nor as unmoving as Thor. So it surprised Jay to see a crack appear in Loki's persona.

Perhaps seeing him injured like this was having an impact on Loki's normally apathetic side. However, not a minute after the sickening apology that Jay had mumbled...Loki had gone in an instant making him feel so completely alone again.

Did Loki even care, maybe he had just gone back to Asgard giving Jay up as a lost cause?

Jay had eventually succumbed to sleep. He was in the same position he had fallen in, an awkward curled up fetal style.

Three hours rest before the lights were switched on in the hallway. He squinted his eyes with the brightness. It caused intense pain behind his heavily dilated eyes. Taking a good few minutes for him to adjust to the new light, it also gave him enough time to look at his surroundings, noting how small the cell was and the look of the macabre flooring in greater detail.

He took a quick glimpse of his hands, they were covered in dried blood as he'd suspected. His clothes felt stiff, blood was the reason for that too. But he shrugged if off, it was better than his clothes being wet and sticky. The stiffness actually kept some warmth in, insulation almost.

A noise could be heard coming from the hallway but Jay didn't move he just sat on the floor, using the tails of his leather overcoat to sit on. A useful plan which served to protect his glutes from puncture wounds, like he actually needed more injuries.

Jay noted two male voices approaching, the voices seem to stop every so often and then they got closer each minute until he could hear them clearly.

They had paused by the cell next to his. Jay listened in carefully hearing what they were describing as a test subject.

He was appalled at what he heard coming from their mouths, it was like they had given up on his cellmate ever recovering. Was that the whole reason for being here, testing?

"Test subject 0918, male, originally brought in by the Winter Soldier, showed extreme mental durability, he did have the ability to read minds but since taking his various tissue samples, he's non-responsive."

"His likely outcome?" Asked the other voice.

"Health deteriorated within hours of the serum being introduced."

Jay shuddered in his cell. The man had died right next to him during the night. That was the deathly silence. The sound before, his final breath.

The two men eventually reached Jay's cell and smiled at him before talking about him like he wasn't there.

They both wore white lab coats, one seemed to have large thick black rimmed glasses, staring at his paperwork in depth before peering down his nose at Jay. The two men took their time discussing who he was and spoke about him like a prized article of great interest and something that they now owned.

"This is our newest test subject, 0919, name unimportant."

Jay attempted to move. Too weak to kneel without dizzying effects.

"His abilities and the reason he's here?" The other asked.

"Ah yes, an immortal with exceptional strength, potentially Asgardian, can wield lightning and has the ability of fast healing."

"Adamantium?"

"No, not one of Strykers subjects. This one's special, he's not even human."

"Well, he's next on the list for samples and biopsy."

The door was opened rapidly and before Jay knew it there were two more people in the tiny cell with him, They easily lifted him from the floor and stood him back against the electrified wall. Which effectively held him in place because he was too busy fighting the excruciating electrical shocks to care about what the men were saying anymore.

Once the ignorance had stopped, all four men turned around to look at Jay who was still smiling somewhat. They weren't expecting that but regardless they escorted him from his cell one holding each arm, his feet dragging behind. All he could see was where he had been not where he going. He even got the chance to see what floor he was on and the floor he was going down to.

He was eventually expected to stand on his own as he neared what looked like a treatment room. Again he was leaned against the wall as the two men each scanned their respective cards before the doors would open.

As soon as the doors opened, Jay was grasped and pulled through to the room which to him didn't look much like a treatment room, it resembled a science laboratory which was a good thing at that moment because Jay wasn't overly fond of hospitals.

Because his injuries had weakened him somewhat and the fact he had taken no food nor drink meant he was mostly incapable of walking. He simply lacked the strength.

But had they asked him that rather than just pushing him forward he would have happily told them that he couldn't walk, instead they all learnt the hard way.

Jay stumbled, losing his footing when his legs lost all function and he fell face first hitting the examination table, colliding with it directly under his eye.

A pained groan. Relentless throbbing. Another injury to contend with.

"Oww, really guys your bedside manner stinks." Jay hissed, unable to rub the pain away.

He still had his humour but even that was slipping.

Typically patient care wasn't one of their strong suits, they were working here not as a duty of care for the people trapped but just for what they could harness from them.

So it came as no surprise to Jay when he was thrown at the examination table, this, of course, did nothing to ease his feelings of anxiety and foreboding which only intensified tenfold when his arms and legs were restrained by leather straps.

"I hope you realise I won't be leaving a good review of this place, I've not even had a meal."

"Really, nothing from that?" He cringed feeling the strapping. Jay tested their patience. He knew he was delaying the inevitable but he could at least try to stall them.

In all truthfulness he wasn't scared at all, just unsure of what was about to happen, he knew it would be some sort of hideous procedure but he was helpless to fight back so he simply welcomed it.

"And the bed is shit, how's anyone supposed to sleep on it?"

Nothing, they were ignoring him. Close to gagging him, if only to shut him up.

 _Well, plus side, at least this is more comfortable._

He lay his head back on the rubber pillow, enjoying the fact that the whole rubber and plastic bed was in general, far superior to his current bed of nails.

As he lay back and felt them tighten his straps he closed his eyes, he focussed all of his energy into his body keeping it in his core until it was time.

Possibly, only having one shot at escape or release, so he would have to endure whatever it was that they were about to do. He couldn't attempt to shock them yet, there were far too many people in the room and eight were armed.

He could hear everything going on but tried to block out the noises, small fragments breaking through.

 _Focus on something else..._

"Tissue samples required." A male voice ordered.

 _No just gotta block it all out, just ignore it. Act like it's all a bad dream..._

Jay could somehow feel Loki's presence in the room with him, and although he daren't open his eyes he could feel the God standing next to him.

Could he sense Jay's fear? Even if the young prince wasn't showing any outward signs, he was terrified inside, maybe Loki was aware more than he cared to admit.

"Be strong Jay, I am right here."

Jay could hear the faint whisper and could feel the ice cold breath. The coldness made him shiver. Just at that same moment, a needle was placed into his arm gently and the contents released from the chamber.

Suddenly he felt woozy, his head was dizzy, spinning almost. Black dots in his field of vision accompanied by auras. A colourful effect, it was kaleidoscopic.

Whatever they had injected him with hadn't put him to sleep but it had warmed him up. His muscles were all relaxed, even his breathing was slowing down.

 _Muscle relaxant then._

Then he felt a large pain in his stomach. Eyes squeezed shut, trying to block out hearing them mentioning live tissue samples.

Jay opened his eyes to do a quick recount of the people in the room with him. Two armed guards had left, six to go.

His eyes focused on the large biopsy needle they had which was still lodged in his stomach. Closing his eyes again, he could feel it moving from organ to organ. Grasping a small section of each before taking a piece.

"Just the liver and heart to do now." The manager said to his laboratory staff.

Jay was shivering.

"That could be very risky sir."

"He's immortal, we need answers, this body could power our armies for years to come, we too could be unstoppable. Besides, having blood samples; to make clones or serums we will need tissue, not just red, white and plasma cells."

"The shelf life of blood is mere days and hours, live tissue can be kept alive indefinitely under the right conditions."

"Please continue." He motioned for the researcher to carry on and watched with glee as the needle rested over the liver and cut a small round piece from it.

Eyes rolling backwards. Every muscle attempted to fight against the forced atrophy.

"Even storybook vampires aren't fully immortal, they can be killed. Everything has a weakness, this subject, for example, would die like any other if he was hung drawn and quartered."

"And yes I realise that type of punishment went out of use decades ago because it was so barbaric but this was just a way to explain that this man before you can die. Typically being hung drawn and quartered is a brutal death punishment for the most evil of people, used to show as an example to others. So bear that in mind." The manager said as he looked at me trying to garner a response, I just looked away.

 _You can try to do that but I'm sure, well, actually I would hope that Loki would try and stop you._

The pain was mounting, he knew it was going to get worse as next was the heart. He even felt as the needle was removed and placed directly over his chest until it pierced the chest wall and then the heart. His body shuddered uncontrollably.

He couldn't hold it in any longer.

Jay released a shrill blood-curdling scream. He couldn't take it anymore.

He had difficulty controlling the direction of his element, the uncoordinated blast, spread from each fingertip, pulsing outwards like purple tendrils of electricity to everyone in the vicinity.

All of them were shuddering and receiving some form of severe electric shock.

Though Jay couldn't feel it anymore, he could still see the purple lightning attacking their bodies before his eyes. It was surreal, with every heartbeat of his own body; they would receive the same pulsing shock.

Jay looked around the bed, the staff in the room were groaning on the floor. His body was pulsing with electricity but he was still restrained onto the damn bed, waiting for whatever fate had in store.

Rolling his eyes upwards trying to focus on something, anything to distract him from the fact that the needle was still attached.

"Please..." he urged, begging.

He had the feeling that people had been watching. Another door was opened and three armed men came in to unshackle him, another person in a lab coat was scribbling things down whilst looking at his restrained test subject and then at the unconscious people on the floor. The needle was pulled upward and out and the last small sample was taken and secured in a vial before being placed into some sort of instant freezing device.

"Was it that shocking?" Jay muttered under his breath. Wheezing, he hissed, standing to his full height with their assistance.

"Where to now huh? Better room, maybe some food would be nice." He groaned. Feeling himself being dragged from the room back to the cell.

"Home sweet home." One of the guards said as he pressed some access buttons opposite the door.

"Sweet dreams!" One said. Both hauled him into the cell.

Instinctively, Jay put his hands out to avoid face planting, but then his hands skidded across the sharpened nails, tearing his palms to shreds.

"Argh, FUCK YOU, fuck you all!"

"L-LET ME OUTTA HERE...pl-please..." He tried shouting. " _Please_...". Even leaned against the bars to see them walking away. " _Let me out, please.._."

Slow pulses of electrocution zapping away. Negating his element, he couldn't fight back.

It was...

Useless...

 _Please,_ someone _let me out of here._

Exhaustion from using so much of his element had his eyes closing. Jay accepted the pull of sleep, accepting it gratefully. It was as much as he could hope for. His only pleasure.

He woke after a few more hours sleep to be greeted by the sight of some strange looking food. Had they listened to his request of food?

Jay didn't touch the food, it didn't look appetising but he quickly grasped the meagre drink.

First thing he noticed; it tasted bitter and medicinal which was odd, but needs must. Jay was thirsty, dehydrated and he drank the lot.

Grateful for something to quench his thirst, no matter how bad it tasted.

Jay's tunic and leather breaches offered protection against the majority of spikes he was sitting on.

 _How long have I been here?_

Again, it was as dark as night in the cell, the only light was from the glow of the electric panel.

He put the empty cup down and lay back carefully, using his arm as a pillow.

Searching his uniform whilst laying down, Jay was surprised to find that his comms device wasn't attached, it was no-where to be found,

"Where it is?"

 _Talking to yourself..._

"It's one of the first signs of madness," Jay said out loud before promptly putting his hand on his lips.

 _Only if you answer yourself._ His internal monologue helpfully supplied.

Jay laughed. Trying to stay positive wasn't as hard as he thought it would be, the accommodation wasn't great, there was no toilet either and the room was small and dark, too dark.

Suddenly and without warning, he started to feel exceptionally tired. He couldn't stop his eyes from closing. Though this in itself was odd, as Jay had only been awake for a few hours to begin with.

 _What are they doing to me? What is happening? Hallucinating?_

He could hear mumbling and muffled voices, but his eyes were too heavy to open. Stomach cramps, he was beyond exhausted yet he couldn't sleep because his stomach was in agony as cramps gripped hold. A final pained scream tore out before his body succumbed.

Finally, all he saw was a black starless sky, complete silence and a steady beat, slowing calming.

"Who's in this cell?" Lloyd whispered. Chancing a quick glimpse into the dark cell. Having got too close to the bars he heard a snap then a very unpleasant experience took hold.

"Argh...". He yelled, receiving a literal shock for touching the bar, recoiling as quickly as he could with a pained groan.

"Oww sheesh...what the?!" He growled. "Who's in here?" He said rubbing his hands, thankful it wasn't his face.

"Not sure let me have a look." Kai offered. "You have a look in the next one."

Lloyd turned his back and continued walking away from the darkened cell. Doing as he was told and looking into each cell with a quiet sigh. Some were empty and some had occupants who were sleeping, none of which looked like Jay.

Kai clicked his fingers quietly and held them against the darkened cell, he raised an eyebrow seeing an unconscious body lying on a rather macabre floor covered in spikes. _Everyone's at risk if we let him escape..._

"No one's in this cell either," Kai whispered, lying for the sake of his team.

"Okay well, it's been five hours and we really need to meet up with the others," Lloyd stated, his voice little above a whisper.

"Plus the sun will be coming up soon and we need cover."

"Good idea so let's go." Kai looked behind him and smiled nervously.

Jay had to stay here, Kai couldn't allow him to be found let alone escape this place. Too much was riding on this.

* * *

Zane had located a safe room which was an archiving room, filled with filing row upon row of cabinets, folders and stacked boxes. Everything was stacked so high no one could be seen from the frosted glass door, the location of the room was relayed to Lloyd and Kai who were quickly en route.

"How do ya think they got on?" Cole asked.

"I am not sure Cole, personally I do not think Kai is as focussed on this mission as he should be."

Cole paused in his actions, spinning on his heels. "W-what do ya mean?"

"It is just, well I sense he is keeping something from us, something rather important."

"Well yeah, I guess we found that out the hard way but he came back, it's all good now right?"

"No Cole! He came back because he saw how Loki had changed us. He did not come back for Jay, which leaves us with no choice."

"What do you mean?" Cole frowned as realisation hit him in the gut.

"We will need to search the same cells he has been looking in, just to rule out sabotage."

"But that could take hours Zane and we don't have the time." Cole said.

"I do not think we have a choice. Kai in his current state cannot be trusted until we get to the bottom of his problem and I for one refuse to believe he has cast all hatred aside. Kai accepting this mission was for purely selfish reasons alone and I am sorry for I hope I am mistaken."

The door to the room opened quietly and in stepped the green and red ninja although they looked almost identical in the darkness as the inky blackness of their uniforms blended in with the night.

"Ouch dude th-that was my foot" Cole hissed quietly.

"S-sorry bro." Lloyd giggled as he stumbled over Cole's legs and crashed into some folders.

"Zane maybe a little light would help." He said with sarcasm.

Zane made the light as dim as he could without causing a bright light to emanate from the room.

"Better?"

"Much actually, thanks Zane. Right updates, so how far have we got?" Lloyd asked quietly.

"Well we have scoured this part as best we could, many of the cells were empty, some had dangerous looking criminals in, many appeared to be sleeping. Oh and we found black widow. I let her out by bypassing the secure server and accessing her cell code. She was able to track and trace Hawkeye and Agent Maria Hill so that is one less thing to worry about." Zane said.

"Yeah three well done! Well okay, we uhm found lots of freaks err I mean people with special abilities but we didn't find Jay." Kai corrected himself despite the stern glare he got from Zane. The nindroid's metal eyebrows were bunched together in annoyance at Kai using the word 'freak.'

"Yeah Kai's kinda right, a few of the cells were electrified and one was so dark inside I couldn't see a thing."

"Well what we do now? I mean Jay's obviously not here. M-maybe Hydra have another location." Kai said with a shrug, he was wanting leave before he was caught by the organisation he was now infiltrating.

Everyone else looked at him suspiciously as he cowered under their glares "What?" Kai asked with a sly smile, backing away slightly.

"Guys we have one hour left, we need to find him, and Kai, he is here we just need to find him." Cole admonished.

Twenty minutes later Cole and Zane had gone down the same corridor that Lloyd and Kai had previously. The eerie silence of the darkened cells made Cole shiver, Zane wasn't capable of shivering but he was on high alert for any human sounds, a frown was plastered on his nindroid features as he didn't hear anything.

The nindroid soon realised the reason for the silence, he was horrified to find that the majority of the occupants of the cells were too ill to respond. Some were so ill they were literally dying and the corrupt organisation didn't seem to care. Some were mere hours from a sad, lonely and painful death, it was looking bleak for their immortal brother.

Even though he was at no risk from imminent death he would be their new favourite test subject and according to Kai, it would seem that Hydra were very interested in getting their hands on him. A creature who could power their armies for years to come, a person who would just heal themselves indefinitely each time Hydra took something from him. Not realising it was all Loki's own doing.

Zane's internal senses suddenly picked up a wheezing, gasping noise coming from a few cells up from where they were, he motioned Cole to follow.

"I sense a presence in this cell, yet I am unable to see clearly. Did Kai not already check these cells?"

"They both did, Zane seriously use your eyes, just not too brightly remember."

Zane lit his eyes to a dull light and shone them into the cell, his sight immediately focused on a still form on the floor. Barely breathing with a small trail of blood coming from their mouth. His eyes eventually focusing onto the still life form's face as he registered in shock who it actually was.

"C-Cole it is Jay, come quick!" He whispered but held the master of earth back before he grabbed the cell bars.

"Don't touch the cell bars and stand back, I need to access the code for this door."

Cole just stared at his almost lifeless brother as he lay on the floor.

"Wh-what is on the floor Zane? It's kinda shiny." He said as he bent down and touched it through the bars. He recoiled his hands when the sharp floor left a trail of thin cuts on his palm and fingers. He stared up at Zane in disbelief his mouth agape.

"What, the, f**k!" Cole hissed as he looked on in shock and horror.

"Who does that? Jay can you hear me br-bro!"

"Th-the floor it's arrows or something sharp. H-how is Jay just lying on it?"

"He is unconscious, I sense he has been poisoned but his system shows signs of a muscle relaxant too." Zane stated sadly.

"I just hope his body is strong enough to heal and fight off whatever it is they used because it seems each one of these occupants has the same traces of the exact chemicals in their system...and they appear to be dying." He deduced, albeit sadly.

"What so a mass murder cover up or something?" Cole asked panicked.

"No, not really. I think perhaps it is a quicker way for the subjects that seem to wield such poor results are merely exterminated and disposed of. It would seem that they are also testing his strength and bodily responses to uhm poisons and drug cocktails."

Cole just stared at Jay and back at Zane, shaking his head in stunned silence.

 _'_ _What were you thinking Kai?'_

"Right that should be it, tricky code that one, they had many security features in place. Hhmm this is not good!" Zane said as he spoke quietly to Cole.

"It looks they have been taking tissue samples from him, biopsies but why would they do that?" Zane questioned whilst he opened the barred door to get to Jay's side.

"Cole do not touch the floor, I will pick him up but you will need to help me with him, he is still bleeding from two stab wounds and a bullet wound."

"Kai's blades and the wounds he mentioned, th-they still haven't healed!" Cole whispered quietly and watched as Zane scraped his titanium hands underneath Jay lifting him effortlessly up into his arms. Cole helped when Jay was off the floor, securing him over Zane's shoulder. The former master of lightning let out a soft moan upon contact with the metal exoskeleton of his brother.

"Why did they take samples from him? Why would they do that?" Zane muttered to himself in shock.

"I don't know Zane but we need to get him outta here, NOW!" Cole said as he looked directly ahead seeing a solitary floor to ceiling window. All he could see was the blackness of the night lifting to reveal a breath taking sunrise. The warm oranges and reds were not visible but it would only be a matter of minutes and time was now of the essence.


	16. What now?

Both elemental masters carried Jay's unconscious form. The once blue ninja of lightning was deathly silent save for the odd wheeze escaping from his lips. "Cole and Zane to the rescue...hey buddy?" Cole whispered into Jay's ear as he carried his unconscious team mate to safety. "What do we do Zane? he's struggling to breathe!" The master of earth hissed through gritted teeth as he hauled Jay's weight. Wincing in sympathy with the utter look of sheer pain that was etched across Jay's features.

The further they traversed the more suffering they could see, it would appear like a prison of sorts but with no prison guards or chance of parole. A hotel for the doomed occupants with no room service, no bed and no chance of survival. "For the moment, we need to find somewhere safe...we cannot even contemplate an escape plan until it is dark again. The sun, for the moment... is our enemy." Zane spoke quietly and without emotion.

"But that's hours away, the sun's only just coming up." Came a whine most unbecoming of the person who vocalised it.

"I am sorry Cole we cannot risk it...we just have to hope that Jay is strong enough." He paused, "To get over whatever he has endured."

A pinch of his nose and a pained sigh later Cole conceded. "Fine ok...I-I trust your judgement Zane, for the moment anyway." He took the majority of Jay's weight as Zane directed them carefully back to the safe room, "This isn't right though, this whole thing stinks."

The master of earth held Jay up like he was weightless. His clothes were stiff with dried blood and he wreaked of vomit and urine. "Come on buddy, hold on, well get you out of here..."Zane?" He questioned as something came to mind.

Zane had turned on his heels.

"I don't get it Zane, where are the guards? This place should be crawling."

"I am sure we will find out soon enough" Zane replied as he turned the corner and saw two armed security guards approaching, "And now, I sense we have company Cole!" The titanium ninja stood stock still, motioning Cole's gaze towards the men who had now raised their weapons.

"Wow, you don't need to be a nindroid to sense company because I can kinda see it myself. Just, maybe give me the likelihood of us getting out of here...alive and with him." Cole replied with sarcasm, pointing at Jay.

"Put your hands in the air" shouted one of the guards as the other radioed in to his team "We've got armed hostiles sir and they've got the VIP... _crackles..._ two of them...orders sir?"

"Err Zane...what's VIP?" Cole asked as he glanced sideways at the soldiers without breaking eye contact.

"Really Cole? An easy assumption Very Important Person?" He sighed, something he very rarely did, "They mean Jay...after all we are carrying him. Likely they will not let him go without a fight."

The soldiers radio' device crackled again as the armed men received their new orders "Shoot to kill...the VIP is too important to lose."

"I estimate an 80% chance of survival based on our current predicament, we have no way to know if Loki was telling the truth. The master of deception and lies could have easily fooled us."

"Shit, this just got a whole lot worse..." Cole whispered, not even moving to grab at his strapped up scythe. "You can make a shield of ice right? You tried your powers here haven't you?"

Zane cocked his head, without removing his gaze from the guards, " Of course I have and...I can.".

The standoff was incredibly hostile, the weapons pointed at the two standing ninja. "If you put him down, you can walk out of here alive..." A blatant lie.

"I seriously doubt that..." Cole mumbled at Zane.

"Well...crap... now what do we do?" Cole watched the the soldiers. They were beginning to get into an attack stance, standing sideways to avoid direct body shots from any bullets Zane or Cole might have possessed.

"Well we could fight, there are _only_ two of them!"

"Yeah, for the moment Zane...but more could come" Cole shook his head and hissed in response. "Hold Jay for me, and stand back...I've got this."

He used his earth element and created a volley of rocks which he forced forwards at such a rate the soldiers were thrown back and somewhat submerged under a foot of rubble. "Kinda like being buried alive I guess, but not quite six feet under?"

"Cole?"

"I really need to think of some better puns, ooh I bet the earth moved for them? No, too cheesy?"

"Cole?"

"Did I rock their world? Oh god no that just sounds ugh..."

"COLE?" Zane hissed louder this time.

"WHAT?" Cole smirked but the smile dropped instantly, "Ya know we don't have much time, we've gotta find a room and fast otherwise we'll have too many soldiers to take on."

Zane had pinched his eyebrows, "Just,...follow me, Cole,"

* * *

They both sped around the corner and bumped into more guards who raised their weapons, Cole rolled his eyes and sighed, he was just about to do the same tactic as before until they opened fire without warning. Cole instinctively turned away from the guns as they were fired, he shielded his face and felt the bullets bouncing of his armour, some grazed his skin but none were fatal, his uniform provided exceptional protection, "Ha Loki wasn't wrong about that then".

Zane had avoided the few bullets fired at him and Jay. He created a strong shield of ice for protection which promptly shattered when he'd finished with it. The guards were in the process of reloading but Zane had other ideas and he shot some icy shards at the two soldiers..."My attack is silent but deadly" he said monotonously. Simultaneously He frowned at Cole. The shaggy black haired ninja was struggling to stifle the fit of inopportune giggles.

" **What is so funny?** " Zane quizzed as he looked at Cole who was still giggling, "There that should do it, and no they are not dead Cole, just in pain...well considerable pain judging by their faces" he said shrugging his shoulders.

"Schematics say that there is a room up here we can use. It has a blacked out window so we can hide in here until dusk, then we can attempt escape."

"What would we do without you and your amazing CPU Zane?" Cole grinned.

He helped Zane to carry Jay into the large room, it was filled with tubes large enough for humans to lay in, almost like a sleeping pod, but Zane knew otherwise... _cloning pods_ he thought to himself.

There was evidence enough to suggest that this room hadn't been used for many years judging by the amount of cobwebs and dust scattered on the tubes and floor. It meant it hadn't been used and, they would be safe for a few hours at least.

* * *

Jay appeared to be sleeping but his breathing was laboured, his chest barely rising...he was gasping for air. Cole undid Jay's protective uniform to loosen it around his chest and stomach. He was horrified when he saw two almost healed stab marks which matched Kai's katana. He also noticed many smaller holes one of which was over his heart...the holes looked deep, they hadn't been stitched up and were still bleeding albeit purple blood.

"Zane can you make ice chips for him, he needs something to wet his mouth and throat."

"I can do that brother sadly I have no receptacle to put them in" as he created a small pile of ice chips on the dusty floor. "I am going to keep watch by the door. I have already notified Lloyd and Kai of of our whereabouts, they are now enroute."

"He doesn't look too good Zane, what do we do" Cole said as he knelt down next to his fallen brother.

"Cole, he is most definitely 100% certainly in pain. The poison causes more systemic pain as opposed to physical from weapons...meaning we will likely need to keep him quiet." Zane said as he saw Jay writhing on the floor.

The door slowly opened and in walked Kai and Lloyd who were instantly greeted with open arms by Zane. "You found him then?" Kai huffed as he looked at Jay laying on the floor.

"Well, yeah-" Cole said spinning around to glare at the master of fire, "-strangely enough, we checked the same cells as you?" His eyebrow was raised, questioningly. "It's almost like you couldn't be arsed to look for him?"

There was the same questioning glare, Cole's stern gaze hadn't shifted. Until Lloyd had walked in, severing the eye contact as Cole's gaze burned into Kai's head.

"How is he, Cole?" Lloyd questioned as he came over to check Jay for himself.

"Uh, he's not doing too well Lloyd." Cole mumbled quietly. He quickly attempted to cover some of Jay's exposed skin which resembled a patchwork of bruises, incisions and wounds many of which were miraculously beginning to heal before his eyes. "We found him in the cells you had looked in!"

His undamaged skin looked beautiful up close, it was the first time Cole had even seen Jay's bare chest and abs since being changed. He had an odd shimmer to his pale skin, he looked like a semi precious stone, his body evidently changed by magic. Cole accidentally brushed his fingers over Jay's skin as he covered him up and his skin was hot, yet the colour remained pale. He was truly a sight to behold Cole was awestruck at being this close to someone who was immortal.

The thought of immortality finally sank in...Jay would never age, he would never die, but Cole would and something inside broke. A tear slowly made it's way down Cole's face, he absentmindedly wiped it away as he thought about how lonely Jay would be...how it would break Jay to watch his brothers and Nya ageing without being able to do anything but watch from afar.

"Honestly Cole, we looked, really we did. Loads of the cells were empty and those that weren't, well, the inmates were too far gone to release." Lloyd uttered solemnly. He sounded broken when he admitted that. As a ninja he'd been taught and trained to help those who couldn't help themselves, they all had. It had been ironed into them at a young age. But this, whatever HYDRA had going on, was barbaric, plain and simple.

"Well it's gonna be a long day and we've still got to get outta here later so lets setup door watches, one watches Jay the other watches the door. We can't afford to be found in here so any signs of trouble we'll need to leave asap." Lloyd said quietly as he looked around the room and saw Cole looking intently at Jay "You ok Cole?"

"Y-yeah c-course I am" Cole stammered and blushed as his brothers were staring at him.

"Right well it's six am so fifteen hours from now and we can set off...I suggest that the first watch should be you two, we'll relieve you in seven hours just after twelve ok?" Cole said as he smiled at Lloyd and Kai.

"Good" Cole yawned as he saw the sunrise painting the sky with red's, oranges and and greys, he lay down near to Jay and closed his eyes. It didn't take long for both the ninja to fall asleep while Kai and Lloyd kept a watchful eye on Jay and any signs of disturbance from outside.

* * *

"Oh god this is taking for _ever_ Lloyd." Kai whined after three hours of sitting and watching nothing except the odd shadow that passed by the securely locked door.

"Pipe down Kai, it takes as long as it takes!" Lloyd replied to the master of fire's complaint. Normally it would be Jay to complain of boredom, but he was still out of commission.

"Besides, you changed your tune from a few nights ago!" Lloyd said, laying backwards resting his head on his intertwined hands as a makeshift bony pillow. "You couldn't care less about Jay, so why did you return?"

"I don't know ok. I-I don't know." Kai rubbed his hair nervously. Dropping his focus from the door to the floor, "look, it's complicated, it has to be done."

"What has to be done?" Lloyd quizzed as he turned his head to look at Kai, "What's complicated about the question?"

"Look, it doesn't matter right now...I-I'll tell you later!" Kai sighed as he looked at his sleeping brothers and then glanced at Jay "Honestly, I'll tell you later." He rubbed his face in frustration. "Why don't you get some rest Lloyd, you look beat. I've got this, yeah?"

"Yeah sure..." Lloyd said as he sat down on the floor and leaned against a dusty tube being careful not to activate it, his eyes heavy with having next to no sleep for over twenty four hours.

Three hours had passed and everyone was in a deep sleep except Kai and Jay who was grimacing in pain every so often.

Kai watched with a sick twisted smile as he slowly approached his old team mate. "I bet they hurt," Kai said as he poked the wounds on Jay's body. "I think they went easy on you..." He whispered into his ear as the master of lightning remained partially conscious. A pained, yet drugged sleep had taken him, rendering him useless to his surroundings and his vulnerability but wholly aware of pain.

"I meant what I said Jay, I'm not here for you...I'm here for them...for Cole, Zane, Lloyd and Nya" he said as he dug his finger deeply into the healing stab wound and smirked as Jay hissed in pain.

"Such a shame that you're unconscious, of course you can still hear me and feel pain though, right?" he said with a laugh as he removed his finger which was now coated in a thin sheen of blood. His finger was slick with it, it dribbled down the digit, coiling around his finger knuckle until it trailed down his wrist.

"Yeah, HYDRA paid a really good amount of money to have you." He taunted the pained man who could do nothing but writhe in agony. "Really good money that will keep us happy for a long time to come. Hell, we can even stay in this realm...with unlimited power and money...and do you know what the best bit is?" he said quietly as he stuck the finger back in. "They get to make an unstoppable army, using the bits of you. Something that will finally stop you and Loki for good."

Kai could see Jay was in pain, his features were showing signs of exhaustion and his face was covered in beads of sweat.

"You know I could just play with you for a bit before _**they**_ wake up...have some fun with you. I don't know, I _am_ kinda bored!" He said quietly as he played with his obsidian throwing star. whilst uncovering Jay's upper half.

"Maybe I'll just wait it out, apparently poison can be quite a painful process for the body to endure," he said as he rolled the star onto Jay's body, being careful to position it over the blade wound. A sound from the hallway caught his attention.

Kai had placed his hand over Jay's mouth, effectively silencing him, "Ahh well this was a lovely chat but it looks like I really should be watching the door!" As he stood up, he ruthlessly pushed the throwing star down into the wound before hastily covering Jay up. Finally removing his hand from Jay's mouth. The former lightning Ninja was struggling to breathe. He wasn't gasping but the breath sounds he produced were wet and rasping, the blood trailing down from his exposed abdomen.

Kai quickly covered Jay's body, "Just, it's so much easier to talk to you like this. Simply because; you don't answer back, you don't talk down to me and you don't talk through me like you did when Nya was here" He whispered angrily as he walked off and sat near the door.

* * *

A few more hours had passed and Cole had stirred, he was stiff but he was rested as was Zane. "Lloyd were't you supposed to be keeping watch?"

"No I let him sleep," Kai said quietly, a monotonous tone to his reply as he sat by the door, "He was tired!"

Cole stood quickly and wen't to check on Jay.

He physically hadn't changed at all and he was still unconscious. He didn't look any better but symptomatically, he actually looked worse than before...if that was possible. "Kai do you want to rest now" you've got a few hours to catch up on, so now's your chance." Cole stated as he exchanged places with Kai and watched as he moved past Jay...he was sure he'd seen a smirk on Kai's face but he couldn't be sure. Something had gotten into Kai which was threatening to tear their brotherhood apart and Cole couldn't put his finger on it.

The night came around quickly and Zane got back into his time management mode as he carefully observed the security guards outside, they were on a heightened alert as the v. had escaped. Zane had estimated that the guards were coming past every five minutes which gave very little time for mistakes, he ordered Cole to begin cutting the glass as soon as he could, stating that each member had ten seconds to get to relative safety and cover before they would be spotted.

Cole cut the glass in record time and offered to help with Jay, Kai was sent first as he carefully climbed out of the window and slipped un-noticed past the guard. Next was Zane, he was stealthy, his uniform as dark as the night concealed him completely as he pulled up his hood and escaped from the large building. "Lloyd help me to get him up off the floor...how we gonna do this?" Cole asked as he rubbed his bangs from his forehead.

"I'll help you to carry him to the window...I'll get out and then you pass him to me...we can both carry him...don't worry Cole we'll get out of here."

Lloyd helped Cole lift Jay as they walked to the window, the guard hadn't long walked past so Lloyd slipped out of the window first, he quickly signalled Cole to lower Jay onto his back so Cole could escape the window and from there make their way into the night. As Cole lowered Jay onto Lloyd's back Jay gave the most ear piercing scream, it was so loud that everyone in the vicinity turned around to look for the signs of the noise. "What the hell happened Cole?" Lloyd whispered as he looked around and saw a security guard change his location.

"I-I don't know, he err h-he looks like he's in agony...this is new" Cole said as he saw blood on his hands and immediately started to gag.

"Shit we've got company...Cole you need to get out here NOW" Lloyd hissed as he saw a team of ten armed men taking positions near to them and crouching.

"Lloyd contact Zane and Kai...we might need more fire power we can't do this alone...at least not with Jay like this...sheesh where's all this blood coming from?" Cole shouted exasperated as he saw a shiny wet trail dripping down Lloyd's back. He easily jumped out of the window and got into his fighting stance, "time to see just how invincible we are" Cole said with a glint in his eyes as he saw Zane and Kai flanking from the opposite side completely unseen by the guards.

Cole's demeanor changed in an instant as he rushed towards the soldiers, his scythe in hand as he rushed five of the men shooting at him. One man came running at him but Cole kicked him so hard he flew ten feet away and hit three more soldiers in the process. He swung his scythe at the remaining soldiers and grinned when his scythe sparkled with the blood of the soldiers. More soldiers were appearing fast and Lloyd had managed to keep many away from him and Jay by using his energy pulse as a shield as he made a quick escape into the dense woodland. "I'll hold them off Lloyd, find a place to hide and stay there." Cole hissed.

Zane and Kai quickly joined Cole's side and helped with the ever increasing number of soldiers appearing, they were unstoppable, but they were being watched.

Kai subdued a large number of soldiers on his side, he was surrounded until he shot fire at them resulting in a massive explosion, "Wow" Kai shouted excitedly "anyone else?".

Zane sent large hailstones towards the running soldiers on his side, many of whom weren't wearing protective helmets so they soon met their demise as large chunks of ice were dropped mercilessly on their heads.

"Right lets go before they can regroup" Cole shouted as Kai and Zane followed suit into the darkness and away from Hydra.

They continued walking through the woodland as the streets would no doubt be littered with security officials looking for Jay and the ninja team, they had to be careful they didn't want to leave tracks, but Jay was still bleeding and unfortunately his blood was leaving a small trail...which couldn't be helped. They made it back to the motel and immediately summoned Loki as soon as they were safe. Cole activated the device and spoke into it.

"We're here Loki"

"...I see" Loki answered as walked into the room.

The ninja raised their eyebrows, had he been waiting here all along?

"He seems to be in some pain...he couldn't fight alongside us...and he's bleeding." Cole stated in a monotone voice as Kai looked at him strangely.

"I have the ability to scan him Loki, may I be of assistance?" Zane asked.

"Please Zane, do what you can" Loki answered without looking at the ninja team before him.

"He has been poisoned, this is wearing off and his body is fighting off the effects, he's had various tissue samples taken...and he has a weapon lodged in his...chest" Zane finished.

Cole and Lloyd locked eyes both had changed, the green liquid was now at it's strongest, the evil surging through Lloyd, Cole and Zane was enough to make Kai shudder as they all seemed to close in on him...they were standing still but Kai felt so small all of a sudden and very alone. The sight of his closest friends and brothers turning evil was beyond anything Kai had ever pictured in his worst nightmares. He was transfixed in awe as he too began to feel the pull of the green liquid before he struggled to ask "What was in the liquid...L-Loki?"

"Ahhhh well I'm glad you asked actually...it seems as though you are the only one who is interested in what you consume so just for you I'll divulge"

"Its made from fermented golden apples with a hint of sorcery...mmmmm delicious...amber nectar...ambrosia if you will. You see...golden apples are a delicacy from Asgard...one bite and they make you immortal" Loki said as he laughed at what he had accomplished so easily.

"Why...w-would you d-do that?" Kai gasped as he tried to fight the effects to no avail.

"Because I deserve an army...I am the rightful king of Asgard, I don't answer to you Kai...did I withhold information...ahh you see it's my natural ability to twist my words as I see fit." Loki said as he tapped his cheek with his index finger, trying to think of the easiest way to explain whilst sounding pompous, arrogant and evil, "for a simple mind like yours I'll just say it...you all let the power consume you and of course, this, to me meant that you accepted my offer...you remember me saying 'I offered nothing for free' I presume you remember that?" Loki said as his projections picked Jay up and marched him out of the motel, he laughed maniacally before turning his back on the ninja, allowing them to understand what he had just said "this is your payment to me." Loki hissed.

"W-what about N-Nya" Kai sobbed as he fell to his knees.

"Well we'll see about her I'm sure she'll have her uses...besides she's not in your realm anymore..she's in my personal quarters" Loki said as he disappeared into the night before looking back to see Kai's heartbroken face.

"Why you sick F**K, you keep your hands off her, I'll kill you...I swear to god I'll..." Kai's words cut off as Loki turned around quickly and seized his throat, raising him two feet of the floor.

"Pray tell, which god will you swear to, hmm?" Loki licked his lips and sneered, squeezing his nails into Kai's neck.

"Shall I give you a hint? How about me?"

Kai couldn't answer, his eyes had widened in fear and for once he was truly scared. His brothers were just standing there watching it happen, like mindless drones who knew no better.

Loki's fist ploughed right into Kai's gut and the master of ice screeched in agony. His breath squeezed through his teeth, "I'm the only God that matters now, you worthless piece of meat!" He muttered as he inched ever closer to Kai's ears. Now savouring the delicious smell of fear coming from his grasp on the fire wielders neck.

His fingers found their way to an exposed part of skin and a green stream of magic came forth, "you'd think that being given everlasting life would make you more grateful but alas you're nothing but a self centred brat" Loki said whilst removing some of Kai's element for his own use. "Such power too,"

Kai was beginning to see stars, but Loki continued to taunt him, breaking him down until he too would bend to Loki's will.

"Your precious sister belongs to me now,...maybe when I bore of her, Jay can have a go with the slut!" Loki added cruelly.

"Alas, my work here is done, think on it Kai!" He gave no time for the master of fire to think on anything as he threw the spiky haired ninja against the motel bedroom wall like a doll, cracking the plasterboard in the process.

It was like a haze had been lifted because as soon as the God had left with Jay, the remaining ninja had come back to their senses, each rubbing their heads in confusion and one groaning in pain on the floor.

* * *

Thirty minutes had passed, enough for them to begin speaking again.

The first things they noticed was that Loki had gone and he'd taken Jay with him. But the tesseract was still in the room, Loki had forgotten it. So there was still a chance. Kai eventually and shakily got to his feet, grabbing round his neck, wincing when he felt some cuts, he walked to his bed and sat down on it...head in hands he began to cry.

I fucking hate Loki, I hate him and I will find a way to end him, I-I will"

 _'He's got Nya, Loki's got Nya in his bedroom , god only knows what he's doing to her or done to her...Oh god...Nya I'm so sorry. And it's all Jay's fault, his fault.'_

Kai sobbed as his brothers frowned at him, Lloyd came across to him and offered a comforting shoulder.

"Looks like we're gonna be together for the long haul now...eh" Cole shrugged and sat down to Kai hugging his fiery tempered brother "Don't worry bro we'll get Nya back...I promise you...we just need a plan" Cole said with a brotherly hug.

"And the plan will involve Jay" Zane said knowingly before adding "I've been researching Norse mythology...basically it doesn't look good for Loki." as he sat on the other side of Kai.


	17. Hope against hope

Loki had managed to secure another safe house since his ostentatious Palace was being watched by Hydra, for the time being anyway. Being evil and manipulative did have many advantages, one of which was the subjugation of the previous wealthy occupants. All of whom, were now at Loki's disposal.

The house he took was quite spectacular. It was surrounded by iron railings and a six foot high privet hedge. The house itself was made of castle brick sandstone, the rough cut bricks gave it a medieval look, yet the inside was furnished with modern electronics, alluding to the fact that the owner was disgustingly rich and loved to buy materialistic things to keep his non existent marital life away from the paparazzi.

Yes, the young God had been busy. The occupants of this grand house had many staff; which in itself took time and effort to manipulate and persuade them to his way of thinking. Of course, he used his mind stone sceptre on most but some had tried to evade him, giving him no choice...he killed the stragglers.

His time in the area had also given him the opportunity to brainwash two medical personnel to help with Jay's recovery. Apparently Hydra was remarkably close to a major trauma centre. He had watched them leave the hospital; after what was likely a long shift and he ruthlessly seized the opportunity to take them as his own.

A nurse and a doctor, both tired and unfocused were given the task of helping Jay to recover from his ordeal. The doctor, having been given the basic details was expected to operate without any sterile medical equipment or pain relief. He was too tired to argue and too fuzzy headed to say anything else so he got to work with a frown plastered on his face. His hands were washed thoroughly and dried as per protocol that he adhered to since med school. Latex gloves placed, all he was waiting for was the patient and the procedure he was expected to do.

Jay, in his destroyed and bloodied clothing was placed on a bed in one of the many guest rooms. The sudden change in position had him gasping out in pain. The young prince was sweating profusely whilst his body fought the poison and the embedded weapon within. Loki didn't seem all that concerned, he simply relaxed on a chaise and watched intently whilst surreptitiously gazing up at the clock.

* * *

The doctor was briefed on the injuries and left to do his work, assisted by a solitary nurse. He calmly, yet monotonously, asked for a sharp knife, some hot water, kitchen towels and any bandage from a first aid kit.

The mind controlled nurse went about her duties and retrieved the items promptly delivering them to the doctor's side, sterilised as best she could. He began working intricately by cutting into the almost healed incision which had initially been caused by a very sharp katana, followed by a throwing star.

Jay gasped, his back arched in pain as the scalpel cut into his skin. The nurse held him firm, she could feel him trembling in shock. Her expression wore nothing but concern, even when she worked, her patients would be given anaesthesia prior to any procedure. This was just cruel and barbaric. She muttered to the doctor but he didn't respond.

Loki thought it humorous, _how so typically like the hierarchy at the hospitals_.

The sterile tweezers were inserted with ease. Something so easy to perform, it was like the childhood game of 'Operation,'

The doctor carefully grasped the point of the star with his tweezers and yanked. A yell of pain later, followed by a horrid sloppy sound and then the resounding clang of something heavy being dropped into a tray.

The doctor had quickly and effortlessly removed the star and bandaged the area tightly before checking Jay's level of consciousness, he had been expressly told not to stitch the wound. Loki stood by and watched as both the medical professionals continued to treat his most prized possession.

Now finally finished, he stood tired but happy and placed his tools down carefully before turning expectantly to the black haired man who was watching inquisitively.

Loki nodded to him, "Thank you, most appreciative...you are free to leave." He said to the doctor who looked extremely tired, but he hadn't finished talking when the weary Doctor turned his back.

The doctor, made his mistake by turning away from the oddly dressed man with the strange golden sceptre. He turned his back on Loki and began washing his hands thoroughly, following the procedure he had been taught from years past. Once washed and dried, he did what came naturally and began to walk away but before he could get to the door, Loki viciously and ruthlessly shot him with his sceptre.

He went down into a crumpled folded pile, he didn't get back up, the young doctor was dead.

And Loki was leaning over his dead body with a homicidal grin on his pale alabaster face. Laughing maniacally as the sceptre sent him that little bit more insane. "You are free to leave your mortal coils." He laughed, "Sorry, I always forget the last part."

He simply smiled and admired the sceptre like it was a precious gem. Taking a deep invigorating breath, he called to the other occupants of the house, _his_ servants; to remove the body and they did so.

* * *

Loki had remained in the room with Jay, he didn't want to leave his side, at least until he had woken sufficiently. He knew Jay was too important in the grand scheme of things but he didn't want _him_ to know it. At least not until Jay was ready.

Watching the nurse intently in her duties was also quite tedious, she was very thorough in her care and looked after the young prince efficiently. But she, like the dead doctor, was tired and weary. "How long until he is fully healed?" Loki asked, his voice clear and sharp.

She looked at the patient, gauging his responses to stimulation, pain and alertness, "Hmm it's difficult to estimate. He was operated on without pain relief!" The nurse replied with the slight hint of sarcasm. "He should be awake now but I think he's sleeping, he was exhausted after all!" she added with a slight shrug.

"Well-" Loki sneered down at her, "-you need to wake him up, by any means. We need to leave here." He stated monotonously as he looked her up and down in disgust.

 _'How dare she take that tone with me._ '

" _We_?" The nurse said timidly.

"Not you my dull creature... _him_!" Loki said as he pointed at Jay, "and _myself_. Maybe the girl from downstairs, the one whom I asked you to disrobe and cleanse for me."

She nodded in disgust, she remembered vividly what he had done to her, to that poor black haired girl but her mind controlled state only allowed her to watch, she couldn't have intervened, "I'm sorry sir, it's just I don't think he's capable of being moved just yet...he's-" her words were cut off by Loki's maddening stare.

"I really don't have the time to listen to your opinion in great detail...so just be a good nurse and wake him up, think of me as your boss." He began, aiming his sceptre at her back, just waiting for the right moment.

The nurse looking around herself, noticed a glass and jug of water nearby. She filled it and threw the tumbler of cold water over Jay's face. The effect was instantaneous, he shot up off the pillow with a start, then winced and grasped his chest at the sudden movement.

After her rather unorthodox way of waking him she carefully began to dry him off and apologised for the rough treatment. "I'm sorry Jay, I was told to wake you." Loki rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Err, uhm thank you..." Jay said feeling somewhat annoyed, feeling wet, in pain and uncomfortable, he craned his neck to take in his new surroundings. "Do you have a name?"

"My name is..." Her words were cut off by the sceptre when Loki pulled the trigger. The whole room had briefly been engulfed in a bright blue aura. It was only noticeable in part with the crumpling sound of a body falling to the floor.

Jay was shocked, he'd only just woken up and the water was still dripping down his face. To be met with a death scene so soon after waking was unsettling, "What the...why did you do that?" Jay stared at the nurse now laying on the floor. "She was about to tell me her name...I could have thanked her, you could have thanked her." He mumbled the last part.

"Well...I don't have time for this. She was tiring!" Loki said with a simple shrug of his shoulders, "Glad to see you awake," the god wasn't looking at Jay when he spoke, just the sceptre, "-now get dressed, we need to leave." He finished, turning his back and walking out the room.

Sitting on the bed shaking his head at the unnecessary treatment of this poor nurse. Jay knew that she didn't deserve to die. He could still remember what Loki had done to him a few days ago, he remembered vividly being changed against his will and facing off against Loki before he used his sceptre...

'W _hat is wrong with him and that thing?'_ Thinking to himself.

' _If only there were some way to get rid of that damn sceptre...maybe get a word to SHIELD that the one they have is an optical illusion_!'

His mind was still foggy, he could see images in his mind from the last few days and recall conversations heard but they didn't feel like his. He felt like the fly on wall, the third person yet he could see visions of himself.

He concentrated on one in particular as the familiar colours of his brothers gi's swam into his mind. Jay was visiting them but they were sleeping, he disturbed them somehow and he visualised Cole standing before him in his pyjamas.

' _He was scared, why was he scared of me?'_

His vision saw Cole using his spinjitzu, a transformation later he was wearing his ninja gi complete with scythe.

' _He was intimidated by me, why?_ '

It was vague but the images swam into view and he could see himself and his own hands hurting his brothers one by one until he heard a resounding crack. Jay madly tried to focus on the events, he really had no idea he had done anything, let alone confronted his brothers.

' _Oh Gods, what did I do?'_

He tried again to focus and saw a red image...Kai? And he watched his red elemental Master of fire stab him roughly through his chest..the words coming from his mouth were twisted and laced with jealousy and confusion.

 _'I thought you were my brother, but they corrupted you..._ '

Again the vision faded and he saw himself in a darkened cell no idea where but he absentmindedly thought back to Kai and what he had heard.

' _Hydra, they set me up_ ' Jay thought worriedly.

 _'We're not safe here...in this realm.'_

 _He s_ ighed in defeat as he thought how disappointed his brothers would be at being told they would have to leave and this big rescue mission would be near on impossible. This rescue mission had been planned for months was at risk of being derailed. Jay was shaken from his thoughts by Loki's booming voice.

"Are you suitably clothed yet? ...my patience wears thin." Loki hollered from down the hallway.

"Y-yes Loki.. m-my liege" he quickly corrected hoping Loki didn't notice his slip as he gently crept out of bed, rolling his eyes in the process.

* * *

Loki was not the most patient person, he often chose to do things quickly which inadvertently got him and his brother Thor in trouble but sometimes it would be the blonde bimbo to go in all guns blazing...well his hammer Mjolnir.

The hod of mischief had been known to be the one who could bring peace back to feuding armies just by his wordsmith abilities. He was a master of wit, very well educated in the arcane arts, a well spoken and yet very persuasive man that people couldn't help but listen to him.

Thor was more of a brute, a 'look at me and my muscles' type of person, not particularly talented with mind games as Loki could would attest.

Loki tired of waiting so he grabbed his most recent possession and shoved her forcefully towards the door, "you will go in and dress him...hurry him up for Valhalla's sake...we need to leave" Loki hissed as he pointed the direction he wanted her to go in, "Don't disappoint me dear...otherwise you'll have more of what you had earlier...you know I could make you enjoy it next time!"

"Y-yes sir" she said, wiping the steady flow of tears from her eyes, she kept her head down and flinched as she was expecting him to hit her again. Loki smirked as he watched her walk past him and towards Jay's room.

His presence intimidated her, she cowered around him.

* * *

The black haired woman knocked on the bedroom door timidly and walked in. She was certainly taken aback when she saw who it was sitting up on the bed, their eyes locked together for what felt like an eternity. She took in his appearance, his newfound grandeur, his injuries and him, then she tried to form a simple sentence and failed, she was lost for words.

Jay saw a beautiful woman, wearing clothes different to the ones she would normally wear, her hair bobbed and framing her bruised face, her cherry red lips and beautiful albeit tired weary and bruised complexion, he could smell cherry blossom and vanilla wafting across to him. He tried to stand rather too quickly and winced, she saw it...the pain etched on his face and she watched as he covered his injuries with his free hand. He was making his way over to her with genuine concern in his eyes...she could see more pain in his eyes.

"N-Nya?"

She nodded and looked down, Jay walked towards her and gently lifted her chin, Nya blushed she could smell him his scent was intoxicating to her. "I'm sorry Jay" she said as she struggled to maintain eye contact.

"Nya what happened to you...y-you're hurt...did Loki do this?" Jay asked as he brushed a strand of hair behind Nya's ear and saw as she winced when he touched her cheek...a hand print visible indicating a harsh slap was easy to distinguish against her normally pale complexion.

She nodded, trying her hardest to stop herself from crying. "He, he did...y-you were right Jay...I'm so sorry...I'm sorry." Nya sobbed gently, she couldn't help herself as the tears began to fall.

Jay approached her closing the gap as quickly as he could, his arms soon wrapped around her and he held onto her frame as tightly as she would allow. He could feel her trembling against him, he squeezed her gently until her arms raised and encircled his shoulders and neck.

Inside, he was seething. Outwardly, he was exuding nothing but calmness. Feeling her against him after so long was indescribable.

"He took advantage of m-me" she mumbled, breaking down in front of him but he continued to hold her.

He put his finger over her lips, "Please don't cry...it-it breaks my heart...I'll protect you I-I promise" he said, removing his finger.

Where his finger had just been, Jay planted a gentle kiss on her lips. It was during this chaste kiss that Nya realised just how tall Jay had grown, he was almost one whole foot taller now and had to lower and cock his head to kiss her, where as before they stood at the same height.

Nya strangely felt safe in his embrace even though she hadn't seen Jay in over a year. Her most recent relationship with Cole had ended because he couldn't keep his sexual tendencies under control.

Jay however, could at least protect her from Loki...she hoped.

There was no doubt in her mind that the evil deity was cruel and made her do things she didn't want to. Nya was ashamed of herself for allowing Loki to take advantage but for the moment she was trying to ignore the hours in captivity before. Instead, she chose to relish the warmth of Jay's strong arms and his masculine scent. That same familiar smell wafting through her, setting off the feeling of butterflies in her stomach as she recalled their past life over a year ago.

They had once surpassed the 'boyfriend and girlfriend' stage before all of this had happened. They were about to make it final with an engagement if only to calm Kai down. If anything, Jay didn't want him knowing what they had been doing behind closed doors as Jay valued his life too much.

He broke of the kiss, "I should be the one to apologise Nya, you don't deserve this." He brushed a tear from her cheek, "-don't be so hard on yourself...Loki, he, well he feeds off weakness." Jay said as he remained in the same position, he could feel her warm body in his embrace.

There was still some resentment, hearing all about the whole 'Cole and Nya thing' but for now Nya was too upset and vulnerable to explain why she'd done it.

It was always a weakness of Jay's. A mild jealousy of Cole at being able to get whatever he wanted, and Kai, well he was her brother.

And in that moment of their still firm embrace. Jay visualised himself removing her clothes and devouring her. But he stopped himself, noting that his hands had risen to holding her firmly against him. He had pulled her so close, he could feel the contours of her body. Her toned stomach and her firm breasts. His fingers were grazing the underside of her bosom when he suddenly stilled.

This might be another one of his tests, Loki was so cruel, he'd obviously done this for a reason, one that Jay wasn't aware of.

It took all of his will power to not passionately kiss her then and there but this wasn't the time or place, Loki would be furious if he saw him kiss her.

Closing his eyes and erasing those thoughts from his mind, he looked her in the eyes, "Come on, let's go! He doesn't like to be kept waiting" Jay said as he gently dropped his arms from her waist. Using his elemental ability to dress, his powers of spinjitzu revealed a semi dressed regal prince as before, meaning the rest of his clothes he had to place himself. He soon reappeared from behind the barrier fully dressed. The impressed look she gave him when she saw his robes and crown made him smirk.

"Would a pretty lady accompany a prince out of the room?" He said with a wink as he grasped her hand gently and led her out and into the second story hallway.

Loki raised an eyebrow as he saw Jay with Nya, they were holding hands as they came from the room. He had narrowed his eyes in response but said nothing. This was to be a lesson that Jay would never forget.

 _'Well at least he's dressed and out of the room, although I might have to deal with that sign of positivity though.'_

"Come Jay, follow me, we have an appointment to keep, we're meeting your ninja team tomorrow but for now we rest at my palace...Jay you can recuperate in your own room...with this concubine if you will."

He recoiled at Loki's tone, especially when Nya cringed with the word choice "She's not a concubine my liege." He looked back at her, at the woman who had broken his heart, "-She's, well she _was_ my girlfriend and..." Jay stopped talking as soon as Loki shot him an evil stare.

"Was, being the opportune word. Technically, she was mine most of today..." he laughed cruelly. "This one," he said as he pulled her closer, "exceptional with her mouth. Some women have no gag reflex!" He bit his bottom lip, "I could taste the orient on her quim, just before we coupled for the first time!"

Loki was smirking, he was enjoying this, "-see for yourself!"

Jay said nothing, his mind was being fed with those same images. Most of what he saw was turning his stomach. But, she had started to enjoy it, and he was suddenly lost for words.

If Nya didn't feel dirty before, she did now. Especially when she saw the look of disappointment and defeat on Jay's face. The look that said he wouldn't be retaliating or fighting back.

The God simply looked them both up and down, thinking of the perfect way to split them for good. Even his cruel magic hadn't separated their intertwined hands.

"Jay this is another example of why I need to beat this human emotion out of you...love is a child's story, it's a pathetic human emotion, the sooner you understand that the better you will see the whole world!" Loki had stated sharply, "I can attest that she was an average concubine...last night and this morning anyway. Yes, she appeared to enjoy it...didn't you my dear?" he said as he looked at Nya with an evil grin.

She cried again and another tear was leaving tracks down her face as she she attempted to hide the emotion. Nya was visibly trembling in Jay's hand.

Jay had to bite his lip, his body was trembling with anger but he couldn't afford to lash out at Loki for his mistreatment of Nya. Inside he was seething with rage and resentment, he subconsciously stroked the palm of Nya's hand to calm her, although her strength of mind was calming him more, she seemed to radiate calmness despite what she had endured.

"But my liege what about security?" it almost came out as a clenched teeth sentence but Loki just passed it off as pain as he thought over the question Jay had just asked.

"My security is none of your concern Jay, I have however recruited a new team" Loki hissed sharply "ex agents of Shield."

Jay looked confused, why was Loki's security none of Jay's concern, he thought he was his protector unless something had changed.

"Come we need to leave, we have transportation" Loki hissed at both Jay and Nya as they boarded a helicopter in the large expansive grounds of the mansion. Loki sat opposite Jay and Nya and noted their still entwined hands as he leaned back and began talking.

"Well, well, well, it seems like I've got the whole set now...mmmm and I've been lucky enough to get to know two of them intimately" Loki said seductively as he eyed Jay and Nya.

Jay gulped as he remembered vividly what Loki was talking about, something he never wanted to repeat again, the thought made him hold even tighter to Nya and she noticed and frowned at him, he looked away...embarrassed, there was no way in Hel he would ever talk about that night EVER, he would likely take it to his deathbed.

* * *

Back in the motel

Lloyd was laying on the bed looking up at the ceiling, a wide grin plastered on to his face "this is actually quite good for us." He said while looking at Cole who was sitting up on his bed and leaning against the headboard occasionally shaking his head.

"Yeah how so? I mean were kind of screwed really..."

"Well we came here to get Jay and the cube, Loki has turned us...at least I think he has...It's not been forty eight hours yet"

"I know you're going to get to the point soon...so" Cole said as he tried to coax the conversation on with his hand as he span a slow circle.

"Cole we can now take him on as equals...yeah he's a god, but we're stronger than ever now."

"Yeah but you know what he did to Jay right,...and that was for disobeying him...imagine what he'd do to us..." Cold said as he sighed in frustration, the idea wasn't bad...but it would need more planning and back ups in case of epic failures.

"Well I guess we'll see for ourselves in the next few days...I mean we can't exactly trust Loki...he could be lying and trying to get us to test our limits" Lloyd said as he yawned, the events of the past twenty four hours catching up, "I think I'm gonna go to sleep...soo tired" Lloyd said as he closed his eyes.

"He's not lying dude, I got shot so did Zane and neither of us got any injuries at all, the few bullets grazed my skin sure, but now there's nothing there...I think he is definitely a trickster though. He could of forewarned us before we drank that green stuff at least then we would have had a chance to say yes or no..."

"Anyway get some rest Lloyd, I have a feeling we're going to be real busy real soon" Cole said as he removed his protective armour and outer garments and placed them carefully next to his bed with a strange sense of pride.

Cole left the room to find Kai, he seemed to be the one most affected by Loki's plan, he had been manipulated and now all Kai felt was anger, betrayal and distrust. Kai hated Loki with a passion and he hated Jay...but a small part of him knew that Zane was right...for any plan to work against Loki they would need to work with Jay.

"H-hey Kai, are you okay bro?" Cole asked cautiously as he sat next to his fiery tempered master of fire, "Look, I'm sorry about Nya...she'll be ok though...I mean she's a tough cookie right?" He couldn't find the right words so he stopped talking to wait for Kai's cues.

"We don't even know where he's taken her, how are we supposed to get her back Cole?" Kai asked, looking up with red eyes, a classic sign of crying, "I f-failed her."

"Kai you were the only one who asked about the green stuff, if it wasn't for you we would be none the wiser...and _**NO**_ you didn't fail her" Cole said with a gentle hug to Kai's side.

"You've always been there for her and she knows this...she is capable of looking after herself too though, ya gotta remember that Kai."

"I hate to admit it...but Zane's right...I've gotta put my trust in zaptrap...but I swear to god if he hurts Nya...he's DEAD." Kai said half joking and half deadly serious, "and Cole...I'm sorry I really am."

"Sorry for what bro..." Cole asked with an eyebrow raised.

"For punching you...I was wrong, it was a dirty move...not the sort of thing a ninja should do." Kai mumbled.

Cole was speechless, Kai wasn't usually the one for apologising when he had made a mistake, "its ok, Kai" he was surprised that Kai hadn't mentioned Jay or how he' had been treated at the hands of Kai. Maybe he would save that for when Jay was here.


	18. New faces, new place

The helicopter touched down at Loki's grand palace. This was a place he'd managed to _buy_ from a banker whom he had previously coerced into putting his name onto the deeds. Truth be told, it was originally meant to be a gift to some rich Arabian family, but Loki had taken advantage, as per the norm.

Jay peered out of the window of the helicopter and stared at the white bricked palace. Slight feelings of unease washed over him as he vaguely remembered what happened the last time he was here. He had fought Loki, he remembered that much and then he remembered Loki's temper. No apologies, Loki had refused to admit what he'd done was wrong, and everything had culminated in a mighty struggle for power, Loki being the victor. He wasn't completely unscathed, Jay had managed to get a shot in, which in turn made the God retaliate, using the mind stone as a further deterrent.

Looking down, he saw many security guards near the gates, six of which were approaching the aircraft.

Loki signalled them without uttering a word, his head twisting to Jay, motioning them both to leave and wait inside.

Jay gently pulled Nya up and into him. Still shaking slightly from his earlier ordeal. "Come, "he said softly. "I'll show you around." He offered her his hands and saw her cheeks warm at the close proximity. Hands still entwined until Jay let go to jump out onto the lush green grass, "It's a bit of a drop." He offered his hands and grasped Nya's slender waist. Effortlessly, he picked her up and placed her on the grass.

Her body brushed up against his as she fought to keep her balance.

"I must warn you though, this place is not as humble as the Bounty so be prepared for that."

"I figured." Nya replied, voice meek.

"Loki's a God and whatever he wants he kinda gets." Jay sighed heavily, pulling Nya along with him.

If only this was a positive thing and Nya was here to spend some time.

Jay's face was straight, trying not to show too much emotion at having his beau back in his grasp. "This is the entrance hall, you probably figured that right?"

She immediately noticed an enormous crystal chandelier hanging from three floors above. The impressive light piece was bigger than their game's room on the old Bounty they had shared. Then she noticed that the walls and floors in the hallways were solid white marble, large ornate gold leaf vases and original art pictures adorning the walls.

"Most of the rooms in this place haven't even been used," Jay muttered. "This one for example and, this." He said, showing Nya the orangery and next to it a large open seating area which looked grand enough for a royal family. "Haa, L-Loki loves opulence, though this is nothing compared to Asgard."

Another sigh. "The kitchen is through there, but our food's always prepared for us, well most of the time." He rubbed the back of his head wanting to avoid some of the other things they did here. "And, uhm we usually eat in here." He opened the double doors, leading into a large dining room. Another white marble room with a very large table and only two seats at either end.

Nya noted one of the marble columns had recently been damaged. It was odd, it looked out of place because apart from that one damaged column, every thing else in the room was perfect.

"What happened here" Nya said, pointing to the cracked and partially crumbled thing.

"Well," Jay paused to think. And he had to think back because after that fight, Loki had used his sceptre and a whole heap of shit had gone down.

"I-I," he stuttered nervously. "Uhm, I had a disagreement with him, and we fought."

"So his sceptre did this?" Nya asked with a growing frown.

"Haa no." Jay laughed softly. "Not his sceptre. My-my body crashed into it." he bit his lip, looking away to avoid her concerned face.

"Jay?"

Jay had turned to face her at the sound of his name on her lips. And only then had he registered the look of shock on her face. "Hey, I-I'm ok Nya. See, no harm done."

She was shaking her head slowly and to Jay it looked like she was about to cry.

"Nya, come on," he said, pulling her gently from this room that wrought such feelings of pain and dread. "Let me show you the last few rooms."

Walking around to the upper floors, there was an awkward silence between the pair. It made this whole thing so much more unbearable.

"O-of course Loki, favours this room, as you'll see." Jay said as he opened the large double oak doors which led to a spiral staircase leading up to an impressive library. Once they traversed the staircase, they saw that many of the books lay scattered on the floor. Some were piled high on the desk, not a speck of dust anywhere.

"And this,"he opened the doors nervously. "This is Loki's room, it's uhm, I mean it's like Lloyd's room. but..." Jay looked at the bed and cringed, wishing he could forget. "Well, uhm, I don't go in here." He blushed again, allowing Nya a glimpse for herself.

She looked at him in puzzlement as she tried to figure out what he was hiding. "You're right, it is similar in colour." She smiled as Jay closed the large doors.

"And this is my room," He opened the doors to reveal a large room with regal inspired silver cabinetry. Ornate pictures and mirrors, large silken deep blue drapes and a velvet bed throw which lay atop a massive bed.

Nya looked at it and wondered how many people could sleep on something that size.

It was almost as if Jay could see what she was thinking. He hoped to God she wouldn't ask.

"These pictures, they're amazing. So colourful, who made them?"

Pictures that consisted of large spiral twisted tornadoes with red, blue, green, black and white running through them. Each brightly coloured part had a streak of paint running from it which looked like a tear drop...all except the blue one which gave Nya a feeling of unease, the blue coloured part was cracked and rippled with purple, green and gold, thus signifying Loki's control over him.

"I-I made them. You could say that the pictures helped me to focus when I was away." he looked at each one. "I did them because if I didn't have anything positive to focus on. I figured that this so called darkness would have consumed me months ago and I err, I wouldn't be here talking to you now, I'd be controlling some poor helpless civilisation. Well, these were Loki's plans for me."

A deep breath in. "I had to fight it and I had to fight **_him_** every step of the way. Ya know, he wants nothing more than to control me **_completely._** And, it infuriates him that he can't so he punishes me and now, even that doesn't work." Laughing darkly he turns to face his wall. "You could say, I've grown accustomed to it, to the pain."

"Never saw this coming, did we?"

Nya turned away from the picture with a sad look in her eyes, she had no idea Jay had felt like this. She naively thought he was in a better place with Loki and that he'd move on with his life, when in fact, all Jay wanted was to be with his brothers and Nya, back in Ninjago.

"Nya are you ok?" Jay asked as he walked across to join Nya and closed the gap between them, holding her closely, "Look we're all here now ok! Cole, Kai, Lloyd and Zane. I won't let him hurt you again, I promise."

"Nya, "I'll do what ever I can."

"Jay you don't have to sleep on the sofa, I mean the bed is very big...I'll just stay on this side and you on that side...ok?" She mumbled, easily escaping his warm embrace.

"Whichever you prefer...oh the bathroom is this way" Jay said, leading Nya towards another set of double doors. Opening them, as he expected, Nya gasped in awe at the size of the bathroom, a large roll top bath with clawed feet big enough for two people, stands pride of place in the centre of the large room.

"I've never much favoured the bath, I prefer the wet room at the end," Jay said, pointing towards the glassed enclosure. "It's a steam room too, relaxing and private. Plus; Loki never comes in here."

He had the once and he had propositioned Jay at the time.

"Do you want me to leave the room while you undress?" He asked, feeling a little embarrassed at seeing Nya removing some of her clothing in front of him, completely oblivious to the fact that he was still there.

"N-no please stay," Nya said. "this place scares me a little."

"Ok I'll stay but I'm gonna turn the other way, you still need privacy..." Jay said as he turned to face the wall and then realised he was looking straight into a mirror ' _great voyeuristic much'_ Jay thought as he felt a funny feeling in his stomach. Nya had removed all of her clothes and was completely naked, Jay could see it all, some of what he could see made him frown, he bit his lip hard as he saw purple bruised finger prints on both of her hips, inner thighs and shoulders, he mentally shook the image of Loki from his mind and kept his head down hoping that the blushed cheeks would die down. Nya quickly jumped into bed and pulled the soft velvet overthrow over her body, she snuggled into it and breathed in the heavenly smell it held...Jay's masculine scent.

Jay discreetly removed some but not all of his clothes and he quickly slipped into his side of the bed, he couldn't sleep though because Nya was on his mind, all that anger and resentment from the last few months, her attempted suicide, dumping him for Cole again. He lay there for what felt like hours until Nya edged ever closer to him and his warmth. He instinctively turned towards her to save falling of the bed and wrapped his arm over her body, she was fast asleep her exposed shoulder and upper body made Jay feel awkward. "No-one's gonna hurt you Nya, no-one," Jay whispered..

Loki had spent most of the night speaking to his new security team, he had wanted them to somehow infiltrate Hydra, he needed to know more about what they did to Jay, he needed all the details so he could be prepared. A part of him knew something bad would happen and for the moment they wouldn't be safe on this realm, he wasn't particularly fond of this _**earth**_ as they called it, but he wanted to rule it, eventually.

* * *

 **A few hours later**

Jay was awake, relaxing in the wet room after an initial cold shower.

Nya stirred, looking around to get her bearings. It came back slowly and she remembered, she had slept with Jay last night, but not as a couple.

Tiptoeing out of the bedroom and into the bathroom where she could hear singing. Obviously it was Jay, she'd heard him sing before.

She could see him, he was down the opposite end, the steam billowing around him, making him almost impossible to see... _almost_. Nya took the opportunity to run a quick bath, adding bubbles which she's found in Jay's room. Obviously Jay didn't like these toiletries, none of them had even been decanted.

The bath ran quickly and Nya gently dipped her toes in before submerging herself completely. "Ahh perfect." She could have fallen asleep in the bathroom if it weren't for Jay's gentle singing. It was so immensely relaxing, it helped her to cleanse herself after Loki had taken advantage two nights ago.

All was quiet as Jay got out of the shower. He was completely oblivious to Nya being in the bath as he walked past her _stark naked._

"Good morning Jay," she said as she eyed his lithe body in all its naked glory. She bit her lip, raising her eyebrow as her vision remained glued to his lower abdominal area. Eventually, she diverted her eyes up to his, making Jay feel like an object, a piece of meat.

Jay had almost slipped over backwards in fright as he saw Nya in the large bathtub. Instantly blushing, he realised he was dripping wet and naked. "Oh, h-hey N-Nya." He stuttered nervously. "Sorry, I didn't s-see you."

Cringing, he covered his manhood and tiptoed to grab a bath towel which he promptly wrapped around himself. Now covered adequately, he turned to face her.

"Like what you saw huh?"

The sexual tension was building.

"Mmmmm this is nice Jay, you should try it?" Nya said, lifting her leg out of the bath and into the air.

Jay watched as parts of her thigh were covered in a blanket of bubbles except her toes and knee. He swallowed hard and bit his lip. God how he remembered those legs kissing the insides of them. Sure, secretly he would've just loved to jump in the bath tub with her, show her a good time, but now wasn't ideal. Loki was quite a stickler with timings, they needed to leave in an hour following breakfast.

"Nya, we've gotta go soon. You've been given new clothes to wear, they should fit you perfectly." He got up to leave. "And, we're due to meet up with the rest of the guys, in an hour."

"Okay okay, pipe down." She muttered. "I'll get out, can you get me a towel, please."

She watched as he retrieved a large fluffy bath sheet.

And then watched as his jaw dropped to the floor as she stepped out of the tub.

Jay's eyes had widened when Nya got out of the bathtub. His heart began racing as she make a slow seductive walk towards him. "Nya?" He panted, backing up slightly. Unsure what was happeneing anymore, he held the towel out and she grasped it gently.

"Are you alright, N-Nya?"

No reply as she slowly slipped the towel around her shoulders and dried her back, vigorously making her assets wobble in the process, all whilst standing in front of him.

 _Fuck, look away._

"Err... Nya...maybe I should g-go?"

She closed the gap again, slowly folding her towel in front of her body. "Did you like the show?" Nya said biting her lip, her breath hitched as she whispered into his ear. "It was just for you." She added before cruelly leaving him there to wonder 'what the hell' had just happened.

Jay frowned at her as she walked off.

 _Well that was very sexy, odd though._

 _The Nya I know wouldn't do that._

Jay tried to shake these new troubling images from his mind whilst his body was trying to betray him.

So, as a gentleman, Jay got dressed in the bathroom and then waited outside for Nya.

Still largely unsure about her behaviour at that moment, Nya was something else. Jay thought that maybe it was her relationship with Cole, that could have changed her to make her act this way? He thought on it more as he continued to dress, replacing all of his blades into their correct sheaths.

"Wow Jay, since when has your spinjitzu tornado been purple?"

"You saw it?" Jay asked, shocked.

She nodded. "I know you used it to get dressed on occasion, this time was different though."

"Well, uhm it changed when Loki..." He didn't want to admit he had been captured.

"Anyway, it changed and became what you see now. I guess more powerful when I was made immortal."

"A nice colour to it." She nodded.

"I don't like the colour." Jay stated under his breath.

"Say, will you accompany me?" Nya said quietly, looping her arm through his.

"Of course, it would be my pleasure," Jay said. catching a whiff of her vanilla cherry scent. It reminded him of the fun they had in Ninjago; back before any of this had happened.

Jay opened the doors and led Nya to the breakfast room where Loki was already sat. Typically, he had placed an additional chair up at the top of the table next to him, which looked like it was meant for Nya.

 _My Nya not Loki's._

The first sigh of the day as Jay watched Loki motion Nya to sit with him.

And though it pained Jay to watch her walk off towards him, he knew what Loki was capable of. He didn't want to anger him so soon after his recent pain.

Nya hadn't even noticed the half naked women serving the breakfast, Jay did, he always did. Always thinking it was distasteful and disrespectful, but these women didn't seem to care.

Loki, stood and welcomed her to her seat, very gallant at least. "Are you fully refreshed my dear?" He asked.

"Y-yes Loki"

"Hmmmm, when we travel to Asgard later today you will need to call me 'my liege' owing to my regal status. But for now, you're forgiven." He said, stroking her leg under the table earning a slight gasp.

Jay's scarred eyebrow quivered as he watched them intently from the bottom of the table. Both were closely seated and only one of Loki's hands was visible. Jay shook his head slowly and felt his anger rising. Breathing deep breath, he counted internally to ten, hoping that would help.

 _For gods sake, will you stop touching her...She's not a piece of meat, asshole_.

Loki raised his eyes to look at Jay, speaking clearly enough for him to hear even though he was talking to Nya. "Besides, I want to get to know you better, after all we've not really been acquainted except for maybe when I had you all tied up as prisoners, then of course a few nights ago," Loki teased with a smirk.

* * *

Jay was gripping the table so tightly from his end, it would have cracked and burned if he wasn't holding his powers back. Loki had seduced Nya and was continuing to do it in front of him despite the fact that Jay had mentioned how much he had loved Nya. Maybe this was Loki's way of punishing Jay, besides he had just lost his appetite as Loki had propped Nya on the breakfast table and was leaning over and kissing her all the time looking at Jay for his reaction. Jay was fighting the urge to vomit as he watched Loki's hands travelling across her body, bile rising slowly in his throat.

"Can I leave my liege, or are you expecting me to do something?"

"Jay," Loki said as he broke the kiss, his hand still in a rather provocative place making her whimper and writhe. Her momentum moving with his hand until she began panting his name, it rolled off her tongue. Such sweet music to his ears, yet pure agonising heartbreak to Jay's.

"I told you, love is a pathetic children's story. 'Tis a poetic rhyme, having no place in society."

"Fuck you."

"People buy and sell it in this world."

"Stop touching her!"

"Women of this realm and yours are no different, they crave the dominant figure." Loki said. His fierce glare locking with Jay's before talking down to Nya. "Isn't that right my pet?"

"Yes my liege" Nya muttered as she was still on her back amongst the breakfast items on the table, Loki still in the dominant position over her.

 _'Fucking asshole, Loki, I gave you my word, I joined you...'_

"She's not your pet Loki, and she's not from this realm, you've taken advantage of her...h-how could you." Jay yelled from across the room.

Loki glared at his personal protector the crowned prince of Asgard and technical next in line to the throne, his ninja of dark elemental lightning.

"I do this for you, only for you." He said groping her as he moved into position. "When you see her give herself to me freely; **_and she will_** , then you will no longer need love. You will gladly accept the ministrations of your concubines for they are exactly there to pleasure us. They have no feelings, no needs nor wants."

"St-stop, please!"

"They are but bodies for our pleasure and when we tire of them, we simply get others. Such the abundant supply of willing whores, and, of course, if they are with child when you've finished with them, just alert the guards."

" _ **WHAT,**_ what does that even mean?" Jay fumed. "That's not even **fair,** you've Sigyn, I mean, you love her right?" he was gripping the table as Loki was positioned provocatively over Nya. A sick feeling washed over him as his words began to make sense.

" **Fair,** of course nothing in life or death is fair, I should know...and yes to answer your question I **_do_** love Sigyn we are to be married upon my return to Asgard."

"Then surely you believe in monogamy, I mean you're technically cheating on her with Nya."

"Ha your foolish mortal mind still doesn't understand... Nya is a concubine, I can have her when I want and for as long as I want as can you if you so wish...Sigyn maybe an Argardian female worthy of a god, but she cannot cope with my demands of her body, so I have hours of private time with my concubines" Loki said as he snaked a hand down Nya's chest.

"What...NO, she's not a piece of meat, are you kidding me...what have you done to her Loki actually...no why have you done this to her...of all people why her?"

Jay was staring broken hearted at what he was witnessing, it took all of his strength to stop from snapping and flat out vomiting despite the rising bile. He stood and attempted to confront the God and then he tried to leave but the God saw it coming and his army of projections held him back. In effect, they were holding him in place, making Jay watch as Loki ravaged her body infront of his protector. "What is love? Basest sentimentality." Her legs wrapped around him and he pushed into her body, locking lips with her. Swallowing that initial pained gasp as he gave her no time to adjust.

"So good to feel this Jay, so tight. I can see why you liked her."

His jaw clenched. "St-stop, please. D-don't do this." He squeezed his eyes closed but he could hear them. His heart was breaking as every memory he had of her was being sullied and tainted by him by Loki.

"FUCK YOU!"

The God finally came undone, roaring loudly in the process he finally got up of his breathless startled prey. "Some mind games and a little magic always helps, to give focus." He panted and laughed at Jay who had collapsed onto the floor. "You asked why I did it? To make you see that you do not need love. You, dear boy wont have any time to fall in love." Loki said as he stood up and walked away from a madly blushing Nya.

"Come, we need to go, we have an important meeting to attend, Nya join me." It wasn't a request it was an order, Nya quickly shuffled past a very angry and emotionally broken Jay and into Loki's waiting open arm.

"So she's under some sort of spell, you are a whole other evil compared to all the other evils I've faced...You're fucking sick and twisted." Jay hissed and saw Loki smirk.

"Mind your tongue Jay...keep up that tone with me and you won't be able to talk for a month."

Jay followed quietly behind the odd couple in front, his eyes low to the ground to hide the dried tear tracks. He hoped and prayed that this wouldn't last. _'Nya isn't Sigyn and she's not Asgardian.'_

No Loki was doing this as a bizarre form of punishment to Jay, being that torture didn't seem to work anymore, but the pain of seeing her being taken by a God had driven a stake right through his heart, Jay had foolishly thought he could attempt to get back with his long time girlfriend, had this rescue worked out as it was meant to, he would have done, but it seemed that Kai, Hydra and Loki all had other ideas. And Jay seemed to be the one in the dark.

* * *

Loki kept Jay and Nya in the armoured personnel vehicle as he got out near the motel where the Ninja were still still staying. He knocked on the door loudly and heard similar voices behind it.

"Who's there" the voice said timidly.

"Hmmm this is all very familiar and tiresome...maybe the peep hole will answer your question"Loki hissed.

"I think it's Loki guys" Kai said as he looked back at his brothers,before he even had a chance to open the door Loki knocked it down with a single kick, sending Kai flying in the process.

"Ahh yes good morning Ninja I see you're all awake" Loki looked around the room to see the ninja all dressed with the black and red one sitting on the floor under the partially broken door.

"Yes sorry about that, patience isn't one of my strong suits" he said as he offered a hand to Kai helping him to his feet.

"Well you all seem to look strong enough to make the journey so we need to vacate this building, the car park should be suitable...please follow me" Loki said as he bit his tongue, manners weren't something he was accustomed to using on this dull planet.

The ninja all dutifully followed Loki into the car park, Lloyd and Cole being the last ones out as they grabbed everything they might need. The jade bladed weapons impregnated with venom from the devourer and the stone warrior armour. They had however forgotten one important thing and it was still in a secure case under the desk.

"What is it we're waiting for" Lloyd stated as he looked around, there were quite a few people around him but the light was so bright he couldn't make anybody out when suddenly he felt the feeling of weightlessness and a pulling feeling.

"There's your answer green machine" Jay said as he ruffled the green ninja's platinum blonde head, he was lost for words as he took in his new surroundings.

"Welcome to Asgard, Jay you will show them to their new accommodation, I need to resume my duties on the throne" Loki said as he walked off nodding to Heimdall before leaving his royal attire appearing in place as he walked away.

"Nya...oh my god...your ok" Kai shouted as he ran over to her and hugged her tightly "You are ok right...Loki didn't hurt you did he?"

Nya shook her head "No he was very gentle...well as gentle as a God can be she said as she attempted to cover up one of her more visible shoulder bruises where Loki had grabbed her from behind.

Jay waited for everyone to take in their new surroundings before he motioned everyone to join him, Jay wasn't himself either, Cole was the first to notice that something was eating away at their ninja of lightning.

"Hey Jay you ok? you look kinda annoyed bro."

"Cole I-I'll tell you later...I can't tell you yet.." Jay sighed "please follow me" as soon as he set foot on the rainbow bridge his ceremonial robes replaced his working armour, his weapons hidden beneath his long sweeping cloak and his crown reappeared as if like a halo nestled gently on his head. All at once the ninja were transfixed on this sight before them, he looked majestic but this wasn't a feeling that Jay had ever been comfortable with, he just wanted to be normal again...he knew that he could never be.

Jay showed the ninja to their accommodation within the Asgardian palace which looked remarkably similar to his room, except his brothers rooms were all colour coordinated with their elements, the last room was Cole's so the ninja decided to sit around the small table surrounded by sumptuous black silk and Asgardian lace cushions.

Jay motioned Cole to join him as he needed to talk urgently but before he had a chance to say anything his brothers shut the door behind Jay and ushered him inside to sit down.

Kai sat down too which caused an instant reaction from Jay considering his most recent hatred towards him, Cole spoke first "Jay Loki did something to us..."

"What! what did he do...make you immortal too...?" Jay laughed.

"Well... yes actually...that's pretty much what he did"

Jay's jaw fell open in a silent scream "Oh...ok, well that was awkward...I wasn't expecting that" Jay said blushing "but why?"

"Well initially to rescue you from Hydra, he couldn't do it himself so he used us."

"No he tricked us Cole...he was perfectly capable of doing it" Kai spat still angered at the lack of choice he had been dealt.

"As far as I saw it, he gave an ultimatum my data banks did not fully understand his archaic wordsmith abilities and we fell foolishly into his trap."

"Kai was the only one to ask what was in the potion he had consumed after we had all been given it" Lloyd interjected feeling left out of the conversation.

"What potion, are you talking about guys?...I didn't get a potion...well unless Loki did it without me realising," Jay quizzed.

"Zane managed to find traces of it on the floor on the motel room and...well...Zane?" Cole said waiting for Zane to finish.

"It was made from an Asgardian golden apple...an apple that is typically meant as a food of the gods, it has been known as ambrosia but this was fermented so it was much stronger...however it didn't taste fermented as the flavour was tainted with dark magic."

"Hmmm ok that makes sense, I guess Loki slipped me some of that potion twice before he used a spell on me" Jay said as he remembered back to before he was made a prince and before he made the decision to join Loki. "Sneaky bloody trickster that he is." Jay shook his head.

"Ok so what now, what's happened to Nya? Jay!" Kai asked with seriousness in his voice.

Jay looked around as Nya was still in the vicinity but otherwise disposed in the bathroom, Jay whispered as he spoke "hmmm that is difficult, Loki has done something to her...not mentally though Kai, she's not mind controlled or anything" Jay added quickly before Kai had a chance to interrupt.

"She was different last night when I first saw her, she looked...well sad...confused and err I think Loki took advantage of her mind and body" Jay said with a distinct angered sigh, and then he continued to tell them about the morning and breakfast scene.

"She was very seductive and Loki kissed her on the breakfast table in front of me...he was staring me out as he did it...literally talking to her like she and all women were pieces of meat...gahh it made my blood boil" Jay said as he gripped his hands tightly as balls of raw electrical plasma seeped from them similar to the effect of a plasma ball. He didn't mention the fact that Loki screwed her too and made Jay watch the whole thing.

Kai was sitting back holding his head in his hands and sighing "ok so what do we do?" we can't just sit here and do nothing."

"You're right Kai, we can't and we wont but we cant strike just yet, we need a plan...we need to get him away from his sceptre" Jay said fully aware that the sceptre was a formidable weapon.

Kai was surprised that Jay was so willing to listen to him despite how much he had berated him over these past few months about being selfish and thinking about immortality over his brothers ability to fight for themselves.

"The longer you stay here the more powerful you'll become, you'll be eating food that isn't meant for mortals, it'll just further aid the healing of any injuries and give you longer endurance but be careful it can be addictive too" Jay added before asking Zane to give his information.

"Whilst we were on earth I managed to gain some valuable information on Norse mythology, it's quite interesting really...you see the longer Loki stays on the throne of Asgard the more damage will be done to the nine realms...an event known as Ragnarok."

The name itself made most of the ninja frown except Jay who had been made aware of this events and resulting creature that would be spawned from Loki, but he listened regardless as Zane could hold more clues as to how Loki could be stopped without being killed.

"Ok Ragnarok is considered as the doom of the gods...or the end of their mythical cycle, it is a time when the cosmos is destroyed and then reborn...without going into too much detail; Ragnarok would be bad for everyone except Loki but everyone else us included would perish unless we served at his side."

Zane gave his brothers the chance to absorb the information before he continued, "But if we overturn him and subdue him effectively **_without killing him Kai I am talking to you here,_** then maybe we would have a chance to escape to Ninjago without being followed...thus avoiding the wrath and destruction that Ragnarok would bring."

Zane gave his brothers some time to process this new information as he got up and looked out of the window towards a sight he never thought he would ever see. A vast rainbow bridge which stretched as far as the eye could see to a large observatory which would occasionally have a bright beam leading from it and out into the abyss of space.

Stars were dotted all around this mystical place and the sea itself seemed to just fall off the edge of this realm magically creating a veil of mystery covering the entrance to Valhalla below. Zane smiled as he took in the sight, something only reserved for higher beings had been bestowed on him and his brothers...his brothers who were willing to die for their cause and in doing so would end up in Valhalla...

"Brothers, I suggest that now we are acquainted with our rooms that we ask Jay to show us around this most mythical of places...specifically the library and training arena. I believe this would assist us in understanding this realm and history in the long run."

"Cool, I'm in" said Kai as he stood next to Zane' "it would be kinda cool you know, to see this place that you've been holed up in for so long."

Jay stood up and straightened his attire before walking to the doors and opening them "as you wish...I can show you around", he said, his ceremonial robes and crown still visible and glistening slightly as the distant sun was beginning to set, "follow me."

Jay led his brothers out of Cole's room and into Asgard itself. "Well as you can probably tell, this is the Palace, typically the people who live here are either royalty or the closest protectors of said royalty...no expense is spared."

He walked past four Asgardian Einherjar warriors all standing guard outside the library, they bowed their heads in respect for the prince as he walked past. "My prince, the library is empty, your favourite books have been laid out for you as you left them" one said as he opened the large golden doors for the prince.

"Thank you" He said with a genuine smile, the Einherji nodded in recognition and left the prince and his guests to look around the vast room which was stacked from floor to ceiling with books that looked as mythical as the realm itself.

The brothers had been in the library for an hour before Cole and Kai became bored, Cole was the first to complain, "aww dude this is boring, can't we go and see something more exciting?" Jay smirked at his brothers lack of patience and nodded.

"Zane do you want to come? I'm planning on showing you something just as spectacular." Jay said as he shook his head, his brothers not grasping the importance of being in a magical realm, "you can take the books with you ya know...you don't have to leave them here" he said with a slight laugh.

Both Lloyd and Zane collected a small stack of books and promptly carried them out. The warrior's seemed to know when Jay was approaching the door as they quickly opened it before his hands touched the handle, Jay had thought to himself on previous occasions if it was expressly forbade of a prince to touch a door handle...the question never being answered by Loki.

He walked out of the room and again nodded to the warrior's, not that they could see as their heads were lowered again, he mentioned something quietly to the warrior he had spoken to previously who looked up and nodded his head. "Please, follow me my prince...I'll take you to her straight away."

The next great room had an entire batallion of Einherjar warrior's stationed outside the oddly looking tired, wooden spooky doors. They cleared a space between them to allow the prince to pass freely and the front line knelt down as Jay walked past. Again this completely baffled the ninja but they said nothing, they just followed him.

Two guards as before opened the door to allow the prince access to the room, Jay smiled as he walked through and into the room, his cloak gently gliding across the floor until he stopped abruptly in front of a odd looking tree trunk. The room as Jay had expected was met with puzzled faces and further groans of boredom as they failed to understand the importance of the tree before them. Jay was immediately impressed when Zane mentioned what it was, he had done his homework. "This is the majestic Yggdrasil, the most ancient tree in the universe. The world tree?" Zane stated as he took in all of its beauty frowning at the broken twigs laying on the floor at their feet.

"Yes that's right Zane" Jay nodded and smiled, "she holds all nine realms in her upward limbs, the roots you don't see contain the serpent that will bring about Ragnarok...the longer Loki sits on the throne of Asgard anyway." Jay said with a sigh as he continued, "she's dying...the world tree is dying."

"What...why?" Lloyd asked as Cole and Kai looked up to take in the vastness of the tree, seeing blackened dead pieces falling off and floating toward their feet.

"Because Loki is still on the throne...the rightful king of Asgard is sleeping, he has been for a year now...Loki thinks it was due to the death of Odin's wife Frigga, the pain of losing her caused him to go into what is known as the Odinsleep...which means literal months here yet years in our realm."

Jay sat down next to the tree and stroked the large root gently...his immortal soul was innocent despite the attempts to turn him, and Yggdrasil could feel it. Jay felt a tear fall down his face and he sighed. "If Odin wakes up, we'll die, he won't tolerate our kind in Asgard, Loki would be forever incarcerated and we would likely perish from any wounds we had suffered during our immortality."

"Why would we die, we're err immortal now" Cole said.

"The prison here is enchanted, no spells work besides any dark magic used by the incarcerated would immediately be reversed and of course, Odin would be able to reverse the immortality transformation."

"Right got it, so what you're saying is that somehow we've got to get away from Asgard before Odin wakes up...and we've got to take Loki with us?" Kai said as he shook his head confusedly "that it the second most shittiest plan I've ever heard."

"Yeah...thanks Kai I know...you think I haven't already tried to work this out in great detail...you think I don't care?...what do ya think I've been doing here all this time."

"I don't know and I don't care, but knowing you Jay, you've probably been sat on your ass doing sweet F.A" Kai hissed as he stood up in front of Jay.

Jay bit his lip and looked down avoiding eye contact, he didn't want to hurt Kai so he let Kai vent his anger...wincing at the words Kai was choosing to use and oblivious to the anger that he was about to unleash. "Well do ya? because this is a fine mess you got us into again...now we're all gonna die...thanks Jay" Kai said as he approached Jay and rapidly punched him across his jaw.

Jay span in the air and landed unceremoniously on the floor, he stood slightly dazed and realigned his jaw with a sickening crack, "Of course I care...Kai and I had no idea that Loki had set you up...you can't pin that on me...you gotta stop blaming me for every little thing that happens."

Cole and Lloyd were standing gaping at the scene in front of them, neither were sure what to do, Zane knew who would be the victor so he carried on reading his books.

"You think this is a little thing...Jay...this" Kai said as he raised his hands palms up as he looked around the large room, "this is not a little thing... this is a big shitty mess you got us into to...yeah we're immortal, hmmmmmm thank you Loki...really appreciate that nice little touch...but ya know what I didn't want that," Kai said as he shoved Jay backwards forcefully causing Jay to stumble back

"I don't want to hurt you Kai...you need to stop...this is wasting valuable time" Jay said as Kai continued to push him "KAI STOP IT" Jay boomed and Kai did, he looked confused as did Cole and Lloyd "I swear to god if you lay one more finger on me you're gonna regret it" he hissed at Kai before walking to the door. His brother Zane quickly gathered his books and followed suit. Kai Cole and Lloyd stayed with Yggdrasil, the tree was actually quite a calming environment for Cole and Lloyd although Kai was still angry.

Jay exited the room angry and two of the warriors escorted him back to his room Zane continued to follow. "if it is ok, I'd like to speak to you Jay about your element if I can."

"Sure Zane, anything for you" Jay nodded and let Zane into his regally decorated room. Jay went and sat down on the edge of his bed, he rested his head in his hands and let out another sigh. It seemed as though all Jay was doing was sighing or crying, neither of which was particularly helpful.

"What do ya want to know bro?"

"I want you to tell be about your new element...I know it's not just lightning anymore...I've know for a little while actually, but I'm not sure if you know or not" Zane said as he realised just how confusing that statement was.

"Err my element was dark lightning as far as I was aware but now you mention it there was something else...obviously it's darker now but there is something else" Jay said with a puzzled face "what do you want me to do?"

"I want you to perform a martial arts move using your spinjitsu...please, then I can attempt to figure out your new power" Zane said as he activated numerical graphs in his vision.

Jay shrugged his shoulders and did so just for Zane, he performed his spinjitsu moves super fast as per the usual until Zane told him to stop at which point he grabbed a bunch of grapes and sat back down again, "so what did you get from that then?"

"Y-your element it's not just electrical anymore, it's... err Cosmic plasma and dark electrical lightning" Zane frowned and shook his head before finishing "this is bad, Jay...your element is considered as one of the bad elements, an element that can slowly turn the wielder evil...unless the wielder is a pure innocent soul...then the battle of the dark element will not prevail against the good."

"Ok, not sure how that information is going to help in this situation and I've been fine for the last few months...I think, I mean I don't think I've lost control of myself...at least I hope I haven't." Jay said as he shuddered.


	19. Hail Hydra

HYDRA were considered to be an authoritarian terrorist-criminal-paramilitary organisation, bent on world domination. Founded during the height of world war two, and their motto referenced the myth of the HYDRA stating that "if a head was cut off, two more would take its place." Thus proclaiming their resilience and growing strength in the face of resistance. The organisation, guided by Alexander Pierce had been busy researching the tissue samples collected from the one humanoid creature. Many of those harvested samples had been modified into serums.

A strengthening serum; as it sounded. It did exactly what it said. Additionally, a reversal antidote.

And the final serum for creating an army of mindless drones.

It was true, they weren't going to pass up this opportunity when a test subject gave himself up so willingly with the aid of his backstabbing brother. Kai was just the man they were looking for, he had been so easy to sway, to corrupt and to threaten. He saw no easy way out for him and his brothers and he did it. He gave up his wayward brother, donating him to HYDRA for immediate study, this whilst he was still alive. And yes, it was incredibly below the belt, but Jay had been out of it, unable to fight back.

He was only privy to it when he woke up. And only then had he realised his dire situation.

But his brothers came back for him, rescuing him from this hellhole. Too bad they didn't think to destroy or even hunt down those acquired samples...

Because now, HYDRA were working out ways to stop him, finding a way to get the Asgardian whom had caused so much trouble for SHIELD.

* * *

 _WW2 flashback._

 _The previous commanding officer Johann Schmidt had overseen everything in HYDRA's special weapons division, he became obsessed with the cosmic cube they had found, this same cube being the tesseract a jewel from Odin's vaults._

 _He had heard of the super soldier serum that Shield had made and successfully tested it on a soldier known as Steve Rogers who later became known as Captain America because of his strength and complete change of appearance following the serum being injected into him._

 _Johann had instructed a group of his soldiers to steal it and destroy any evidence of it from Shield's archives. The soldiers did as they were directed and they bought it back to him, where he promptly tested the super soldier serum on himself to become as strong, fast and agile as Captain America had been but it backfired on him, his face became disfigured with a grotesque red skull like appearance...not the effect he was trying to get but it worked regardless, making him seem more menacing than Hitler...the man he was planning on overthrowing._

 _The culminating battle between himself and Captain America happened to take place on a small aircraft which was carrying a nuclear device set for the east coast of Canada, Captain America had managed to divert the course and in doing so had infuriated the red skull, who had no other option than to take the annoying red, white and blue soldier down with him. Red skull decided to grasp the cube with his bare hands and watched painfully as his flesh disintegrated into the cube for his endeavours, a few short moments later he had enigmatically disappeared from the realms of earth to be distributed into the cosmos possibly reigning terror on some poor unsuspecting civilisation until his death. Captain America was stuck on a rapidly descending aircraft as it headed for the frozen coast where he knew he would be sure to meet his demise, he hoped that this would stop HYDRA_

 _.._.But he found out sixty seven years later that it didn't, they were bigger and more powerful and still as evil. He found out painfully, his best friend had been altered, tortured and renamed. The person who was once Bucky Barnes was now simply known as the Winter Soldier, he had been changed into a fighting machine.

* * *

Now HYDRA would be unstoppable, they had a plan which included a secret serum dubbed 'elixir of the gods' they had managed to secure a small part of Jay's DNA from one solitary sample in his liver which matched the immortality gene...the only issue was the immortality was only temporary...HYDRA just couldn't understand why or what would make it permanent.

They had sent in four undercover operatives disguised as prison guards to perform a serum injection study, the target was a local high security penitentiary which accommodated prisoners on death row. Their morals being low, they chose the people who had no role in society, the ones who had given up and were destined for death, the prisoners who had killed so mercilessly were going to be the lab rats.

The study commenced without a hitch, five prisoners were injected when they were sleeping. All five prisoners were due to be executed within the next few days anyway so the serum would not show up in their system, not that an autopsy would be performed.

The disguised prison guard wore shades which recorded the scene as it unfolded in front of him, the injected prisoner started a fight with four other inmates, they used makeshift shiv's and attacked each other viciously, blood and food went everywhere, punches were thrown kicks were dealt.

The other prison guards removed their batons and thrashed the troublemakers persistently, but the fight went on for hours. More prison guards were dispatched to the chaos but the prisoners seemed unstoppable. They did eventually stop when they realised they weren't getting hurt at which point they slowed and awed at each other and the devastation around them, they sat down looking at the carnage and the wounded bloodied inmates laying at their feet.

The disguised prison guard was standing one floor above and pressed a small discreet button on his glasses to send the information securely to HYDRA with a simple message. "Works better than expected, the subjects are beyond anything we've seen."

* * *

The following day one of the five prisoners was due to be executed by electric chair, the serum was still in his system. He was strapped into the macabre looking chair, by his feet, hands, arms and chest. A cloth sack put over his face to hide the pained grimace that was sure to come, one that would otherwise be seen by the victims's family as they watched the final moments of this criminal killer.

The switch was pulled down to bring about the high voltage of electricity, two thousand volts was being pumped into the prisoner via the top of his head and his leg to stop his heart as quickly as possible and induce unconsciousness and eventually death.

But death didn't come as quickly as they'd hoped. The confused prison warden and his guards stared on in shock, this death row prisoner was still alive despite the huge voltages, electricity had no effect what so ever on this inmate. The guards did the first thing they could think of being that the victims' family were staring in abject horror at the strength of the prisoner in front of them...they closed the curtain to the execution room and promptly switched of the electricity.

"Electrical failure perhaps?..." One guard said as he shrugged his shoulders and removed the sack cloth from the prisoners head, the guard was expecting some sort of horrific burn to be on top of the prisoners head but there was nothing there.

"No the gauge here registered the full voltage, everything was working as it should...we need to speak to the warden" the second guard said as he removed the restraints and helped the prisoner to his feet and into a holding cell outside, where he was promptly checked by a small team of medical professionals.

All sorts of hushed whispers were heard coming from the treatment room, the disguised doctor stood back and wrote on his clip board, his clear glasses recording evidence which when he pushed his glasses up, sent the images and visual proof back to HYDRA, "-it works sir, the serum works."

This was all the proof they needed, they knew this would work and the next time Loki and his warriors would arrive HYDRA would be ready.

* * *

 _ **Asgard prime, months later.**_

The Ninja team had been training in the arena most of the day, they had been sent on team missions with Jay overseeing them, Loki had sent them back to other realms to seek out and destroy any weaknesses...the reason was to see how strong they could work as a team, this gave them the opportunity to work out any issues.

As figured, the team wasn't working as well together. Nya was almost never around, she was always with Loki specifically after Sigyn. In fact, she was often requested to join him in his private quarters.

Jay knew what Loki was doing, Hel, it didn't take a genius to know he was screwing her and hard. Though to admit that fact out loud would destroy him for sure. He knew exactly why Loki was doing it; he was ruining her so she would only want him, but Loki was cruel. When she would eventually choose him, she would be cast out, forever pining for something she could never have. Yet he continued his mind games on her, he pleasured her for as long as she could endure, until his name was shouted from her lips again and again.

Loki did all this just for Jay. The sound could not be blocked from Jay's room, he was directly opposite. The slick thrusts, all the sounds that accompanied love making, it sounded like it was taking place in his own bed rather than across the corridor.

"Oh god!" Nya yelled loudly. "Fuck, h-harder."

"As you wish."

Jay recognised the sounds of her orgasm. He'd heard them for himself many a time. But hearing them shouted and verbalised for someone else was sickening, especially when done on purpose.

It almost sounded as though the sounds of them fucking like rabid dogs was amplified. He could hear them breathing, hear what she was doing for him yet she never did that for Jay. He was disgusted, nothing about this made him want her anymore.

"So good my pet. I love how my name rolls from your lips...mmm...you don't need anyone else do you, especially when you have a God to satisfy you?"

"Not a little boy?"

* * *

"Fuck you!" Jay hissed, under his breath. "I'm not a little boy...LOKI!" he snarled through gritted teeth.

"Cum for me. I want to feel you come undone around me Nya."

His face snarled into a fierce scowl. " ** _That's it, I've had enough,_** " he stood abruptly and walked out of his room slamming his doors unceremoniously, not caring about the reverberating echo. Jay stalked to Loki's quarters, not stopping as he barged into Loki's bedchambers angrily.

He saw her underneath the god of mischief and lies, with her legs wrapped around him as the God continued.

Loki was pouring a drink into her mouth from his own lips, a suspicious looking red liquid as he continued to grind his hips, driving himself to the hilt. He had turned his head, noticing he had a a familiar guest watching him. "-She is quite the minx, Jayson." He said. A smug grin on his cruel and sneering face as he ground into her again, rubbing at the juncture where their bodies were joined until she came again and this time kissed him while looking into Jay's devastated eyes.

"I can see why you loved her!" Loki taunted. He stood up and threw a blanket onto her which barely covered her body.

His clothes immediately appearing on his naked self before he turned to look at Jay, "The meaning of this rude interruption. One hopes you have a reason?" Loki said, taking long strides over to the young disgruntled prince in his midst.

Jay had noticed that within a few seconds of the God dressing, Loki wasn't wearing his ceremonial robes nor nightwear which he would normally, as he was in Asgard. For some bizarre reason he chose his fully functional armour which made Jay feel uneasy.

"Why, are you trying to break me like this?" He finally spoke, "I-I came to you, I accepted your offer of immortality on the proviso that you'd let them go safely but yet you went behind my back and turned them against their will and now her too!" Jay mumbled, his voice getting louder with each passing second. He pointed at the female and struggled to contain his anger.

" **You betrayed me!"** Jay's voice boomed, "-I trusted you. Why in god's name did I even think I could _?_ "

Loki slapped Jay but the young Prince stood rooted to the spot. He maintained his stance with a perfect handprint welt. The smallest bead of blood trickling from his lip.

Jay's hand came to rest on it and he promptly wiped before looking down to his finger. A sick fascination as he licked the blood off and savoured it, seemingly enjoying the taste of his own blood. He smiled evilly, waiting for Loki to fight back. But he never did anymore, it was just the odd slap here and there. Maybe he just wasn't angering him enough to warrant more than a humiliating slap.

"Jay, you still do not understand," He took a drink before looking back at her. "My pet here is enjoying this, one would guess that _she_ is so close to not needing you anymore thus making it all the more easier for _you_ to not need her so much. Thereby helping you to focus on _your_ royal duties and that of a _team leader!_ " He created Astral projections that seemed to climb all over her in various states of undress. One had himself buried in her mouth, Jay cringed at what he was seeing.

"..."

"This will be your last warning. The next time you forgo the correct formalities will be your last."

He still hadn't spoken, now he was even less likely to.

"No, no, no, I know what you're thinking, no you are _immortal_ I cannot kill you...well actually I could-" He smiled "-but I can reserve a special treatment for you...one that Odin himself has had done to me before! Don't think that just because you are royalty that you are exempt from all punishments ...because you aren't."

"My liege I'm sorry..."Jay stiffened his stance as he looked at Nya again, he needed to get her out of here, away from him. "-Uhm, wh-when we were on the battlefield today, we struggled to maintain our advantage."

"Why?"

Jay rubbed the back of his head. "Our team working wasn't as strong as it should be."

"Why is this important right now?" Loki looked annoyed briefly. "I was busy, you can see, can you not?"

Jay nodded, though it broke his heart to admit that indeed, he had interrupted and Loki was busy. "It is important. She, uhm, I mean _Nya_ , is a valued member and without her, we lack one element which secures our st-strength."

Loki thought for a few moments, watching her taking his projection with some difficulty. Jay cringed watching it himself, though his eyebrow raised at her instant participation and eagerness.

Loki continued to walk around the bed, looking at the woman upon it. "Hmm, combined elements, I can see your point, Like Stark tower I presume?"

"Mmm, yes, My Liege." He felt himself twitch watching her until he pulled his eyes away.

"Indeed, females have been known to be exceptional on the battlefield, according to the oaf and the warriors three."

An awkward silence ensued. "My liege?"

The astral projections ceased with their ministrations of her, giving her the chance to take a breath as opposed to being airtight. "ENOUGH, You may take her with you onto the battlefield tomorrow and then before nightfall, you will bring her back. You understand this, boy?" Loki said, slapping her across the face to wake her.

Jay cringed at the harsh treatment, _a gentle shake would have sufficed._ He cautiously walked in front of the God, grabbing a bedsheet before wrapping it around her. Once wrapped, he carried her out of the room in his arms.

As soon as he had left the room, the doors slammed shut of their own volition, likely by Loki's magic. Jay jumped at the loudness now echoing around, he knew the god would be angry in the next few days, especially when Nya wasn't brought back to him.

"I'm so sorry," he said, biting his lip as he carried her to his brothers' accommodation.

Only two floors below, Once outside each door, he rapped his knuckles in quick succession, Juggling Nya's weight, until at least until one of them opened. The only door to open, much to Jay's relief, was the room belonging to his nindroid brother, Zane.

Typically Zane frowned at what Jay was carrying. "What is wrong with her?" Other than the obvious face she was naked under all those sheets. "And your face, what happened to you?"

Barging into through the door, Jay walked into the room. "It was Loki." He said. voice shaking. "Both her and this."

He lay her on the bed as gently as he would if she was his bride.

"Well I can only assume that it was not rape, considering the fact she is not hurt and her arousal levels are incredibly heightened," He stated with a cold monotonous voice which sounded more like a clinicians verdict than that of a concerned brother, "-does Kai know yet?"

"No, you were the only one to answer your door...Zane we've got to get her away from Asgard away from the cube, somewhere Loki can't find her...he's err...well he wants to..." Jay couldn't finish what he was trying to say as he fought to control himself, the instability of cosmic electricity was beginning to hurt him physically, he was shuddering violently "seriously Zane we've g-got to do something...w-wake the others" he hissed.

"Jay, are you okay?" He asked, whilst looking at his brother who was glowing purple and bleeding slightly from his mouth, he looked like he was fighting a battle within.

"Can you just promise m-me you'll keep her s-safe for as long as you c-can...I've gotta get out of h-here, before I hurt someone" Jay gasped, holding his chest tight. His fingers and hands remaining hidden to avoid Zane worrying more than he needed.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"NO!" Jay hissed, turning rapidly, his eyes were glazing over. His restrained rage was faltering for the moment, he couldn't unleash it here, Zane would be decimated. His face contorted with pain, of the likes Zane had never seen before. Jay stopped groaning, finally turning around with a face full of regret. "I'm sorry. I-I never meant for this to happen, to any of you. And, it's my fault for wanting something I couldn't have anymore."

"Jay, do not be so hard on yourself."

He shook off the concern. "You shouldn't have come here, you shouldn't have come back for me."

"We did it because we care, Jay..."

"You did." He admitted. "Kai and Lloyd did it because he cornered them, making you all agree to it. Look, just tell them all I'm sorry, okay. And please, keep her safe."

The pain was coming back in droves, travelling further back up his wrists to his arms. Jay couldn't hold it off for long.

Zane was about to say something in response as he placed Nya on the bed. He'd turned to speak to Jay, to attempt to soothe and console but when he shifted, Jay had scarpered. The titanium nindroid could see him going in the general direction of the Bifrost, then a good few minutes later, the bridge activated. "Some more advice would have been beneficial," he said, voice falling on deaf ears.

"Well then." He said, turning around to Nya, writhing on his bed. The nindroid walked back over to her and wrapped her up, protecting her dignity. "What exactly happened to you?" he scanned her, deducing she had been sexually assaulted, but she had no injuries to signify a struggle had taken place. Far from it, Nya was aroused, her pheromones and oxytocin levels were obscenely high.

He heard an occasional moan escaping her lips and could just make out what she verbalised, which typically would have made his artificial blood run cold had he been a humanoid. His stomach lurched in response and he assumed it was attributed to feelings of apprehension and dread as he saw and heard her verbalise Loki's name.

* * *

A few minutes later and everyone minus Jay was in Zane's room, conversing about this new predicament and set of events leading up to it.

"What's wrong with her?" Cole asked, panting and blushing as he watched her writhing around, moaning vile incoherency, something about Loki.

"Presumably, Loki has been manipulating her," Zane had replied. Luckily his titanium face showed no embarrassment, he sure felt it.

"Jay also said, that Loki wanted to ruin her as if she were merely an object of desire," It was as if he could recall the entire conversation word for word. Even the partial mumbled words could be made out clearly, "-when she gives in to her wanton desires, Loki will cast her aside."

"Cole," Zane said quietly, "-his thinking is that 'once you have had a god, you will never want a mortal man,' Although I am not entirely sure what that means. Jay is, as far as I can tell, not completely mortal anymore."

Cole shook his head, looking away shamefully.

"So where's the crude blue dude now?" Lloyd asked, trying not to look at Nya who was biting the sheets. Kai had followed the green ninja into the room, the first thing he noticed; his sister looked hammered.

"Lloyd," Kai hissed. "Quit looking at my sister like that! He warned.

"Sorry, but whatever Loki's done and is continuing to do, is having an effect on her." Lloyd reasoned though he seemed exceptionally blunt. "She's not safe."

Kai narrowed his eyes. "Green machine, exactly what are you saying?"

"Kai, we need a plan." Cole softened his anxious face. "She's not safe here, or earth. We need to get her back home."

"Home? Without us?" He gaped, brokenly.

"Sorry," Lloyd said, pinching his brows together. Turning to face his metallic brother with concern pertaining to their missing brother. "Where'd you say Jay had gone?"

Zane answered as best he could considering all but one of his brothers was here. "Truthfully, I do not know where he went. All I know; he was in pain when he left. The unstable part of his element may play a part in that pain. Which reminds me, can you remember back to when he found out about you and Nya being together?" He asked, looking specifically at Cole.

The master of earth nodded, remembering that date as if it were yesterday. The pain was visible on Jay's face even though he'd tried to hide it.

"He was in considerable pain. Jay ran to the Bifrost." Zane stated. "I kept Nya here as requested and had been to speak with Heimdall, because apparen, ly this is not the first time Loki has pushed Jay to his limits...at least his elemental limits."

"Elemental limits, what?" Lloyd and Kai questioned in unison.

Zane continued, "-I asked Jay about his element last night and he showed me his traditional spinjitzu moves. It only took a few seconds to realise and calculate that Loki had altered Jay's element. Of course, I knew that part already but he has another darker element too which is proving very difficult to control"

"Which means what, tin can?" Cole asked, impatiently.

"He has more than one element, altogether his elements are dark matter manipulation and dark elemental lightning."

"What on earth is matter manipulation?" Kai quizzed.

"Well it's not from earth, if that helps?" Cole guffawed.

Zane shook his head. "It is an element of the universe _supposedly_. It resembles the cosmic rays that hold everything together, the milky way and the big bang, the end of life and the beginning of such."

Zane was busy projecting what he had researched about the element, pointing out the various powers and potential flaws, "-it is quite a powerful element alone, but Jay has not had much opportunity to train with it or to adjust. Let alone to both elements, one os which may be unstable."

"Does this mean he needs to find his true potential again then?" Kai asked.

"Yes, somehow," Zane said with a frown.

"Well how do we keep this from Loki?" Cole said, looking sideways at Nya. The covers were completely gone and Cole covered his mouth with his hand, trying to avert his gaze.

"Dude seriously she can't help it ok? Quit staring." Kai said, getting up hastily to recover her, seriously contemplating weighing down the sheets. "I'll stay here with Zane tonight, I'm the only one who can look after her anyway considering you Cole have previous with her and you Lloyd, well you've never been with a girl right?"

"Whoa hothead, calm down...we've just never seen Nya like this...well I kinda have, but that's beside the point." Cole laughed, stopping quickly when Kai span around on his heels with a look that would kill.

Lloyd's mouth dropped open at the remark Kai just made. If anything, it was massively unfounded, and a little untrue. "Wow, just wow. That was a low blow Kai, and you're wrong, way out of line!" Lloyd said indignantly as he shook his head and and pulled Cole out of the room before Kai could hit either of them.

"Fucking bite me." Kai hissed, watching as they both walked from Zane's room.

* * *

Both Lloyd and Cole walked away from the room but they didn't go back to their own rooms, they went to the nearest ale house courtesy of Cole.

"Come on green machine we could both do with a change of scenery and ya never know we might get lucky tonight" Cole winked as they walked out of the large golden palace towards a large old inn. "I'm reckoning Kai and Zane can handle Nya tonight!"

Cole opened the door and walked in, there didn't seem to be many warriors in there, most of them were guarding the palace at this hour, but there were a lot of young women. "Mead is the answer to all our worries tonight Lloyd,"

"What will it be tonight Cole" the inn keeper said as he recognised the dark haired ninja warrior.

"Ahh just the same as usual please and one for my brother here...come on Lloyd you gotta try this," Cole said as he lifted two tankards of honey infused oak matured mead, "a drink of the gods."

Lloyd took a large mouthful and almost choked as it was the strongest alcohol he had ever tasted, "wow thats strong..."Lloyd wheezed as it felt like his throat was on fire and within a few minutes of standing he felt odd, not drunk just oddly energised, he saw stars and bright colourful images swimming in and out of his vision, the women looked even more beautiful to him now as he began to feel an animalistic tendency from his stomach, he needed a female.

"Hehe, it took me a month to get used to it, but its invigorating for the soul apparently." Cole said as he looked at Lloyd's glazed appearance and then around the almost deserted bar "hey bar keep where is everyone?"

"The king of Asgard has them training at night, they're in the arena" he said as he continued to clean the tankards "please make yourself at home...the concubines are free for residents of the palace and there's quite a good selection here tonight seeing as Fandral isn't around." the bartender said as he motioned over to the corner where a large amount of half naked women were semi sitting laying on some very soft cushions. Cole smirked and bit his lip in anticipation _besides what Seliel didn't know wouldn't kill her_ he thought as he made eye contact with three beautiful women who all quickly got up and followed him to a quiet area.

"Have fun Lloyd...take it slow and..." Cole said as one of the women cut him off by putting her tongue into his mouth and pulling the curtain around them as he laid down on top of her.

Lloyd gulped as he saw so many women in front of him, but he didn't love any of them, he just saw them as sexual objects as Loki did but one girl in particular caught his eye. Her hair was long down to her petite hips and just as blonde as his was, she got up and approached him with a shy smile and led him away to a curtained off area for privacy.

* * *

Jay was transported to a cold frozen planet, which was inhabited a long time ago by the race known as frost giants, he walked until he couldn't hold it in any longer , the ground needed to be solid underfoot as the power could break the floor. He stopped still and suddenly collapsed to his knees, he took a deep breath and let out a loud ear splitting pained scream as a large electrical wave passed from within him.

A large purple orb clouded his vision until he realised he was looking at it rather than it being in his vision, he stood back and watched it surround his body, it was increasing exponentially, twisting and undulating...a huge powerful pulse of purple cosmic plasma was surrounding Jay, he thought it resembled a giant hula hoop but to his potential enemies it wouldn't feel like it. He realised he was still gasping for breath partially due to the impossibly cold weather on this planet, his breath was visible in the freezing cold wasteland but he had to release this energy blast, he couldn't just leave it here, it was like a magnet it was technically a weapon but Jay had to learn how to control it. The reason for coming to this planet known as Jotunheim was because this pulse would cause undue damage to Asgard or even Earth so he had to find somewhere desolate and uninhabited. Loki's birth place, this planet was just as cold as the God who was born here.

Jay was finally able to stand in between the pulsing circle and the relief he felt was instant, this was his element and he knew he had to learn to control it as he had previously with lightning. He guessed his immortality made it easier on his body, if he was mortal this element would kill him as the radiation alone would poison him. He grasped a circular coil of the plasma which surrounded him, he took a cold deep breath and thought about Loki and Nya, he bit his lip and forcefully pushed the circular halo of electricity away, "argghhh" he grunted out and watched the waist level halo become bigger until it decimated some frozen relics in the distance before dissipating into nothingness.

The ground rumbled as the ancient ice statues and subsequent explosion created fissures in the ground where purple glistening steam came from within. Then, just as soon as it had happened the frozen wasteland became cold and desolate again. The temporary explosion had warmed the direct vicinity of Jay by a few degrees, it was still cold but then it grew colder again as the sun descended onto the horizon.

* * *

He looked around and watched the sun going down again, it was almost deja vu but he hadn't been here that long surely...he couldn't remember and he had lost all feeling in his hands and feet but he still shouted heartily up into the sky "Heimdall" a millisecond later he was back in Asgard, covered in a thin smattering of snow, his hair ends had frosted over.

"That was longer than the last time Jay, are you sure you are ok" Heimdall asked with a genuine concern for this immortal who was just a child in Heimdall's old but wise eyes.

"I'm f-fine-" Jay shivered, "-how l-long this t-time?" His voice was quiet and heavily subdued.

"You were gone for two days, you do not remember this?" Heimdall asked as he removed his sword from the console, "you need to control it Jay, do not let it control you...I should also warn you that Loki is looking for you and he's not happy."

"Fine...whats new?" Jay shrugged before laughing a little as he knew that Zane had kept Nya safe, "-Would it be to do with Nya by any chance?"

"Evidently, yes, please be careful," he said with a smile as he continued to guard the Bifrost, "I will arrange to further her journey when the time is right."

"Thanks," it was all he could say. There really was nothing more to it, just a few hours or days of pain awaited him now and he knew it.

He walked to Zane's room, Jay had a plan and he would send Nya back to Ninjago where she would be safe from him...from Loki, he had to in order to save her from a lonely desperate, resentful but immortal life. "Hey Zane anyone here?", Jay said as he opened the door to find Kai mopping Nya's brow, she looked to have a temperature.

"Loki gave her something didn't he?" Kai said without looking at Jay.

"Yes I believe so, it was a green liquid the same as before...he's used it on me, you and now her" Jay said as he sighed.

"So what do we do Jay?" Kai asked.

Jay approached his fiery tempered brother and knelt beside him next to the bed where Nya lay sleeping, "we need to send her away somewhere he'll never find her."

"But why, I mean she goes back to him every other night except these last two...she wants him it's clear to see."

"Oh Kai if only it was that easy, Loki is doing this to punish me, for some bizarre reason... he doesn't care about Nya...he wants to ruin her, he takes her for hours on end and pushes her body to its limits, yes I hear it, she's not in pain but this is what he wants...he wants her to want him and no other man...when she finally admits her feelings for him he'll cast her out like a broken record" Jay said as he fought back the anger "He's doing it because he can, because he thinks I wont stop him."

"So I take it Loki's gonna be mad with you now...seeing as you rescued her and all" Kai said as he turned his head to look at Jay.

"Yes, he will be Heimdall has forewarned me...please take care of her Kai...I love you both" Jay said as he patted Kai on his shoulder before he stood and started walking towards the door.

Kai shot to his feet and span around to face Jay, "w-wait Jay before you go" Kai said as he tightly wrapped his arms around Jay, the emotions from months of torment coming to the forefront of his spiky haired brother as Jay was wrapped in a warm brotherly embrace "I'm sorry Jay...I really am...sorry for all the things I've said...done...I'm sorry." Kai sniffed he didn't know yet what Loki was capable of and truth be told he was still a little scared of the God in this realm and the power he possessed.

"Thank you Kai...but please don't apologise...you don't need to" Jay smiled "if you don't hear from me in two days...please just go to the bifrost...Heimdall will be waiting" Jay said with a sad smile as he prepared to visit the angry king of Asgard. "Tell her I love her" he said as he walked out of the door leaving Kai staring at an empty space where a moment ago stood a prince with a single tear on his cheek for a woman he truly loved and a brother who had just realised how insensitive he'd been over the last few months.

* * *

"Where is everyone" Kai said out loud feeling frustrated after being in Zane's room for a whole day.

Just then the door opened and Cole walked in with a rather satisfied looking Lloyd, his cheeks flushed, Cole looked tired and both of them just collapsed onto the large sofa and sighed in contentment.

"Jay back yet bro?" Cole asked

"Sorta..." Kai said as Zane walked in carrying more library books before continuing, "he came here first...like you just literally missed him...but Loki's mad with him...as he wanted Nya back two nights ago and Jay bought her here instead." Kai shook his head "He said if we don't see him in the next two days, we need to get to the bifrost with Nya and Heimdall will transport her and us back to Ninjago."

"Whoa, what happened why won't Jay be coming with us?" Cole asked as he turned around and looked at Kai.

"Heimdall said that Loki is mad with Jay, so god knows what he'll do with him this time...guessing not physical punishment or mind control as Jay is becoming stronger, he can tolerate it now so it'll likely be something else."

"He'll use the gagging punishment, it was used on Loki by the elves many centuries ago, a most evil form of punishment for people who won't stop talking." Zane said as he showed the picture he found in the library book whose pictures moved like a movie picture "the process is painful to anyone mortal or not the threads are enchanted so they'll only break when the punishment is over."

This snippet of information sent a shiver down Cole and Kai's backs, that was a medieval punishment specifically reserved for Loki and his deceitful lies and wordsmith abilities not for the kind, caring, love able ninja of lightning...not for Jay.

"Look we don't know for sure, what's gonna happen but one thing is for sure, we gotta get Nya away from Loki and fast...We can do it and be back here before Loki knows we've gone" Cole said trying to figure out a plan of action, "If Jay isn't there in two days we'll have to find him too...when we get back from Ninjago."

* * *

In the throne room Loki sat in his father Odin's throne disguised as the guardian of the nine realms, his staff in hand as he motioned Jay forward. He ordered the Einherjar warriors to restrain Jay and make him bow before him. They did so rather forcefully and Jay grunted with the exertion of being pushed down to the floor.

"Where is she...she was due back two days ago...we agreed...you remember?"

"No we didn't agree...argh...she's not your personal property" Jay grunted as he forced his head up against the Einherjar guard who was holding him down.

"Will you tell me where she is or do I need to be more forceful Jay?" Loki said as he motioned the guard to pull his head up by his hair

"Argh...I won't tell you where she...she's safe...and she's away from you" Jay spat as Loki walked down the sweeping golden steps before him.

Loki stretched his long fingers out in front of him and on one of his hands appeared a golden knuckle duster which looked like an ornate set of beautiful decorative rings...but it wasn't.

"What exactly are you saying Jay, are you telling me that I can't have her...the king gets what he wants Jay...you should know this...I get what I want" Loki said as he hit Jay full force in the jaw with his bejewelled hand, pulling it back and admiring the new purple colour adorning it. The warriors looked confused this wasn't the type of treatment a king of Asgard specifically Odin, would do to a prince, as they all exchanged worried glances.

"Ha careful my liege, your weaknesses are showing..." Jay coughed and shook his head seeing the anger growing on Loki's face as he continued, "in two days my liege... she'll be gone for good and you won't be able to touch her anymore..."Jay said with a determined shout as he struggled against his captors, blood trickling down his neck from a open wound on his cheek bone.

Loki scowled at him and delivered a punch only a god could, a punch so powerful it would kill a mortal man. The vicious hit knocked him out quickly, he would feel that for a while Loki thought as he winced at his sore knuckleduster covered hand,"Get him out of here NOW..."

"Where to, my Liege?" The senior Einherji inquired.

Loki, in his disguise thought for the briefest of moments, "Hmm, take him down into the dungeons, put him in Loki's old cell, maximum protection, no other prisoners with him."

"For how long my liege?"

"As long as it takes! Time isn't a great concern of mine, punishment and remorse is," Loki said as he watched the guards drag Jay off to the prison vaults which sat one hundred floors below the throne room.


	20. Helping you, helps me

Nya woke with a start, having heard her brother Kai arguing loudly with other familiar voices. Stretching her arms out in front, she yawned loudly.

"Y-you're awake," Kai squeakèd. "Hang on, l-let me get you some clothes and things. I'll be right back," he said, running out the door with a huge grin on his face, leaving Cole and Zane speechless.

Nya stepped out of the large bed and looked around the room. "Is this your room Zane? It's lovely and soft, yet so hard in certain places," she whispered, attempting to fondle her nindroid brother as she slowly walked on by.

She approached Cole in the same manner. He, however, he was visibly disturbed by her behaviour and he backed up against the wall until she had cornered him too. "Oh look, you've nowhere to go." She smiled at his unease. "Hmm, you poor thing. You got some pent-up tension in there somewhere," she said with her hands rubbing his chest and abdominals.

"Snap out of it Nya," Cole warned. "This isn't you, Loki's done something to you," he added, restraining her hands in one of his.

"Oh yes," Nya grinned devilishly. "He definitely did something that you or Jay never could. He showed me true pleasure, and it's addictive." Nya started to struggle in Cole's strong grip, she looked for an escape route and found it.

"Nya, seriously he's screwing with your mind, he doesn't love you." Cole reasoned. "He's just using you to get at Jay, to..." His words were cut off when Nya brutally kneed him in the balls.

It was a perfectly executed manoeuvre. Cole dropped to the floor, gasping for breath while feeling the colour drain from his face. No words would come, other than line after line of expletives. His first and only thought at that moment was the intense pain emanating from his nether regions.

"Really, he's using me? Like you did? Honestly, I thought you loved me!" Nya said, her hand raised threateningly to strike him whilst he was down.

Perspiration appeared on his forehead.

Zane quickly moved to restrain her from inflicting further harm to Cole. The usually strong one of the team.

"Cole! Are you okay?" Zane called, trying to get a response from the kneeling motionless ninja in front of Nya.

"D-define okay?" He grumbled, holding his groin. "N-no, I'm joking Zane. You don't need to define it."

He knew that if he hadn't said that, then Zane would attempt to literally define the term 'okay'. . .Robotic lifeform that he was.

"Are you alright to stand?"

"Y-yes I th-think so. She c-caught me off guard," Cole hissed, standing up and recomposing himself. Now as pale as a sheet, he scowled at her. "That was a l-low blow Nya. Not a very n-nice move." He grunted.

"What did I ever do to y-you huh?" Cole mumbled, regretting the words as soon as they'd left his lips.

"I don't care about you Cole, you cheated on me." Nya hissed at him. "In fact, you got what you deserved. Jay will too."

"Jay's innocent in all of this," he argued, defending the absent prince from accusation. "Besides, _sweetheart_ , no one deserves a kick in the nuts, regardless of his action, it's just not the done th-thing." He countered, still struggling with sweat beading on his brow.

"I need him."

"Loki?" Zane questioned. "You do not need him."

"What the fuck can he honestly give you, huh? Other than std's, mind games and self-loathing?" Cole was flummoxed.

"He gives me what I want, what I crave." She argued. "He gives me love which is more than both of you could."

"Love?" Now Zane was confused. Loki was not giving her actual physical love. More, the sexual part. He desired her body for his own sick pleasure, least so Jay would focus and become more compliant.

"You don't mean that?" Cole said, face shocked by her hurtful words. "That isn't love. He's using you, for fucks sake. I can't believe how blind you're being."

"I'm not blind to it."

"He's a master of deception, a fucking God that specialises in messing people's heads up." Cole countered, taking a deep breath in and forcing it out. "Besides; none of this is gonna matter soon because you wont be here to pine over him."

"What?"

"We're taking you home." Cole finished.

"What? No-no, y-you cant, you mustn't." She started hyperventilating "I need him!" Her voice weak, visibly shaking with tears beginning to well in her eyes.

"No you don't Nya, you don't...gahhhh...what has he done to you?" Cole sat down in an exerted effort on the chair opposite the restrained woman whom Zane was holding effectively.

Kai walked back into the room, he had only been gone for a few minutes but saw his naked sister being restrained in Zane's arms and he immediately got the wrong idea as Cole's top was undone and he was sweating and flushed. "What the Hell is going on here?"

"Calm down Kai, Nya is still under the influence of Loki's powerful spell...we we're just restraining her"

"What's wrong with him?" Kai asked, looking towards the sweaty Cole.

"She injured his testicular area and I believe it caused undue pain to his genit..."

"Hey, keep my testicles out of this," Cole wheezed, frowning at Zane and Kai for having to explain this whole scene which looked as innocent as it should...save for the restrained naked woman being held against her will by a strong male nindroid, "well being as you're here Kai and you obviously don't trust me...I'm going on a reconnaissance mission to look around this place...you coming Zane?"

"Will you be ok Kai?...we wont be too long...a few hours at most" Zane said with a shrug of his shoulders "but she needs to be ready to leave when we return...don't let her out of your sight because she will try to go back to him."

"Dude seriously, she's my sister...I can handle her besides I had to handle a few of her amorous boyfriend's in high school...yeah you go...BUT where are you going exactly?"

"General recon. We need to know where Jay is, he kinda arranged the whole thing with transportation," Cole added. "You sure you'll be alright?"

"Yeah, just go," he replied, dabbing Nya's sweaty brow as she fought the spell. "We'll be ready when you get back."

* * *

Minutes later Cole and Zane were walking further into the golden palace, all the time avoiding the uppermost floors and throne room which is where Loki would most likely be. Cole and Zane needed to be stealthy, they knew how to avoid the guards if they needed to but considering Jay had never shown them the other parts of the palace they thought they would explore it for themselves...maybe they'd find Jay in the process.

Each floor held many more undiscovered rooms all doors locked much to Cole's annoyance, so they continued down the sweeping winding circular stairs, stopping abruptly when they saw a large dimly lit corridor with various coloured hues coming from within.

"What is this place Zane?"

"Why do you always think I'll have the answer Cole?...I'm not a walking map or encyclopaedia...although I do have a vast knowledge, Norse mythology is as yet still **_alien_** to me."

"Ohh I don't know...maybe it might be due to the fact that every time I see you, you're knee deep in books from this place...sorry Zane just thought you'd know."

"Ha sorry, that was my attempt at humour, Hahaha"

Cole raised an eyebrow at the robotic laugh. Shaking his head, a smile inched across his face. "You, Tinman, crack me up. You know that, _right_?"

"Hmm I believe that this floor is the vault or Odin's private vault...this is where many ancient relics are kept. Many would seem to be spoils of war" Zane said walking past some strange looking objects.

"So this must be the fabled infinity gauntlet..." Zane stared at the golden hand with holes signifying missing stones, it just looked like a piece of armour meant for a very large hand, but Zane had read about it and the power the wearer would possess if he had both gauntlets Cole too was mesmerised but only by the sheer size of the thing, the hand that it was meant to fit would need to be huge. "There is only one in existence. Each hole denotes a space for an infinity gem such as the one in Loki's sceptre. There are six gems in total but one is a liquid."

"You really know your stuff, I'm impressed. So, what's this then?" Cole queried, putting his hand dangerously close to an icy blue casket.

"Ha yes...Cole do not touch that. It could freeze you to the spot." He warned, nearing it. "This looks like the casket of Ancient Winters. Belonging to the frost giants and as far as I know and have researched, if this casket is opened, it would deliver powerful snowstorms, containing the fury of one thousand killing winters."

Cole shuddered as Zane eyed the beautiful device with awe, he touched it and felt such intense power and greed within it, the power being so strong it beckoned to him...to his element.

"...Zane! ...ZANE?" Cole practically shouted at Zane to let go of the casket as he was freezing everything in front of him. The nearest wall was covered in a thick sheet of ice two feet thick and Cole was shivering as the temperature in the room had plummeted.

"I-I am sorry, _Cole_. What was I saying? Ah yes, this casket is capable of inducing an ice age on any planet if opened for long enough...Hmm was this ice here earlier?" Zane looked around and carried on walking until they got to another set of steps leading further down.

Cole shivered, looking behind where the casket was. They would need to remember that...of course it would be no use against Loki but HYDRA, it could work...Zane could wield its power.

They both carried on walking until they saw a small room with a flame in it, burning brightly.

"Ooh whats this one?" Cole quizzed expecting Zane to know the answer. "Kai would love it for sure." He said putting his hands close to feel the warmth after almost being frozen in the last room. "Great flame."

"I'm not sure...I have not read about this...it just looks to be a simple flame!"

A soft feminine voice answered their uncertainty. "It is the eternal flame."

"Whoa s-sorry you scared us!"

"Hmm," Zane wasn't startled at all.

"Sorry, I meant me," Cole stammered feeling the hairs stand up on his neck as he turned to find the source of the voice. "Who are you?"

"My name is Lady Sigyn. To whom do I owe the pleasure?" She inquired, walking into the room.

"Ohh, s-sorry my name's Cole and this is Zane."

"She is a lady, you need to bow in her presence," Zane whispered under his breath.

"My lady!" Cole blushed, lowering to his knee. This woman was gorgeous, so much so that he was almost incoherent and couldn't form a simple sentence without sounding like a bumbling idiot, something that made Zane laugh inwardly as he recorded the embarrassing scene in front of him whilst looking through his data banks, for the name Sigyn was familiar.

"So can you tell us about the Eternal Flame...Zane here isn't aware of it."

"Of course I can and it would be my pleasure...it gets very lonely in this palace and its nice to have new faces to be acquainted with" she said as she approached Cole and put out her hand for him to accept so she near the artefact in question. Cole swallowed as he held her hand, she got close enough to him that he could smell her perfume. The room was so small that bodily contact could not be avoided as all three people tried to fit in comfortably, Sigyn brushed past Cole to tell them what this flame was.

"This is also known as the Eternal Flame of Destruction, this mystical flame was stolen from Surtur by Odin and his brothers to prevent the demon and enemy of Asgard from lighting his sword and starting a war that could end the Norse Gods of Asgard...come follow me" Sigyn spoke softly pulling Cole with her into another small room, Zane followed in hot pursuit.

"The Warlock's Eye, is a mystical weapon which was stolen by Thor and the Warrior's Three from Harokin, they were an Asgardian enemy once but I believe their life cycle ended a millennia ago...ahh this is the last room to show you, for behind those doors lies the destroyer and whomever sits on the throne can control it... but now I must leave you...thank you Cole and Zane...maybe we might see each other again?" Sigyn whispered sweetly into Cole's ear.

"Thank you for showing me err I mean us around Sigyn. ...and yeah I'd like that" Cole muttered blushing, he watched her walk away and felt an immediate attraction to her.

"Hmmm her name is so familiar...but I can't place it yet Cole I don't think it would be wise to see her again...Were you attracted to her?"

"Err that's a bit personal Zane besides it was mutual, she felt it too...and she was flirting with me hehehe" Cole countered as he walked out of the little room missing her presence already. They walked back towards the staircase and began their downward descent walking until they came to another floor.

* * *

"How many floors are in this place? sheesh I hope there's a lift or something cos going down is easy" Cole started to whine as he saw a light less tower of steps leading up to the very top of the palace and here they were approaching the last floor right at the bottom of the palace.

"Urgh I got a bad feeling about this place Zane, can we go back?"

"No, we've not been gone that long Cole, this is the lowest floor hundredth I believe but it's difficult to say as there are no floor numbers as you would expect."

"And there's no lift, _great_ " Cole continued, shaking his head at the sheer amount of steps they had both traversed to get to this point.

Both ninja walked into a strange looking room which was lined with large rooms, each having a yellow force field to the frontage, many rooms had angry looking weaponless men in.

"We are in the dungeon aren't we" Cole said looking at some familiar faces he had helped to subdue a few months ago, the cells were spacious compared to the Kryptarium prison cells in Ninjago.

"I believe so, that would make these prison cells...and it looks as though very strong magic guards these so called spacious cells...although Thor did manage to break Loki out once" Zane smirked "so they are not completely impenetrable."

"Aww look,". He mumbled, motioning his brother to follow his finger. "This dude has no one to keep him company, mind you he looks like he's sleeping" Cole said as he saw a lonesome warrior laying on the floor of his cell. Both Cole and Zane walked around the outer edge of the cell trying to get a better look at the prisoner within the cell which stood no where near any other cells, this one stood completely isolated.

"Wonder why he's getting the special treatment, Zane can you access anything on this one" Cole said pointing to the incarcerated prisoner within, noting the fine furniture in his cell. Cole couldn't see much of his face, most of it being hidden by the warriors arm and then a wound that had bled and dried creating a crust of dried blood which partially covered one side of his exposed face.

"I am sorry Cole this is the only cell with no prisoner details, maybe the guards will know" Zane said motioning towards the friendly approaching Einherjar warriors.

"I am showing my brother around here considering we are residents of the palace, I thought it best to acquaint ourselves with this vast kingdom of Asgard...I hope you don't mind" Zane said trying to be courteous.

"No not at all Zane, we are grateful for your help on the battle fields, may we be of assistance?"

"Our records for this facility won't identify this prisoner, if you could be of ..." Cole cut Zane off mid sentence as he was aware of the time ticking on and this was no time for niceties.

"Yeah can you tell us who this prisoner is, he ain't talking and he's all alone...why isn't he with the rest of them...doesn't seem fair to me" Cole questioned.

"This prisoner is different, he's special and as such Odin has ordered solitary confinement for his and others protection" the guard responded.

"That's absurd, the prisoners in our realm are paired together, it helps with social cohesion" Zane stated in a monotonous tone "solitary confinement has been proven to cause mental instability leading to further criminal activity."

"Well the orders we have still stand, besides this prisoner has committed no offence as far as we were told...except maybe with holding information pertinent to the King of Asgard."

"Well I still think he should be with the others...I mean he looks miserable and lonely."

"Hmmm well it wouldn't be appropriate for a _**prince**_ to be put in a cell with _criminals_ " a stern looking Einherjar warrior said with a shake of his head looking intently at Cole waiting for his response to the little titbit of new information he'd just been given.

"Unless you think it would be a more fitting punishment, Odin did suggest solitary for him though...for his own protection...he'd be decimated if he was put with any of them" the warrior said pointing behind him to the other cells, obviously unaware of the princes' hidden strengths, " but my commander here sticks to the rules, he saw how Odin treated the prince in the throne room, it was brutal...not sure what Odin plans to do with him in the long run though."

"Wait...what...did you just say **_prince_**? as in the prince of Asgard?" Cole asked as his stomach lurched in panic, he slowly turned back around and peered back in trying to see if he could recognise any distinguishing marks.

 _'Come on Cole what was Jay wearing last? what's his new robe colour now? I can't see anything familiar about him, he's breathing which is a good sign right'_ Cole thought whilst he looked through the force field cell front.

Cole saw it but it was difficult, the dried crusted blood was obscuring a part of this man's face from the cheek down, but yet there it was...a small scarred right eyebrow with a line through it, "oh my god it's Jay...JAY!...Jay...come on bro...answer me please...JAY." Cole shouted and tried banging on the force field but recoiled when he felt a stinging pain from touching the yellow enchanted cell front "Argh f**k...what is this?...that hurt."

"It is no good Cole, he can't hear you...he has been unconscious since he was bought in here which was now almost two days ago, and Odin has expressly forbade any food or visitors but considering you're both warriors I'm sure we can skim over the details" The guards exchanged glances as one continued to talk "to be fair, me and the other guards were quite appalled at how hard Odin struck his own prince down, he had never raised his hand like that before...and especially not with any weaponry on his fingers...even in battle."

"What weaponry are you talking about? like a dagger or something?" Cole asked, his body beginning to go into panic mode.

"He was wearing something akin to a line of golden rings...is there such a weapon you wear on your fist?" The warrior asked no-one in particular,rasing his eyebrows questioningly looking to his lower ranking warrior.

"Well there is a weapon known as a knuckleduster or brass knuckles, they look like rings but they are quite a crude and painful weapon obviously meant for fist fights and inflicting damage to bone and tissue...maybe Odin...ahem used that." Zane said and coughed while looking at Cole as he momentarily forgot that it was actually Loki disguised as Odin, this being a confusing but simple magic trick that fooled most of his followers.

"Odin hit him twice and he hasn't moved since" the warrior stated before looking at the black ninja who looked anxiously at the prone prisoner laying motionless on his cell floor.

"WHAT! why would he do that to Jay?...JAY?" Cole shouted as he turned his back on the warriors.

Zane was concerned both for Cole and now for Jay considering he wasn't moving or responding, the force field was exceptional at blocking out most of the noise, but some could still penetrate the cell...Jay couldn't hear anything though he was seemingly unresponsive.

The other guard let out a small giggle "ha he'll be lucky if he wakes up this week, that punch was brutal, Hel even I winced when I saw it, Odin looked positively evil, blood went everywhere." The other guard frowned at his humour.

"Look, I'm your superior and I don't think that is an appropriate tone to use in front of the prince."

"Well he can't exactly reprimand us can he? I mean he's completely out of it."

"Look, I apologise for my lower ranking warriors attitude, I will be having words afterwards...please let me escort you away from here...you can come back tomorrow." the higher ranking guard spoke directly to Zane and smiled.

"We have grown used to Jay as you call him, but here, he is known as the crowned prince of Asgard...and I don't believe he should be in here." he said pointing to the cell.

Cole just stared, he heard them talking behind him, he was infuriated by the attitude and the whole idea of Jay being incarcerated for protecting Nya. "Jay...please buddy...it's almost time...JAY!...wake up...you gotta wake up bro...come on" Cole stood there shaking his head, trying to keep control of his emotions, he stared which was all he could do, he was unable to bang on the force field and unable to rouse his brother before turning around and accepting defeat.

"Please keep us informed of his recovery" Zane said to the warriors as he looked at Cole's shocked face, "Cole we need to leave now, Kai will be meeting us there shortly with Nya."

"But what about Jay...w-we can't just leave him here." Cole shook his head "No...no we're so close, I can't leave him not again...not with him."

"Cole he is safe...of sorts whilst he's in here and we'll be back as soon as we can...I promise" Zane said only half believing his own voice of reason as he nodded to the warriors and quickly walked away pulling Cole with him hurriedly towards the tower of steps.

The walk back up the steps was silent, neither ninja spoke, you could have heard a pin drop save for the sound of their feet making the long winding journey back up to the starry skies above. The one hundredth floor was very dull, dark, and reeked of despair and suffering and was obviously only meant for those who were truly depraved enough to break the law in this realm...this included Loki. The travel upwards was tiring for Cole, he couldn't focus on his stamina so when they finally made the fiftieth floor Cole was panting heavily, Zane had even offered to carry him but Cole was reluctant. Zane smiled when he was the first to see familiar faces waiting for them, he was exceptionally grateful that the familiarity wasn't that of Loki...that would be bad trying to explain this, they would all end up in the dungeons...and that swiftly brought him back to seeing Jay... _Jay! We're leaving him again_...

Lloyd and Kai were in the entrance to the observatory hidden by Heimdall's large hulking mass, Kai was holding a limp Nya in his arms struggling with the dead weight of a limp person was making him stressed, he just wanted to get this over with. Cole and Zane eventually arriving but Cole was still out of breath, he didn't want to talk so Zane acknowledged the golden armoured gatekeeper solemnly.

"Good evening Heimdall...I assume Jay has kept you informed of our plans."

"Yes Zane, and I must say I am most impressed that you are managing to do this right under Loki's nose, he is supposed to be the master of deception...but Jay has been in his company for a while...maybe he has learnt some of his tricks."

"Can you keep an eye on Jay whilst we're gone?...I mean we shouldn't be long" Zane pleaded.

"What he's not coming!...where is he...where's Jay?"

"Kai we'll explain later...we need to go NOW" Cole hissed at his younger brother and shook his head trying to shake the image of Jay from his vision. They had a task to do first, the rescue would have to wait.

"I can see everything and everybody in all nine realms...I may have to train my eyes better to see your realm though, Jay will be ok...he is stronger than you realise and also quite smart." Heimdall replied with a face that was hiding something.

Heimdall picked up his large golden sword and swiftly placed it in to the console "be safe...you must return soon...before Loki realises that you've gone."

* * *

A few days had passed and Loki the King of Asgard in his disguised state was travelling down to see his prisoner, he had only left him for three days but secretly Loki wanted him locked away for longer for his stubborn attitude and reluctance to tell the truth, something Loki himself found difficult to do at times. Jay infuriated Loki, he saw Jay as a naive version of him, he was annoying, quick witted and would never back down despite his obvious weaknesses.

"Guards, I require access to this cell."

"Yes my liege, of course," the warrior replied, lowering the force field enough for the disguised King to get into the cell.

Loki saw Jay laying on the floor, he wasn't in the slightest bit concerned, he knew Jay was playing mind games. Loki would never admit it but he did have a soft spot for this young ninja, he was smart, he learned fast and he always came back to Loki...he always kept his word. Loki liked that, he liked the fact that he could depend on Jay and maybe he could learn to trust him more so than he had with Thor.

"Jay get up, this is getting tiresome now...all I ask is that you tell me where you have taken her"

"Why should I tell you anything _**Loki**_?" Jay hissed sarcastically hoping his voice would carry outside of his cell "I owe you nothing." he sat up leaning against his cell wall staring at nothing and avoiding all eye contact with the God in front of him, gingerly touching his cheek and feeling a rough surface. He wasn't in any mood to talk to Loki because he only wanted to know about Nya.

"Well, that may be, but as far as I was aware Nya was and still is my property...she owes me a personal debt, so as a benevolent king I took her payments in kind...you see where I'm going with this Jay? Anyway cut to the chase as they say...where is she?" Loki asked in a stern mocking voice "you could stay in here indefinitely, if I give my word...maybe that would cause undue insufferable damage to your delicate mindset hahahaha you would become more like me..."

"I haven't taken her anywhere." He fumed. "And, even if I had, I wouldn't tell you where she was, so you can fuck off with the repetition."

Loki's thin black eyebrows scrunched. Green eyes narrowed at the insolence shown.

"Ok lets try a different direction then Jay...if you don't tell me where she is then I will have no choice but to punish you." Loki hissed in retaliation for Jay's use of a crude human swear word.

"Ha nice try Loki, but that trick isn't working very well for you anymore, besides like I said I'm not telling you anything...you betrayed me Loki...you took the only thing I ever loved and you ruined her...you ruined Nya."

"So...she pines for me? your precious love pines for me...ahhh yes love is so easy to conquer...to break, to rip out of ones heart and soul...as they say my job here is done." Loki laughed at Jay's expense "for what it was worth and being as you won't disclose her whereabouts I will say this: when I took her against her will, when I tore her heart asunder I raped her mind and body...because of course no mortal woman can satisfy a god. She died of course...your mortal love died in my arms...now I'm not into necrophilia or anything so I had to revive her and of course I did, only so I could continue...I bought her back to life so I could show her true pleasure and she loved it every minute of it."

Jay stared up with horror filled eyes at Loki s admission, he was disgusted, Loki had openly admitted he had raped Nya and inadvertently killed her too.

"Why Loki?..She was all I had...and you...you stole her and turned her against me..."

"Sometimes I wish I could just punch your smug face into the next century...cos right now I despise everything about you...you hear me Loki I hate you" Jay spat through clenched teeth as he stood up to face Loki, his purple eyes met Loki's evil green eyes.

"Well maybe you'll get your opportunity then, I've heard that your ninja team are on Vanaheim and they should be back in one week, so what do you say to a fight in the arena?" Loki quizzed waiting for a response "of course I wont be disguised like the King after all my followers would be appalled after watching me kick your insolent ungrateful attitude in to touch. So just to make it look more realistic I'll dress as one of our best and strongest Einherjar warriors."

"Oh I forgot to add, it wont be easy and of course I won't let you win, so you'll have to take the punishment in front of your brothers or I will give them the special treatment instead."

"And just to think all this pain and humiliation is because you refuse to disclose her location to me...life would be so much easier for you Jay...but you seem so stubborn and this time you will break."

"Well we'll see Loki...I'm not that weak...not anymore" Jay turned his back on Loki unable to face the God who he knew to be smirking at his own words and the intended effect this was duly having on him.

"Ha, you think you're stronger than me...I like that you still have some fight in you despite all I've done to break you."

"Fine, whatever _**Loki**_ ," he mouthed, loudly. "Just go and leave me to wallow in my own self pity whooooooo...you pathetic piece of SHIT" Jay shouted sarcastically. A hope that the god would hear him. Loki did but he wouldn't retaliate, no he'd have it out with him and save it for the arena.

Loki left the cell and signalled the guards to increase the force field "no food, no water and no visitors...notify me when he begins to beg...Three more days Jay and you'll be begging to leave"he shouted loud enough for Jay to hear and then muttered to his warriors, they frowned at his words but followed through with his orders, leaving Jay to his own thoughts. Once Loki had left the dungeons, Jay collapsed to his knees and openly sobbed, the anger in him growing and with it the pain which signified a need to release his pent up frustration, he was so tired his emotions all over the place but he closed his eyes and fell asleep on the floor, .

"Great, fight in front of my brothers who'll see how weak I am against his disguised form, in front of everyone or watch them take the punishment...nooo they've been through too much as it is...it's not fair on them" Jay muttered to himself rocking backwards and forwards trying to calm the feeling of pain residing in his core. He looked at his hands he was glowing again but it wasn't at a dangerous level, he could control his element for a little while longer, "just gonna have to do it, for them...for Nya...don't let it control you Jay...focus...focus" he muttered as the levels of pain receded to a more manageable level.

He stopped rocking and looked around, no warriors stationed near his cell so he stood up and walked around, looking at his new accommodation which Loki had obviously chosen the furniture for the decor was mostly black, green and gold...Loki's favoured colours...green for envy, envy of his brother Thor, envy of Odin choosing Thor instead of Loki to be the next in line.

Jay searched around his armour for his communication device, the tiniest little thing he carried on his person had been securely pinned to him when his memory had been returned and he had been rescued from Hydra...Loki had used it but had returned it to it's rightful place back in Jay' private bedroom at the palace on Earth. Now it was Jay's only way of communicating with the outside worlds.

"Hey anyone there" Jay held back his fear and anger, he waited patiently for a response, he waited and waited but no response was made. He threw the small device across the floor and slumped down on his bed, _'I guess now is as good a time as any to practice considering I'll need to fight Loki_ ' he said to himself and tried concentrating all he could on his new element.

If he could just form a small energy pulse like Lloyd did...' _hmm how does he do it...like this'_ Jay muttered to himself, his hands forming a beautiful purple sphere, he stared at it for a while before letting it drop from his hands, it landed on the floor but hovered just above it. Jay watched it, there was something about it that reminded him of his childhood...' _ahh plasma balls that's what it is'_ he squeaked and picked up the glowing sphere, his hands caressed it which only made it bigger until it was too big and the size of an exercise ball, his eyes widened in alarm **_ohh crap_** he hissed and pushed it away from himself, the ball grew in size again and hit the force field, disabling the field completely in front of him and those of the other prisoners around him.

"Oh damn this is bad...where the Hel are the Einherjar?" Jay hissed as he saw the actual bad guys escaping their cells some he recognised from his time in Vanaheim, five of which were approaching him threateningly.

"Well look what we got here boys, it's Loki's lackey..." the prisoners shouted as they approached his cell, Jay was completely defenceless, the leader and his soldiers laughed whilst they mocked Jay who wasn't scared at that moment...not until they entered his cell and he realised how big they were and how small he felt without Loki's damned sceptre or his weapons.

"I hear he made you a prince a few months ago...do you know what we do to scum like you...scum that come to our world and take over, scum that kill innocent people...you have a debt to pay to..." The leaders' angry tirade was cut short by Jay who tried to ascertain his innocence.

"Look that wasn't me...w-well it kinda was but it was the sceptre y-ya know" Jay edged backwards and came into contact gently with the wall behind him he laughed nervously "look I don't want you to get hurt ok, so just go while you still can" Jay watched the four soldiers approach him in slow motion, each one avoiding Jay's frantic punches until one grabbed his arm catching Jay off guard as another soldier restrained his other arm.

"Jumpy little prince aren't you, when Loki's not around" the leader hit Jay across his face "I'm not interested in your excuses, you know that actually makes you more pathetic, you can't even accept your wrong doings, so you blame it on a weapon or your King."

"So what now, cos it's only going to be a matter of minutes until the guards get the power back up" Jay was pushed back against his cell which suddenly felt very small with the addition of his new cell mates.

It took four soldiers to subdue Jay before he would listen to their leader, they had forced him to his knees and made him listen to their plans of escaping the oppression of their people because of Loki's rule and cruel regimes. But before they could fully beat Jay to a pulp Heimdall had arrived in the dungeons, he was helping to restrain the escaped prisoners, he motioned the Einherjar warriors to look them up as the force fields regenerated. He saw the soldiers attacking a weaponless Jay and Heimdall lunged at them through the enchanted cell wall, his sword killed them on contact one after the other until none stood in his way. Jay was on his knees, his breathing ragged, Heimdall picked him up and placed him back on the bed, he noted that Jay was hurt but he would heal so he ordered the warriors to get him food "Warriors he needs sustenance NOW" Heimdall shouted none too quietly.

"Odin expressly said no food for this prisoner s-sir" The warrior spoke to Heimdall who was his superior.

"Fine I'll get it myself...he's wounded and he'll need food." Heimdall hissed as he knew the warrior was only following orders from the evil God Loki.

Heimdall used his sword again to exit the cell dragging the dead prisoners with him, leaving them at the feet of the Einherjar warriors before turning his back on them, "I'll be right back."

His sword allowed him access because he was the guardian of the rainbow bridge, bifrost and observatory, the mystical sword he carried with him could provide a force field over the palace in the event of an attack of Asgard, the same force field used to power the cells.

He left the dungeons and summoned a female servant to make him a feast complete with replenishing fluids, he waited patiently and he was given a plentiful supply of food which he took down to the dungeons. He looked at the Einherjar they said nothing but kept their heads down. Heimdall left the food on the night stand next to the bed before rousing the bruised young prince, "Jay, I've bought you some food, you need to eat and drink...preferably before the Einherjar have the chance to take it away...I need to resume my position in the observatory...I'll keep my eye on my you Jay now EAT! oh and your brothers will want to talk to you soon specifically Cole." Heimdall said passing Jay his comms device which Jay gratefully accepted.

"Thanks Heimdall...I owe you one" Jay winced when he wiped his bloodied brow with his hand. He activated the device again and saw Cole sitting up in the dark, he was so happy to see a familiar face although it had only been three days, the relief flooded over him instantly.


	21. Missing someone?

"Be safe."

Kai looked apprehensive and Cole seemed annoyed with the way that Heimdall took to relay any message. Evidently, he was in no rush.

"All of you. Five days you will have."

"He won't suspect a thing," Lloyd said, holding firmly onto his team before casting his gaze onto Heimdall. "We'll be back before you know it."

"Take heed, if you delay," Heimdall paused. "He will look for you."

* * *

They'd arrived back in their training compound, although it looked more like a haunted house due to the cold snow and the faded paint on the rotting wooden frames. "H-how long were we gone? Lloyd asked, gobsmacked at the place, as he looked around taking in the dilapidated building in front of them.

"Dude, Zane?" Cole interrupted. "Whats the date here?"

"We have been away for almost a year."

"The date tincan?" Cole repeated, subconsciously rubbing his hands together yet wondering why his shaggy black hair wasn't freezing.

"Apologies, the first of December."

"So, what do you think about reacquainting ourselves?" Lloyd suggested. Trying to cut the tension at not knowing what to do in a realm where their presence hadn't been missed. "The city?" He suggested. "We have five weeks, after all."

"I-I guess we've got a few hours to get some supplies," Kai said quietly. "At least before the shops close up due to this weather."

Lloyd looked around again, sighing. The exhaled breath gave off plumes of breath, giving an idea as to how cold it was. He looked puzzled when he looked at his team, none of them were shivering with the temperature. And this was considering their previous place of residence was warm. "Come on, lets go to the city and get something to eat."

The Bifrost had scorched a pattern onto the ground which was steaming due to the snow around it melting which created an outdoor steam room, Lloyd smiled at it, he knew they could go back anytime, they didn't have to wait the full five weeks...which seemed a lifetime away, "ok look everyone we've gotta stick together here, we can't lose anyone and we need to keep track of days, we technically have roughly five Asgardian days which I think is about...err...five weeks...whoa...what are we gonna do for that long?"

"Cole, I think it would be better if we found someone to run the dojo. At least it will be functional, should we need to come back sooner than anticipated." Zane offered. He looked at Cole, noting he was oddly quiet since arriving back. "It scared you, seeing him like that?"

He nodded, refusing to utter much.

Zane comforted his brother with a small hug. "I must admit, it was difficult not being able to do anything. I just hope he is as strong as Heimdall claims he is."

Cole looked up, staring into Zane's icy blue eyes. "Yeah, me too." He replied, expression remaining stoic. "I don't like what he's doing. The way he treats him is, well, appalling. In fact, the lack of respect for Jay is astounding, but yet, he stays there."

"He hasn't got much of a choice has he?" Lloyd quipped. Why was it always him that remembered the cruel bargain Loki had uttered?

"Shit Zane, I hope he's okay. We fucking left him there...with Loki." There he stood, pinching the bridge of his nose and shaking his head. Cole looked at the ground as he followed his spiky-haired brother's footprints.

"And ya know what, once we find a safe place for her. I'm going back." Cole stated with an air of determination.

"So choices then guys, who should we ask, what options do we have, and who can we truly trust down here?" Kai questioned his brothers. His attempt at trying to keep up their morale whilst they trudged through the cold snowy blizzard made way for grumbles and incoherent groans. He too had noticed that although the icy wind was hitting their faces, the blizzard and cold weather wasn't affecting them as it would have normally. "And of course, we'll need to find a place for Nya to live, so any ideas on that would be great."

Kai looked at his sisters sad and forlorn face. Wondering to himself when she'd be snapping out of this infatuation she felt for the God of lies. How long it would take her to realise how much she had lost by allowing Loki to take her body for himself. Kai didn't have the heart to tell her what she had done in front of Jay, the words she had spoken as they passed in the vast hallways of Asgard's royal palace.

"We need to eat before we decide on such endeavours," Zane noted. "We have much we need to talk about before we even think about that. One of which, should be our attire" He added, now vaguely aware of locals staring at them; specifically Lloyd and Kai who were leading the group with their upturned hands emitting their overpowered elements.

Of course the locals knew who this team were, they were the heroes of Ninjago in past years and the ones that brought down the Overlord and many other foes. This ninja team who had been away for so long were bigger, not just in bulk but also height, each one had a new uniform unlike anything ever seen in this realm...their uniforms looked like the uniforms of ancient times but they appeared to be brand new. The once shining golden and silver weapons they would have used were all but gone and in their place stood jet black shiny black blades which were perfectly hidden in with their darker attire.

One of the reasons the locals were staring was because it was winter and everyone except these long-missing team of ninja were completely covered up as the snow came down heavily around them. The ninja, however, were wearing their uniforms. Oblivious to the extremes of cold. Their hands wore no gloves and no woollen hats were adorning their heads.

How they didn't freeze to the spot was unknown to the local population they passed.

The team walked until they reached a familiar noodle house, now looking somewhat run down.

The place they stood outside had once resembled a grand eatery, owned by none other than Master Chen. Upon closer inspection, Zane noted the windows were largely boarded up. Oddly, noise could be heard from within.

Cole was the first to make a move, he carefully approached the door and opened it expecting to see nothing except maybe dust and debris and a few squatters, but when he opened the doors he looked on in astonishment. The place was buzzing, loads of staff serving patrons, food on the conveyors. "Come on, think we can slip in unnoticed."

Luckily there was a spare booth so the team slipped into the booth. "God, this brings back memories, right guys?" Cole asked, nervously.

"Yeah, but one of them is missing." Lloyd's smile dropped. "I remember making you guys meet me here. I'd kinda tricked you all to believe you were just gonna be meeting me here individually, but I arranged it so you'd all come at slightly different times."

"I remember it too, green machine," Kai muttered softly. "How times have changed, huh?"

Everyone surrounding them was either too preoccupied what with eating or talking to notice that in their midst was a group of forever changed ninja. The so-called heroes of Ninjago had returned, yet no one had noticed nor batted an eyelid. That of course, could be attributed to their odd, modern medieval attire.

"Can I take your order?" A waitress with bright red hair came up to their table and squeaked when she saw who it was sitting before her. "Kai?"

At the mention of his name alone, his startled gaze looked up straight into the eyes of Skylor, the master of form. Of course, he smiled as he took in her beautiful appearance. It had been so damned long since he had laid eyes on her. "In the flesh, l-long time no see." Kai chuckled nervously, blushing.

She took the initiative being that only Kai had spoken. "Wow, well first things first merry Christmas guys." She placed a selection of free starters down.

"Secondly; where have you guys been? You know, it's been almost a year."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Kai spoke for his team. They seemed to be happy for him to talk because he looked happy for a change, they weren't about to stop him.

Skylor looked at the whole assembled team, one of which was missing. "We were worried, especially after Wu passed away. We thought you'd all gone on a journey of discovery or something. Ha, no-one had seen or heard from any of you." She said, looking around the table.

"We, who's we?" Lloyd asked.

"The other guys from the tournament." She replied.

"Oh." Lloyd rubbed his blonde hair. "Sorry, been busy."

Skylor shrugged, her red hair bounced slightly. "Where's Jay, you still keep in contact with him?"

Kai had realised that he hadn't spoken to her since the tournament, she was completely unaware of all that had happened. 'He's out of commission', is what Kai had wanted to say. The truth, however; was much worse.

"Uh, Jay's out of town," Kai spoke up.

Before she had a chance to probe further, he continued. "Not sure when he's due back, but we keep in touch." His mood turned sour at the mere mention of his brother. This trip had only been made possible because bluebird had sacrificed his freedom in order to get Nya to safety. Something he knew Jay was capable of doing as he'd done it before. Kai shuddered at the thought of what Loki might be doing to him because of this.

He was relishing in his freedom, as were his brothers. All sitting eating, drinking and socialising. Jay had been rendered unconscious.

 _Jay's not coming,_

 _Kai, I'll tell you later, right now we gotta go._

* * *

Her voice snapped him from his depressing thoughts.

"You guys look different, what gives?" She raised her defined brow, looking at each individual. Impressively noting their new robes with intrigue.

"I guess a different style for us now that Wu isn't around," Kai replied.

"Well, dare I say it, but you all look a little more intimidating." She looked impressed, eyes scanning the seated men. "Except of course for Nya, you look amazing." Skylor smiled, remaining polite as always.

"Thanks," Cole shrugged, though his eyes were following the little plates and bowls of food on the conveyor.

"So, other than talking, what can I get you all?" She said. " You gotta eat something, otherwise you wouldn't be here?" She laughed, noticing Kai staring up at her dreamily as he had done that first time their eyes had met.

The ninja and Nya who seemingly felt hungry all looked at their menus eagerly, they had been fed well in Asgard, treated like royalty without realising it. One by one, they ordered their food and when it arrived, they ate it just as quickly.

As they ate their food, which still looked enticingly appealing, it had no real taste to it, despite how much they ate.

Cole was the first to notice, his mood turned sour again. He groaned in response when he ate his third slice of chocolate cake, then pushed away the remainder. He didn't want to outwardly admit that there was no taste to it. For starters the patrons of this place would think him mad for uttering such a thing.

No, Cole just sighed. He figured that at this rate; he was going to starve as the thought of flavourless food made his stomach turn. Still, to avoid offending Skylor, he continued to play with the cake, all the while knowing that Zane was watching him. Surely the nindroid must have picked up on this too?

Zane frowned. The black haired master of earth wouldn't last here for more than a few days let alone a few weeks unless Zane found him something to keep his mind occupied from his favourite pastime of eating.

"Cole?" Zane's voice startled the black-clad ninja. "I shall be going to visit Cyrus Borg tomorrow, you are more than welcome to accompany me."

"And what's green machine gonna be doing?" Cole asked.

"Lloyd will be looking for suitable accommodation for Nya so you could go with him. I am offering you alternatives, you seem out of sorts." His head tilted to one side.

"Ahh ok," Cole looked up from his plate. The cake having been chocked down somehow. "Thanks for the offer tinman, I reckon I'll go with Lloyd, he might need help with Nya!"

"You logic seems reasonable. The sooner we get her settled in, the quicker we can return and bring our brother home."

* * *

Kai got up to follow Skylor around, they had managed to find an empty table where he took his food and ate with her, she was the manager after all so she took a little time off "So," he started in earnest. "What time do you finish tonight?"

"So forward, just how I remember..." She giggled. "It's an early finish, so probably about seven." Her eyebrow raised questioningly.

"Are you thinking of finally asking me on a date?" She smirked, leaning across the table to whisper into Kai's reddening ear. "I mean, you know where we left this off last time?"

He had a mouthful of noodles, which he tried hard not to spit out at Skylor's suggestion, instead he just coughed and spluttered, making himself look like a fool.

"Ooh Kai, you feel hot, you're burning up!"

He knew what she was playing at. The very last time they saw each other, Kai had been so close to making it official with her, they nearly kissed. But one of his brothers had ruined the moment and then they parted ways.

"S-sure, is that what you want?" Kai pulled at his now tight collar and uniform. "I can take you anywhere you want to go, within r-reason." he stuttered nervously. Why was he so warm all of a sudden?

"It would be nice, like when we were stranded on that island together?"

His breath caught in his throat. Nothing had happened, but they held hands, worked as a team and there was certainly something between the two, that neither had wanted to admit. He was massively attracted to her but lacked the courage to say anything, then it was too late. "You want to go the cinema with me?" he said, a slight hint of bravery behind his words. "I-I mean you don't have to."

"I'd love to. In fact, I reckon these guys have got the hang of this place to not need me here to cash and close up, so what say we head out now, hmm?"

Kai's temperature grew, he stood abruptly, without meaning to. "I just got to let the guys know where I'll be." He coughed, rubbing his hand through his spiky gelled hair. "Be right back."

Kai swiftly left the booth, face flushed after speaking with Skylor. "Hey guys, Nya." He was shocked to see he was trembling too. "I'm gonna spend the night with Skylor."

"Whoa, what?" Cole did a double take.

"Well it's a date actually," Kai bit his lip waiting for more reaction from his brothers, only Lloyd spoke up.

"Haa, you move faster than Cole," Lloyd joked. "We're here for five weeks remember so have fun tonight."

"Thanks, I'm aiming to." He nodded, looking back at Skylor.

"Skylor?" Lloyd called from the next booth. "Please get him some other clothes to wear, he can buy them himself, don't let him fool you." He added sarcastically whilst shaking his head. "Come on guys, he's gonna have some explaining to do tomorrow."

"See you later," Nya half smiled, following her incomplete ninja team out of the noodle house and into the cold night once again.

"Priorities everyone! We need accommodation and fast." Everyone had turned to look at Cole as the snow started to make his hair appear grey rather than black. "Ideas?"

"Well my Dad sometimes stayed at the Ninjago Plaza, so we could stay there." Lloyd offered. "I mean it's a suggestion."

"No that might work, but we'll need a big room, like the penthouse," Cole stated. "How much will it cost though?"

"Hmmm, it will cost 28,000 Ninjago dollars for four weeks. That equates to N$1000 nightly, but it would be adequate for all of us, food is included three times a day!"

"What? We don't have that amount of money." Lloyd facepalmed. "That'll never work."

"Actually Lloyd we have more than enough," Zane interjected. "Kai transferred a large sum of money into the joint account for the dojo after we went to rescue Jay. and because of that, we have plenty enough."

"Urgh so is that blood money then? Was that the money HYDRA gave him when he gave them Jay?" Cole recoiled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"We have no realoptions do we?" Lloyd grumbled. "I don't reckon we all facing traipsing back to the freezing cold dojo and making up bed's on the floor?"

That thought made Cole's toes curl. He wanted comfort, craved it after being in Asgard. "Fine, lets just do it, I'm tired, we're all tired so let's go."

* * *

The ninja made their way back to the city and checked into the large expensive hotel, which was extravagantly decorated with Christmas decorations including an impossibly tall Christmas tree which stretched almost two floors up and took up most of the circular lobby. Zane paid for the stay for the night and chose to pay in advance for their three-week stay, requesting the use of the penthouse suite. The money Kai had banked had also been gaining interest in the banks so Zane was able to check exactly how much money he would need and with this, he found out how much Kai had been paid.

"There seems to be an adequate amount of money" he stated, straight-faced. "I managed to bypass the security systems in place for the bank and have found there to be over 700,000N$. It looks like they paid quite a large sum of money. I can safely guess that they were not planning on letting Jay go."

"Fucking figures." Cole snapped.

"So, we can afford this hotel and I have just paid for four weeks which will take our stay to just over the Christmas holiday."

"Yeah and what about these...I mean have you seen the looks we're getting, we don't blend in at all, we need civvy clothes."

"Lloyd, I know," Cole mumbled. "Tomorrow, shopping for clothes is on the cards too, as well as looking for a place for Nya."

Nya was with them but each one promised to take it in turns to watch her through the first night. Cole took the first shift for four hours and then later it would be Lloyd. It continued like this until all of Loki's essence was removed from Nya, and by essence, they meant not just his bodily fluids but the magic hold he had over her.

Hours turned into days which turned into weeks and before the ninja knew it they only had two weeks left. Nya almost seemed herself again.

Nya seemed peaceful, she was beautiful awake and asleep, Loki had obviously done something to her during her early days with him but Cole didn't know what he'd done or why, he watched her sleeping, her face contented. He was beginning to doze off himself until his communication device buzzed gently. He retrieved it, plugging his earphones in so as to lower the volume and activated it.

His heart almost jumped out of his chest when he saw who it was.

"JAY? Y-you're awake." He frowned seeing recent wounds, he'd never get used to seeing newer injuries. "Is that fresh blood?"

Ignoring the question, Jay would answer it eventually. "Hehe good to see you arrived safely bro," he said, stretching his legs out in front of him, nibbling on his plentiful feast supplied by Heimdall. The look of the food made Cole's mouth drool. "yep I'm still in this damn cell as you can see."

"What happened to you?" Cole asked in a concerned voice. Almost repeating his previous question with more care to it.

"Well, that's a funny question actually because I don't really know hehe, well I kinda do." Jay looked embarrassed with himself. "It all happened so fast, I sorta disabled the force fields in the dungeons, **_every...single...one!_** "

Cole's face dropped. "What really? Wasn't that a dangerous manoeuvre, why'd you do it?"

"I didn't do it on purpose if that's what you're getting at and no, I haven't got a death wish either." Jay shook his head.

"Loki came here, he pushed me." He didn't look at the screen anymore. "No, he disgusted me when he told me what he'd done. He's sick and twisted, I fucking hate him."

Jay muttered something under his breath. "I snapped okay? The power outage was caused by me."

Cole's face took in the slightly guilty look of mischief on Jay's face. "Are you alright though?"

Jay shook his head. he wished he could say yes, that everything was fine and dandy. But it wasn't.

"Ugh, I'd kill myself if I could."

"You don't mean that?" Cole thought about it for a few seconds. _He'd kill himself if_ _he could?_ It was a little unnerving.

"This place Cole, it's driving me insane. This only happened because I was focusing on controlling my element and I managed to create a sphere ya know similar to Lloyd's."

"The green energy pulse?" Cole frowned at Jay's overly talkative side, though it was no different to how he usually spoke, there was just a darker tone to it. "What happened?"

"Well, I played with it and it didn't hurt, in fact it hovered when I dropped it on the floor, so I picked it up and it grew bigger until I couldn't contain it at which point I pushed it away." He looked up again. "It was a bad thing to do, all the force fields went down and most of the prisoners escaped."

"WHAT?"

"Some of them were captured," Jay replied, looking sheepish.

"You look all bloodied and beaten, weren't you in solitary?" Cole questioned waiting for Jay's response.

"Still am," Jay nodded. "I look bloodied and beaten, I guess, because I was and, before you ask, it wasn't him."

"Jay, look at me."

He avoided Cole's gaze altogether. "Five of the prisoners were warriors from Vanaheim, they remembered me from when Loki had me use the sceptre on them even though I was being controlled."

"Jay, please."

"I-I couldn't remember them okay. Even though they remembered me."

"Tell me what happened."

"They beat me up, plain and simple, put me in my place." Jay wiped at his face. It wasn't a tear that fell just a rivulet of blood. "They did a pretty good job, I couldn't move. Then Heimdall swooped in and saved the day."

"I think I was quite lucky, got a few bruises and cuts nothing major though."

"When did this happen, a few days ago or something?" Cole questioned, but then realised it must have been more recent judging by the fresh blood.

"No this just happened, like literally a few hours has passed since I had my ass handed to me on a plate." Jay laughed nervously. "But I'm fine honestly, see I'm all good, nothing broken. I'm just going out of my head with boredom down here."

Cole noted he was far more talkative than usual, and how unfair was it that he was stuck there whilst Cole and his brothers were about to celebrate Christmas.

"How are you all though, how's Nya?"

"We're all okay down here. You need to slow down though Jay I'm having difficulty keeping up with you." Cole sighed, "In relation to one of your questions, Kai is with Skylor, they've been together since we got back. And." Cole paused for dramatic effect. "He phoned a few hours ago, he's gonna be a daddy."

Jay said nothing, just bit his lip. It was so good to hear Cole's voice. It was certainly better than Loki's.

"They'll both be great parents," He replied with an air of finality. "Take it he hasn't told her about his supposed immortality?"

Cole shook his head. "I don't think so. And God knows what he'll be like when we return in a week. I told Sellie, she wasn't best pleased."

"I don't think she'll be pleased either."

"Me and Lloyd have had to do all the hard work, we found a place for Nya."

"Good, she's safer there."

"Jay, its Christmas day, literally just gone midnight. I know you don't feel like celebrating but I'm thinking of you, Merry Christmas bro." Cole said moving the device so Jay could see the Christmas decorations hanging from the ceiling.

"Aww cool, I love Christmas and I'm stuck alone in a magical dungeon boo, don't think they celebrate Christmas here they might though...cos the myth of Saint Nicolas originated from Germany ya know, but anyway, Norse gods do a lot of feasting and I mean a lot from December throughout the year, but I've been so busy with running Loki's damn errands I haven't had much time...in fact I've had none." Jay huffed "So Seliel eh? you seen her much these last few weeks?"

"Yeah I spent some time with her yesterday, Christmas eve technically only a few hours ago, she's cute...think she likes me" Cole smiled "I'm seeing her again in a few days, she's going to her Dad's today for her Christmas meal."

Jay couldn't help but feel like Cole was hiding something "Is there someone else, I thought you were serious with Seliel now, I mean not that you brag or anything but you've mentioned her a fair few times."

"Yeah ok there is someone else, she was so familiar like I'd seen her before but in my dreams...and we met her on the day we left Asgard...she blew my mind. Her name was Sigyn and she was cute too."

Jay's blood ran cold at the mention of her name, he knew she was Loki's bride, and if Cole had his way with her; Loki would tear him limb from limb if he could. "M-maybe you should just focus on Seliel, least you won't have a vengeful God hot on your heels if you sleep with her. I mean ya know Sigyn is engaged to Loki?"

Cole nodded. "Yeah, but it's mutual!" He winked.

"It's a bad idea with dire consequences if you get found out. I know her, been in her company more than once." Jay's eyes widened fearfully. "Please Cole, you gotta promise me you won't do anything stupid, at least not with her."

"Yeah okay." He said, loosely shrugging his shoulders. "Are they celebrating anything in Asgard?"

"It's called Jul. Twelve nights of feasting, wine and women and then of course in between that will be the wedding which is the day you're due back. Oh and Merry Christmas to you too, it's been three days since you've all been gone, Guessing you're all okay, obviously Kai is."

"We managed to source a secure location for Nya to live, until she recuperates. Moving in tomorrow, plus we've also managed to find an academy style teaching group to take over the care of the dojo, at least until we get back again."

"Cool, so you guys are having fun then, taking advantage of the free time?" Jay winced as he moved.

Cole winced in sympathy as he saw a small line of blood dribble down Jay's face. "You sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, I just don't know how long he plans on keeping me in here. I could escape, that would be fun."

It would be bad." Cole argued, bushy eyebrow raised.

"I'm so bored in here." Jay muttered. "You've all been away for three days?"

"Three weeks here. Time goes slowly where you are."

"Well I gotta do something, I need to train." Jay said with some urgency. Though it could be construed as boredom.

"Why do you need to train when you're in the cell, you should be relaxing?"

"I wish I could tell you, I really do, but he's sworn me to secrecy."

"Really not even a clue?" Cole whined.

"He's planning something upon your return and it'll be focused after the wedding celebrations. No other clues, y-you'll find out anyway" Jay stuttered as he stopped talking abruptly feeling very uncomfortable with the concerned look Cole was giving him, Jay muttered to himself again. "It's fine Cole I can't tell you so just drop it ok?"

Cole didn't say anything he just stared at Jay for a few seconds wondering what on earth was going through his head, one minute he was normal and talkative but overly so and the next he was very snappy. "Jay I wouldn't be your best friend if I didn't worry. You're the only person I've been thinking about since we left, we came to visit you before we went to Heimdall and you were just laying in your cell, you weren't moving."

"Ahh, sorry about that. It took all of my strength not to move when you came down. I knew you were there, but I had to pretend I was unconscious!"

" _ **What**_ **!** You were pretending, what a crock Jay, honestly what the Hel?"

"Whoa calm down. I only did it because Loki was due to visit and you needed to leave before he saw you. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you."

"So there was a method to your madness then?" Cole surmised. "Concerned about us, I understand that, but maybe a wink would have sufficed instead of flat out ignoring us."

"Of course, yeah sorry," Jay looked down in embarrassment "I didn't think of that, at least you know."

"Anyway get some rest Jay I'll see you soon, keep in contact bro...Merry Christmas." Cole whispered cheerfully ending the call from his realm in Ninjago.

* * *

Jay lay in his cell, contemplating his life up to this point. He put the device down and rested his head back on the sumptuous pillows.

His cell wasn't too bad, it had no privacy to the front, the only complete privacy was the small washroom at the back. Jay wanted privacy badly, he was sick of being stared at by criminals who all got a good look when he was being beaten, they goaded on the attackers until they too were imprisoned again. Jay felt like an artefact on display for all to see so he got off his bed and ate the rest of his meal before the Einherjar could remove it.

Placing his plate down, he walked to the white door and slipped into the washroom which held a large roll top bath. Running the taps he began to remove his clothes, stretching his arms and legs waiting for the bathtub to fill completely before he turned the taps off and submerged himself. He had been in the bath for what felt like hours, the water never seeming to cool down had helped to relax his aching muscles, but he was disturbed from his reverie by none other than Loki who spoke clearly. His voice cutting into the private bathroom like a knife slicing through butter.

He climbed out of his bath and wrapped a green towel around his lower half and a smaller one around his neck, he walked out of the room and straight into Loki.

"Ahem sorry, you been here long?" Jay asked stepping back a little after the impromptu body contact with the God before him.

"It has been brought to my attention that you were assaulted a few hours ago, is this correct?"

"Does it matter? Not like you care."

"Because be as it may, you belong to me." Loki stood firm, domineering. "Perhaps one needs to increase the containment, making it completely _impenetrable,"_ Loki smirked. "Least then you would be _safer_."

"What, I'm not your property _Loki_."

"Resistance hmm?"

Jay rolled his eyes. "Whatever, increase the magic see if I fucking care."

"Watch your tongue, remember who you are speaking to." Loki hissed closing in on his prisoner. "Ahh yes, the other reason I came, other than to gloat of course. It was to ask about her whereabouts. I know you have knowledge as to where she is at this point in time."

"Like a broken record, you keep repeating the same thing again and again and aga..."

Jay was cut off my Loki's maddening glare and his swift approach as he raised his staff threateningly, daring Jay to continue, he lowered it slowly.

"This staff as you know belongs to my _father_ Odin. Gungnir, in the right hands can cause so much more pain than my sceptre ever could, Indeed, this staff could turn you into a female without the need for magic, and of course that would bring about a whole different approach to our brotherly relationship don't you think?"

Jay shivered, remembering the last time. "N-no"

"You see where I'm heading with this, hmm?" Loki said, leaning over Jay as he spoke. One swipe with Gungnir was enough to make Jay fall over grasping his head in agony. "If you don't tell me where she is, you will be taking her place and your precious team will disown you so fast you'll have no-one to turn to."

"Y-you wouldn't?"

He placed the pointed end of Gungnir onto Jay's exposed back until the points dug in. "I will."

"Can you remember back on earth, the night I was having dinner with HYDRA. You disappeared from my sight and met up with the green ninja? I know you bedded him and alluded to tell me, obviously to save him. Then you bedded Cole, _twice no less,_ in **_my bed you filthy whore."_**

Jay's hands came up to his face shamefully. He couldn't take much more of this, it was happening every damn night. "Please. I'm sorry."

"Oh that's right, you did not think I'd find out but I did. Ooh." Loki's face changed to a snide hateful look. "Imagine their faces when they realise it was you all along who seduced them, who bedded and screwed them...who lied to them and has been doing so all along."

"Filthy slut. Did it feel good to bed them, were they better than me?" He scraped the staff, pulling it down Jay's back.

He felt a tear fall, unable to stop it. He only hoped that Loki couldn't see it. "You wouldn't, please. I'll do anything."

"Tell me where she is?"

Jay's heart sank further. "I-I can't, I'm sorry."

The words Loki spoke were a sign of things to come if he didn't say where she was. To do so would place everyone in danger, especially Nya. Jay swallowed hard and stood up, his back sweating and bleeding. The realisation of what was going to happen before he gave his final answer was daunting enough. "I'm sorry, I can't tell you." He repeated.

Loki's hands squeezed around Jay's throat. "Tell me!"

"Sh-she's safe, she's away from you." Jay's heart was beating rapidly, it was hammering as Loki raised his eyebrow astounded at his fortitude despite the fact he would now be humiliated in front of his friends.

"Fine, then one hopes you shall enjoy staying in here at least until the wedding day when the guards will come and dress you accordingly." Loki stepped back admiring Jay's head wound for himself. "After the wedding, we shall let the games begin. You know what they say about the wedding night?" He said walking away sweeping his cloak around him with a big grin on his face..."It'll be painful for you."

* * *

 **Back in Ninjago**

Kai was in bed with Skylor, she was playing with his spiky hair and rolled up next to him his arms wrapped around her"why have you all been away for so long and why are you all...so different now" she asked playfully rubbing his chest.

"It's a really long story babe and I'm not sure you'd want to know all the gory details."

Skylor raised her eyebrow "I have ways of making you talk...I know where all your tickle spots are...Kai"

Kai giggled and held her close as he went into detail as to what had transpired over the past few months earning a few gasps from Skylor, he mentioned being teleported from Ninjago to New York and having to fight a battle that the Avengers could have done themselves and then he bought up the Norse gods.

"But what have the Aesir got to do with you and the other ninja?" Skylor quizzed, looking deep into Kai's brown eyes.

"So you obviously know about the Norse god's cos not everyone does, in fact, that's the first time I've heard anyone called em that, Aesir, it rolls right off the tongue!"

"Yeah, I was always the teacher's pet" Skylor said moving her hand down towards Kai's navel.

He gulped, feeling a twitch down below. A stirring, his rising interest for her, beginning to show.

"Well anyway, uh Jay is immortal. Loki turned him, he would have died otherwise because he was fatally wounded."

"Tell me more."

"We got him to the hospital, they stitched him up. We thought we were in the clear until, Loki got him again and performed some spell, removing all artificial things from his body. Honestly, Skylor, he looked so ill before he made his choice. Loki gave him the ultimatum, choose immortality or watch us die" He concluded, pointing to himself.

"Wow. I wasn't expecting that. I mean I had heard rumours. Never heard of their ways or practices. Poor Jay though, having to choose."

"Yeah, archaic ways, but I reckon Jay's accepted it, sort of."

"So, tell me this," She inquired, her hand lowering further, her fingers and palm smoothing over his length. "You look so different, you seem more defined, on edge, tense." She squeezed, earning a gasp from Kai.

"W-well err, when we went back to save Jay, we needed to get the damned device that started all this in the first place...ohhh god..." Kai bit his lip.

"You were saying" Skylor teased as she continued her ministrations under the covers.

"Mmmm...it was kinda my fault but all is forgiven now, we had to rescue him from an evil corporation and Loki couldn't do it...mmm" Kai tried to focus on the conversation but Skylor was making it very difficult for him. "That's it baby, right there."

£COme on, tell me," She whispered into his ears, increasing the grip.

"No he could have done it...mmmmmm...but he chose not to because he wanted us to do it for him...well after we had rescued Jay...mmm god...Loki gave us an ultimatum...he told us that we were immortal too" Skylor immediately stopped pleasuring Kai and listened with a frown.

"So you're all immortal now...even Nya?"

"Yeah, I've been wanting to tell you but could never find the right time," Kai said flustered, a blush appearing on his face.

"But what will this mean for me? and for us?" Skylor said as she pointed at her flat tummy "so are you just going to abandon me, will you even be around when the baby is born?"

"I'll try, I promise I'll do all that I can to be here as much as I can...but you can't come with us and neither can Nya...you'd both be in danger" Kai said as he calmed Skylor down, he rolled her onto her side and cuddled up to her, he could feel her tears "please don't cry...I'm sorry"

"It's not that Kai, I can understand the whole time difference thing and so on but _**you'll**_ never age, **I will and our child will**...you'll see both of us die" Skylor sobbed loudly and Kai held onto her fighting back his own tears.

"I'll make it right Skylor...I promise I'll do whatever I can." He sniffed, laying his head down with his hand resting gently on her stomach.

Skylor was asleep in the warm embrace Kai was providing but he was devastated at what this now meant.

 _Damn it Kai,_ _actions have consequences and getting her pregnant probably wasn't the best move and now I feel guilt because I can't marry her either...I'm so sorry babe._


	22. No prison can hold me

Jay lay restlessly, he hadn't slept for over 56 hours. The number of hours he'd been awake since being accosted in his cell by some aggrieved prisoners. Twenty four since Loki had visited him, giving him an ultimatum and then had the force field increased.

The issue was that solitary confinement got him a lot of unwanted attention.

He ignored them, although he did his fair amount of taunting, especially considering he had been given one meal and an ample supply of books, none of which he'd read. Then, there was the odd bragging manoeuvre when Jay lifted a goblet up in cheers to his fellow inmates.

It was remarkably difficult for such a talkative soul to be locked up. He felt isolated, cut off from everyone.

Laying half naked, the same towel wrapped around him from the day before. Jay was trying to formulate a plan of action. He had to think of something that would allow him a chance to talk. The loneliness of forced solitary was driving him insane. He didn't much mind the banter, might have even enjoyed having one cellmate to talk to, but this, this was even worse than being beaten up.

He was alone.

Last night he'd sat on his bathroom floor, rocking himself, pulling at his hair and shouting to drown out Loki's voice.

 _"You filthy whore. They will turn their backs on you, then you will have no one. The sooner you realise how much they despise you, the better."_

 _"Remember where your loyalties lie, you are mine to command, to do with as I please."_

He wanted so badly to speak to his brothers even if it was for a few seconds but he knew he couldn't at least whilst the force fields were strengthened. He had a thought... _maybe he could disable them, they couldn't be that strong. Plus, if all the cells went down, there was always the bathroom for a safe-haven._

* * *

Now was the time, the changing of the guards.

He knew he'd have to be quick about this so he put his palms together and focused on his element. Opening his hands, he saw a pulsing ball of dark matter. The tendrils of energy flicked out, reaching for him and he duly obliged. The thing steadily grew before his eyes. Jay stared in amazement at the raw energy, making it bigger still, manipulating it.

Trying something new, he grabbed it with both hands and slowly pulled it apart. With more effort than he realised, the ball split into two angry fizzing discs.

"Cool," he gaped. "That was like splitting the atom wasn't it?"

These two these felt completely different from the first, they were actually making his hands tingle with a feeling of pins and needles so he cast them forwards and then ran with his comms device into the bathroom. Rapidly barricading the door with his furniture as he activated the small thing hoping to see at least one of his brothers.

Or Nya...

It didn't take long for someone to answer the device in Ninjago and Jay was immensely relieved when Kai's face came into view. he would have loved to have seen her though, to see that was safe, but it wasn't meant to be.

"Hey, how ya doing?" Jay asked nervously. He still hadn't forgiven Kai for all the crap he had caused. Did Jay really have more to prove to him, wasn't giving his life enough to say that he had cared for them once?

And he knew Kai was angry at him for some unknown reason. Still, whatever it was, it didn't seem fair to equate it to being stabbed, beaten and then sold to HYDRA.

So, the smile on his face was one of purest shock, considering all they had been through before this.

"Jay! Wow, it's been weeks," Kai said, looking mildly apologetic. "H-how are you doing there, you okay?"

 _No, I'm not._

 _._

 _I'm falling apart._

 _._

"I'm fine," Jay said, giving an insincere smile, belying the truth. "It's been four days here. The time difference messes with your head?"

Kai nodded, his expression soft, _sympathetic_. "I was worried that he'd hurt you. I thought you were coming with us."

 _Don't pretend you care._

Jay refused to turn his back, if he did, he had a feeling Kai would ask where the deep scratches had come from. As far as he could remember, the gouges ran from his neck down to his waistline. A little gift from Loki and the Gungnir weapon staff he carried.

 _"Don't you dare look at me. This is what you get for keeping things from me."_

 _Jay screamed initially, moaning softly after a few seconds. The pain brought closure and a sick sense of pleasure because he could zone out. He was on his knees as Loki dragged it down the length of his back. Loki, restraining himself, not using the staff with anything other than intent to cause agony. He was enjoying it almost as much as Jay was._

 _"You dare test me, you will always lose."_

Jay trembled slightly, wincing. "I tried to come with you, but he had other plans." Looking behind Kai, Jay could see new accommodation. "Where are you?"

"This is Nya's new place," Kai said.

"Nice," Jay said, giving a 'thumbs up' to show his agreement. "You pick it?"

"I'm not taking full credit, might've paid for it but Cole and Lloyd got the furniture in." Kai looked around himself, then back at Jay. "So, what happened to your face? Looks kinda painful!"

"Yeah-"

 _"They don't care for you...Jay-son,_ _you belong to me."_

"It h-happened a few days ago," Jay said, squeezing his eyes closed. "Uhm, Cole knows, I think he'll give you the rundown."

"He better..." Kai warned, frowning at Jay's startled expression.

"Kai?" Jay looked at his ex-best friend. "I-I don't have much time..."

"What, what are you talking about?" Kai suddenly seemed worried. Eyes fully focused on his brother for once, rather than what was happening in his own world.

"I-I wanted to talk to someone, because honestly; I think I'm going mad in here." Jay laughed softly. "Solitary confinement, it sucks."

"Jay?"

"You know how much I like company right?"

He saw the look in Jay's expression. Kai knew from experience that Jay was a talker, he lovedto chat and joke. "It must be hell. How much longer?"

Jay shrugged. "Until he breaks me, at a guess."

"What were ya goin to tell me?" Kai asked quickly, noting the door was sustaining more damage.

 _He doesn't care._

"Mind games?" Jay shook his head, a nervous look etched on his face. Eyes darted around the tiny enclosed space. "Loki has something planned for when you all get back and I really shouldn't say this because I know I'll get in more trouble, but I needed to warn you." He stopped talking when he heard a commotion outside. It couldn't be ignored anymore, his door was being rammed by a heavy piece of furniture.

Wiping his face, Jay looked at the door. "That better not be my bed p-posts, you scumbags!"

"What's going on there? Mind games? Jay, why's the door barricaded?"

Jay paused, taking in the questions from Kai and the genuine concern behind them. "Wow so many. Question one; prison riot. Two; I've not slept in almost two days and three; I'm safer here."

Kai was perplexed. "Why are they focusing on you?"

"Ha, because I look cute." Jay offered, accidentally smearing his bloodied back on the white wall.

Kai bit his lip when he saw it.

"That was a joke Kai, lighten up will ya." He laughed at his own pun, it was the only part of him that remained true, the rest of him was slowly being eaten away.

Kai just stared at him, even with the noise in the background getting louder, he continued looking at Jay. He shrugged his shoulders not knowing what to say anymore. "Y-you were saying?"

Repetition, just like he'd said to Cole. "They focus on me because I get all the attention. I get food from Heimdall and Loki visits me every day. I reckon the other pricks here are just jealous."

"Well, that could be. Anyway, why's the gatekeeper supplying you with food? I thought he stayed at Bifrost?"

Jay nodded and stood. "He does, most of the time." He said, having forgotten about his wounds when he got up to re-enforce the door. "He's giving me food because Loki said I couldn't have any."

Kai stared open-mouthed, not just at the barbaric treatment but at the state of Jay's back. "Th-that's cruel, so he was starving you?"

"Yeah." Jay shrugged, expressionless.

"I'm worried about you."

"DON'T BE!" He sneered. "I never asked you to."

"Jay, I'm your brother, its inevitable."

 _When it suits you,_

 _What kind of brother sells his own kin?_

Jay didn't respond. Kai, his spiky-haired brother certainly picked his time to be loyal. And how so typical that Jay was down on his luck, stuck in Asgard whilst his brothers were enjoying his favourite time of year. Jay was living it up in a dungeon. It was a very sore point. "Sorry Kai." He finally mumbled.

The moody silence was further interrupted by a large crack, it appeared on the bathroom door after the sound of something heavy had been rammed into it.

"You're not taunting them too are ya?" Kai smirked, trying to release more tension and choosing to ignore the previous snappy tone.

"Hey, it was a mutual taunting." Jay laughed, looking up at the door which sported a large crack where the battering ram was hitting it. "Ooh I'm so scared, it takes so many of you to teach me a lesson. Wow, I'm shaking in my boots here."

Kai shook his head covering a smirk, only Jay would attempt to use humour in times of battle.

He was running out of time, Jay still had a message to pass on. "Kai, the only way I could get through to you was by disabling the force fields. Loki had this cell reinforced which blocked the signal to and from this device, meaning I had to disable the damn things again just to talk to you."

"Isn't that, dangerous?"

"Actually, this time, it was planned." Jay countered. "Last time, it was an accident and I was unprepared." He narrowed his eyes, ear to the wall of the washroom. "You better get the fuck out of my cell otherwise there'll be trouble. You won't like me when I'm mad."

The door continued to creak against the onslaught.

Kai shook his head at the taunts Jay was directing at the barricaded door. "Jay, What were you going to say?" He leaned in trying to hear better because the door was banging so loudly, he was surprised the thing was still standing and in one piece.

"Loki plans on fighting me in the arena after the wedding, but he won't be shown as himself for obvious reasons. He'll be disguised as an Einherji, he's planning on defeating me in front of you all."

"What, but he's a God, you'll be fighting a God?"

Jay shrugged. "It's either that or watch you all go through it. Please, Kai, whatever you do, you gotta restrain Cole and Lloyd, don't let them react."

"I'll try, it won't be easy though if they find out it's you fighting. Hang on, will you be you too? Or will you both be in disguise?"

Jay shrugged. "I-I don't know. Just, Kai, they can't find out about it."

"Sure, fine, I'll keep it from them. Why does Loki want to do this though?"

"Because-" This wouldn't be easy for Kai to hear. "-it's because I won't tell him where Nya is," Jay replied, frustration clear to hear. To release his anger, he stood and walked over to the door to reinforce the barricade with the spare chair, propping it under the handle.

"Wow, he's still not letting her go? He's worse than some of her high school boyfriends." Kai giggled despite the uncomfortable tension.

Jay's eyes were closed in concentration, he sighed, sliding down the wall behind him.

"How far is he gonna take it, Jay, I mean is he planning on hurting you, just for fun?"

Another shrug. He had no idea, Loki was exceedingly vague. "I-I don't know. I guess he'll probably get a thrill from it. L-look, can we change the subject? Don't think I've got much time before they break this down."

"What can I possibly do?" Kai asked, frowning.

"Just tell me something to take my mind off the inevitable beating I'm gonna be getting once this door goes."

Kai thought quickly, saying the first things that came to mind. Speaking from the heart. "So I take it you've heard about Skylor? We had a super early scan today, cos ya know I wanna be there for her as much as I can."

Kai continued looking at Jay for a response. "And, well we've been here for just over four weeks, so it must have happened on our first night together which means she's almost five weeks gone."

He wished he had weapons but they were confiscated as soon as he was thrown in the cell.

"Jay, I'm gonna be a daddy, me a daddy can you believe it?"

Jay looked at the screen, into his brothers' eyes and smiled, letting Kai know he was listening.

"I told her about our immortality too, she was heartbroken. Cole had to take me out for the night, we got pretty drunk and I crashed at the hotel for the night. Jay, I love her I really do, I don't know what I'd do without her now."

Jay sighed, head facing the door. They weren't allowed to have a family in Loki's service.

"I haven't really left her side since. Apart from when she needed space to process it, but she made me think about something I hadn't even contemplated...something that only now makes me question everything."

Kai's voice broke, he bit his lip.

Jay squeezed his eyes closed.

"Skylor said that she'd age, our child too. I'd watch them both die because I'd never age. So, everyone I have ever loved would die in front of me."

"I'm sorry," Jay said, back to the screen.

Kai had looked away momentarily. "It tears me up thinking about it, I-I just don't know what to do."

 _I do..._

"Anyway, Skylor's pregnant. Nya's happy and content, although she's missing you. Then there's Lloyd, who's eager to get back to Asgard for some reason. He keeps talking about a blonde girl, and Cole, sheesh he won't stop talking about Sigyn or Seliel."

Jay heard that name again and he shivered. Cole would really have to forget about Sigyn if he valued his life. That was a dangerous line he was walking on by setting his sights on her.

"Zane's been sorting the accounts for the new staff to take over the running of it whilst we're away. Obviously, the deeds are still in our names so that won't change."

Still, he remained silent, building up any remaining strength to take on these men who were attempting to break down his door.

"Tomorrow we're going out to celebrate New Year. Nya's coming, she could do with a night out. Jay, you still there? You're being awfully quiet?"

Jay was stood up backed against the nearest wall looking at the door. Its hinges almost completely broken off until the final ram busted the door down into the bathroom. The chair supporting the door had been flattened with the unintentional pile drive.

Kai could see the whole scene in front of him unfold. It was like being the sole viewer of a 3D action movie.

Jay looked at Kai and smirked. Winking his eye as he hid closest to the wall nearest the door. He placed a finger to his mouth to signify silence as the first intruder came in.

A fierce uppercut and a crack.

Jay had broken the first assailants' nose. The blow had knocked him back a little. Jay followed through with a 90 degree kick to the stomach which sent him barrelling out of the broken bathroom doorway.

Two more came in and attempted to grab, but he was too quick. "Haha, not this time." Both had been sent from the room with those same practised moves Loki had taught him. More kept coming.

Kai was glued to his seat, he knew he might be able to help if one of the prisoners was about to pull a stunt that Jay might not be able to see. So, all those millions of miles away he'd still be able to help. "Jay, there's three this time. One's packing a chair"

"And by packing, you mean what exactly?" Jay said looking at Kai confused as said chair hit him in the chest, earning a grunt from Jay and a pained gasp from Kai.

He winced when Jay went down. "Ya know packing...as in, using it for attack purposes?" He bit his knuckle, this was brutal. "You're okay, come on, get up," he willed Jay the strength to finish them off. "Try a leg sweep, that'll get them down to your level."

"I'm ok, I got this, besides it's all good practice for tomorrow." A huge grin hiding his nervousness. "Damn it why did ya have to use that chair...that was my favourite footrest," Jay said in jest, rubbing his aching chest. Angry bruises coming up across his torso.

"Right, leg sweep got it," Jay said, avoiding a punch aimed at his head. "Nice try, dumb ass."

Performing the low spinning leg sweep, the remaining two came down. He quickly electrocuted both before getting back to his feet and peering around his door. "Three more, it's a party in here.!"

Kai didn't know where to look or what to do. Jay couldn't take on this many for too long, he looked tired as it was. Each overstretch had his back bleeding.

"Gahh, where are all these guys coming from? Kai, I bet these ones look familiar?" Jay laughed, nervously. He adopted a defensive stance.

"Your humour at times can be quite odd, ya know that?" Kai scrunched his nose, struggling to see the intruders until they came in to view. "OH SHIT, him." His face paled.

"How are they still alive?" Kai gasped when one grabbed Jay from behind the door, holding him up off the floor. "He's the strong one, you gotta kick him between the legs." He ordered, flinching slightly when the creature looked at him. Never was he more grateful that he was safe in their homeworld.

The opportunity was there and he took it before he felt himself blacking out. The creature went down a millisecond after he had delivered a painful knee to the groin. "Ha, you always keep your family jewels protected." Jay hissed at the downed creature.

He hadn't noticed the other two grabbing him from behind. If they pulled any harder his shoulders would dislocate for sure. It gave him nothing to do but rub his fingers together until he had again created two small marble sized spheres which he continued to manipulate as the creature began to rise. Jay bided his time, then released the two pulses. Both prisoners went down but the creature punched him in his stomach, and Jay gasped, falling to his knees brutally winded.

"Jay, get up," Kai bit his lip. Anxiety niggling, his fingers were shaking, heart was thumping. That blow was ruthlessly brutal, and this, this was supposed to be New Years eve. Jay was being beaten up in front of him. All he could do was offer support and pray that the Einherjar would come to his aid.

"Th-this one is strong remember? It took two of us to get him down, me and Cole."

Jay nodded, unable to talk.

The only issue with being a big creature was that it took a while for them to formulate a powerful swing, although one had caught him unawares on the side of his head.

Kai watched, cringing from the sidelines as another blow landed, a perfect shot when Jay's body flew sideways with the force. "JAY? G-get up. Y-you gotta move!"

Jay was able to recover, though it was largely apparent he was dazed. "I'm okay," he lied, whispering through the pain.

His hands created a much larger sphere. "Kai, I've got no choice. This will disable the device once and for all, keep the fields down for longer, but it's the only way they'll leave me alone."

Another punishing blow. He could see stars in his vision. Jay was determined to send his message, despite his stubbornness. "I'll s-see you soon, and H-happy New Year for tomorrow. Drink one f-for me?" Jay grunted, looking up at the creature before it could deliver the final blow. He pushed the sphere toward the creature.

The comms device, as expected, flickered off and sizzled. That was just as fucked as Jay was now.

But, at least the creature had been struck, and it fell.

"HA, that's what you get coming in here and trashing the place," Jay shouted, from his slumped position on the floor. Shakily, he got back to his feet to survey the damage.

His legs were wobbly, he wasn't even sure if they were his anymore. Then, sighing in annoyance at the state of his containment cell.

The room and bed were obliterated, furniture was broken beyond repair and the force fields were still down. Stumbling out of his washroom bloodied and dazed. Jay collapsed onto the broken bed and slid straight off. He landed on the floor, watching miserably as the Einherjar rounded the prisoners again.

* * *

As expected, the King was notified and he had made his way down.

His personal possession, the one who had caused it again was sitting, looking hopeless on his bedroom floor. Wearing the same towel from almost two days ago. Loki had finally broken him, and his green eyes from that point on, were alight with so much joy, he could hardly contain it.

"I believe he has had enough, High One." The senior Einherji said in a hushed tone. "He's not eating or drinking, all he does is fight and cause trouble down here."

"Are you saying he cannot be restrained, by force?"

"We cannot restrain him here, his elements are interfering with the seidr, High one."

"That is quite remarkable." Loki nodded, "I shall overturn the rest of his incarceration." Swiftly, he dismissed the guard before making his way over to the man who sat on the floor of his destroyed cell. Jay was rocking himself, wiping angrily at his face.

"Ahhh, my favourite object of affection, well you will be soon."

"Oh, my favourite guest." Jay countered. Clenching and unclenching his fists. "Come to join the party too, you want to throw some punches, like last time?" His face screwed up, Jay openly sobbed, balling his fist, he bit down hard on his knuckle.

Ignoring the show of emotion, Loki's sharp black eyebrow rose in fascination at the death and carnage surrounding Jay, his protector. "I'm impressed, three days in a row now."

Jay had been fighting for his life for three days. Hadn't eaten or drank since he'd spoken to Cole. It had all been a lie to keep Kai from worrying.

"Wh-what?"

"You seem to have an _aptitude_ for this," he said, waving his hand around the cells. "I don't suppose you could tell me why you choose to destroy the furniture. If it's not to your liking, I could have you sleep on the floor?"

"Sarcasm, that's the lowest form of wit?" Jay said, shaking his head. "No My Lord, I love it in here. Everything about this shitty place screams home to me; I mean other than an actual home."

"Ooh, there's still a little fight left," Loki noted.

"Fuck you."

Eyebrow raised. "Your use of contumely language tires me Jay. One would think that being down here for almost a week would have demoralised you somewhat but alas, you're still just as stubborn."

"Why are you here?" Jay asked, still slumped on the floor. He lacked any strength to sit on the broken bed. He'd fallen off it because two supporting legs had broken.

"I have come to notify that is all. You are free to go back to your room, lest to prepare for the proceedings tomorrow."

"What's the meaning of this?" Jay said, feeling himself being lurched upwards by two guards. The filthy blood-stained towel was whipped off, leaving him naked for all to see. Luckily no females were down here, but within a few seconds, he had a warming cloak wrapped around him. He barely had the strength to walk.

"No tricks or mind games, I assure." Dismissing the guards again. Loki leaned to Jay's ear. "I admit that tomorrow I may be sanguinary towards you, but then your stubbornness and lack of loyalty has driven me to this current course of action."

Jay swallowed. He wasn't scared of a battle, even if it was with a God who was much older and stronger than he was.

"What? You're letting me free of the dungeon?" Jay stumbled slightly. "What's with the archaic language, my Lord?" He wanted so much to say **_Loki_** as the Einherjar were right outside his cell.

"Ahh yes. Well, I dare say, you will find out tomorrow. All I can say is 'what do you expect?'"

The odd answer stumped Jay. Where was Zane when he needed him, and why did he have the feeling that tomorrow was going hurt?

"I'm a god, I have decimated many, so it would only be fitting that I feign slaying you tomorrow, you know, for the audience, for entertainment?"

Jay shivered. "Entertainment, you want me to pretend?"

"No, it shall be quite real. Afterwards, you will be required to visit the apothecary, for relevant cleansing and treatment."

Haunted by Loki's words. Jay had never needed to visit the apothecary, his body healed each and every time even after HYDRA. "Am I fr-free to leave the cell?" He asked, changing the subject.

Loki nodded. "Your time is served, for now at least. That is, until after I had had my wedding night with Sigyn, then your services will be required."

His blood ran cold. Surely Loki wouldn't do it again?

"You remember the agreement between ourselves?" Loki walked away leaving Jay standing there, _inarticulate_. "Are you coming, or would you prefer to stay in here another night?"

Shaking, Jay grabbed his fried device from the bathroom and hastily caught up with Loki. Trailing behind, glad to be out of the dungeons.

"This is where I leave you. At least until tomorrow." Loki said, pausing. "Your ceremonial attire is in your armoire. Everything should be there for the celebration. Furthermore, I shall expect you outside my room at sunrise." He turned his back, walking silently towards the throne room.

* * *

He threw open the doors and almost fell face first into his room. It smelled fresh, airy and fragrant. "Just as I left it," he said, stumbling across to his large bed. Jay lazily cast aside his torn clothes and partially admired his new robes for the wedding. He could see them hanging from the armoire.

Flopping back on his bed, climbing into it, Jay felt the softness as he pulled the velvet overthrow up and over his tired body.

Oh, he'd missed this. The pillows perfectly filled allowed his head and body to relax completely. His last thoughts were of Nya, her name left his lips when he closed his eyes.

She was finally safe, away from Loki.

Jay had fallen asleep, his dreams were filled with memories with his brothers in their old state before immortality stole their dreams. Happy and carefree, talking, laughing and adventurous. That dream ended and was replaced by a dream that made Jay's stomach lurch. A feeling of weightlessness, he felt like he was falling, he woke up but he wasn't in his room.

 _Am I still asleep?_ He looked out of the window, recognising the city immediately.

His new dream took all of his strength to focus on which he thought was odd, normally dreams were meant to be relaxing. This one was exhausting starting from the outset.

He was in an unknown building but definitely in Ninjago, and he was facing off against a creature, his team nowhere to be seen. Nya was there but she was in bed waiting, almost like a prize and whoever was the victor would win her.

Nya screamed when it approached her and Jay unleashed his focused energy upon it. Eventually, after a long fought battle, Jay claimed his prize.

He looked sideways at Nya and approached her. Grasping her gently, he swept her off her feet and placed a deep meaningful kiss that he was sure she would remember. And, to his surprise, dream Nya reciprocated eagerly.

Why did it feel so damned real? Why could he feel her hand surrounding his length, rubbing it up and down? Dreams weren't meant to be like this, in fact where were his clothes?

Next thing he knew he had climbed into her bed.

She shuffled backwards on her elbows and Jay closed in, crawling until they were moments away from being joined. Then that slick initial thrust of impatience had her whimpering. The pain made way for pleasure, lust and finally need.

Jay's eyes rolled backwards in exquisite pleasure as he moved at a fast pace. Unable to control himself, each forceful thrust had her scraping his back raw and he growled in stark male approval when she called out his name.

He changed their position, pinning her delicate body upon the headboard. Only then did he notice the colour, the walls, the decor, everything was blue.

"Your favourite colour?" He mouthed as he rapidly moved in time with her. He could tell she had chosen this. Likely because everything reminded her of him.

His eyes squeezed so tightly together, he never wanted this to end, he wanted it to be real. It was beyond anything he had ever experienced in a dream. Her naked body writhing under him, whispering his name.

"I want you to take your time." She mouthed, biting her lip as he pressed hard at the juncture where their bodies were joined, helping her to find that release.

"No," he said darkly. "You don't." Jay smiled when she climaxed around him. And, for that small moment, he truly felt her.

He knew that he shouldn't be able to feel this, why was it so real? Why could he feel her sweat rubbing again his body, her sweaty hands rubbing his back wounds.

Jay had pulled her up into his arms her legs wrapped around him as he took her weight. Pressing her gently against the wall, his actions increased as did his desire. 'I'm sorry what he did."

Reaching her climax, Nya rolled her head back and Jay took the opportunity to kiss her as passionately as she deserved. His lips trailed down her exposed neck and left a love bite, further down he grasped a soft peak, squeezing it tightly. The feeling was just how he remembered, intense, white-hot and soul shattering.

Nya, moaned into his ear, coaxing him until he reached his climax.

She tried so hard to hold onto him, to prevent him from floating away like all dream lovers did. But, no matter how much she tried, she couldn't grasp him. Jay's fingers became transparent, his broken body was pulled back before her horrified eyes could comprehend what was happening.

She screamed, cried out for him.

* * *

Jay had woken up sweating and screaming, the evidence of a wet dream over his bed. That was something that hadn't happened for quite a few years.

"W _hy am I sweating_?" He rubbed his eyes, looking around completely disorientated. "And, why am I so tired? I've just slept for at least eight hours, give or take yet."

Head pounding, Jay walked towards his large bathroom and stripped off noticing he had hand marks on his shoulders and scratches on his back which stung when the water made contact. Now, he remembered Gungnir and those scrapes, but they were healing, these were fresh, new and stinging.

"ARGH, what the fuck?" He hissed, turning around in the mirror. Mouth open in shock. "Where did they come from?"

The sunrise on the horizon was imminent. He decided now would be a good time to get dressed lest he be moaned at again.

So, he began in earnest and applied each item of clothing separately. He checked himself in the mirror before he looked around the room. This was different to his normal attire and he became very self-conscious with just how smart he looked. He tucked his weapons under his cloak, of course, he always had to be on guard, it was expected of him.

Now finally ready, he combed and styled his hair before replacing his crown amongst the swathe of auburn chestnut brown. Taking one final look at himself, he walked towards the door, but stopped and turned his head. Something had caught his attention, a glistening gold plate full of food and a goblet filled with wine was on the table with the addition of a parchment envelope, which had been sealed with a delicate golden wax seal with an intricate letter S on it.

Jay cautiously walked towards the table, grabbing the letter with a vested interest.

First thing he noticed; it was scented.

"Hmm, a woman sent this judging by the delicate fragrance." The scent was calming and homely, nothing over powering which filled him with relief, momentarily at least. That was until he opened the letter.

Jay opened the letter as he drank from the goblet. His eyes widened as he read it, he spat some of the drink out, hoping that none had gone on his robes.

 ** _'I hope you enjoyed your dreams last night. It was the least I could do._**

 ** _Life has been cruel to you in recent times, I had seen some of it myself, but Loki told me about your once beloved whilst he slept so I used his seidr to transfer your body and mind to your own realm for this one last time._**

 ** _I admit it wasn't an easy task and it has tired me, but it was worth it to see you happy. That, my young prince, was my gift for you._**

 ** _You were almost there anyway, your unconscious mind pined for her and she too wanted you just as much. I just helped you on your journey...and I'm sorry, you might feel very tired today, lovemaking and travelling across the cosmos will drain you physically and mentally._**

 ** _I hope you won't be angry with me but from the look on your faces, I know you enjoyed it._**

 ** _I thank you for introducing me to Cole_**

 ** _~S~_**

Once Jay had stopped coughing he straightened up, the letter folded up and stored in his pocket. "Th-that dream actually happened?" Jay blushed, looking back at the bed. How was he supposed to explain the stains? "Kai's gonna kill me for sure!"

He recomposed himself, face emotionless as a false front to appease Loki. Jay took a larger drink from the goblet before grabbing a handful of fruit from the breakfast bowl. He bit his knuckle, leaving the room. He couldn't help but smile at having had sex with Nya after all this time.

Jay had loved it, a little too much. The evidence was all over his sheets. Although the whole night had been incredibly indulging and sensuous, he was quite disconcerted about the part relating to Cole. Did Sigyn actually love him or did she just want his body? Well, he'd find out later when his brothers returned to this realm.

He walked across to Loki's chambers, knocking cautiously.

Loki opened the door as himself, no disguises. And in this place, it startled him to see Loki in his natural guise. "Jay-son-" he started. Jay's jaw clenched at the name afforded. He yanked the young prince through the double doors and pushed him against the nearest wall.

"The ceremony will be in three hours and I will not be disguised. Sigyn, deserves to see the man she will wed, which is why the audience will be so small"

"How small? My Lord."

"There will be eight of us. Go make yourself busy, help to prepare the throne room." Loki hissed, dismissing with his outstretched arm as a flustered retainer who was sworn to secrecy dressed and assisted the dark Prince.


	23. NYE

They were in Nya's new apartment, helping her to move in. Surprisingly the whole process had taken a good couple of weeks from their five-week secret reprieve. Decorating, ordering and waiting for deliveries had taken a huge chunk of their free time.

Nya had chosen the colours, she favoured blue, always had.

Annoyingly, everything in her bedroom was blue, bluejays, blue cushions and a blue quilt set. The furniture had arrived and yesterday had been moving in day. This would be their second night in the new apartment. Everything reminded her of him.

Nya had mentioned Jay when she woke up a few mornings previous. Cole had even tried to contact him. In fact, it was the third time of trying, each time he tried, he got static white noise.

Then there was Kai, the last to speak to their stranded brother. So stuck in his own world because of his own troubles. He had phoned up the day before in tears. Having let it slip to Skylor about his supposed immortality.

Cole had to calm him down, he was hyperventilating because Skylor had been inconsolable since he'd told her. So, to clear the air, Cole had taken Kai out into the city to take his mind of it citing the fact that Skylor needed time alone to process it.

Cole was finding it difficult, he knew that this trip back to their homeland would potentially be fraught with anxieties but he had no idea just how many, of course, Kai's could have been avoided but he wasn't going to chastise Kai for his own adult behaviours, Kai would do that to himself later.

And of course the time of year did nothing to calm anyone either as emotions in the city were at an all-time high, people rushing about madly trying to get the best bargains in the Christmas sales, stress levels rising and tempers frayed followed by too much alcohol and day long hangovers.

Tomorrow was New Year's eve and Cole wanted to celebrate it with his brothers, his ninja team and his father before they had to pack up and leave. He had made the arrangements considering money wasn't really an issue and hired a local club complete with disco and fully stocked bar to serve food and drinks till past 2am, everyone knew of the time and date so all that was required was to turn up on time.

* * *

 **New years eve**

The ninja team were getting prepared to go out to celebrate New Year's Eve, Lloyd, Kai and Cole were sitting in the lounge looking out over the snowy white streets on Ninjago, they were in the penthouse suite, only the best for Nya, so Kai had spent most of the money on buying it for her.

Cole and Lloyd were eating nachos carefully trying to avoid spilling anything on the brand new upholstery, whilst Zane was watching the weather reports. Nya was in her bedroom staring at nothing in particular just the flakes of snow falling outside her full-length windows, the scene looked so serene, but yet even though she was surrounded by love, she felt so alone. She only wanted one person but he was now so far away, she would probably never see him again, she sniffed when Kai poked his head in the room. "You getting ready Nya?"

"I'll be out in a bit, what time are we setting off?"

"About three hours," Kai said looking down to check his phone, "you'll need more than a blue t-shirt on, it's snowing. Naturally, Zane's gonna love it."

"I'll be out later, I just fancy a little nap."

"Ok, we'll be in the living room if you need us," Kai said, closing the door. "Just holler."

She lay back on her bed, peering up at the ceiling, trying to remember what he looked like. Jay's natural scent, his eyes. The man who she had fallen in love with, only to break his heart, rip it out and stomp on it.

She wasn't even sure if he loved her after what she'd done.

Nya took a deep breath in and the smell of new upholstery permeated her senses again, it was like being in a furniture shop, but now there was another more familiar scent coming into her senses and clouding everything else, a scent she had missed but one that she couldn't place. It became stronger, a masculine smell permeated her nose, she blushed and bit her lip.

Mouthing his name, feeling her eyes grow heavy "Jay?"

He appeared before her.

Her eyes were fuzzy, unfocused. Instinctively, she rubbed her eyes. Was she dreaming? Nya put her hands out to feel for him and her hands made contact with his warm fingers. Swiftly and without warning, he pulled her off the bed and into his arms. His tongue instant and thrusting into her mouth. He met no resistance. She fought back with just as much passion.

"Jay, you're here?"

His mouth moved but he didn't speak, he smiled sincerely and followed her to the bed. Climbing atop, he removed his attire and clambered between her legs with a ravenous appetite to devour her. Positioning himself, he rammed inside, as if time were an issue. Instantly joined, he closed the gap, lips pressed desperately. Mimicking the same movements as his hips with increased speed and friction.

She had missed him so much, forgetting what she had with Cole, she craved this so much more because Jay would never hut her like Loki had. The new bed was creaking, banging against the blue wall repeatedly.

Jay was silent other than the odd moan escaping his lips. Movements were wildly erratic, some were harsh, but after a while, he settled into a steady rhythm, skin slapping skin.

Nya felt him lift her and she wrapped her legs around him, holding on to the headboard for added support. His voice breaking the erotic silence as his hips repeatedly connected, driving to the hilt.

"I'm sorry what he did to you."

Her head rolled back. His voice seemed echoey and so very distant.

He sucked her neck, thrusting inside one final time and releasing himself deep, leaving a mark on her neck. Then, he lay her gently on the bed, kissing her one last time as he faded from her mind.

Nya frowned shaking her head. She didn't want this to end. Still craved his touch like a drug.

But all good dreams had to end, at some point.

Her tears and cries came naturally.

* * *

The door to her room was opened rapidly, Cole and Kai had burst into the room. Kai saw that Nya had was heavily flushed, her clothes non-existent and the covers quickly grabbed upwards to hide some of her modesty. "What? Nya are you okay? W-was it Loki!? Uhm s-sorry we heard banging on the walls and err, well...are you okay?"

"Nya are you ok what's wrong? Bad dream? Loki?" Kai soothed, sitting on her very messy bed. There was a familiar scent in here and he quickly became aware that Nya was completely naked, the covers were pulled up to her chin, her face still visibly flushed.

"No, if it was him...I wouldn't be here." She calmed her breathing down. Her body was still tender and throbbing, coming slowly down from the hard orgasm. "I-it was, J-Jay. He visited me." Her legs squeezed together to calm the heat residing there. "Is, is he okay? Because they say that when someone dies they visit the ones they love in a dream. And, th-this, it felt like a dream, he was just here, in my bed."

Cole frowned not understanding what she was trying to say...Jay couldn't be dead. He hoped that Nya was hallucinating, perhaps she was tired. Looking around, for signs of trouble, nothing appeared to be out of place. Sure, the bed sheets were all over and a mark on the wall indicating buttocks had been pressed up against it...Hang on a large peach perhaps.

"What was he doing in your bed...if it was a visit he wouldn't be in your bed surely?" Kai argued. "And no, he's not dead, he's immortal, I spoke to him yesterday in fact, _**during his fight...**_ " Kai spoke slowly, then stopped altogether. Taking a deep breath in, he shook the thought from his mind. Sadly and painfully, the last vision of Jay before the device switched off was a creature whom Kai had personally had the displeasure of meeting. It was last seen hovering menacingly above Jay, about to hit him viciously around the head. For all Kai knew, Jay could be dead now. he hadn't spoken to him since. His hand shot to his mouth.

No, he couldn't be. "You're were dreaming, Nya," Kai replied, off-handedly, completely ignoring and bypassing her claims.

"WHAT? you spoke to him!" Cole hissed, realising what Kai had just uttered aloud. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Yeah, sorry. Action-packed talk, that's for sure," Kai said, refocusing his concerned gaze on his sister. Noticing she was fumbling around the sheets for some reason that was oblivious to him. "Nya? Jay's immortal. We all are, thanks to him."

"Oh," Nya blushed, perhaps realising it might not have been a dream after all. The bed sheets were damp, sticky and wet in places. "It might have actually happened then, if it wasn't a dream?" She whispered to herself.

"What is that mark on your neck?" Kai quizzed, walking around the bed. "Oh my god, is that a love bite?" He asked, anger raging inside. "Was it Cole? Lloyd? Come on, own up who did it...someones gonna get it" He hollered, raising his fist threateningly in Cole's direction.

"Whoa pipe down dude, I've been with you the whole time. But even if it was me, it takes two to tango, dumb ass," he muttered, smirking.

"It must have been Jay," Nya said dreamily. "He was so gentle. I was thinking about him and before I knew it, he was here in my room."

"In here?" Kai frowned. "You sure?"

She shrugged, unsure herself. "I miss him, Kai. I thought he was here, maybe..."

"You miss Jay? Can you remember what you did to him?"

"Yes, and y-yes."

"You, hurt him. It was out of your hands really." Cole soothed, seeing the shock on her face. "Uh, magic, to you and I." He offered, a loose shrug of his shoulders.

"I-I can remember that he let me stay in his room, to keep me safe. And I think I might have teased him."

"It was more than that," Cole muttered. "But, it wasn't your doing. You were out of it!"

"Was this something to do with him, with Loki?" Kai queried, keeping his distance from the bed."

"Obviously," Cole muttered, sarcastically. "Who else?"

Nya didn't outwardly reply to Kai. Her brown eyes were set on Cole and him alone. "Before all this happened. I can remember being angry with you. When you broke up with me, I was...well, I was angry. But, I had no issues with Jay. I'd only wanted to apologise for the whole thing, but when I came through the portal, Loki was waiting for me, it was as if he knew I'd be coming."

"Don't look at me," Cole mumbled. "It wasn't my doing, I didn't tell him."

"Can you remember what happened after that?" Kai asked, walking to her chair and sitting down. "We only knew about your possible capture when he accosted us in the motel."

"Loki used his sceptre on me, but before he did, I remembered being teased and being told to break him. I mean, well, I know that he..." She paused, biting her lip. "He assaulted me in his bedroom. I just... I'm sorry, I cant..." She turned away. Wishing she could remember something when all she could hear was him laughing. And then their joined soft moans as he fucked her, so much better than Jay ever had until just now, better than Cole, any mortal man.

A God had ruined her.

And she was still alive to tell the tale.

* * *

Kai leaned forward on his chair and balled his hands into a fist, he stared out of the window, rage was beginning to replace his normally calmer appearance. He could hear her mumbling to herself, ridding her mind of the torture the God had made her suffer. He sat quietly and waited for her to continue, Cole just stood near the door frame as if glued to the spot.

"My chest was on fire, it felt heavy, my whole body did, until he poured something into my mouth. After that, I felt like I was, powerless!"

"He drugged you?!" Kai growled, fists clenched.

"Really Kai?" Cole interjected. "You think a sorcerer would lower himself to that?"

"He laughed at me I can remember that," Nya said, ignoring her brother and Cole. "When I opened my eyes, something felt different."

"Yeah, because you only had eyes for him." Cole stated.

"Little did I know what he'd done." She wiped her face on her duvet, hiding her shameful lies once again. She had been holding onto this for a few weeks and now she had shared the burden.

Nya hadn't even told Jay but she knew that he had likely been told by Loki in a cruel attempt to break him further. Loki had assaulted her, made her stronger so that he could carry on using her.

Initially, she wanted him and nothing but him because he knew how to satisfy her and he did, exceedingly well. But it had taken this entire four-week break from him to make Nya realise just how dangerous their sexual relations were. She was at risk of being forever alone and unloved. Jay would have been at risk of turning evil without love to bind him, without someone to be the light to his growing darkness.

"I'm so sorry." Cole soothed, getting closer. He was still cautious about touching her, but hen he did she felt clammy, her skin covered in an afterglow that he had seen himself after they'd had sex previously. It was a little awkward unless she had been pleasuring himself? "I-I had no idea Loki had done that, h-he's a monster." I'm s-sorry I just don't know what to say..."

"Nya, are you sure you want to do this thing? Do you still want to go out? Y-you don't have to." Cole asked quietly, a sympathetic smile for his ex-girlfriend. "Are you sure you weren't hallucinating...about J-Jay?"

"No I want to go out," She stated, defiantly. "I need to clear my head and, to be honest, it was good to finally get this out. A problem halved right?" She sniffed, wiping her eyes and taking a deep breath. "Besides Jay visited me...it happened. Whether you and Kai believe me is your problem not mine" Nya said grabbing a throw which she wrapped around her body before walking into her bathroom.

"What do we do? I mean, at least it's out on the open?" Cole said looking at Kai who was standing at the window. "Kai?...you ok bro...KAI!" Cole walked across to his spiky haired master of fire "KAI" he said more firmly trying to get his brothers attention.

Kai span around to face Cole, his eyes had a glint of fire in them, angry red was replacing the normal brown colour "What?" Kai hissed as Cole stumbled backwards. Cole stood to his full height and towered over Kai "I was asking if you were ok" Cole said putting his hand on Kai's shoulder, calming the fire master "also what do we do now? you know Loki will kill you if you attempt anything when we go back so get it out of your head now."

"I know...thank you...I am more than capable of handling myself Cole...just sit down...got something to tell you anyway." Kai motioned towards the chairs, he took the closest and Cole sat opposite.

"Cole you wanted to know. I meant to tell you that I'd spoken to Jay. Just with everything about moving in here and getting ready for tonight. I sorta forgot."

"How did you manage to speak to him? I'd been trying for days?"

"I don't know, but he mentioned having to disable the force fields again because they had been increased for his own protection."

"Oh god was he ok?" Cole said, seeming more anxious than usual. "The last time he did that, he took a severe beating. Is he alright?"

"Yeah course he was...well I think he was," Kai skipped around the bush metaphorically because he simply didn't know how Jay was. Instead, he comforted Cole as best he could. "Jay was, y'know, himself, a little jittery and nervous and using inappropriate humour?"

"What happened?" Cole was glued to his seat. "Tell me he's okay."

"Erm well like I said; he disabled the cell containment fields, and uh, barricaded the bathroom door so he could tell me to tell you something." Kai facepalmed, he'd forgotten the fucking message. "Uh, he wanted me to tell you,"

"Tell me what?"

"Uh, something about...oh god what was it? SHIT!" he tried rubbing his temples to no avail. The memory simply wouldn't come.

"I bet it was something really important, no doubt," Cole smirked, shaking his head at Kai's forgetfulness. "We'll find out I guess. Can you at least tell me how he was when you ended the call? Was he hurt?"

Ahh, all these questions he simply couldn't answer because the call was ended abruptly.

"Well...he was doing okay. I think, he knew what he was 's Jay isn't it?" He laughed, nervously. Cole's visage grew darker.

"Kai?"

He shuffled slightly. "Well, y'know that creature, the one we struggled to take down in Vanaheim?" he nodded, trying to jog Cole's memory. "The one that looked like a muscled man with horns? Well, he was there and he grabbed Jay. B-but Jay got him, r-right where it hurts. Uh, then the creature stood up again and sorta hit Jay in the stomach."

Kai grabbed the water. Eyes kept on Cole, though he could see a nervous tic forming in Cole's eyebrow.

"Jay, sorta went d-down. And it was then, when he said something to me to pass on. A message, gahh what did he say dammit?" Gods, he was so infuriated with himself and his lack of sleep. He took a deep breath and tried again. "The last thing I saw was the creature, he was about to hit him. I saw Jay create an energy pulse that he released, but it knocked the signal. I know that before it went down, he wished us a Happy New Year and told us to have one for him."

"But the message?" Cole pressed for thought it could have been important.

An interruption fron the front room...

"Err hey guys it's time our taxi will be here in a few minutes...is Nya ready yet?" Lloyd shouted.

"Yep we're on it," Kai shouted in response. They had to try and make this last night one to remember despite the sombre mood that most of them were living in. They were trying to lighten the situation in preparation for what would be their last night with Nya, Skylor and Seliel.

He jumped into action first and pulled Cole up to standing. Before striding to the bathroom and rapping on the door. "Come on Nya, let's go already. Taxi's gonna be here soon?"

A few minutes later and Nya had walked through. She'd decided against wearing a dress, opting to wear dark blue jeans and warm sheepskin boots with a comfy cowl neck jumper. She'd even made an effort to cover her puffy tear soaked eyes with make up and was further covered in a literal scattering of sparkles.

As they made their way to the lobby, Cole wasn't shocked to see his team not being dressed to the nines. Not surprising really, it was too cold for suits and dresses. Most of the men were wearing jeans and jumpers, hoodies or windbreakers.

A good twenty minutes later the taxi had travelled three blocks away and in that time it had almost collided with a snow plough and another car. Kai paid for the taxi fare and all the convened individuals got out to walk into the nightclub.

The doors opened to reveal a party scene. Balloons were everywhere, some in a net above the dancefloor. A buffet with fresh food, a fully stocked bar complete with bartender and some good banging tunes being blasted out. Cole instantly noticed the count down clock and ball drop. "Yes nailed it...our own NYE party awesome. This ones for you Jay, gonna celebrate it in your honour."

"Well done Cole, this looks great dude" Kai congratulated his black haired ninja brothers "Oh hey Seliel...Skylor you made it babe" Kai rushed off to join his girlfriend sweeping her off her feet and planting a kiss on her lips,

"Kai, Mwah." She kissed his cheek whilst they were standing. "I uh bought you something," She said, pulling out a gift box before hauling him towards the seats. Eagerly she next to him when he tore into the gift wrap.

"Oooh an early birthday present...or a parting gift?" Kai said with a mock down turned smile. He grinned, opening it. "Oh wow, th-this is 's amazing." Kai looked over the timepiece. Admiring the jewelled watch, he saw that each hour marking had a ruby red gem stone set into the clock face and one one hour hand was displayed.

"You won't need a battery. It's an automatic movement, I had it customised just for you." She said, showing him the golden face which showed an ornate fire pattern...his own element.

The moment was too sweet to pass up, he kissed Skylor, passionately, not caring that Lloyd was staring. Skylor reciprocated just as eagerly, her hands already wandering over his tight whispered provocative thoughts into his head and he was up and out of the room with her before Lloyd had come back with drinks.

Lloyd walked away from the bar with Zane laughing. It was typical really,this was their last night of freedom and Kai was getting it on...again. At least someone was. Cole was being very respectful of Seliel, they were sharing a dance. "Looks like it's just us two without girls tonight, bummer right!"

"Lloyd, you are still so young. There will be plenty of time for all that."

"I guess, though it doesn't make it any easier when you see that," he said pointing at Seliel, now straddling Cole's hips. Though Cole was in no rush to kiss her. he was drinking a beer.

"Lloyd, where are our brothers? We seem to have been deserted?"

"Ha...yeah we do don't we...well Kai is up to no good with Skylor in the back room, they've locked the door which I should mention is the access door for the men's toilets. Oh and Cole is with Seliel, they're over there."

"You have enjoyed these weeks off?"

"Sort of, I guess." Lloyd shrugged. Guilt biting at him. "T-minus one hour Zane until NYE and then another seven on top of that until we have to head back to Asgard. I'm really going to miss this place, not the food or anything, just the place."

Sipping his beer, he groaned again and ran his hands through his blonde locks. "Even though it's home to all of us, it feels more like a vacation, a resort. I guess that's because we never know when well be coming back." A deep sigh ensued and another sip of beer. "It beats the other places though, I mean, I'd much rather visit here than Valhalla or Vanaheim."

"You can't really comment on Valhalla. We have never been, however from what I have read, it seems to be the most beautiful of all places. Some would say Heaven." Zane said, his hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "Perhaps, for the meantime, we should focus on staying in Asgard. Maybe we will get a chance to come home, sooner than we anticipate."

"Oooh intriguing...That's the positive attitude I like to hear. Anyway, when we get back, we need to see if Jay's okay. He looked pretty bad before we left."

"He did, I can attest to that." Zane nodded. "Cole had been keeping me up to date on his condition. He had recovered of his prior wounds but ended up getting into a fight with fellow inmates."

"Yeah, I heard." Lloyd intoned. Taking a bigger gulp of his beer. "I don't like the way Loki treats him, he'll snap, I'm sure of it. Oh hey Nya, coming to join the lonely table?"

Nya came and sat next to Zane after smiling at Lloyd, she curled up next to him and put her arms around his waist "phew I need to sit for a few minutes, dancing takes it out of you" she says as she looks deep into Zane's eyes "I'm gonna miss you guys I really am...I really appreciate what you've done for me...and what Jay did for me."

"Nya you don't need to thanks us, we did it because it needed to be done...and yeah we'll miss you too but we wont be gone for too long this time." Lloyd added.

"Hey speaking of missing people where is Kai?...haven't seen him for a few hours now." Nya questioned.

"He's over there" Lloyd stated as he saw Kai walk out of the back room with Skylor, both with flushed faces "I'm gonna get some more drinks...bottle of champagne to ring in the new year sound good?"

"Absolutely and bring an extra glass, one for Jay" Nya said, "we'll raise a glass for Jay too, considering this'll be his first new years eve without me and his team"

The DJ immediately quietened the music down to notify everyone that there was less than one minute until New Years day, so he called everyone onto the dance floor. Cole stopped dancing with Seliel and just stood behind her with his hands on her hips watching as the seconds started to tick down there holding onto her "Hey Kai you coming to join us?"

Kai got up and offered his hand to his girlfriend. He wanted to make it up to her after getting her in this state. Leaving her pregnant with his child and disappearing of the face of this realm. He owed it to her.

To himself.

"Skylor, come with me," he said, offering her a free hand whilst the other contained a little gift took it out and got ready. "There's something I wanted to show you."

"Okay?" Skylor smiled. Nodding, she took his offered hand and felt herself being pulled into his embrace.

Nya, Zane and Lloyd all got up and got onto the dance floor, the seconds counting down quickly when everyone began chanting in unison.

"Ten"

"Nine"

"Eight"

"Seven"

"Six"

"Five"

"Four"

"Three"

"Two"

"One"

"Midnight...HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!" the DJ shouted as he put Auld Lang syne onto the disco system, the ball dropped which set off the glitter cannons scattering streamers and glitter over the dance floor. Nya smiled and hugged Zane and Lloyd, she raised her eyebrow at Kai who was kissing Skylor again, feeling a sense of pity for him.

Kai pulled the small gift box up to Skylor's face and opened it, he got down on one knee. "Skylor...I love you so much, would you do me the honour of accepting my marriage proposal. Will you marry me?"

Skylor's eyes lit up, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. "Kai? Y-yes, yes I will," she said, tears finally slipping down her flushed cheeks.

Kai couldn't contain the grin anymore. He placed the delicate ring on her finger and cupped her face in his hands, kissing her so gently. Despite where her mouth had been a few minutes before. "I love you so freaking much. Happy New Year, Skylor."

"Cool a double celebration...congratulations you two" Lloyd said and opened the large bottle of champagne pouring it into two glasses which he promptly handed to Kai and hesitantly to Skylor.

"It's ok Lloyd, it's still early days and I'm not planning on drinking the entire bottle" she said as she took a sip from her champagne flute.

Lloyd passed the other glasses to his brothers and Nya before pouring each one full with sparkling champagne "Here's to the future, lets hope this new year will be better than the last one guys" he said raising his glass "Happy New Year everyone."


	24. Loki's day

Cole got back from the party, earlier than the rest. He'd enjoyed it, being that he'd planned it too. But rather than be disturbed by his parting teammates, he decided to stay at the hotel.

Stripping out of his jeans and boots, he kept his warm t-shirt on. He wasn't in the mood for pj's. He just wanted to flake out, to kick back and relax. But he couldn't. The hour was late, past 2am, he just wasn't particularly tired.

Something was keeping him awake, and he knew partially what it was. It was the impending journey tomorrow, the trip back to Asgard and ultimately. . . _Jay_.

He hadn't realised how much he had missed this place. There were so many memories here. All now at risk or being forever forgotten as immortality sank in. No, he'd never be forgotten, that's for sure, but he and his brothers would eventually be feared because the idea of immortal beings who wielded elemental abilities was a scary prospect. Kai had experienced this same sense of foreboding too, it was something they would have to learn to accept.

Turning the tv on, he watched the other celebrations going on. All that it showed was replays of the fireworks, infact, he could still smell the sulphur wafting in.

Climbing into bed, he pulled the thick feathered duvet over himself and closed his eyes. The thing is, he couldn't clear his mind for that moment because all he was thinking about was a certain female who had bombarded his dreams every other night. Someone who was promised to another. Sigyn. And in those dreams, he did things to her that he would never dare do to a female in this world.

"Ah, for Gods sake, I need to sleep."

His alarm clock read 3am. Closing his eyes, he tried again but this time when he did, he saw Sigyn. The only issue, she wasn't wearing much, at all. Just a bra and panties. A very instant reaction came from his body.

"Is this how you want me to be?" Her voice swam into his thoughts.

His filthy mind was slowly removing her sparse clothes, his hands were doing much worse when the clothes weren't there. His mouth. Gods...His body throbbed again. This dream was unreal, he saw her standing before him, now completely naked with wanton desire. Visibly aroused as he was. Her skin and more precisely the areas he wanted to lavish attention on were very pink.

"Is this how you see me in your dreams?"

His body throbbing, desperation aching in his groin. "N-no...err yes. I-I can't help it...sorry," Cole mumbled, embarrassed at his secret admission. "I do desire you, y-you're beautiful, any man would."

Again, true...

"So you want this body, you desire it? Are you sure, I'm not of this world?"

"I want you..." He mouthed, reaching for her.

"Then do something for me..."

"Anything."

"Make love to me, take me how you do in your dreams. I need to know what it feels like to be loved and longed for..."

"Wha...this is a dream though right?"

"If you want to believe it is. The choice is your's Cole...you seem to want it just as badly."

"Wh-what?" He blushed, eyes squeezed tight, holding onto the hope that this was a dream because he never wanted it to end.

"I can feel it, can see it." She said, touching his long thick shaft. The firm grasp sent sparks to him, he almost came on the spot.

"Nnngh." Hissing with the touch and steady strokes, Cole recomposed himself. "How is it my choice, this is obviously a dream." He grunted, imagining her hand where it remained. His own, over the top of hers, rubbing to gain friction.

"Make love to me."

He shuddered, feeling inexplicably close. "H-how are you here Sigyn...how are you in my dreams?"

"I can travel through realms without the need for Bifrost. I help those who I deem as important. Heimdall cannot see me...and no, Loki cannot sense you. You are completely safe...I'm here because you desire this and I too wish to experience it, with you."

"So, he won't see me doing this then?" Cole said, reaching out and cupping her face. "If it's a dream?"

"No," she replied, lips joining his. "Never." She carried on the kiss, straddling him.

Cole, eyes closed, tested the theory. He pulled her down. "What about this?" He said, removing the bra and caressing her.

Climbing on top, his arousal pushed against her thigh. He took his time, not wanting to rush yet terrified that if he opened his eyes, she wouldn't be there anymore. Damn, this felt too good to be a dream, he could feel her, the wet heat as he thrust a finger.

 _So good..._

He wanted to open his eyes, maybe if he asked, she would blindfold him.

"I can read your mind, I know you want this just as much,let me feel you."

Needing no further prompts, Cole began kissing her everywhere while careful not to mark her skin. He smiled when she arched up off the bed, he could feel with one hand as finger and thumb rubbed her nipple. The other delving, thrusting gently, slick and so intoxicating. This was too good to be a dream, everything felt so real, so right. Her fingers entangled, pulling his face closer against her. It hurt, and since when did dreams hurt?

Groaning along with her, his need was so obscene his hand had to calm down the ache he could feel. He needed to be inside her, to be joined.

 _God, so good, so fucking good._

He was thankful he didn't have performance issues, Cole had never been so nervous in all of his life. Sigyn was a goddess, a mythical person of outstanding beauty, and she wanted his body.

He obliged, not wanting to turn down such an offer.

Cole had never felt so alive, despite his repeated orgasm and their sweat soaked bodies. Sigyn was amazing, everything about her made Cole want more. The third time was a charm. His eyes were closed. Aching at being squeezed shut, he pushed inside her and felt her tense, hissing at the sting. She moaned at the feeling of skin on skin, as they both moved together in time. Her hips meeting his in a frantic battle to get as much friction as she could. Erotic pleasured senses, this was anything beyond Cole's wildest fantasies.

He was close to his earth-shattering climax and Sigyn was too. Running out of energy, Cole picked her up off the bed in one quick movement and pushed her against the main door to the bedroom. Pushing inside her desperately, his erratic thrusts increased until the door was rattling on its hinges. She held the door handle and picture rail when her orgasm hit hard, the pulsing feel of her brought him to a rushed over pleasured end.

His climax was so strong and powerful, charged by lust and desire. Finally, after an earth-shattering orgasm, did he release inside her with a deeply satisfied groan. His hips still thrusting, riding out the overstimulated after-shocks.

"Beautiful, truly beautiful," her words fading out to nothing but a faint whisper.

Cole opened his eyes. He wasn't in his bed, he was standing upright near his door with trails of lovemaking essence dribbling down his leg. "Sleepwalking? Hope that's not a new thing" Cole said to himself as he walked back to the bed. He got in, cringing at the copious wet patches he could feel and tried to find an area that didn't have the cold wet bits.

He fell asleep instantly.

Then, what felt like minutes later, he was rather rudely awoken by his hotel phone ringing loudly. It snapped him from his slumber when he reached across to answer it. "Yeah?" he yawned.

"It's time to go, it's almost mid-morning." Kai hollered down the line.

"WHAT?"

"We need to get out of the city. The Bifrost causes tremendous damage to buildings." Zane stated.

"Urgh, so tired. Why do we need to get out of the city?"

"As well as carpets," Lloyd intoned. "Oh, we've brought your armoured uniform. So, when you're ready, come and meet us in the lobby. Zane's checked you out. All you have to do is post the keycard."

Jumping out of bed. Cole pulled his jeans on followed by socks and boots before taking one last look in the mirror and running one hand through his hair. He grabbed his spare clothing and left the room with all he owned. Quickly and effortlessly hopping into the nearest elevator as he made his way down to the lobby.

The elevator doors opened, revealing a very sombre looking Kai, with Zane consoling and an excited Lloyd holding Cole's clothes.

"Really?" Cole gaped. "You could have put them in a bag or something," he said, snatching them from plain sight as if he were embarrassed by the style. "People are staring, nope scrub that they're staring at you guys."

These amazing fighting robes were a gift from Loki, supposedly for accepting a further shitty gift of immortality that no one had asked for.

"Come on Kai it won't be that bad, we'll try and get Loki off your case so you can come back next week, do ya think you can last a week without her dude?"

"Yeah...I guess I've got no choice in the matter, I'll miss her."

"We all will, Kai." Cole soothed. "We all will. But Jay did this for her and now, we've gotta do this for him."

"Are we all accounted for? Has everyone changed?" Zane held in a groan, looking at Cole. "You need to change, NOW. I have left a note with the hotel to ask Nya to collect your civilian clothing. We cannot risk being seen with these on Asgard, you know how Loki is?" He pointed Cole to the nearest toilet to change.

"Hey, I'm not superman you know," Cole whined. "This room is tiny."

A few minutes later and after a lot of grumbling from Cole, he finally emerged from the toilet fully dressed and armed to the teeth with his menacing looking blades. "Hehe I make this outfit look good!" he said, running his hand through his hair, clearing his sight. "Right, our point of exit should be no more than one block away, there is an abandoned garage parking lot which should be perfectly big enough for the Bifrost."

As soon as the ninja team had arrived at the location, Cole shouted up at the cold blue cloudless sky "Heimdall when you're ready." They were immediately encapsulated by a bright light.

* * *

 **The day of the wedding**

Jay walked into the throne room. The place was buzzing with people walking to and fro carrying varying items including flowers and vases. It looked more like a botanical greenhouse rather than the throne room Jay thought it was probably Sigyn's idea considering the throne room was normally a very masculine room with the one solitary imposing golden chair, she seemed to like the nature just as Frigga the queen of Asgard had previously.

Sigyn was overseeing the wedding preparations everything needed to be perfect for the big day and time was fast approaching. She turned around and saw Jay so she came to talk to him, her handmaidens staying behind her as she spoke.

"Good morning Jay, you slept well I presume?"

"Y-yes sort of...I feel tired," He yawned as if to make a point. "Like I didn't sleep at all."

"Hmm, did you feel different this morning upon your awakening, satiated perhaps?"

"Ermm sort of...look it feels kind of awkward talking to you about this...don't get me wrong I've known you for a while now and I hope we're good enough friends but I just don't feel overly comfortable disclosing my dreams to you...no offence Sigyn"

"None taken. You got my note, I assume? You can talk to me about her, I will not discourage or threaten, nor destroy. I offer an ear of sympathy, for you at this current moment are truly alone are you not?"

"What? I'm sorry!...yeah I had a dream about Nya last night and it felt so real but how could it be right, I mean she's all the way out there and I'm here"

"It happened. You were gentle with her" Sigyn stopped when she realised Jay was blushing. "You should not feel abashed by this. It only pained me to see you both so desperate."

"Thank you...I think, I mean yeah it was nice and all but it was all over so quickly, like literally seconds...kinda embarrassing really...gahh I can't believe I just admitted that!" Jay blushed, looking away.

"The time difference makes it feel like that. You were with her for almost two hours."

Jay gulped "haaa ooookay..." he stammered.

 _Two hours?!_

"I need to prepare myself. Please do not be embarrassed about what you experienced, you both enjoyed it, so take heart from that." Sigyn said, turning to make her journey out to her quarters.

Jay watched her walk away, he too walked off with his hands behind his back not knowing what to do. The thing is, there really was nothing to do, everything had been done and everything else was being sorted by the Palace staff. The flowers were all in place, the food was being cooked, some of it already out along with the drink. The carpet laid, the floors swept, the drapes pressed, the chairs placed.

He looked out of the window at the sunrise and felt the warmth of the rays on his face. Today looked to be the perfect day for a wedding, he looked sideways at the grand buffet, he needed a drink because for some reason he couldn't focus...tiredness was clouding his vision.

Jay approached the drinks table and poured himself a large glass of wine, he drank it slowly and sat down taking in his surroundings. Never really having had many opportunities to fully admire this room, considering Loki was always in it. But yet here he was, sitting at the back, watching everyone go about their daily duties. Jay was the only member of the wedding party who was actually ready. So, finishing his drink, he was just about to pour himself another when a maid servant requested his attention.

"My Prince, your presence is required in the Kings' quarters." She said, curtseying as she spoke.

"Thank you...right away?"

"Yes my Prince, he was insistent."

Jay put his empty goblet down and the jug of wine and made the short journey back to Loki's room. Muttering to himself the entire time. He knocked on Loki's door but there was no answer so he walked in expecting to see the vengeful God getting ready for his big day, but his robes were still hanging up, looking immaculate.

"My Lord, you wanted me? Ahem, its Jay" Jay corrected, realising he hadn't introduced himself.

Loki was nowhere to be seen, he wasn't in the room nor the bathroom.

Jay stood in the room for what felt like an eternity before intrigue got the better of him and he walked to one of Loki's vast book shelves. Gently, he stroked his fingers along each of the book spines before he came to rest on a bottle of green liquid. His head cocked to one side with his eyebrows raised. "Hmm potions..." he grinned.

"I wonder if this is the same stuff he used on me and the others?" He questioned. Eyes scanning the rest of the shelves. Eyes falling upon an ornately decorative bottle filled with a shimmering golden liquid.

"Ooh, pretty!" He dared not to take any of the bottles for fear of Loki finding out, but he counted how many bottles there were. Ten in total, all different colours and all probably made by the hands of Loki and quite possibly Queen Frigga.

He found some empty vials and, in a bad twist of fate, he decided to take the smallest sample from each, two drops and no more. He carefully unstoppered each one and used a glass tip to take two small drops. Being careful to not spill any, he carefully put the cork back into place and on the shelves where they were placed before.

The small vials were placed in his empty dagger pouch, and he knew exactly who could study them. Zane would do it, he'd be able to study these surely? Cautiously, he looked around again, still no signs of Loki so he carefully exited the large room to head downstairs to Zane's sleeping quarters.

Jay opened the doors to Zane's room, his inventions were still whizzing, popping and ticking. He had a small science laboratory set up at the far end of his room complete with his own vials and chemicals so Jay walked across, he carefully placed the tiny vials in the test tube holder.

"Dammit there's no regular paper, it's all this damn parchment ...really I gotta use a feather too gahh where's the inkwell...aha found it!" Jay mumbled out loud as he wrote a small letter to Zane.

 ** _Hello Zane,_**

 ** _Don't ask how but I got these samples from Loki's room._**

 ** _All magic potions of some sort...please be careful especially with the gold one._**

 ** _I'm hoping you can understand them better...they might be of use to all of us in the long run._**

 ** _Jay W-G_**

Jay looked around the room, he wondered what time his brothers would be returning, he noted Zane had fresh clothes delivered too, so this obviously meant that his brothers would also be wedding guests too. Jay counted everyone on his fingers 'wow small wedding party' he whispered as he left the room and closed the doors behind him.

He walked back to Loki's room and opened the doors. Sort of nervous to finally see that Loki was dressed in his functional armour, the golden plating seemed to be shining brightly as if it had recently been polished and his helmet was already in place even though Jay thought it too intimidating for a wedding.

"My Lord, you wanted to see me?" Jay panted, a little out of breath, his tiredness rapidly catching up with him.

"I'm glad you're finally here, you took your time?" Loki said, scrutinising. "I wanted to give you one last opportunity before the wedding, you ah, you know what I want?"

Jay gulped.

"What I will ask of you, so for pities sake just tell me where she is?"

"My Lord?"

His green eyes rolled. "Your churlish ways are tiring. No matter, I shall never tire of punishing you for disobeying direct rules from the Aesir. Jay-son, I demand to know where she is, **_where is she_**?"

"You covet something you can no longer have," Jay said calmly. "So why don't you just drop it, you'll never find her anyway."

"Be as it may, it would be worth your while to tell me unless you want some of this," Loki said, grabbing Jay by the throat and hoisting him clean off the floor by a foot. Pushing him gently against the wall using his own body as leverage before pressing his body against Jay's. Provocatively separating his legs with Loki's long slender leg in between.

Jay's face was going red at the pressure being exerted on his neck and the closeness of Loki's warm body against his, Jay's hands flailing desperately at Loki's strong grip. "My Lord, I c-cant, can't breathe," he choked out.

Loki smiled, relishing in the smell of fear. The jolt of arousal. "I actually enjoyed our one night together Jay, I know you did too. I enjoyed it so much, I was actually reluctant to turn you back."

"C-can't breathe, pl-please..."

"Do not worry though, _my pet_... I will be gentle with you tonight," he sniffed against Jay's neck. His effeminate scent was enticing, even as a male and Loki couldn't resist nibbling his earlobe. Jay was fighting back in embarrassment.

"Yet even now you protest, you marry this desire too, do you not?" Loki was so close to changing her aspect, if only to ravage her before the ceremony. But he wanted to wait, that would be later, and he was going to enjoy that much more. "I can feel it, inside. You want this almost as much as I do." His free hand began fondling. He smirked when Jay's eyes rolled back with the lack of oxygen. "Yes, you remember don't you? I was gentle with you. Believe me, I don't want to hurt you in this way. but you bring this on yourself for disobeying me last week."

"You won't find her. Y-you can't touch her anymore," Jay whispered, attempting to conserve his oxygen-deprived brain.

"I am disappointed. I thought you would accept the easy way, but needs must. Alas, your reluctance to forgo the truth means you, tonight you'll be mine, instead of her." Loki whispered into Jay's ear, he still had a firm grip on Jay's neck. The ninja of dark lightning was seeing stars and his body reacted as he tapped into a small part of his element, releasing a shock onto Loki's hand. The God instantly recoiled in pain and dropped Jay to the floor where he was left coughing and spluttering unsure of what was happening.

Hissing with the sting of electricity, Loki growled. "Get up NOW! Help me with this," Loki spat, holding out a jewelled sash.

Jay took it with shaking hands and unclasped it, placing the sash carefully upon one of Loki's shoulders before securing it behind his back. "Is that all, my Lord?" Jay rasped, coughing. Hands held tightly to avoid showing his fear.

"You are, excused," Loki said, pointing to the door. "Wait for me in the throne room, it's almost time."

Jay walked away and closed Loki's bedroom doors. Strolling across the hallway, he got back into his room and bit his lips to avoid flat out crying. Deep breaths, deep calming breaths, he counted to ten. Then, when his bravery came back, he stalked to the mirror and stood, looking pitifully at his neck. As he would have expected, a large bruise marred his throat. Being held up like that had given a visible injury, making it painful for him to swallow and talk.

 _Why do you allow him to do this to you, why?...you're stronger now than you ever were...you've just got to believe it._

He gingerly dabbed his neck with a cold wet cloth. He sighed, looking up trying to hold back the tears.

 _Come_ _on Jay you got this...you gotta be strong for her...for Nya_.

He walked to the table. Eyes scanning for something else to relieve his pain. "I need something for my throat," he cringed at the raspy sound of his voice. "Ahh perfect alcohol." Taking hold of the corked jug of wine, he poured a large amount into his cup, before drinking it down in one and slamming his goblet on the table. "Who does he think he is?" Jay spluttered, drinking one more glass, the pain ebbing away.

* * *

The ninja team had arrived back in Asgard and were making their way to their rooms to get dressed for the celebration, they had expressed a wish to see Jay first but it had not been allowed. Cole had to be restrained by Zane and Lloyd as they thanked the warriors and made their way to their sleeping quarters.

All four ninja brothers got dressed in quick time, they thought that Loki might be a stickler for punctuality. Typically, Cole was the first one ready and the only one who felt a little too overdressed. "I don't like this outfit, it looks...stupid."

"Seriously, you look fine." Kai reasoned, patting Cole on the back.

"Gahh lets just get this over with...Kai? You still have your watch on set on Ninjago time?"

"Yeah dude, of course...every so many hours here is an entire day in Ninjago...honestly the minutes go as fast as seconds here it's scary. Oh and Skylor's next dating scan will be soon like three Asgardian days...but I'm not waiting that long to see her" that comment earned a smirk from Cole.

"Fine then you'll need to think of a good enough reason to get Loki of your back, so you can get back in the sack with her then" Cole teased.

"Hey looking good" Lloyd chirped as he looked at his own outfit which he believed looked much better "Hey I look like a blonde Loki...all I'd have to do is slick my hair back and I'd be his doppelganger."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, Lloyd. Come on then, let's get this done. Hopefully, Jay will be there too," Cole said, pulling Lloyd alone with him, Kai and Zane following.

A few minutes later they had arrived in the throne room, the sheer amount of flowers made it look more like a cathedral and the banquet feast was set up in the adjoining room Cole could smell the food wafting in through the closed doors.

"Where's Jay...Heimdall is arriving...ohh looks like he's overseeing it all too." He smirked at the pun. "Overseeing, you get it? Considering it's what he does?" Lloyd whispered, continuing to laugh at his own joke. "Honestly, no one gets my humour around here, no one."

"Here he is, wow he looks very regal...hey Jay over here bro" Kai squeaked. Waving his arms around and catching Jay's attention easily.

"Hey, long time no see," Jay croaked out in a raspy voice. "Good to see ya," he said, giving his bro's their strange secret handshake before sitting next to them. He didn't miss the scowl coming from Loki as he ignored royal protocol.

"Are you ill?" Kai asked shuffling back a little teasing.

"Yeah is it catching?" Lloyd said, making a cross with his fingers in front of his face.

"No, you idiots. I'm not ill, just got a really sore throat, that's all," he said, laughing painfully.

"Well it makes a difference I guess, you're a lot quieter," Cole teased, rubbing Jay's hair and earning an electric shock from touching the crown. "Ouch...sheesh your head-gear packs a mean sting?"

"It is connected to his elemental abilities. Like an extension of his capabilities," Zane stated. "I would refrain from touching it if I were you."

"Prior warning next time Zane, I love how you knew but didn't say a word." Cole quirked a brow.

Jay smirked at Cole and Kai before placing his finger over his lips when the doors opened to reveal the bride making her appearance. As expected, he hurried to Loki's side, to stand with his King as his wife to be slowly walked into the room. This was such a sweet ceremony for a cruel man. There was even a harpist playing a gentle tune when she walked on through and over the scattered petals.

Sigyn swept past Cole who sat nearest the aisle. Their gaze caught momentarily and she smiled. A small blush appearing on her face.

He tried not to stare, but she looked so beautiful. Her long tresses had been swept up into a rose-shaped bun with tendrils of long dark brown hair framing her face. The same long dark hair that Cole had grasped hold of as he pounded into her from behind. The very same hair that tickled his chest when she rode him hard. His body throbbed again and he crossed his legs in response.

Jay frowned at the reaction between the two. Biting his tongue again. He'd already let Cole know his feelings on this. Because if Cole carried on like this, it would only lead to trouble.

His eyes went back to Sigyn as she approached.

She wore the most demure gown. A long slim ivory thing that showed off her feminine curves with a low sweeping back. The dress she wore was decorated with golden threaded embroidery and adorned with diamonds and emeralds. She wore no veil, only an intricate tiara with the same green stones that signified Loki's favourite colour.

The smell though...Sigyn's perfumed scent reminded Cole of something recent something erotic...cinnamon and vanilla, he shook his head he couldn't think of that now she was getting married, his dirty thoughts of a naked Sigyn would need to stay hidden.

"Don't hide them from me Cole" she winked, seeing his cheeks flush, feeling somewhat abashed.

"Please be seated," Heimdall spoke, his voice carried across the large room, adjusting his gentle tone, he carried on. "Ale I bring thee, thou honey oak matured mead-of-battle. With strength blended and brightest honour; 'Tis mized with magic and mighty songs from our glorious realm of Asgard the home of the Aesir. With goodly spells, wish-speeding runes to join these two people in matrimony before the great King Odin and his dearly missed Queen Frigga."

He paused to take a breath, tasting the mead. "This day is Friday, Frigga's day for she is the goddess of fertility, her soul will bless the joining of these two souls in matrimony before the gods of old." He passed Loki and Sigyn two golden crystal chalices and filled them with the alcoholic beverage, he poured equal amounts and motioned them to intertwine their arms, effectively pouring their drinks into each others' mouths.

"Now your vows Sigyn," Heimdall said as he began to bind their joined hands together with gold, green and black silken braids.

"I take you to be my partner in life and my one true love, I will cherish our friendship and I will love you today. I will love you tomorrow and I will love you forever. I will trust you and I will honour you, I will laugh with you and I will cry with you." A small smile graced her face. "What may come I will always be there, as I have given you my hand to hold. So do I give you my immortal life to keep until my soul departs this realm to be reborn again."

Cole smirked. Sigyn had missed the word "faithfully". He stretched his muscular legs out in front of him and rested his hands on his stomach trying to silence the gurgling noises coming from it, much to Kai's amusement. The smell was so enticing he was hoping that the ceremony would be over soon so he could go and eat.

"Your vows Loki?" Heimdall asked, waiting a few seconds for Loki to compose himself.

"I promise to love you Sigyn for all of my days. To protect you, forsaking all others till the end of my immortal reign." he took a breath, staring deep into her eyes, hands held gently in his. "My heart will always beat for you and when we depart our lives here, I will seek you out and love you again."

"Sigyn, I am yours and you are mine from this day till the end of my days."

Heimdall unwound the braids from their hands and passed the celebratory tokens of marriage to Loki. "This braid of knots represents your new lives as one whole; no longer two separates. Now you have a shared bond, brought together by your love for one another in the house of Odin. You may kiss her."

Loki kissed Sigyn gently on the lips and she moaned into him, holding his face gently.

The doors to the great hall were opened and Loki led his wife through the doors to sit at the main table where two thrones had been reserved.

"Come eat, for now we feast on this most glorious of days," Loki motioned the guests.

Cole and his team promptly followed, eager to taste some fine food again. Typically, Cole got to the table first happy to see that there was so much food despite there only being eight people to feed. Greedily, he still loaded his plate with savoury items, a leg of lamb, turkey legs, fresh tasty vegetables roasted with rosemary and sage. He eyed the cakes but decided against them, choosing to save place for them afterwards.

"Where's Jay got to now?" Cole mumbled with a turkey leg in his mouth. "He was here just a second ago?"

"He's getting something to drink...ohh...well actually something stronger by the looks of it..." Kai raised his eyebrow, he was watching Jay down an entire jug of wine prompting him to take urgent action as he stood and rushed over to his troubled brother of lightning. "Jay, you might wanna slow down buddy...ya gonna get drunk."

Jay blood shot eyes shot him a fierce glare. Alcohol was all he could think of. It would be sure to rid his body of what he would be having to endure tonight. His eyes occasionally staring at the sun, lowering slightly bit by bit. "Really, ya think? I-I've put up with so mush shit ovr these last few daysss, I-I think, I deserve th-this."

"Whoa Jay, calm down. Come on, come and sit with us." He motioned. Worriedly glancing at Cole. "Here, have something to eat." Kai looked him over. Concern biting at him. Jay was a wreck, drunken wreck mostly.

"What's with your neck...is that a hand print?"

Jay shrugged off the wandering hands. "Yes s'exactly what it is. A-a handprint," Jay slurred. A raspy voice made all the worse by strong wine. Before Kai could utter another word, Jay collapsed on to the table eyes wide and glazed over. "But it soothes my throat, Mmm, I-I need to sleep so bad, mm so tired."

"Tired, sleepy."

"I'm getting something to eat guys, keep an eye on him. He's had way too much to drink and he's got a bruise on his throat. Zane, can you help with that?"

"Yes of course", Zane swapped seats with Kai, as he got up to get some food from the wedding banquet, Zane undid the collar to Jay's top and slid his hands down onto Jay's throat, he could see a large hand shaped bruise indicating trauma to the wind pipe and voice box ' _hmm a strangulation injury perhaps, marks under the chin means he was lifted up of his feet, the weight of his body resting on his jaw bone._ Zane thought to himself as he racked up the unexplained injuries, "this should help Jay, at least with the bruising." Zane kept his hands on his lightning brothers throat feeling a shudder coming from within his core.

"Oooh, Zane...chill dude hehe...ahh that feels pretty good actually...hic"

Zane frowned at Jay, yes he had too much to drink but the alcohol content was numbing his senses and his pain receptors, but the amount he had drunk was threatening to knock him out cold what with the apparent exhaustion Jay had complained about.

The rest of the morning and the whole afternoon was taken up with feasting and drinking. Speeches were made by Loki, Heimdall and Sigyn all of which were long and poetic in nature.

"Typically Aesir at a guess" Zane said as he noted his brothers who looked entirely stuffed, particularly Cole, whose eyes were drooping because of the sheer amount of food he had eaten. He had made a concerted effort to save place for dessert, he ate it with such vigour he almost choked on it, the taste was divine...all of it but now he was suffering from excessive consumption, he had indigestion "ahh yes the typical signs of over consumption...well I must say Lloyd this was a most splendid wedding as far as Norse mythology goes, we have just experienced a true celestial event and I feel honoured to have witnessed it...this would have only been reserved for the royal family but alas Loki has banished Thor and Odin still sleeps."

"Yeah, it was pretty spectacular...completely different to our wedding celebrations though...not that I've seen that many."

Loki kissed Sigyn goodbye and left the feast room. He was obviously preparing for something, even Heimdall had bid them all goodbye when he went back to his place in the observatory.

"Whoa, he was in a rush?" Kai laughed, seeing Loki walk out of the hall. The master of fire was uncomfortably full, so stretched his legs out in an attempt to burn some calories.

Jay was stirring from a long nap, the speeches he heard had sent him to sleep but he still looked worn out, he stood wearily and approached the banquet table covered in a delightful selection of foods, he grabbed as much as he could, he needed to eat something to soak up some of the alcohol swimming around his body.

The sun was setting in the distance and Jay's stomach lurched for he knew that these next few hours would be unpleasant not just for him but also potentially for his brothers, he hoped Kai had told Cole, and Lloyd otherwise Kai would have to restrain them both for what Loki had planned was nothing short of cruel and evil.

An Einherjar warrior walked into the feast hall. "Your King requires your audience in the arena for a battle royale in celebration of the marriage betwixt Loki and Sigyn."

Hmm _odd, he used Loki's name..._

Jay stood wearily and walked out of the room with his brothers. Belching slightly when he stretched. "Sorry, haa, uh too much of the good stuff."


	25. Battle royale

The ninja, _bar one_ , had all made their way to the arena. They noted, upon arrival that it was almost completely empty, save for Sigyn and her handmaidens, of which she only had three.

Loki, in his _disguise_ or otherwise, was no where to be seen. But there was an odd looking well developed and overly muscled Einherjar warrior in the arena. A well built warrior who was looking for another fighter to show up for this battle royale to begin.

The well developed warrior looked across from his location as a slim but tall Einherjar looked at him from the other end of the arena, having only just walked into the place in confusion. He seemed to be looking down at himself, touching his helmet and face. Seemingly, he was in shock. This fact alone highly amused the stronger looking warrior, who happened to smirk from afar.

The older warrior grinned. "I see you finally made it," came the vitriolic sneer, "-took your time getting here, boy!"

"I uh, got lost haa." The younger warrior stated, looking at the impressive weaponry on display.

"Say, should we give them a good show, hmm?" The older warrior asked.

The young one nodded with apprehension. "Sure, uh...not to the death though?"

He cleared his throat, "Tonight we have a royal treat for you, our finest warriors will face off against each other in a show of strength, in both close combat and swordsmanship, the loser accepting defeat by knockout" the stronger warrior said as he motioned the thinner one into the arena, his eyebrow raised as he welcomed the younger looking male into the inner circle to get into his fighting stance.

"Lets see what're made of pretty boy," he taunted.

The young warrior was visibly irritated at the mockery the older warrior was giving him, he swallowed down his anger and verbally retaliated.

 **"P _retty boy seriously, is that the best you've got?"_**

The young warrior stood in his starting position "bring it on...I'm not scared of you. You think intimidation works for all? You're wrong!" He coughed to clear his throat as he pulled his sword out from the scabbard at his waist, he marvelled at the golden colour of it, the detailed ornate designs running from hilt to tip showed exceptional swordsmith qualities, the design carried on up to the handle and ended in a crystal pommel stone.

"Hmm impressive, bit heavy though." The young warrior mused over the thing he held. "Let's see how well this thing handles then."

Both warriors poised for action until the stronger one made the first move by thrusting his sword directly at the younger warrior aiming for his chest plate, the young one parried as the blade came perilously close to his body whilst he rapidly span into his defensive manoeuvres. The young warrior was exceptional at defending himself but it was apparent that the weapon choice was too cumbersome for him.

* * *

The young one dodged well, he was fast on his feet and apparently quite nimble too from what Cole could see "Hey guys who do ya think's gonna win?"

"I think the bigger one personally, he seems stronger...ha well he did" Lloyd laughed as the bigger warrior fell down with the younger one holding him down underneath him.

"I am rooting for the younger one, he would be good on our team" Zane stated in his robotic voice as he watched in awe "I have not read much on this type of battle strategy so I am not sure how far they will take it...though it would be a waste to kill someone in this manner, all for a show of strength."

"Well I'm cheering on the big guy, there's nothing wrong with brute strength, it can be a tactical advantage" Cole said sitting back with his feet raised in front of him "ya know what would be really good now...some beer and more food" he added as his stomach growled.

"Oh my god, Cole you ate like an hour ago...personally I don't think they have mobile food vendors at these events...might be a good business opportunity though hahaha" Kai giggled as he poked Cole in the ribs.

"Come on guys...focus, this fight will give us an opportunity to recruit some new muscle...we could always use extra warriors" Lloyd said.

* * *

The stronger warrior pushed himself up off the floor knocking the younger warrior off him like a fly, he span around fast and his sword grazed the younger warriors face leaving a fine cut.

"Argh...dammit" the young warrior hissed wiping at his stinging cheek bone with the back of his unarmed hand, before putting both hands back on the hilt of the sword, "what do you know, it feels like a paper cut...damn these are sharp...right think back to your training come on dodge, parry, thrust and turn." but before he had a chance to react he was hit again.

" **Oh your pretty face** " The strong warrior mocked, and then used the handle and pommel of his sword to deliver a blow to the younger one's nose and upper lip, earning a loud pained gasp from the downed warrior. He fell to the floor on his knees cradling his nose and mouth.

"So that's how you want to play it?" The younger warrior spat blood "I swear if I lose any teeth you can pay for my dentistry."

"I think you need to focus or more important things, foolish warrior." The stronger one hissed. "This is no time for being a jester, it won't be tolerated in the arena nor in battle."

* * *

"Whoa, is it a fight to the death or something...that looked painful" Cole stated as he saw blood dribbling down the younger warriors face from his position in the seated area "I can't believe Jay is missing this...mind you he's probably been watching this for months anyway."

"Eurgh I don't know but that move was hideous...that looks like a broken nose and busted lip...gross" Kai mock retched with his fingers.

* * *

The young warrior got up with rage in his eyes and hastily re-sheathed his golden sword in its scabbard. He grabbed his smaller close combat weapons from under his armour, he was now armed with one dagger in each hand "hehe golden...sweet."

He swiped madly at the stronger warrior until his hand made contact with flesh, stopping only when he heard a satisfying shriek from the stronger warrior, signifying a victory in his attack strategy; his blades had cut. The stronger warrior moved away quickly and tried a different tactic, he tucked his small blades away and walked to the weapons rack, grabbing a silver sword. He turned around and smiled at the young warrior and with one swift flick of his wrist the sword became a double ended spear, he smirked when he saw the look of surprise on his younger comrades face.

"Yes this one is deceptively useful...I hear Lady Sif favours this weapon for its tenacity to strike fear into the victims who would be impaled upon either end." He said evilly, slowly approaching the young warrior again.

The young warrior wiped the blood from his nose and mouth and stood in a defensive stance, he had previous experience with spears, he knew they weren't the best for close combat fights, but he still needed to be cautious as this spear had blade sharp edges not just the tip. He kept his trusty daggers in his grip as he hoped to be able to avoid any blows from the offending weapon

The strong warrior got on the offensive and ran at him preparing to stab him where he stood until the younger one somersaulted into the air avoiding the blow completely, this both impressed and annoyed the stronger one.

"Ha what do ya know a spear is similar to a staff but with a pointy bits...yeah gotta remember that one" the young warrior said landing on his feet behind the strong warrior. Noticing that he had barely avoided the sharp edges, his clothing had a fine gash running down the length of leather on one leg.

"Did you like that move huh? Because I've got plenty more."

"This is no time for acrobatics, come and fight like a man." He laughed out loudly, mocking. "Let's see what you've got!"

"Okay" The younger one replied, he raised one of his eyebrows as he stood taking the offensive stance.

He began his attack against the stronger warrior by spinning his body with his arms in a locked position. His body being protected at all costs and the helmet providing protection for his head. He looked into the green eyes of the stronger warrior and smiled as he heard another gasp and saw that one of his blades had cut into the stronger ones face, he ducked to the floor just in time to avoid being impaled on the spear.

"Touche" the young warrior said with a smile " ** _ohh your_ _pwetty face so sorry_** " he teased, and wiped more blood from his nose and mouth, standing up to get back into his fighting stance.

"Close combat fights are so much better...besides the sword is ridiculously heavy and it slows me down" he said as he kept hold of his daggers both poised for attack. The older warrior did the same he threw the spear down and armed his blades again, he seemed to be adept at using them as his attacks made contact with the younger warriors arms, earning a hiss of pain as each blade caused a small cut to appear followed by a trickle of blood. "Argh..that stings."

"It's supposed to hurt...its a fight" the stronger warrior said as he tackled the younger one to the ground, he punched and elbowed him relentlessly until he wheezed in pain. He got back up and turned around to his small audience.

Whilst the young warrior was getting back onto his knees he saw an opportunity to get his stronger opponent down, he performed a reverse swinging leg kick and knocked him to the floor...the young warrior laughed as his stronger opponent landed painfully on his front, face planting in the process. The young warrior took no time in climbing onto the back of his much stronger opponent and when he felt in control of the warrior below him he began pressing his knee painfully into the opponents back with most of his body weight until he started gasping in pain.

The younger one smirked, " ** _ha so you thought this would be a better tactic than to let me fight you as me...so you disguised both of us!_** " Jay hissed as he dug his knee in between Loki's shoulder blades feeling the satisfaction of causing pain to Loki, this feeling was amazing he hadn't even tapped into his power yet...but he felt so strong, he put all of his body weight into Loki's trapezius muscles, feeling the God beneath him squirm in pain "Painful...Loki?...seriously how much longer does this need to go on for?"

"Argghh...w-well until you tire Jay, I think it's p-perfectly fitting...obviously if you want me to t-transform you back into Jay I can oblige but your brothers w-won't be as entertained as they are now... ...b-besides there's always tonight." he said as he looked across to the ninja who were cheering for both of them.

"Enough of this dominating though...that's my job" Loki said as he lifted himself up and Jay fell backwards, he couldn't hold the God down for long but had still persevered.

"Ha, I can go all...night." Jay stood and panted resting his hands on his knees. "Ha hang on a second" he laughed and recomposed himself. "Whew, even sparring with my brothers didn't last this long..." He panted and wiped his nose again.

Jay finally stood, annoyed but focused, "So you want some of this then? You want a fight? Fine you'll get one." He said as he tried to wipe his brow free of sweat but hit his helmet instead with a clang. "haha whoops."

Jay dropped his daggers and performed many martial arts moves against Loki who seemed to be a formidable opponent, he was the first to perform a physical takedown as he grabbed Loki by his lapels and threw him to the floor in a howl of rage, the boom from the impact made the ninja look on in confusion. He jumped onto Loki's prone body and delivered a volley of punches to his face and body.

"Ahh disappointment abounds Jay...it takes more than a few punches to mark me!" He said as he freed one arm and sent Jay flying backwards a few feet in shock. Loki stood and stormed across to Jay his fists clenched, he lifted his foot and kicked Jay across the arena where his body made contact with the stone edge leaving a crack in it's place.

* * *

Cole winced at the impact "God these guys are strong...Kai whats wrong dude" Kai's face had paled significantly as realisation hit him.

"Err this fight just got more interesting, what is going on...these two aren't Einherjar there's no way they can sustain this for so long, I mean what, they've been fighting for an hour already" Cole said looking at Kai confused.

"Oh my god!" Kai's face lost all colour. "I don't think they're warriors Cole, this all sounds so familiar."

Kai bunched his eyebrows together, "I-I think that's, Jay...I mean he's not here is he and neither is Loki yet this is a battle royale or whatever it's called..."

"WHAT?...you're just telling me this now. ...we need to help him" Cole said as he bit his knuckle anxiously willing Jay the strength to fight "hang on which one do you think is Jay?"

"Probably the younger one at a guess" Kai said with uncertainty, shrugging his shoulders and looking to Zane for clarification, "I mean he's fast and by the sounds of it he's taunting him too...even though it doesn't sound like Jay...Zane?"

"I sense it is Jay, the younger one any way, the older one appears to be many millennia old."

"Millennia so like thousands of years?"

"Yes exactly Cole." Zane added holding Cole back. "Many millennia!"

* * *

Jay got up again and smiled , he ran at Loki with his golden sword raised like a katana, he performed some more thrusts but Loki was good with his use of daggers and he used the handle of one to knock into Jay's chest knocking him back skidding on his feet until he stopped.

Jay stood shaking his head as he cast the sword aside, "is that all you've got Loki" he spat through clenched teeth his fingers sparkling as he created a small but powerful ball of plasma.

"No Jay I've got so much more to give" he said as he motioned Jay forwards and back into the circle "we fight until you accept defeat."

"That will never happen" Jay shouted loudly " **NEVER...** **GONNA...HAPPEN!** " each word said with conviction and vitriol, he threw his weapons to the floor in anger and raised his fists.

* * *

"Okay even I heard that...Zane what else are they saying I can hardly hear them" Lloyd replayed back the clip loudly enough so his brothers could hear.

"Loki is taunting Jay basically he wants Jay to accept defeat..."Lloyd states "I just hope Jay can fight back, he looks like he's tiring."

"Well I think we all would be tired after this...except for you Zane, this is brutal but impressive too." Cole said nervously not liking how angry the stronger warrior was getting... _what is Loki trying to do?_ Cole thought.

* * *

"It's because of her isn't it?...you want revenge for her, for Nya. After all I have given you Jay, immortality comes at a price, Your dearly beloved **_Nya_** had a debt to pay which you have now taken as your own and you will pay for as long as it takes" Loki hissed and walked dangerously close to Jay he ducked under the punch that Jay threw at his face and thrust his dagger into Jay's stomach. This attack was met with gasps from the ninja team who had to restrain Cole as he tried to jump into the arena to save whom he assumed to be Jay.

Jay stumbled back and went down to his knees his hands instinctively covering his bleeding wound, his purple blood spilling out over his hands, he winced and carefully stood back up. "Low blow Loki or was it low key? ha see what I did there! play on words haa."

"Ohh, how disappointing. You are weakening...you wish to accept defeat, perchance?" Loki taunted as another blade appeared in his firm relenting grasp.

There was an evil glint in Jay's eyes as he approached Loki despite his injury, he still had energy to fight and he wasn't intending on accepting defeat anytime soon. He got into a strange fighting stance and began moving quicker than Loki could anticipate, his body crackled with purple tendrils of electricity and plasma until he was completely engulfed, his eyes were purple no white sclera visible and his true form was finally revealed, his brothers gasped as soon as they saw who it was.

Jay approached a wide eyed Loki, who looked fearful as his disguise wore off under the scrutiny of Jay's stare, Loki waited until Jay was close enough "your power over me is coming to an end Loki...this element allows me to block your magic...once I focus on revenge and pain it makes me feel stronger." Jays voice crackled with tones of evil whilst the cosmic plasma surged through his body.

"I'm impressed Jay, you seem to be mastering your new skills quite quickly...but you forgot one thing." Loki hissed, his armour plating appearing before everyone's eyes he was completely armed with all of his weapons, Jay had discarded his weapons earlier so was unarmed, leaving Loki an opportunity which he took advantage of. He quickly created an army of astral projections which held Jay back, his arms outstretched as Loki walked up to him and shot him with his sceptre.

Jay was un-moving on the floor and Loki laughed, he turned his back on his fallen foe, "Enjoying the show" he called up to the small crowd. No response was heard except a few hushed whispers "he must have accepted defeat...which means my job here is done." Loki said walking away not realising that Jay was wearily back on his feet and within his spinjitzu tornado making his way towards the unsuspecting Loki.

"Hehe we can both play dirty Loki...you dare to use your sceptre on me again Loki...that is low even for you" he said as his spinjitzu tornado collided with the God, he was enveloped within Jay's powerful martial arts moves, for what felt like minutes yet it was mere seconds. When Jay stopped and the purple mist dissipated Loki was on the floor at his feet his eyes closed and unconscious.

Jay's team mates ran out from their seats in the stands just in time to catch him before he hit the floor. "Jay! oh my god...shit...Jay open your eyes bro...come on" Cole hissed.

"Cole he is exhausted he needs medicinal help...now where in Asgard is that...ahh yes the apothecary." Zane said leading his brothers who all carried Jay. Testosterone and adrenaline surging through the bodies of Cole, Kai and Lloyd as they had watched the whole fight and had seen Jay take a beating at the hands of Loki, he faced off against a God and he was still standing afterwards.

"That was one of the most tiring battles I have ever participated in" Jay whispered as he felt like he was being carried "whe...where are ya taking me?"

"Jay, that fight was awesome we didn't know it was you, but when Kai told us...it got a little scary...we were worried for you dude, all of us." Cole said with a squeeze of Jay's hand "Oh we're taking you to the Apothecary...you're hurt dude and you need treatment."

Lloyd said as he smiled "I'm impressed Jay, you held your own against him...that must have taken some serious strength and determination." he added as he held a piece of cloth over Jay's bleeding stomach.

"Well ya know he wanted to defeat me...in front of all of you...but I don't think he realised how much power this element gives me" Jay said as he wriggled out of his brothers grasps "look I can walk...just tired because of what Sigyn did last night...which was weird too." He grabbed the cloth from Lloyd and held it tightly against his stomach, "Damn...that's gonna hurt tomorrow."

"Whoa what did Sigyn do Jay?" Cole questioned, passing a cloth to Jay for his bleeding nose.

"Err...w-well this is err awkward" Jay said in a muffled voice, all of his brothers were looking at him, "She sort of transported me...well mind and body to Nya yesterday evening ahaha...haha" Jay began to blush, a small smirk appearing on his bloodied face.

"Hang on Nya mentioned someone...no not someone...YOU, you had visited her...it was you? YOU gave her that mark on her neck...oh my god Jay...you could have waited till we were out of the apartment...honestly we thought Lloyd was watching a rude video...but it was you all along." Kai shook his head.

"Hey no fair...I thought it was a dream...I didn't know it was real until I saw this and Sigyn saw me this morning" Jay said reaching inside his pocket and retrieving a parchment letter now stained with his own blood, "well you can still read it" he passed it to Cole, "its still legible."

"Whoa that's both impressive and voyeuristic haha" Cole said as he handed the note back to Kai blushing slightly at the mention of his name on the letter.

* * *

"Right, here we are the apothecary, they should be able to give you something for the wounds, maybe something that you can add to your bath tonight" Zane said as he opened to doors and walked in, the few women inside gasped as the bloodied and beaten prince was laid on one of the beds holding onto his still bleeding stomach.

"Who did this to the prince?"

"Well it wasn't us if that's what you're accusing, we brought him here for treatment" Kai really wanted to say who it was that had injured Jay but he wasn't sure if he would be believed or not so he bit his tongue to stop him from saying anymore.

"Thank you for bringing him here, we will take over his care from here on out. If the prince wishes you to be notified we'll send you a message...you are free to leave."

"My prince the King has requested you drink this." A younger woman said as she provided Jay with three brightly coloured potions.

"What was that you gave him...why would the king give you something for him?" Cole restrained Kai who started to question the apothecary.

"It was merely a pain reliever...now if you please you are free to go" the female said as the motioned towards the door, the ninja walked outside as directed.

"Wow she was kinda rude" Kai huffed "so what now, where should we go?...usually this time of night is disco time for normal weddings and someone always gets drunk hehehe...but it seems like the choice is the banquet hall for more feasting."

"Oooh the Inn would be a good choice" Lloyd offered "ya gotta try the mead, its great Kai...come on guys please."

"Yeah ok, will Jay be ok here" Cole said to Zane.

"I believe so, it's where the warriors come after battle for healing treatments...no you three go to the inn I want to re acquaint myself with my room and books."

"Ok nerd" Kai teased "We'll be back later anyway, comms devices are all still working so if ya need us just press it."

Lloyd and Cole walked off towards the inn and Kai followed, he had never been but he had heard odd things about it.

They arrived a few minutes later and the inn was quiet again, no-one around oddly, no Einherjar warriors it was almost as if they weren't needed anymore.

* * *

"My prince you need to take this too"

"What's in these things, they taste weird!"

"This one is a liquid pain reliever" she said pointing to the brown liquid "and those two that you've just consumed were merely a power binder and a liquid contraceptive."

"A power binder what is that...?and **WHAT!** why do I need a contraceptive...I know the pain reliever speaks for itself but still...what gives?" Jay asked in confusion

"The liquid is to stop you from releasing any eggs."

" **WAIT..WHAT?**...I'm not a chicken why would I release any damned eggs, what the fuck?"

"Language Jay...no you're not a chicken...you're a woman for tonight anyway." The female laughed and morphed into a slightly beaten up Loki. "All three potions you drank will contain your powers for tonight so you can't hurt me and as an added benefit you wont feel pain either which will allow your wounds to heal...oh and you're welcome" He smirked as he pulled Jay up roughly and off the bed, leading him out of the apothecary into the cold dark night.

"I must say I was very impressed with your fighting skills Jay...it takes a lot to impress me...so take it as a compliment. Maybe when we return to earth I won't have to pay those witless oafs to protect me...you seem perfectly capable of doing it solely, well you and your ninja brethren."

Loki continued walking back to the golden palace pulling Jay along harshly, his body transforming into that of a woman before his own eyes, the potions he had been tricked into taking had made him feel drowsy and weak.

"Well the hour is late and Sigyn had been bedded, she is in her own royal bedroom but now you too will be my dear...I must say you look ravishing even with your injuries...it makes you look like a warrior princess hahahaha...mmmm maybe I could just take you here." Loki said pulling a now female Jay with him back to his room.

"I could ruin you like a willing Midgardian whore. You'd love that wouldn't you?"

Jay shook her head furiously, her hands were shackled together with magical charms, she couldn't hit him even if she wanted to.

The poor thing was made to look like a beautiful trophy woman, similar to a princess but without the crown. Loki had been careful not to add any more enchantments this time, he didn't want his female Jay to be taken by anyone else, he wanted the pleasure every night to himself.

Loki opened his bedroom doors and shoved Jay into his room, he stumbled in his feminine form but managed to stay upright as Loki motioned to the bed.

Apprehension on her face as she stared at the giant bed, the biggest things in the room. "My Lord, please I beg you...d-don't do this...Loki please."

"Prince's do not beg, Jay...I don't want to hear it from you although hearing it from your lips makes me more _amorous_ " he said whilst clicking his fingers, Jay instantly felt cold, his clothes completely gone. His female naked form for all to see was arousing the evil god Loki, as he cornered the weak animal on his bed and pinned her down.

"I'll be gentle...just relax...you might enjoy this" Loki said as he dutifully obliged to her shameful wants and needs...

"Fuck, There's no way I'm going to take this lying down..." Jay hissed, feeling her arms being pinned down by the impossibly strong Aesirian prince. "Please, Loki...d-dont!"

It was too late, Loki was already there, he'd gone over the boundaries of a working relationship. Now totally abusing the trust of Jay, not that there was any to begin with. He continued to take her into the night, pushing her harder than he'd done before.

He'd pulled her up backwards, both hands restrained behind her back and continued, despite the excruciating burn in Jay's shoulders at being held up and reliant on the God to hold her there.

"St-stop, please...mmmmph."

The body, her female aspect was betraying her. It was reacting to him alone. Defeat was beginning to set in.

He wasn't overly caring at her language choice nor her cussing. It was apparent that his seidr had its intended results. That his sorcery worked so well against these weaker forms. Because now, Jay was paying the price for betrayal, a small covenant for hiding Nya. But secretly Loki was enjoying this too. The God looked to the ceiling of his bedroom chambers and felt that telltale sign make itself known. He was close, so very close but he wanted to see her face as he came.

Pushing her gently onto her hands and knees he pushed her with ease until she lay on her back. He watched her face with a smug grin as he pushed himself in slowly. She winced and held her breath until he settled back into a fast pace. "Breathe Jay, tell me how good this feels."

Tears were visible, as were the tracks of previously shed ones. Jay was wracked with guilt. Her mind, so conflicted and so utterly destroyed at what she was having to endure. She knew it hadn't been the first time and she had a sinking feeling that it wouldn't be the last either...Loki was too dominant, too strong and far too evil to fight. It could get worse, the longer he or she kept trying to stick up for her brothers.

"This is what betrayal looks like Jay, taking something that doesn't belong to you anyone. Well,

Loki had pulled out of her gently yet with a sick smile on his sweat covered face. "Get some rest, my pet...I'll expect you tomorrow night," he said as he unlocked the magical shackles with a single click of his fingers.

Humiliated and abused, Jay got up and grabbed her feminine clothes with a huff. The female aspect wanted to cry but Jay's stronger psyche wouldn't allow it. she wanted r Leaving the room embarrassed with herself yet oddly satisfied sexually, not that she was ever going to admit that. She hadn't spoken a word since leaving the room because she was too mortified, completely and utterly mortified.

And instant mortification required something equally as strong to quell the burning humiliation she now felt. She ran out of the palace and straight towards the nearest inn for the strongest alcohol possible.

Jay had stopped midway, luckily unseen at this ungodly hour. She realised she was still semi naked save for Loki's stained velvet blanket and the dress she carried. Some positivity lingered, she tried spinning into the clothes rapidly, but her spinjitzu was off. Her power was barely able to sustain the electrical tornado and she stopped abruptly as feelings of dizziness came over her. Instinctively, she put her hands over her mouth and dry heaved, but nothing came of it. Just a lingering headache, likely as a result of whatever potion he'd made her take.

"Whoa what was that?" she felt like she needed to be sick.

Standing and recompsing herself, she gently pulled the dress over her feminine body carefully putting her assets into the correct places. Outwardly cursing at the difficulty of juggling them into place. "Urgh damm these things, do the women here not wear bra's or panties heheh panties," Jay said in his feminine voice, looking in a long length mirror and grimacing when she saw the injuries on her face. "Great...now I understand concealer."

Jay walked casually as she could. She looked like she was waddling slighly, likely attributed to what Loki had subjected her to.

Getting to the inn was easy, she opened the door and slipped in partially unnoticed. She walked over to the bar and asked for the strongest alcohol the inn keeper had which was met with a raised eyebrow. "Sure thing here ya go...don't drink it too fast darlin," the inn keeper said drooling as he eyed the woman before him.

Jay shuddered. "Thanks," she said and walked off with the strong beverage trying to find a seat where she could drink in peace and forget about these last few hours. Jay wasn't in pain at all, her wounds were almost healed, there was a small cut on the bridge of her nose and upper lip. Her skin was tingling all over but she shrugged it off as she knew it was likely one of the potions.

Jay sat back and took a long drink of the huge tankard. Drinking it like a man which attracted some attention from the other patrons in the bar notably Cole and Kai.

Jay got up again and asked for another one claiming that the first wasn't strong enough. The inn keeper passed another one and Jay took it back to her chair.

Kai motioned to Cole. "Dude, watch this girl drink." He pointed at the auburn haired female then trailed his wandering eyes down her form as a typical male. "Seriously, she downed that tankard faster than you!"

Cole and Kai watched her grab the second tankard and watched her as she drank it down until it was almost gone at which point she belched loudly. "Whoa Cole, now that's something ya don't see every day...ya think she's ok?"

"I don't know, we could ask her...actually..." Cole smirked, "-you can ask her," he said, pushing Kai toward the woman in blue.

Stumbling in his semi drunken haze, Kai wobbled upto her with his cheesiest pick up line on the tip of his tongue. "Hey miss, are ya okay...me and my brother were just wondering," he said as he walked around to the front of this woman. Once at the front of her and his eyes had been dragged up to hers, he was instantly speechless. Her face was bruised and cut in areas. It dawned on him that she'd likely been assaulted. "Oh my god, _y-you're hurt?_ "

Jay spat her drink out, coughing and spluttering at seeing Kai in front of her. "I'm fine Kai seriously. Just need something to numb the pain cos jackass in the palace has royally screwed me over, again!" she muttered, miserably and took another unhealthy mouthful. "Asshole."

Kai recoiled, he couldn't remember telling this woman his name and how did she know that type of language...it was unheard of for a woman to speak like that in Asgard. "Uh, j-just stay here a moment."

"Yeah well, I'm not going anywhere else am I?" Jay hissed in a spite filled tone, causing more attention.

"Cole seriously you need to talk to this girl or woman even. She's, well, just come and see for yourself...please," Kai pleaded.

The black haired master of earth had begrudgingly given up his seat, following Kai. "Hi miss, I'm Cole, Kai here tells me you're hurt, do ya need any help...we can..."

Jay had further interrupted Cole's train of thought before he had a chance to finish his diatribe. "Oh great, so ya not gonna take advantage of me then Cole...cos ya know that ship had pretty much sailed?" She looked up at him, there were four of them in her eyes. "Ahh, ya know what? I'm going back to my room, screw you Loki." Jay began to mumble incoherently and she fell off the chair onto the floor in a drunken mess.

Cole caught her before any further damage could be done. He felt deja vu when he looked into her glassy eyed stare, he recognised her from somewhere on earth. "Kai, go and get Lloyd, we're leaving now...back to our room."

* * *

Cole took the liberty of carrying the female, whom he noted was exceptionally light. Placing her gently on his bed, he looked at her face again, there was something oddly familiar about it, other than the injuries which appeared to be improving by the minute.

"Should we see if she's injured anywhere else?..." Lloyd said as he looked at the sleeping woman feeling that same sense of deja vu that Cole did.

"NO...that would be an invasion of privacy," Zane said as he walked into the room where his brothers were located "how much did she drink?"

"Well we saw her drink two large tankards of the strongest alcohol in the inn, even we don't drink that stuff...it's like rocket fuel," Kai stated.

Jay began to stir, his drunkenness wearing off slightly "Hey...where am I...this isn't my room, but this bed is just as comfy as mine, hey guys do ya mind if I strip off, these clothes are really restricting..." Jay said as he started to undress.

Zane was quick to prevent her from removing any of her clothes and persuaded her to refrain from undressing. Jay just looked back in confusion "look, tinman, I'm not comfortable at all, this this dress has a corset attached."

"Whose bed is this anyway mmmm smells earthy...is it Cole's bed hahahaha?" Jay said as he stretched out over it, the ribbons on her tightened corset threatening to split under the pressure of her bruised and fingerprinted bosom.

"Why don't you just take her back to her room, I'm sure she would be more comfortable there," Zane advised.

"Yeah ok tin man, we just thought she'd be safer here considering she was garnering a lot of unwanted attention at the inn...but, yeah ok we'll take her home where ever that is hehehe" Kai laughed "it's not we've got anything better to do is it?" he said as he helped the woman of Cole's bed.

"Ooh thank you Kai...so gentle haha" Jay said, straightening up and pulling the creases out of his dress. "I like this colour...always have...it used to match my eyes but not anymore...so where ya taking me?"

"We're taking you back to your room. I don't suppose you could tell us your name or even where you live?" Cole questioned, his eyebrow raised.

"Well I live in the palace..." She said, "-close to Loki's room, you've been there before right? I'm sure sure ya have...I showed you around."

"Well, that's a good start, and your name would be?" Cole continued to quiz waiting for an answer.

"Really you don't know who I am, come on guys it's me...it's Jay!"


	26. The truth, will out

**I wrote this chapter listening to Emeli Sande 'it hurts' gave me the inspiration for the pain.**

* * *

"Sorry-" Cole recoiled, "-what did you say?"

Jay's face was dazed in a happy sort of way. "Why are you looking at me like that, like I'm a complete stranger!"

He giggled again. "Cole it's me, it-it's Jay haa, ya know, your best friend?"

"B-but you," Cole looked at her, what ever attraction he'd felt had gone in an instant. "You're a w-woman"

"Fairly obvious observation there, boulder brain." Kai stated, cocking his head to the side, looking up and down her profile unashamedly. Who ever this female was she was still good looking, though not quite his type.

"Hahaha, Cole y-you dumb ass...hic."

Cole, now incensed with her annoying attitude, snapped. "ZANE GET OVER HERE NOW!" He hissed, grabbing Zane's arm and nearly pulling it from the socket.

Zane struggled to stay upright, but he did and rather than fighting, he obliged the order.

"Scan her NOW." Cole ordered, his face like thunder. "Is she telling the truth?"

"Whoa, why do ya need to scan me?" Jay pulled away, looking at Cole and his brothers askance.

"I'm n-not hurt as far as I know. Well, I was hurt until I drank a few gross tasting potions...and," Her mind starting coming back to her. A frown now appearing where surprise had been previously. "D-did you just call me a woman?" Jay looked shocked that Cole would even think that.

"For the record, I'm not a woman I'm just me...Jay, look." He pointed downwards to what he assumed was his toned pectorals.

Quickly realising he was the proud owner of a pair of C cups. "Oh-o _h shit_!" He squeaked. Humiliation came crashing down on him when he looked up at his brothers, they were registering the same shock as him.

At that moment, he realised the abject humiliation previously mentioned. The spell hadn't worn off, Loki had done it on purpose.

Swallowing deeply, alcohol, to a certain extent, had lessened his inhibitions so much so, that he completely forgotten about his lust filled evening, that was, until now when it all came back.

In his female form, he was still slightly drunk and he took small solace in the fact that if he got hurt tonight his body would hopefully mask the pain from any blows he was expecting. Jay looked down, he knew Zane was scanning him and there was nothing he could do. He could hear the clock ticking down to the moment of his doom, a future of being forever alone.

 _'Please, Zane I'm begging you. Don't do this.'_

He had never wanted to get out of his brothers stares as much as he did now, he was being scrutinised and scanned and the insults were about to be cast his way as soon as Zane uttered those fateful words...Jay looked at Zane pleadingly wishing he could read his mind and stop what he was about to do.

The fallout of this would mean expulsion from his brothers for ever. He'd never be accepted into his ninja team, if they found out what Loki had made him do.

The seconds ticked and each strike of the second hand rebounded in Jay's head. He tried to keep his thoughts positive, but it was proving difficult, he looked down momentarily to see his tightly corseted dress showing off his breasts and looked at wonderment at his fingers and arms, everything still beautifully feminine and delicate. A nervous sigh escaped his lips, he knew what was about to happen as soon as Zane spoke.

"Cole, it is Jay. At least, a _modified_ version of him. One would say that dark magic is at play here, his entire molecular structure is still intact however he seems to have female hormones which are battling with his male counterparts, thus explaining why he could still speak to you in his own voice, a slightly elevated intonation of it."

Cole's eyes rolled. " ** _I_ _n layman's terms,_** the fuck is going on here?" He boomed, angrily. His voice resonating off every surface.

"It is the female form of Jay, Loki has changed him for his own reasons." Zane stated regrettably, "I have been in front of her for barely three minutes and I can see the injuries myself...all exactly the same as the battle we saw a few hours ago. The bridge of his nose was broken, cut cheek even his scarred right eyebrow." Zane chastised his brothers for not recognising and then sighed as he too had only just made the connection by putting two and two together, a process of elimination carefully utilised by his logical thoughts and parameters, Zane concluded and added, "It is Jay, even his vocal patterns are the same."

"Hang on Zane...I can remember being on earth and seeing someone like this...I mean it's sketchy but I swear it's the same face..." Cole frowned as he tried to remember, seeing images swim into his vision again until the truth hit him like a blow to the gut, "oh my god...it was YOU...in Loki's palace...you tricked me into screwing you...y-you slut."

"What? N-no Cole, I-I didn't do it." Jay recoiled slightly, drawing his feminine knees up to his chest.

"I'm not a slut, Cole why would you... _say that?_ " He mumbled the latter brokenly. Humiliation came crashing down on him, the secret he'd wanted to die with and had managed to hide for so long was now being revealed.

"It is true Cole, there are faint traces of your DNA in Jay's body and another," Zane said looking around for Lloyd with a frown.

" **Oh fuck** , _this is priceless_ , you're all sex hungry whores..." Kai let out an impromptu snide laugh, quickly covering the grin when both brothers glared at him.

Pointing at Kai with a threatening look. Cole's glare was stern and fierce. "Shut the fuck up, _hothead_!"

Cole turned back to his former best friend, finger pointing accusingly. "Y-you seduced me? Took advantage? _**YOU SICK FREAK**_...The fuck is wrong with you?"

The master of earth had clenched his fists so hard that the whites of his knuckles could be seen. The feeling of bile rising in his throat followed soon thereafter, and his hand shot to his mouth to prevent the projectile from erupting.

"I think, I'm gonna be sick," He mumbled. "Y-you stay the fuck away from me." Cole shouted. The master of earth had ran out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

"Is this true, did you do really screw Cole?" Kai queried, trying to maintain a straight face as well as a sense of calm. "Seriously?"

He was beginning to notice how much Jay was blushing, the lack of spoken words. "Jay?"

Kai tried a different tactic. His brother, though now female was trembling and hugging herself, her breathing erratic. "Jay, come on, tell me?"

"I-I can't remember all that well, it was so long ago...But I didn't seduce him, I promise, it-it was him."

"You LIAR, you did it to me too at the motel. I-I knew your face looked familiar," Lloyd's face had paled considerably and he stumbled backwards in realisation. "Oh god, h-how could you, y-you're just as sick as Loki is."

His heartbroken face turned to look at Kai, and for once, the master of fire was speechless. Kai had got nothing to say in response. His tongue had dried up and rolled back so far in his mouth he was only capable of hanging his mouth open in shock.

"We should've listened to you Kai, and never come back," Lloyd stated, his voice cracked. He just wanted to leave, to get out of Jay's sight and so he ran, he ran out of the room to find Cole.

 _I knew it.._. Another crack taking hold of his heart.

"Jay, breathe," Zane soothed, though it wasn't genuine, he was hugely disappointed. "Can you tell us why you did this to our brothers?" The questions were one sided and unsympathetic, laying the blame solely at Jay's feet.

"Whoa, dude, Zane..." Kai protested at the tone and line of questioning, "Innocent until proven guilty remember?"

Jay looked up to Kai's face with a small grateful smile, and the first tear fell. "I-I didn't do it" He mumbled in protest, trying as hard as he could to prove his innocence. His voice barely heard above the shouting coming from outside the room.

Cole had walked back through the doors and glared at Jay, his fists were clenched. "Why did you do it Jay? Why the FUCK did you humiliate me, No both us you humiliated Lloyd too."

He walked closer to the bed. "You know he's still got the mind of a younger child right, that's abuse JAY!" Cole spat, aggressively walking over to Jay.

"It-it _wasn't_ me."

Kai didn't realise Cole was that incensed he would lash out, and as such, he was too slow. From the corner of his eyes, he watched in slow motion horror as the first of Cole's fists flew, hitting Jay perfectly on the temple. The harsh blow sent him sprawling across the mattress.

"Nnnngh," Jay grunted, cradling his face, pushing wearily back up to sitting. His hand shook as he tried to soothe the pain.

" _ **WHOA, COLE** _ what the fuck, man?" Kai hissed, shielding her from further assault. "You hit a woman, what were ya thinkin?"

Kai pulled her to sitting but he noted that she was shaking, holding her head and groaning where the fist had connected. His heart sinking at the sight of her, Cole had made her bleed. There was _no excuse_ for hitting a female, Jay or not.

"It-it wasn't w-wasn't me...not me." Jay was trembling, pulling gradually out of Kai's protective grasp and edging off of the bed. He knew he wasn't safe here, he had to get away.

Cole was about to strike her again until Kai stood up quickly and prevented another uncalled for hit. "Dude stop already, It's Jay, ok, Regardless of how ya feel, he's still our brother," He looked back at her. " _Sister,_ " he corrected.

"Y-you hit a woman...that's _not cool man._ " Kai had been watching the scene unfold before Cole had stormed off. He was the only one with an ounce of reason left because everyone had already made their minds up.

His amber eyes still wandering back to her to check if she was okay, it was hugely evident she was far from it, she was still recovering from the earlier battle and now the brutality of Cole's earth punch.

Jay's eyes widened when he saw Cole looking at him in that way. He saw the hate and the feeling that he wanted to inflict more pain. He flinched again as Cole towered over him with his fist raised. Cole looked ready to strike again until Kai quickly got between them and caught the punch as it spiralled towards the trembling female on the bed.

That single look he got from Cole made him scamper away. Such a deep feeling of animosity and unease made Jay's heart feel like it had shattered. Jay quickly side stepped Kai and ran past Cole as fast as he could.

 _'I'm sorry, I never meant you to find out like...this.'_

This world was crumbling around him so fast he was struggling to grasp on to the ledge anymore. He'd got up and run as fast as he could out of Cole's room, tears streaming down his face. Of course, all he wanted now was complete and utter solitude, and fast, preferably before his whole team could turn on him.

"That's right," Cole sneered. "Run away, back to Loki, **_you little bitch! Maybe_** you'll be happier with him," Cole shouted, " ** _You_** **_Fucking TRAITOR_**!"

Jay cringed, giving one final look at his brothers as he ran out of the palace. Running like his now ' _meaningless_ ' life somehow depended upon it.

"I-I didn't do it...Cole."

 _'I'm sorry.'_

* * *

"Well that could not have gone any worse...I fear this behaviour is a bi-product of being in close proximity with Loki for so long however what we do now is up to us...we can attempt to leave Asgard and return to Ninjago or we can stay here and try to get to the bottom of the problem."

"WHOA, hang on Zane, am I the only one seeing reason here, you all know perfectly well what Loki's capable of. So why the fuck would you think Jay would do this?" Kai was fuming at Zane and Cole's lack of composure and reasoning. "So uh, are one of _you_ gonna go and get him back or should I? Cause, this is a huge heap of shit we could do without."

His amber eyes were burning brightly the more time that elapsed. He waited and it felt like time was standing still. Not _one_ of his two brothers spoke up. And time was now time was against them, each second passing made him angrier, "well someone... ** _ANYONE answer me_**!"

"I will go and speak to Lloyd, You get Jay and we can try and sort out this _mess_." Zane said nonchalantly, seemingly unaware of the implications this fall out would cause.

He didn't need to be told, Kai ran off after Jay.

He spotted him in the distance, a vision in pale blue tafetta. Kai knew that Jay was barefoot running as fast as he could muster. The lightning master had always been the fastest of all of them. Too damned fast because he was so far in the distance, he was running of the remainder of the rainbow bridge until he disappeared out of sight and into the observatory.

Kai tried to catch up as if his life depended on it but his legs were burning with the build up of lactic acid, he'd only made it halfway. He couldn't even muster enough strength to shout, instead he collapsed to his knees, cupped his mouth and yelled with all he had left, " ** _JAY ST-STOP,_** **_please!_** "

* * *

Jay ran as fast as lightning, so typical that he was the fastest of his old team of ninja. The female body although the hips were wider could still run damned fast, even faster with bare feet. But not as fast as his male aspect, Jay knew it was hip structure because his style of running had to be quickly adapted to allow for her new shape. The dress he wore slowed him down further. The corset tugged and restricted his chest, making it impossible to take a good deep breath. He felt like his throat and lungs were burning at the exertion of running without warming up.

The feel of the tears, they stung as they welled and the motion of running had them fall freely down his face. The warmth as the left a wet trail down his face created more. Jay didn't dare look back, he wanted to get away, anywhere was preferable. So, he kept on running down the solid rune covered bridge, secretly wishing he could just teleport there but knew he couldn't.

' _I can't believe Loki...No, I can believe him, but Cole and Lloyd...really you don't believe me, you think I'm to blame too huh?'_

"Why me Loki?" Jay screeched into the night sky, he had almost made it to the large circular observatory.

Cole and his words had cut so deep and there was no coming back from that. Jay now knew that Cole found him disgusting, more likely than not, he hated Jay's guts too and wouldn't think twice about beating the shit out of him. He'd already done it once, without realising.

Getting his breath back, he looked behind himself again, he saw a red dot. Jay knew it was Kai and he knew that he'd been sent to bring him back so he could be interrogated all night. Jay didn't want that anymore. The faces of his two brothers, the look of hate and disbelief etched on their disgusted faces.

Anger spiked from inside, he looked defiantly down the Bifrost, seeing only a red dot and he shouted as loudly as he muster. " ** _I DIDN'T DO IT, didn't abuse anyone. I was the one that was abused."_** He didn't elaborate on any names, his throat was raw, cracked. "It wasn't me."

"But, it's my fault isn't it? Always my fault, I was to blame for this whole shit heap in the first place. Yeah, I touched the damn cube, I was too weak to say no to SHIELD, to Loki and, I-I was too weak to say no to my own brothers."

He shuddered, his eyes growing more hollow and lifeless by the second, a cold chill fell over him. "Guess they've made their plans obvious to me now. Said it themselves." Jay had picked up his speed again, running the last stretch using pain as fuel. "Even Kai thought it at one point, and now Lloyd too."

"Th-they didn't want to come back for me, that's fine... _now I know_." He shook his head, a sharp pain biting at him from inside. "Why bother staying if this is what you all really and truly thought about me? Why come back?" He felt like he was dying inside, the pain was unbearable.

 _'I'm sorry I can't do this anymore..I love you Nya, I did this for you...'_

Jay had made it to the observatory. The one complex building that stood at the end of the rune bridge to Asgard, he looked up into Heimdall's understanding eyes.

As usual, Heimdall was as stoic as ever. He stood at the entrance to the observatory with Hofund in his firm strong grasp. He had obviously seen the whole argument unfold.

Jay shuddered at the thought of Heimdall seeing Loki and him together in his bed earlier in the night. That didn't bear thinking about.

"Let me guess, an enchantment by dark magic?"

Jay said nothing.

"Alas, I am sorry, I am bound by honour to protect Asgard and the Bifrost. I can offer the solitude you seek and no more."

Jay was breathing heavily, his eyes dull and lifeless.

"Where, name a place and it will be done."

"I want to get as far away as I can from here, from them. Somewhere quiet and as quickly as you can." He looked behind himself, the red dot was gaining ground.

Heimdall lifted Hofund and placed it within the central console, the golden chamber began to spin on its axis.

The thought of being anywhere near his accusing brothers at this moment was too much to bear. He saw the hatred and heard the venom in Cole's voice, he was so close to beating him up. "I-I can't stay here..."

Heimdall shook his head slightly, "They will find out the truth in their own time."

' _But for you, it will be too late._ '

He looked down at the young royal, with such sorrow in his golden eyes. He knew what was going to happen. "For now, I will send you. But be careful."

"I will."

"Everything will turn out for the better, we all have a role in fate's grand design. Jay you cannot run from fate, no man can." Heimdall rubbed his shoulder.

Something was going to happen and Jay could feel it. He looked sideways at Heimdall, "I'm running out of time aren't I? I-I can feel it, something inside of me..." Jay stated, uneasily.

Heimdall didn't have enough time to respond. His look told Jay everything he needed to know. A change was inevitable, it was going to happen regardless, this whole evening and subsequent fall out had just sped it up exponentially.

The golden circular structure had soon got up to speed and pulled Jay through it and across the universe. His eyes remained closed as the humiliation caught up with him tenfold. They hated him, he wondered if they ever liked him to begin with?

Jay immediately felt the ground beneath his female feet. It was cold, crisp and white. Snowflakes were falling all around him as he stood in the pale blue dress, but true to Heimdall it wasn't as cold as Jotunheim. Though, in his current attire, the cold was becoming an issue. Jay was bare foot and his feet were tingling as the blood network was being closed off by extreme cold. He bit his lip and shivered. Jay felt horrible, alone and betrayed. He was still in a female form the last time this happened and that time didn't end so well either, this time was exponentially worse, Jay was defenceless, he had no power at all.

* * *

Kai was still running almost as if his life depended on it. _'whew this is why they use horses...this bridge is long'_

He panted, shaking his head in defeat when the observatory started to power up, spinning fast on its axis. As he looked up, his heart sank. There was a massive beam of bright light shining out across the stars as far as the eye could see.

"I-I'm too late, Oh god, Jay..." Kai whispered, brokenly. Sinking to his knees in defeat. "C-come on, get up Kai you still need answers maybe Heimdall can help." He said to himself and got up to walk the rest of the way into the observatory, now powering down.

Heimdall looked forlorn which was odd in itself, he was normally stoic as the guardian of the rainbow bridge and Bifrost but something had moved him to almost tears.

" _You_ are too late." His voice boomed sarcastically.

"Yeah thanks I saw that for myself..." Kai retorted, rolling his eyes. "I don't suppose you could tell me where he's gone or for how long?"

"He has suffered so much humiliation over these past few months I am surprised he's managed to hang onto any of his past humanity. I think tonight may have pushed him to his breaking point."

"Why what happened tonight? I mean other than him disclosing to us that he'd seduced two of our brothers?" Kai didn't like where this was heading.

"There is so much more you don't know, _master of fire_." Heimdall placed the sword by his side, "He was innocent in all of this, Twas the other way around."

That single sentence made Kai's stomach drop to the floor, he was speechless, Jay was telling the truth and a horrid feeling washed over him. The feeling of something being ripped from within.

"Pointless and time consuming to explain it all. I shall simplify it-" Heimdall turned to look at Kai, "He took her place, at the expense of his own mind and body, he took on Nya's immortality debt as his own, he did it for her."

Heimdall took a deep breath, and removed his helmet, "Strangely, for a creature from another world, he is one the most selfless people I have ever known."

"What happened?" Kai asked, sitting down on one of the golden steps.

"Before Loki converged on Midgard a few months past, he cast a powerful enchantment that made Jay irresistible to all men. Of course he had no inkling how potent this was. One of my abilities, I could see it for myself, Jay became vulnerable."

Heimdall was sitting next to the console, looking out to the stars. "Unfortunately, those perilous risks, Jay became a target for a Midgardian organisation known as HYDRA. His strength and resilience, ability to heal and fight with such life limiting injury...makes him a sought out creature. HYDRA are building an army to take him down, even now."

"What, immortality is just that though isn't it, you're immortal right?"

Heimdall shook his head, "Not as you are lead to believe. It can be _reversed_."

He took a deep breath and continued "The enchantment made Lloyd see Jay as a truly beautiful woman, as did Cole. Between them, they took turns in taking advantage and she barely got away without being wounded. The second, was in Loki's Midgardian home, Cole took the female twice, alas the enchantment was too powerful. He left the female aspect of your brother injured. Twas only when Loki returned later that he realised his mistake and even after all that he still used the mind stone again as a punishment."

Kai held his face with both hands, he was speechless. The feeling of guilt became unbearable when Kai realised just how much pain Jay had endured at the hands of Loki all those months ago and still was. "So, he was being controlled and couldn't stop either of them or, Loki?"

"Aye, Seidr is powerful, Loki received tutelage from the Queen."

"Loki's sceptre?" Kai asked, nervously.

"The mind stone, completely takes over, some can fight it, others cannot."

"What am I supposed to do though, you saw it right?"

"Yes, I witnessed the event, it was not pleasant. You cannot do this on your own Kai, _you_ must make them understand." Heimdall stood, taking his place up at the foot of the bridge. "He cannot stay there indefinitely, his powers bound by Loki, Jay is defenceless but, for now, he _is_ safe."

"WHAT? Why can't you send me down to him, he shouldn't be alone, not now."

"I gave him my word, _solitude_. I cannot intervene. I promised him complete privacy so alas I can not disclose his location...Kai it is good to know that you have held onto your own reason, other's can be easily swayed by rumour or self doubt." Heimdall sighed, he felt more than pain coming from Jay, he felt despair and desolation but didn't disclose that.

"Just because I see all doesn't mean I can help all. I can only guide those whose destinies are greater than they realise." He said without divulging anymore, his message although cryptic was precise. He had helped Jay but would not help Kai, at least not unless he had the support of his brothers.

For what was about to happen was fated by the Norns, no matter how painful or drastic, it had to happen. The night had to go ahead, as had been foretold.

* * *

Kai walked back to his room and stood outside, unsure what to do next, he kicked the wall in anger before storming back to Cole's room. He barged in to the room and none to quietly stated that Jay had gone. His brothers stopped talking abruptly all eyes suddenly on Kai.

"Great so we're stuck here Kai, awesome, he's ran off with his tail between his legs...I can't believe we came back to be honest..." Cole hissed with venom still in his voice, Kai winced at the immense hatred Jay was getting for something that was completely out of his control. At that moment he knew how Jay had felt when he had been in that same situation, Jay needed support and strength right now not this.

"I can't believe he'd do that to either of us to be honest Cole...I say we take a vote on it, I for one don't wanna stay here if we don't need to anymore."

"Well I don't want to stay Kai...I mean come on bro it's not like you didn't feel the same." Lloyd interjected.

"What...I can't even believe you guys are talking about this...without gathering all of the information first."

"Calm down Hothead, he was out of line massively...he betrayed us, he violated me and Lloyd."

"Ha don't make me laugh...really? He violated both of you, are you for real, he's a f**king woman... _ **A WOMAN**_...you violated her...you just chose not to remember that part and yeah I found out the TRUTH, Heimdall told me, but ya know since you dead set on the fact that fact that Jay is the one to blame then go ahead and leave...let Loki destroy him once and for all!"

"What ever Kai, the memory I saw was slightly different to that which _you've_ just pictured...he knew exactly what he was doing and tomorrow, I'm going back." Cole stood up and began riffling through his armoire, grabbing his personal possessions and putting them into a makeshift carryall.

"I can't believe you three, you're all being complete asses...You _Zane_ , you know what Loki's is capable of as do you _Cole_...why do think Jay would do this...for cheap thrills nah, I don't think so, it was dark magic. And, now you're talking about abandoning him? All he's ever done is look out for us and what have we done for him huh...nothing...I'm disgusted with you, _all of you._ " Kai shouted and turned around, walking out of the door slamming it as hard as he could muster.

 _'I'm disgusted with myself, we all failed him.'_

He walked back to his own room and pulled the doors open with just as must frustration. Slumping onto his bed, "what am I supposed to do, let them sleep on it, maybe they'll be calmer tomorrow"

Kai turned onto his side and looked at the stars outside knowing that Jay was out there somewhere, alone and desperate. He could almost sense his pain and despair that much was evident from his outward signs before he ran off. He'd never seen that look before, it was complete and utter devastation.

"Oh god Jay, please be ok." Kai wiped away a tear and punched his mattress in anger and resentment. Now he knew how much Jay had suffered, Heimdall had told him so much but how could he tell Cole and Lloyd, how could he get them to believe it was Loki all along.

* * *

Jay was standing in the snow, "Thanks, not too cold I guess!" She said looking up to a starry night sky, the crisp freshly fallen snow under her bare feet drove her on to find shelter for the night as her toes started to tingle. She only had to walk a short distance before she found a large wooden cabin, a light was flickering inside visible from the small window she could see.

Walking up the snow covered steps, she hesitated, her toes were almost numb as the cold weather had started to take effect. Jay tentatively knocked on the door and waited, she became aware that she was shivering and after knocking again with no answer she decided to walk right in.

The cabin was warm and inviting but devoid of humans upon first inspection, and even after walking around the whole place, Jay was mildly surprised that this expansive cabin was completely empty yet every room was lit. She walked back into the main front room where a log fire was burning. Her scarred eye brow raised in suspicion. "It's quite odd don't ya think? A cabin in the middle of nowhere completely stocked with food, fire burning, bed's all made, something to share Heimdall?"

She walked to the big patio doors and opened them widely stepping out in to the cold night air, she leaned over the wooden railings looking at her hands, he was still in his female form. Tears began to make tracks down his feminine face, he let them go freely to ease some of the unbearable pain he felt.

He remembered his best friends face he thought about what he had seen and what was said as it was all so fresh in his mind, _Cole had called him a traitor, he accused him of abusing Lloyd, and then Lloyd's disgusted face and his own accusations and admissions...is that how they really felt all along?, Zane was next, his accusing tone made it seem like he had orchestrated the whole thing...why couldn't they see it wasn't him...it was Loki_.

The pain started to niggle in Jay's chest again like before but instead of it coming on it small slow throbs the pain grew with each breath.

Jay grasped at his chest with a concerted effort. "Oh god, not now!" He wheezed trying to focus on calming himself down.

"Owww that really hurts!" he hissed turning on his bare feet, walking back into the warm cabin. Taking one last look at the warm fire, Jay turned and left the solitude of the warm building.

He ran as far as he could, he couldn't afford to destroy the cabin so he ran until he came to a complete standstill, he couldn't move any further because he had somehow ran into the path of some feeding wolves.

"Oh snap!" He said taking a step backwards but the pain in his chest snapped him out of his thoughts, he quest for survival was being overshadowed by the increasing pain he was feeling...He couldn't run, he was rooted to the spot in agony.

"This is what I feel like metaphorically anyway..." Jay sighed seeing the wolves circling him, their bloodied snouts and steamed breath on the night air sent shivers up his spine, he tried to use his darkened elemental lightning as a weapon to deter them, but nothing happened, "yeah yeah I remember binding potion...ARGHHHH f**k you LOKI and all of you lot too Cole, Lloyd, Zane all of you." Jay hissed as he kicked one of the snapping wolves away from him with a powerful kick to it's side.

"Oww" Jay winced at his feet which were looking decidedly blue against the stark white snow. But he couldn't focus on that right now because he still had eight wolves surrounding him, all snapping and baying for blood.

"Come on then you stupid dogs, you want some of this...you want...ARGHHHHHHHH F**K" the pain was growing in intensity he was glowing purple again "but the binding potion! maybe only works on one element or ARGHHHHH god it hurts...why didn't you believe me Cole...Argh I can't f-focus" the pain snapping him out of his thoughts bringing him to his knees, the change of stance made the wolves close in on him waiting for their chance to strike.

Before the wolves had a chance to sink their teeth into Jay's flesh, he was wrapped in a large ball of cosmic plasma, no electricity or lightning at all; just a pure shield pulsing with life within and death outside, the wolves were all unmoving laying on their sides.

Jay had given up he felt like he'd just died, had the wolves claimed him, was he dead? he couldn't see anything except purple. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes the alcohol had almost completely worn off, he took a deep breathe and moved his hands, he realised he was within a large sphere 'a shield of some sort amazing.'

He smirked as he watched the sphere wobble as he touched it from inside then just as suddenly as the small grin came to his face it disappeared like a switch had just been flicked off, his face turned into an evil grimace 'well that turned out pretty good actually...I don't need anyone...everyone can go to hell" Jay roared loudly and his sphere exploded around him decimating everything in its path.

He stood up and turned away from the horrific scene behind him, away from the blood soaked trees and broken tree stumps where wolves had been laying previously "I'm alone...I can cope with that" he said laughing at the sky as he walked away from the carnage.

* * *

Elsewhere in the universe lay a pleased yet grinning Loki, laying on his bed with a wide grin plastered on his face, his mead filled goblet to hand.

"I think she needs some company!" Loki said as he got up off his bed, he dressed in his usual attire before disguising himself again...a process he was quickly tiring of. He left his sceptre, he didn't need it anymore...not now.

He travelled with an armoured guard down to the rainbow bridge where he accosted Heimdall.

"My King I cannot lie to you, he is on Midgard...the transformation is almost complete...I fear for his safety..."

"That is not your concern Heimdall, your job is to guard the Bifrost, Asgard and the bridge not worry about my my personal possessions."

Loki said as he thrust the sword into the console himself and stood in place as he felt the Bifrost pull him forward into it's beam.

The bright light woke Kai up, he was still wearing his uniform, having been so tired he'd actually forgotten to change, "what now...is it Jay coming back?" Kai said out loud and hopped out of bed, it was still dark but he had to find out if Jay was ok. He quickly penned a note to Zane telling them what Heimdall had said hoping that this would at least sway their thoughts to accept another side to the story. He looked out of his expansive window the Bifrost was still lit indicating a long journey was taking place.

Kai left the note on his bed, grabbed his comms device and pulled open his giant bedroom doors with vigour, the doors creaked at being moved so quickly. He ran out of his room so fast his doors were still swinging wide open, one of them knocking something expensive on the floor making Kai cringe at the resounding crashing noise behind him "oh god I hope that wasn't the mirror" he whispered, as he ran past his brother's bedrooms, where he assumed they were sleeping due to the silence and the fact you could hear a pin drop.

Kai literally hot footed past the sleeping quarters with a solemn shake of his head, he didn't stop until he reached the rainbow bridge. He was expecting a huge sense of relief when the Bifrost beam stopped. He picked up his pace expecting to see Jay or at least a female version of his best friend but the observatory had stopped and no one was coming out of it.

He continued walking down the rainbow bridge because he figured that whoever had just used the Bifrost would be coming back or maybe they were talking to Heimdall in depth. Kai was getting more anxious the closer he got until he spotted a large amount of royal horse guards _'no this is bad._ ' Kai thought thinking that Loki had gone somewhere too maybe even after Jay.

"Little late for a morning stroll Kai," one of the guards said as he approached the master of fire.

"Yeah, you could say that, any idea where Jay is? I mean I just saw the Bifrost being activated"

"The King has gone to visit his prince."

"Was he happy about it, I mean did he look concerned?" Kai questioned.

"Oh hahaha he looked very happy...quite ecstatic actually,"

"Do you know where he's gone...what part of Earth err sorry Midgard?...please"

"I believe he went to Iceland, Thor and Loki have a cabin there which they have used for time away from this realm to understand more about the human civilisations at the bequest of King Odin."

"Cool thanks" Kai stated and walked towards the observatory with a sinking feeling in his stomach, he was determined he would find Jay before the morning sun came up, Jay was innocent after all and he just had to prove it somehow.

Kai pleaded with Heimdall to get him to Midgard, he knew where Jay had been sent and he was adamant that he was sent there too because he was sure that something bad was about to happen. His brothers were about as useful as chocolate teapots but he had no choice they were being stubborn and not accepting another choice to their shared problem. Heimdall agreed to send him but forewarned him to be careful as Loki was with Jay.

Heimdall apologised to Kai before opening the Bifrost again and sending the master of fire through the portal to Iceland. Kai instantly noticed it was cold, he looked around and saw snow which was rapidly melting where the Bifrost had scorched the earth, he was grateful that he had enough clothes on to keep the cold at bay, but he was the master of fire so he was always warmer anyway.

He had walked for a short amount of time and had noticed a multitude of tracks, which looked to resemble paw prints which looked like a dog of some kind so he followed them to a clearing. He wasn't expecting to see carnage though because when his eyes lifted up to where the paw prints ended he retched violently, everything around him was destroyed there was blood everywhere, trees had been uprooted and some were splintered, the dogs which turned out to be wolves didn't even resemble animals anymore they were just bloody messed up carcasses, everything was difficult to distinguish, it was like a scene from a horror movie.

Kai shuddered "what happened here" he stepped back in disgust hoping to find another track at least...then he found another track, a bare foot print "Jay wasn't wearing any shoes...of course...he was still in his female form...god he must be freezing" Kai whispered following the foot prints to a large log cabin deep in the forest.

* * *

Jay walked back to the cabin feeling indifferent, his defences were down no spark would even ignite he could barely protect himself but he still had his shield as protection which could be a hindrance because that too was a powerful weapon in the wrong hands.

He opened the door feeling a huge gust of warm air and an all too familiar smell, he walked across the threshold and took a deep breath in before he even spoke.

"Hello my liege...come to gloat...to mock?" Jay said in a monotonous voice as he sat down.

"No not all...I have come to offer an ear, a sympathetic shoulder to lean on" Loki said handing the female Jay a mug of hot chocolate, he motioned Jay to sit down and hid the small bottle away from sight.

"Please sit with me, I promise I won't bite" Loki put his drink down to the side and smirked "Look Jay I'm sorry...your brothers have chosen to take this path...I tried to stop them but they left...they went back to their own realm. So considering you are so alone and vulnerable now means that I should attempt to keep you company at least until you are strong enough in mind and body.

Unbeknownst to Loki, Kai watching everything from outside the cabin. He looked through the window and saw Jay crying, then being consoled by Loki. "Motherfucker! You caused the whole damn problem." Kai hissed, watched from a distance.

He watched as Loki put something into Jay's drink, hiding his steamy breath as best as he could to avoid Loki knowing he was here and spying. "Gahh, what is it with him and potions. Damn it Loki." Kai whispered, moving closer to hear better.

Now slightly closer, he cupped his ear, frowning in realisation. "Fuck, he's flat out lying to ya Jay. Shitty life choices right there...wh-what is he doing?" Kai panicked, he watched, listening in as Loki fed Jay more lies.

* * *

"Look...y-you caused this chain of events, I-I didn't"

"No Jay, **_you caused this._** You contacted Lloyd after our first night on this miserable planet, and, when you first went behind my back to visit your cherished realm of Ninjago." Loki had grabbed her arm forcefully, yanking her upright to stare into his green eyes. " _Oh, my dear,_ I did my research on that realm. Tis a most intriguing place too."

"No...I... ** _You're blaming_ _me for this_** " Jay said looking down at his overly tight dress, trying his hardest to pull out of Loki's firm grasp. "I'm still a fucking woman and now my brothers, well most of them hate me now and you're telling me it's my fault."

"The sooner you accept it the quicker we can move on, tis after all, holding you back" Loki whispered.

" _I-I am to blame?"_ Jay stuttered, uncertainty painting his expression in confusion. "It was my fault, what no?" He fought something from within. Something dark was winning over his mind, changing his thought processes.

"You were wrong Jay, You need to know that...just admit it and let the guilt out...your brothers left you because of what you did, they despise you and they cast you out."

"No...m-my brothers love me...d-don't they?"

He laughed softly, a certain darkness to it. "No, not any more. You made them hate you...simply put, they left you just as they did when you gave up your life for them" Loki face was expressionless.

Though his stern face softened, "Tis acceptable to cry, Jay. You do not need to maintain this tough exterior for me." He held his arms out, as he sat next to her.

"Just, accept it, accept the blame and the pain will vanish." he soothed, creating a stronger Seidr to cloud Jay's female mind, making it ripe for control.

"I-I accept it, "She mumbled, "I accept it all, the pain I caused, my guilt...I-I give up, I can't do this anymore. I'm a failure and th-they left me because, because they hate me." Her shoulders sagged forwards and her breath heaved, making way for whimpering sobs and uncontrollable tears to take hold.

Loki wrapped his arms around the female. "Well done, Letting go of the bonds that tie you down releases the pain so much easier." He smiled, an evil grin spread across his face. "And now, we just need to finalise it. The soul is still innocent, you need to become truly evil to cut all ties from humanity. Therefore," he said, "Killing a worthless soul goes against all humanity holds dear, so what a fitting end to your pathetic human ties than to end one useless creature, one less to kill eh?"

Jay nodded, wiping her face and nose. "I-I'll do it and then can we rest?...I'm so tired." She mumbled into his shoulder, smelling nothing but leather and mint.

Loki's grin widened further to the extent of a Cheshire Cat grin. "Oh yes we'll rest afterwards, we'll come back to our cabin my dear." He replied as he pulled Jay up of the sofa and into his embrace.

"You are after all my female companion!" He kissed her on the lips, forcing his tongue. Jay reciprocated without any hesitation, only the tears were her reluctance, but Loki moaned into the kiss.

With or without the tears, Jay had just given his mind and body to the God so willingly even though he had endured months of torment at those same hands.

Kai was covering his mouth to hide the steamed breath escaping his lips as he listened in stunned silence to the God who had talked Jay into killing someone for no reason, he had heard him say that his brothers had all left him that was a blatant lie, Kai was still there for him now more than ever...His heart was hammering wildly when he saw that Jay was changing before his eyes, he had just accepted the blame for everything that had gone wrong. _'Oh no what have you done to him...Jay we haven't left you... **I haven't left you** '_ Kai thought as he fought to keep his composure hiding carefully behind a snow covered bush as Loki opened the door.

"Come my dear, let's make this final step, then you will be truly free of them" Loki whispered and Jay followed him blindly. Kai tried to follow but Loki had used his magic ability to shape shift one of his astral projections into a large brown bear which stayed behind to create a diversion much to Kai's horror when he walked straight in to its path.

* * *

"Fuck, that is a big bear!" Kai backtracked as he stood back to see how big the creature was in front of him, the colour leaving his face as the bear made a swipe at him with it's giant paws. Kai leapt back just in time to avoid the lethal blow shouting Heimdall in a desperate bid for assistance verging on survival.

He was safe, he was back in Asgard but Jay was not...he was with the evil manipulative Loki, who was lying to him.

"You cannot do this alone, you need your brothers and you need to make them see the truth. Kai, my eyes see everything and Loki will change him, it is foretold but that isn't what risks his life." Heimdall scolded, pulling Kai up from his knees. "Come back with your brothers, and use the horses next time they're much quicker...Loki's especially."

Kai jumped onto one of the horses and raced back as fast as he could, the grey horse was strangely fast he looked down and couldn't believe his eyes the beast he rode had more than six legs.

"Whoa dude you would certainly attract attention on Ninjago with this amount of legs...how many ya got huh eight wow that's impressive." he said holding tightly on to the reigns. Kai was pleasantly surprised at how smooth the ride was, he had ridden on animals such as horse's and Yak's before but that had always been a bumpy ride but this was smooth in comparison. The horse began to slow as it neared the palace allowing Kai to jump of, he looked at the horse in awe.

"What's your name huh? Hey boy..." Kai said tickling the horse on its chin, he saw a golden plaque attached to the reigns and tried to spell it out in his head.

"Sleipnir, cool name thanks for the ride" he said stroking the horse again before he ran off down the corridor he shared with his brothers. He quickly ran to his room and noticed the door was wide open, he could hear hushed voices as he approached, he recognised the voices at one especially the slightly robotic one of Zane.

He walked around the corner of his room and saw his brothers waiting for him and by the looks of their faces they had also had read his letter...but now of course it was too late. Kai was worn out and just collapsed to his knees the sun rise hitting his room and eventually his tired face.

"I tried Zane...I tried to get him back...there was nothing I could do...Loki got him first" Kai was worn out.

Zane didn't say anything he helped Kai to the bed and just listened to what the elemental master of fire was saying.

"Look I'm not repeating word for word what he said ok...I'm so damned tired and want to sleep...so I suggest you leave me alone ya know like ya all did last night" Kai was visibly irritated by his brothers presence in his room. "In fact guys maybe you should go to see Yggdrasil or something cos maybe she'll give you the answers you're all looking for." Kai hissed at no-one in particular as he looked out of the window "Because this shit just got real and you left me to deal with it...alone."

There wasn't much they could say to make it right without making it worse so they left Kai in his room and took the letter with them walking out of his room, their moods sombre. The amount of alcohol Cole and Lloyd had drunk last night made their tempers fray leading to words which they wished they could take back. But the accusations still stood until they read the letter Kai had written.

The letter had explained much of what Heimdall had said but Kai didn't have enough time to write a lengthy essay he did however have the time to write that Jay was innocent by way of enchantments, Cole and Lloyd should be the ones apologising as they took advantage.

* * *

 **Also re-edited due to errors**


	27. A final piece

Adele - Hello...cos ya know the lyrics sort of helped with this one (hello from the other side)

* * *

 **Back on Earth**

Loki, had successfully led the 'half brainwashed' Jay to a small farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. This place was quite possibly the iciest, windswept part of Iceland to be found, though that in itself was debatable. This country wasn't small per se, but if people lived out in the back of beyond, they were literally cut off from all society.

Just like the cabin had been and the nearest neighbour's homestead, of which they were both standing outside of.

The small house that stood before them was solitary, no outbuildings to speak of, just piles of damp chopped wood under the storm porch. It was perfect, in a sense, because there would be no witnesses and no trails for what needed to be done, for _this part_ of the prophecy anyway.

This person, it would seem, lived like a hermit. Alone, in the coldest of climes and in the middle of nowhere. Desolate, solitary and ignorant of what was going on around him. Existing but not living, surviving without a care of what was happening around his little house.

Loki stood in front of the house in question. A sense of disdain at the state of the place they were about to enter. He lifted his nose but refused to pass judgement, Jay could sense the disgust, she didn't need to ask.

He whispered gently in Jay's ear, feeling her shudder with his warm breath. "There is one here. Prove yourself to me, killing him seals your fate."

Jay sucked in a breath and turned around. Her expression deeply shocked at what she was being asked to do. It shouldn't have come as any surprise really, not when she realised who she kept the company of. It's just,it had been a while since she or rather he had been told to kill so mercilessly, and for what reason. To seal her fate, that sounded ominous in itself, but really what choice did she have?

Her brothers had disowned her this night, One had hit her in a blind rage and had gone in to try again. The others stood by and let it happen, it was only the turncoat, otherwise known as Kai who had stepped in; having seen reason. It was all too late now though, they had made their feelings perfectly clear and it wasn't like Jay had any friends anymore.

Looking up from the frozen floor, despair in her eyes and desolation at being abandoned by her once close-knit team. She nodded slowly. "So he _has_ to die?"

"Yes!" It was s question Loki could answer easily and truthfully. "You see and feel this pain. Even now,it burns you,does it not? Destroying everything from within, leaving you as a shell, a husk, empty, vulnerable and alone."

"I-I can't kill him!"

"Listen to me, everything that hurts will weaken you. You need to let them go, they need to know how much damage they have caused!"

"It's against my training, my..." Jay struggled to find her words, the tears stinging. Those cruel accusations flying around, they hated Jay for keeping the secret and they blamed her for seducing them. She closed her eyes again. It was true, just like Loki had said, she felt nothing but heartbreak and betrayal.

Loki stood and watched, he approached slowly, grasping her forearm. Spinning her gently to face him. "These feelings and emotions will pass, as soon as you cut the ties to your old life. It is all that you need to do."

Loki smiled as a blade materialised within a green mist. It was set atop his open palm, bejewelled and snakelike, feminine almost, in style.

Jay stared at it, the blade was beautiful at first glance, yet it seemed to radiate pure evil.

Remarkably, the blade was shaped like a golden snake with emerald stones for eyes. An incredibly well crafted dagger.

She didn't have long to admire it though. Typically, and as soon as Jay had grasped the weapon, the head of the snake wrapped around her wrist tightly and sank it's fangs into her skin, earning a startled hiss as she recoiled in terror.

Trying, in vain, to drop the blade but being largely unsuccessful, it was wrapped and bound to her, like a spell that had to run its course.

Loki smirked and motioned Jay forwards towards the front door of the farmhouse.

She looked at the God with uncertainty, the blade was firmly in her grasp and she was unable to let go as the sting from the venom traveled up her arm with each beating pulse.

Loki could sense the apprehension. "It's just an extra push, it will help you to complete the task." He paused, deep in thought.

"Think of the venom as a drug. Remember Jay, you don't need anyone else, you must do this alone." He soothed and caressed the skin on her neck with his lips.

Jay simply nodded in acceptance of Loki's orders, "I-I don't need anyone anymore." She said under her breath and opening the front door. "I've gotta do this alone..."

Once she had crossed the threshold, she walked around the lonely farmhouse, taking note of certain things.

No photos were hanging, no pictures just bare walls with faded peeling wallpaper. It was missing something like a woman's touch, Jay didn't sense any love in this humble farmhouse, the occupant was unloved and alone... _so_ _alone_.

She shook her head again, she had to be focused on the task ahead.

Shaking the angry accusing faces from her vision, those same faces of her brothers were slipping into obscurity just like her physical grasp on humanity. But she could feel it, a deep feeling of despair was circling her head the longer she was with Loki.

* * *

At first it was exhilarating being with an all powerful God but that feeling had soon started to wear off when the torture took place of nurture and the full extent of Loki's domineering was revealed. Jay's head was swimming with so much hurt, the months catching up with her in quick succession.

She wished this could have turned out differently maybe she should have told them the truth about what had happened, but the more she thought about it, the more she realised there hadn't been the right time, they had always been so busy training or subduing other realms.

Jay hated keeping the truth from them, from friends, brothers...a dirty secret only she and Loki knew about, the feeling made her sick to her stomach.

What had she done in this female aspect? It was all her fault, his male aspect was too weak and Loki was right, he was always right.

In his normal male physical aspect, he was weak, his love for his brothers was holding him back and he hated himself for it, an insufferable hatred of himself for being so weak.

"Focus Jay...don't let them hold you back...do what is right, join me." Loki hissed into her ear, his cold un-natural breath on Jay's neck made her body shiver with wild anticipation of what was to come later.

Loki watched his protector walk off towards his prey, this was so easy had all these months of fighting and resentment finally worked on him? Loki had finally cracked Jay's stronger psyche, all it needed was the final piece to fall into place...an innocent death and a devastating humiliation to make him see clearly that his brothers didn't care for him at all.

Jay walked around carefully trying not to knock anything over. The room, small and cosy, was overly cluttered with newspapers and magazines ' _a potential fire hazard'_.

She was quiet and stealthy creeping around as she had been taught in her previous days as a ninja because she didn't know if this person was armed and from personal experience bullet wounds would hurt just as much as stab wounds.

She found one door and listened closely, snoring could be heard, coming from within so she cautiously opened the door, praying that the door wouldn't creak or groan.

Jay found the man easily, he was sleeping like most people in the still of the night, curled up in bed alone... _alone...so alone_.

Approaching the bed, she raised the dagger up in the air, hovering as if frozen in mid air.

'What _are you doing? No stop...you're going to kill him, he's innocent!'_

The snake dagger released more venom into Jay's wrist making her wince, she was hovering the dagger precariously above the elderly man beneath, with her own breath held and teary eyes focused and determined.

'W _hat, you can't do this, think please...you'll be cutting all ties to everything, everyone if you do this!_ '

The voice in her head was pleading insistently, taking over her thought processes as she held on tightly to the blade. Her hands were shaking, a small part of her rapidly clouding mind didn't actually want to do this. Jay cringed in pain as the blade released another shot of venom into her wrist.

The venom allowed Jay to see the last memories of his brothers and their true feelings before he was cast out. That was the push he needed, the negative visions of his brothers swam back into his mind.

' _STAY AWAY FROM ME YOU SICK FREAK...you abused Lloyd, he's still a kid what the f**k Jay...what's wrong with you._ '

His mind took over from his body 'Gahh, I DON'T NEED ANYONE ELSE...I don't care anymore,' He shook his head and drove the dagger down into the sleeping man's chest.

The victim's eyes shot open in pain and shock as he looked into the eyes of his attacker into the eyes of Jay. The injured man grabbed Jay by the throat and squeezed tightly as the pain from the embedded blade in his chest was intensely throbbing with each slowing beat of his heart.

The blade was buried up to the hilt and wedged between bone. Jay struggled to free it with one hand. She was using her free hand to grab at the fingers around her throat.

This man was still a fighter even as he lay dying, his stranglehold was powerful and unrelenting on Jay's delicate throat.

She couldn't let go of the blade or pull it out because it felt stuck and oxygen was starting to becoming an issue as the stranglehold was so damned tight.

Jay collapsed to her knees yanking at the blade with all of her strength, her free hand still desperately prying at the old man's withered fingers. She looked at the dagger with her last breath and pulled it with both hands, removing it an angle from the mans chest with a degree of difficulty, her throat straining under the squeeze.

The serpent fangs had overloaded his female system with venom as Jay had fought mentally and physically against the reality of what she was doing, the blade she was holding on to tightly had the same grip on her too, making it impossible to let go.

Typically as soon as the blade was removed from the injured mans' chest he loosened his grip and instinctively covered his chest wound. This single move allowed Jay the time to regain some of her strength and fill her lungs again thus allowing her to drive the blade into the man's beating heart.

' _Why didn't you believe me...I did this for you for all of you GAHH I HATE YOU ALL EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!'_

Jay screamed internally, she was completely silent save for the calm and collected breathing. She watched the man before him take his last breath before the life left his eyes completely leaving a soulless body staring upwards in his bed. Jay closed her eyes taking a deep breath again as the after effects of adrenaline surged through her body, she collapsed to her knees, her hands were shaking.

Loki walked into the room and flicked his fingers the blade disappeared leaving no trace of a weapon but Jay still had the puncture marks visible on her wrists which had turned the said veins a sickly green colour.

* * *

"My liege, I did it f-for you" Jay gasped taking a deep breath in much to the protest of her throat and windpipe. The stench of this man's house filling her senses with disgust, she turned around looking back at the dead body, blood covered the bed and Jay too, Loki of course was clean having watched from the doorway.

"No Jay you did it for yourself...I merely gave you the weapon...the weapon gave you what you needed...it removed all your logical thoughts." Loki stated as he put his hands behind his back.

"What do you say we give this mortal a funeral pyre in his own abode?" Loki looked at Jay's down turned face, it wasn't a question he was going to do it anyway as an added insult to the dead, his house would be worthless just as his life was.

"I believe that will keep the authorities away" Loki smirked, flicking his fingers and creating a small green flame which he flicked onto the bed, the bed was instantly ablaze as was the now dead occupant, the green flames reached up for air and space, claiming everything it came into contact with.

"It's time to leave" Loki said as he pulled Jay back before the whole room was engulfed in flames but Jay just stood and watched the bed and its dead occupant burn, Loki tried to pull his female protector harshly backwards as the timbers began to crumble around him. "Jay, come...this place is old and we need to leave...JAY!" Loki shouted as a timber fell directly in front of him causing him to swiftly remove his hand from Jay's shoulder before the timber could burn him. He was perplexed at what was causing his personal protector to stare fixedly at the dead person before her despite the room was slowly collapsing in on itself. Roof tiles were slipping through the gap in the roof because of the lack of supportive timbers, a row of slate tiles fell precariously close to Jay, missing her by mere millimetres as they hit the floor like guillotine blades.

Jay was transfixed watching the body before him hissing as the fire claimed it as its own, the bones now replaced what was his body, he didn't even resemble a human anymore.

Her gaze and concentration was unwavering as another timber fell directly behind Jay, she appeared to be glued to the spot just staring with glassy eyes. The room, completely ablaze while Jay stood in the middle, staring.

Loki's desperate pleas finally broke through "Jay, we need to go. JAY!" The God reached back into the inferno and grabbed Jay, pulling her to relative safety as the roof crumbled down just seconds later. Jay span quickly, looking at Loki's enchanting green eyes accepting his hand as they swiftly left the house before it completely collapsed.

"Can you tell me what in _Odin's beard_ just happened? I could not get through to you and, how was the heat not burning you?" Loki said as he walked away from the fireball that was engulfing the house in an eerie green glow.

"I don't know...I saw something I can't explain."

"Hmmmm... you did well Jay, it's not easy to do what you have just accomplished, many before have failed and perished in the process."

"How long did it take you my liege?"

"Well that would be gloating I guess...but as you asked, it took me only a few seconds to do it but then you know my back story...lies all my childhood, being stolen from my birth parents that sort of thing...revenge is sweet as is realisation. We're so much better than they are, we're above them, they're like ants in the grand scheme of things."

Loki looked in Jay's forlorn eyes, he was looking at his feminine wrist and the horrid green veins now occupying his skin.

"Ahh yes the serpent blade will keep delivering venom until it over powers your mind, obviously you had a stronger mind than most which took a lot of venom. But I think green looks good on you, mine are still green too" Loki said offering his wrists to Jay to inspect.

"How long ago did you use the blade?" She asked quietly whilst absentmindedly rubbing her bleeding wrist.

"Hmmm, give or take two thousand years or so. Haha, my first innocent soul...it stays with you, the venom...it helps with altering your mind hahaha almost like a mind altering drug...there are side effects of course, the venom might make you a little mad."

Loki sat down on a nearby rock under the shelter of some tall evergreen trees where he opened his arms to welcome her. "Come to me my dear."

Jay walked into his embrace and sat on his lap, their lips locked in a deep sensuous kiss as the house fire burned brightly in front of them, lighting up the sky with a green glow which provided a level of warmth that was comfortable to both, yet warm enough to ignite the fires of lust and desire in one mischievous God.

* * *

Loki had done it, he had succeeded in capturing and changing the one person who could keep him safe from Odin's wrath, they would be unstoppable together but Loki would still have the power to rule over him he was after all still a God. Jay would have no weaknesses at all, not now.

He slowly led the disheveled female back to his cabin and became the gentleman as he opened the door for her to enter. The proximity of Jay's feminine body did things to Loki but he needed to restrain himself. He had to at least treat his protector with more respect now considering he would be fighting at Loki's side for the next 2000 years or more. Fighting against Odin, Thor, Heimdall and potentially the other ninja too. "Please freshen up, take a moment for yourself."

Jay nodded, her blue jewelled dress was stained with blood, not her own. Her hands and neck were covered in the blood of an innocent man. She was painfully quiet and didn't speak a word as she slipped out of the blue dress. Stepping into the glass and metal prison, she turned the water faucet on in the small shower cubicle and sat down on the floor.

The heavy drops of water landed on her head and shoulders, her long hair fell over her chest as she hung her head low. Again she looked pitifully at her wrist again, the green was spreading up to her shoulder yet there was no pain, just a euphoric sense of freedom and a small sense of evil there. There used to be love, honour and trust but not any more, everything was hollow.

She finally stood up, grabbing the nearest shampoo bottle she began to wash her hair. Creating a foamy mess on top of her head. Rinsing it as usual with her eyes closed, next was the soap, she stared cleansing herself. It was only then that she realised she had never washed her female body before, even when she had been turned at Loki's palace because she was so shocked she had literally jumped out of the shower.

She blushed as she cleansed her own altered body as thoroughly as he would if he was a male. Then of course she realised just how sensitive this body was compared to his usual form, gasping loudly when her hand and fingers grazed a provocative area.

She rinsed her face again trying to remove a little of the embarrassing shame following the brief moment of self gratification on his now female body before she switched the shower off. She smiled, catching a glimpse of her flushed face. She looked around and saw a large fluffy green towel and dressing gown hanging from the door which Loki had obviously left for her because they weren't there when Jay got in to the shower.

Jay changed into a large t shirt as that was all that was there. The dress was ruined, leaving her to wear this shirt which wasn't exactly hiding much of her lower body. So, embarrassingly, in an oversived short t shirt, Jay in her female aspect, slowly walked out of the bathroom and straight into the path and wandering eyes of Loki.

* * *

"My liege?"

"Jay you look much better now, I take it you had some fun with the female aspect?" He smirked when he saw Jay blush, noting a distinct lack of clothing, the t shirt belonged to Thor barely covered her because her legs were so long.

"Don't be embarrassed Jay. Come, I'll show you what else it can do." Loki said, leading her away. "No touching!"

"Be gentle?"

"I promise." Loki wasn't going to be as she had requested, he was anything but gentle and after an hour or so, he actually spoke down to her.

"You like this don't you? This aspect has a way of giving just the right amount of satisfaction to its opposite. It bears children and stays strong in times of heartbreak." Loki smirked as he continued showing Jay just what his new female form could endure before it would break.

"Sex sells, on this pitiful planet and many others, Ha Hel, even on Asgard! Women are strong, creatures of desire and they are meant for pleasuring us, nothing else." Loki's thrusts becoming more painful as he spoke down to Jay about how he really didn't care for love despite the fact he only got married mere hours ago.

"Is this what you truly want Jay, do you want to stay in this form for me to use as I wish every night or should I transform you back?"

Jay thought about it, did she have a choice was she allowed to choose? If she became and remained male, he would be the same as Loki and honoured with the same regard and respect yet feared. As a female he wouldn't and he would be used as Loki's plaything until the God got bored then things would likely turn painful, he didn't respect women at all...No Jay had chosen, she wanted to be a man again, for his own reasons.

"Transform me back, please."

"As you wish, when I've finished you have my word" Loki smiled.

* * *

He got up and redressed quickly snapping his fingers allowing the shackles to disappear, Loki left Jay alone in the room to clean up before he went into another bedroom to sleep.

Jay couldn't move, she was exhausted, physically and mentally worn out. Too tired to move on to the bed properly to cover herself.

She was still a woman too, she was at least expecting to have been changed back. But this was Loki, he did what he wanted, screw everyone else. "Oh come on." she hissed as she pulled herself up with difficulty and flopped back onto the bed. She winced with each small movement, her wrists were bleeding, amongst other parts. But she didn't care anymore, nothing mattered anymore. Everything else was worthless to her, everything but him, everything but...Loki.

She snuggled into the covers and closed her eyes, the tears crystallised into nothingness. She would never cry again, never show that weakness.

Her dreams, when she eventually succumbed, were none existent, it was just empty blackness, solitary loneliness with no emotion. Every thing had gone, leaving anger, distrust and betrayal in their wake.

* * *

Jay woke up in the morning, feeling oddly refreshed. The sun was shining through her window and illuminating the room with a warm glow. She wriggled away from it feeling like she had a hangover, her body still protesting at the movements from the events of the night before.

Her arms had been pinned above her head for a few hours at least, which would explain the God awful ache. She winced out loud when she reached up and pulled the nearest pillow over her head to block out the bright light. All she wanted was to get back to sleep but it was no good, noise could be heard outside her room...was Loki cooking breakfast?

She got up and walked out of the room, she had no spare clothes at all and was completely reliant on Loki. "Good morning?"

"I've made you some breakfast...yes that's what they call it down here...I simply call it sustenance," Loki said passing Jay a plate full of protein rich foods, and a hot beverage "You're welcome" Loki smirked as Jay took the offered items and went to sit down.

"Thanks my liege" Jay quickly remembered her manners before asking Loki of his plans "Your plans for today?"

"I am required back in Asgard, we have an army to build and realms to take over" Loki stated "You will stay here my dear...for your safety of course."

"But my liege...would I not be safer with you?" Jay questioned.

Loki turned his head and Jay almost knew the horrid answer before he muttered it. "NO, you will stay here...it's not a request Jay it's an order."

Her face dropped in realisation, there was obviously a reason for this. "Will you be changing me back before you leave, m-my liege? I-I have no clothes and you gave me your word." Jay quizzed with her head down as the God scrutinised her questioning of him. "Please!"

"No Jay, not this day...when I return." Loki said turning his back to Jay, he grabbed his over coat and put it on before walking away and out of the cabin.

He had left her, left her alone, vulnerable and powerless. Her mind destroyed, her morals conflicted, her ideals now skewed beyond belief. Her old life, was now non existent and Loki had done it for purely selfish reasons.

* * *

Jay watched Loki walk away and sat back on the sofa eating her breakfast, a few seconds later a bright light signified the Bifrost was in use and Loki was gone. Jay finished her breakfast and put the television on flicking through the channels until she stopped on a news channel.

Her attention immediately transfixed on the events she saw unfolding, Jay bit her lip as the news reporter was questioning none other that the CEO of Hydra, that wasn't the worrying part, the part that panicked Jay was the fact that Hydra were showing off new serum's they had created, particularly one dubbed elixir of the gods.

"No way...how did they manage that...they'd have to get someone to give samples willingly" Jay questioned before the penny dropped "Oh dear god no...they used my samples and blood whilst I was rotting in that cell."

Jay turned the television up to hear more clearly, focusing on what was being said as the CEO was being interviewed.

"So where will you be testing these super soldiers Mr Pierce sir?"

"We plan on testing them in Iceland, there is wide open space there...no civilians to worry about besides we are a vast company we have offices there."

"When will this be likely to take place and will you be recording it?"

"Of course we'll be recording it, we still need to work out any of the weaknesses and our soldiers are already there scouring out the best area for practice."

"What have the results yielded so far, could they be used for protection from other worldly sources such as the mythical gods that destroyed New York city?"

"The results have outshone our original expectations, and yes we feel our soldiers are more than capable of taking on Asgardians...thank you that is all."

* * *

Jay took a deep breath and turned the television off "Ha I'd like to see them try to take me down...I won't let them take me so easily this time" Jay said and stood up to stretch, she walked to the patio with a large fluffy blanket wrapped around her shoulders and looked out over the snow topped mountains. Taking a deep breath in, she felt nothing, no love, not a care in the world, nothing mattered anymore except staying alive that was high on the list of nothingness and the only thing that mattered.

She looked as far as she could across the skies and saw two distinct black quinjets flying far off. They seemed to be doing some aerial stunts or training of some sort Jay thought until one started flying nearby almost as if it was scanning the area near the cabin.

Soon after the fist quinjet had come close by the cabin the other one arrived, Jay watched in interest as a group of soldiers came out of the small aircraft, the other jet remained in the sky, it looked like it was scanning the area. Jay squinted to see the area where the jet was focusing on,it was an area with a huge amount of destruction around it. Jay gulped and stepped back she recognised the area instantly having lost all mental control there yesterday after suffering the worst emotion a person could endure, humiliation in Asgard surrounding by her so called brothers.

Jay stepped back in to the cabin and closed the blinds, switching off all the lights. He didn't want any unwelcome guests to come knocking so he hid away hoping to be as quiet as possible.

Typically after a few hours there was a knock at the door, Jay thought he could either choose to ignore it or he could get up and answer it both of which could cause a problem. He chose to ignore the continual knocks which seemed be constant and insistent in their manner but Jay in his irritated state remained stock still, breath hitched and held until the silent cabin violently shook with the awful sound of broken wood. It appeared to Jay that the door had been broken open, which gave him a small window of opportunity to hide considering these were soldiers armed with rifles. Jay quickly climbed under the bed avoiding being seen as he saw a handful of soldiers scoping out the cabin for any signs of life.

* * *

"Sir there's signs of life in here, there was news of two occupants here last night but there's only one now."

"Well maybe the other's gone to get more fire wood I don't know...just find them, this cabin needs clearing out."

"Look what ever happened down there leads up to here, there's a couple of tracks in the snow, male and female judging by the prints...this place is buzzing with energy."

Jay looked confused, her anger had caused the devastation they were talking about but she was sure it was only her that walked that way from the site of the explosion. 'Oh great now Loki won't be able to get back with this lot being here, I'm stuck in a female form...it could still work though cos they wont recognise me hehehe...maybe Loki will find a way I sure hope he does it soon' Jay thought as she gave herself up freely walking up to the soldier with his back to her.

The soldier whipped his head around so quickly and instinctively pistol whipped the person behind him in an act of self preservation before realising it was a woman now laying haphazardly at his feet bleeding from a small wound.

"What the f**k man, why did you hit a woman?" the soldier quizzed angrily as he eyed the unconscious woman at his feet.

"I didn't know it was a woman, she crept up behind me...sorry" he said in response as he turned around to look at her.

"Well you can help carry her out then, this cabin needs to be cleared now."

"Where's the rendezvous point Sir, should we bring her there?" the soldier spoke into his electronic device.

"No bring her to the offices, maybe she knows about the reported disturbances last night or the fire, we can question her then let her go..."

"Got it thanks sir" he said placing his electric device back in his pocket before roughly hauling the semi clothed woman up in his arms "shit she's hardly got any clothes on, go find something for her." he ordered the other soldier to get her something to wear, she was partially naked from the waist down.

"There's nothing here, no suitcase no female clothes at all, well this ripped blue dress is all we can find but it's dirty with what looks like blood."

"Bring it we'll test it at the facility" the soldier stated "and this one too, blood doesn't look right to me...I mean who has purple blood."

"Yeah I know right...there's something weird about her." the soldier replied to his superior.

"She can just wear overall's, unless any of the female staff have any spare jumps suits...unless they want to run some tests on her."

"Cool lets get out of here then...did you check the rest of the cabin for anyone else?"

"Yeah cabin's completely empty except for this girl."

"Right torch it then, Sir said no evidence to be left behind...he owns this part of the mountain anyway and it falls within the containment area."

The soldiers between them, carried Jay out of the cabin whilst the others remained behind to set off explosive charges. Once they were in place and wired up the soldiers exited the building with Jay and got aboard their aircraft, once they were safe and away from the blast zone one soldier pressed the button causing the old wooden cabin to explode into an almighty fireball leaving nothing but the foundations standing, debris raining down into the nearby trees as the quinjet took off in the opposite direction.

* * *

Meanwhile in Asgard Heimdall had seen the scene and had instantly notified his King of the new events, Loki's face became stern, he bit his lip unsure of what to suggest. "My liege, the cabin has been destroyed."

Loki had joined Heimdall's side in an instant, wishing he had the same impressive all seeing sight as the gate keeper did. "By whom? that cabin has been in our hands for centuries." He questioned.

"By Hydra's foot soldiers...they found Jay and took him, I don't think they meant to hurt him but they knocked him out..." Heimdall corrected himself "I mean her."

The words 'Hydra' and 'foot soldiers' made something snap, his blood running colder than usual. He remembered how Jay had been treated by them last time. "You need to send me back, it is an order Heimdall." Loki boomed loudly, worry was visible on his face.

Heimdall was quick to counter, "It would be pointless to attempt a rescue Loki, he is with Hydra at this moment...it would be suicide for you."

"Leaving him down there is suicide too" Loki hissed in response.

Heimdall raised an eyebrow at Loki's rebuff "I thought you were going to reverse the potion's magic...you gave him your word." Heimdall chastised Loki at his foolishness.

"You either need to speak to the ninja or send a team of Einjerjar down there, because the longer he stays with Hydra the more they will find out especially considering they got the dress he was wearing...the one that is covered in blood." Heimdall frowned at Loki before adding "all they would need to do is a simple blood test and he'll be as good as dead."

"I will update you if I see anything else happen, but for now Jay is unconscious and he will probably stay that way for a few hours at least which gives you enough time to try and talk your ninja warriors into helping you."

"But to forewarn you Loki, the Ninja won't be pleased with what you've done nor that Hydra have got him...I suggest taking a good supply of Einherjar with you."


	28. Consequences

A typical day in Asgard, the sun as usual was shining brightly, the blossoms were beginning to bloom on the trees, sprinkling a dash of colour into the golden palace and surrounding ancient buildings but it seemed that the cheerfulness of the new season season was only felt by few.

Heimdall had wondered if Odin would ever wake and if he did would it be too late to prevent another Ragnarok which was likely to happen the longer Loki stayed on the throne.

* * *

Kai had woken up feeling refreshed, he had been asleep most of the day and part of the afternoon. Truth be told Kai was exhausted because the majority of the night before, he had been traversing the rainbow bridge. Traveling between realms as well as being a guest at a long and arduous wedding and a battle royale. He had almost been the unwilling victim of a near miss, courtesy of the bear he walked into the path of.

The day before had been busy not just with travelling but also, it had been heavily emotional. It would have been better to describe it as an emotional roller coaster, there was the hint of sadness at saying goodbye to Skylor, followed by a bit of fun on the rainbow bridge before the wedding and relief at catching up with Jay after his incarceration, a bit of friendly brotherly banter in the banquet hall.

But the whole day soured in the blink of an eye, none more so than when accusations went flying after alcohol consumption. Truths had been finally been revealed, good and bad, well mostly bad. And all at the expense of one, as betrayal and humiliation raised their ugly heads.

The first thing that came to Kai's mind was his brother Jay, he had forgotten to mention what Loki had said to Jay on earth, because he was so incensed with his brothers last night and even this morning when he had got back. They had just left him to pick up the pieces, whilst they moped around feeling hard done to.

He pulled the blanket off and stepped out of bed stretching his arms and legs with a yawn, he kept seeing the horrific image of the decimated forest every time he lost focus and still didn't understand what could have caused the destruction, thinking it was too powerful to be caused by a human.

Kai walked towards his door seeing the remains of his shattered mosaic mirror on the floor "urgh seven years bad luck...great just what I need." He huffed and left his room closing the doors carefully behind him. He listened intently to hear for any obvious noises coming from Cole's room but none could heard despite being able to hear a pin drop. Kai could hear some odd noises across from his position in the hallway so he strolled across to Zane's room as the sound of liquids boiling and bubbling became more apparent...Ahh Zane's still here at least Kai thought as he knocked and opened the doors.

"Zane" Kai didn't feel like being hospitable anymore but felt the need to make his brother aware of his appearance in his room.

"Kai, glad to see you awake brother...you slept well I assume" Zane asked with a hint of remorse.

"Yeah suppose" Kai answered coldly "where's the others...have they gone home?"

"N-no Kai, they're still here." Zane said, largely unaware that Cole and Lloyd had returned and were listening in to the discussion. "They are trying to help find answers."

"Kai, I have read about the great tree but what does it have to do with Jay...we are insignificant in the grand scheme of all things Norse" Zane questioned expecting no logical response from Kai.

Kai shook his head " _Actually_ Zane, _**you're wrong**_...when I was down on earth spying on Loki I heard him tell Jay that we as a team had abandoned him and up until this morning you three had" Kai sighed loudly counting to ten internally to control his temper.

"Look basically he lied to Jay and he fully accepted the blame for every...damn...thing, he blamed himself for breaking us up, for Nya being raped by Loki, for every thing Loki should have be blamed for...I saw Loki break him, it was painful to watch and you all gave me no choice."

"But yeah obviously he's not important is he except apart from being Loki's sworn in protector and a prince ta boot, so ya really think we're still insignificant Zane?"

"Wh-what?" Zane mumbled out amongst the angry tirade coming from Kai.

"Oh and those books you claim to read in depth are referring to events of old, they don't tell the damned future because we're living it right now and as of last night we are all heading towards a great steaming pile of shit called RAGNAROK...you understand me?...no one lives after that event...no one."

"Kai I am sorry I did not mean to question you I was..." Zane tried to talk but was again cut off by Kai.

"Look I don't wanna get into an argument with you, Cole or Lloyd but Jay is probably gonna be a whole lotta evil now, just so ya know what we're up against. Loki said that in order to cut his bonds to humanity he needed to kill an innocent life and that was exactly what Loki took him off to do...I was hot on their trails until I ran into a big hulking brown bear which I think was a trap set by the God of mischief himself...I mean I only just got away from it with my body intact...I didn't want to be eaten by a damned bear I got a fiance and unborn baby to return for but if we don't work together as a team there wont be a Ninjago to return to because we'll all be dead." Kai spat loudly his eyes almost burning with raw emotion.

"Lucky for me that Heimdall was watching my back, he rescued me in the nick of time and bought me back, he was insistent that I spoke to you all first...I mean I tried but you wouldn't listen you had all made your own minds up and such, which leads me to now really" Kai sat down and took another deep breath.

"so what ya doing Zane with all these chemicals?"

"Erm well actually...J-Jay had left me a note written on the day of the wedding and before the fight at a guess, he left me all these vials" Zane carefully lifted them to show Kai.

"They were all from Loki's room, so they are all magically infused, I am just trying to figure out what each one does and how they can help us in the long run."

"Look I was wrong Kai, I shouldn't have accused Jay, I don't know what came over me, I was incensed at what I saw, the heightened emotions in the room and the unequivocal evidence was all pointing to Jay being the culprit...but after a few hours of further research I realised I was wrong which is when I came to find you."

He stopped tinkering with his chemistry set and looked directly at Kai "I saw your letter, some of it confirmed my suspicions and I knew I needed to speak to Cole and Lloyd separately. It was a difficult conversation as Loki's enchantment was powerful, they had no control over their bodies but ultimately their strength as men had over powered the will of Jay even as a female. Although I do not understand why he erm sorry, I mean, she. Why she did not use her elemental abilities to protect herself."

"Oh I don't know Zane maybe it's because Jay didn't want to kill his brothers...you saw how powerful his spinjitzu tornado was right? and besides up until that point we were't immortal...soo yeah."

"Ahh yes very good point. I had not thought of that."

"So what do we do now guys" Cole walked in looking completely crestfallen at hearing about Jay's demise into the depths of evil because of Loki's lies.

"Oh so you decided to show your face then?" Kai said crossing his arms at his chest "where were you huh? you realise what you've both done right."

"I'm sorry Kai, you said yourself it was a powerful enchantment and we didn't know what we were doing...I err.."

"Cole, you don't need to apologise to me bro...well actually yeah you kinda did...so err thanks but there is only one who needs that apology." Kai said looking at Cole "and he's not here anymore."

Cole was disturbed from his position leaning on the door frame when a large amount of Royal Einherjar warriors came marching past, stopping abruptly outside Zane's door. Loki who was wearing his tiresome disguise as Odin motioned his warriors into the bedroom belonging to the master of ice.

"Whoa, what's going on here?...what is the meaning of this?" Lloyd said standing in front of his team, Cole regained his composure behind Lloyd and Kai stayed in position next to Zane at the far end of the bedroom.

"What do you want?" Lloyd asked again visibly irritated at the lack of answers until he heard the tell tale voice of Loki. Lloyd's eyes narrowed as he watched Loki walk into the room.

"I apologise for this!" he said raising his hands towards his warriors and their unasked for presence in their brothers private room, "and you won't hear me apologise again, however I require your assistance."

"Why should we trust you?...after what you've done..." Lloyd hissed with pain in his eyes, looking into his fierce adversary's eyes. "Where is he...huh?"

"Haha...oh you must be talking about Jay...yes that worked out quite well...she's quite the minx you know once you beat her into submission, but you found that out too didn't you when you took her for yourself, did you enjoy her?" Loki sneered at Lloyd and then Cole "You don't think I would really let Jay out of my sight do you whilst she was on Earth...no no no...I had my soldiers follow her...she's too valuable to me."

"Besides when they reported how you had both treated her I knew I needed to reverse the spell, she suffered many injuries you see...well some of them were inflicted by me but most of them by your strong fearless master of earth over there!" Loki spat narrowing his gaze on Cole. The warriors cleared a path into the room and heavily surrounded the team leaving very little room to fight.

A handful of strong Einherjar warriors grasped Cole by the arms which took him by surprise, "Wh-what are you doing...get off me!" Cole pulled aggressively to no avail as Loki walked up to him.

"Lloyd it seems as though three of your team including yourself have all assaulted Jay since he has been in my care...that's quite impressive considering your supposed bond as brothers...no wonder he loved you so much...and so dearly. Well, up until last night anyway. He seemed to hold you all in such high esteem...yes, it took a lot to break him." Loki stood in front of a restrained Cole who looked apprehensive.

"I'm the only one allowed to inflict any pain on Jay, simply because he belongs to me...but it seems as though your words and insults over the past few hours have done more damage than I could ever hope to achieve myself...so well done, you should all congratulate yourselves on that most mighty of endeavours."

"What did you do to him?...what have you done to Jay" Cole hissed fiercely fighting against his captors "Jay is not your personal property Loki" he struggled under their strong grasp not realising his apparent mistake as a few of the nearest Einherjar warriors exchanged confused glances between one another.

"I did what had to be done...I freed him from you...oh and _his_ _girlfriend_." Loki spat the last part in disgust "I did forewarn him though...about the pathetic feelings of fleeting human love."

" **Why...you sick bastard! you can't do that to him...you can't...he's not yours to control**." cried Cole in an angry emotional state.

Loki grabbed him around his neck and raised him off the floor, " **Yes...he...is** _Cole_ , and whilst you're in my palace you'll call me by the correct title...after all I would hate to hurt someone as handsome as you..."

He gently caressed Cole's face with his free hand and sneered into his ear, looking sideways at Lloyd for maximum threatening impact, "Hmmmm mind you I could find other ways of punishing you Cole...after all I have another opening for a concubine haha...well, I will have soon once I finished with Jay...maybe you'd look good as a woman."

"Wh-what? what are you doing to J-Jay?" Lloyd asked feeling uncomfortable with the current conversation direction.

"Haha like I'd ever tell you my precious green ninja but after a few hours he began to relax...She's quite the minx..."

The tension in the room was so thick it cut have been cut with a knife, two of the ninja's faces had paled significantly having heard of Loki's sexual torture of a weakened female Jay.

"One more insult from you Cole and I'll take you as my own." Loki hissed.

"You w-wouldn't d-dare" Cole whispered defiantly.

"I wouldn't dare? ...hmmm so you are challenging me?...hahahaha don't underestimate me!...I tell you what Cole we can discuss this later...when you return...and as you seem to keep forgetting I'll remind you again...Jay belongs to me because he accepted my offer and in return I gave him ultimate power and immortality...you would do well to remember that boy unless you want me to teach you a lesson in humility."

"I'm n-not scared o-of you.." Cole wheezed.

" ** _You should be_**." Loki's angry green eyes flared with a hint of madness as he whispered his ice cold breath into Cole's ear earning a shudder from the master of earth.

Lloyd looked in utter shock as Cole's face was red from being held up by his neck for so long, "My liege please, he can't breathe...p-please let him go..."

"Do I have your word Lloyd and that of your team?" Loki said slowly squeezing Cole's neck watching as his eyes rolled back.

"F-fine we'll help you...we'll do it...just let him go please."

"As you wish Lloyd" Loki said and threw Cole across the room where he promptly skidded a few feet before crashing into some furniture, "Good to see you came to your senses, you will leave shortly and everything should be explained by Heimdall...I'll deal with you later Cole..."

Kai watched his brothers squirming under Loki's intense form of persuasion, he felt a small sense of sympathy for Cole and Lloyd, but Kai decided not to agitate the obviously angered God, he decided to bide his time until Loki had finished.

* * *

"Oh excuse me...m-my liege! err considering the Bifrost is quite a journey would I be able to use your horse to get there faster?..." Kai asked cheekily not expecting an answer from the God who had his back turned at the door.

"...Yes Kai, if you must but please be gentle with him...he is special to me." Loki said before walking away with his warriors surrounding him.

Kai and Zane rushed to Cole's side to help him up, he had collided with a rather ornate set of drawers which had suffered more damage than Cole had from the impact.

"I'm fine guys...just give me some space," Cole said in a hoarse gravelly voice, "I kinda asked for that to be fair...f-forgot for a bit that we can see through his disguise."

"Are you sure you are ok Cole, here have some water it may help" Zane offered "I sense something is seriously wrong...I for one don't understand why Loki himself cannot do this. He was with Jay yesterday evening."

"I agree, I saw them both there yesterday. A really quiet area in the middle of nowhere...but the reason for all the warriors that was odd." Kai added with a troubled frown "Come on guys we need to speak to Heimdall NOW."

"Oh and you gotta use the horses they're so much quicker, come on I'll show you where they are." Kai said cheerfully, the first genuine smile they had seen from him all day.

He led his brothers outside and down to the stables where many large royal horses were all kept in the most beautiful luxury. One horse standing out from all the rest was chomping on the stable door requesting freedom, Kai recognised his shiny grey fur immediately as he walked over carefully and opened the door to reveal the horse he had the chance to ride only last night. "Hey beautiful, did ya miss me?" Kai tickled the horse under its chin again and stroked his long and soft grey mane before leading him out of his stables to his brothers stunned faces.

"Ha, you should see your faces...this here is Loki's own horse and he's called Sl..."

"Sleipnir..." Zane marvelled in awe.

" _ **Hey**_ you stole my thunder Zane...what gives" Kai said with a mock down turned smile.

"Haha sorry Kai, I have read about this mythical beast before...he is quite an amazing creature, used by Odin I believe, but his origins are a little... _ha sketchy_ " Zane said with a raised eyebrow as he looked at the horse, Cole and Lloyd joining at his side.

"Whoa that is one big horse, shit how many legs does he have?"

"Eight, Lloyd cool right!" Kai quickly said before Zane had a chance to answer "rides really smooth too" he said with a smirk as he grabbed a saddle and under blanket "You guys better choose a horse cos time is off the essence literally."

Cole, Lloyd and Zane all found steed's which seemed appropriate enough to carry their weights, all the horses were taller than any horses they had ever seen in Ninjago. They proceeded to equip their horses with blankets and saddles for the journey to the Bifrost which only took a few minutes. this would save them more time in the long run. Often they had misjudged the length of the bridge and last night was no exception for Kai who had gone up and down it three times in a short amount of time.

"Are we ready guys?...come on lets get this over with huh" Kai said as he led the way on Loki's horse with Cole and Lloyd staring at Sleipnir's eight legs.

"Hey bro's stop staring you give him a complex," Kai said as he gently stroked the beautiful horse.

"Hehe come on lets go...ye haa" Kai said with a laugh as he began to gallop of ahead of his brothers "Come on keep up slow pokes."

"Hey no fair Kai, your horse is obviously faster" Lloyd stated as he struggled to keep up "I have a bad feeling about this Kai...just what Loki said and everything."

"Hey Lloyd I know...I understand, like I said Loki has a lot to answer for...just don't understand why he can't come with us, he was only there most of the early morning with Jay."

"Kai what did you see last night at the cabin?" Cole asked trying to fit the pieces together.

"All I saw was Jay in his female form...still, Loki was consoling him err her and he spiked her drink and then proceeded to lie to Jay" Kai sighed as he slowed his horse down "Cole...this might affect you and Lloyd quite badly but Jay accepted the blame for everything that had happened _and I mean everything. H_ e well...err he gave up on us because Loki told him we'd left...he told Jay it was all his fault."

Kai squeezed his eyes closed trying to get the image out of his head of Jay crying, "the last part I saw was Loki leading him away to end an innocent life which would then end his ties to his humanity and everything that made him Jay would be gone...he lied to him about us Cole...Jay was completely broken and I couldn't do anything about it." Kai wiped an errant tear from his face before Cole could see it.

"I'm sorry Kai...I just don't know what to say to make it better, ya know I love Jay I mean he's our chattering, jokester, inventor all round funny guy who is also a little shy right?"

"Well I don't know, he looked pretty sad last night..." Kai sighed.

"Well we can fix him right, we can get him back to Ninjago back to Nya...I mean how bad could it be...Kai...?"

"Cole, I think he's gonna be different even if it's only slightly and especially so if Loki got him to do what he told him to last night." Kai shuddered he didn't want to accept the truth either but it was staring them in the face. The horrid truth that Jay was beyond help, all evil, powerful and alone and all because of Loki.

* * *

They had reached the Bifrost and Heimdall had come out to greet them which was a rare occurrence and immediately caused anxieties to rise within the ninja team of four remaining brothers.

"Please follow me...I have some news to share about the prince" Heimdall said in his stoic voice, he had removed his helmet and sword and sat at the steps of the console looking out across the vast universe of sparkling stars. He sighed as the ninja surrounded him and sat down, "Jay has been captured by Hydra."

"WHAT?" Kai shouted in unison with his brothers, "how the hell did that happen?" he started breathing erratically as a panic attack was threatening to take hold of the fearsome master of fire, Zane quickly came to help him calm down, letting Heimdall continue.

"Jay was in the cabin and my king was with him." Heimdall spoke clearly and continued "Jay is defenceless due to the binding potion, living as a mortal."

"My eyes allow me to view any and all. Regretfully, the prince is now in the possession of none other than Hydra."

"Ok, so we bust him err her out again then...simple plan right just like last time?"

"Lloyd, the samples they took from him, allowed them to make a serum. This research gave Hydra's soldiers unparalleled power!"

"What like the power of Jay as in his master of lightning status?" Lloyd quizzed.

"No, likely his immortal strength. They took the samples when he was initially captured." Heimdall said avoiding looking at Kai, "if they run tests, you will have a fight on your hands."

"They most likely won't let him leave as easily as last time, considering the amount of money they paid for him". He stood and grasped Hofund, getting ready to activate the Bifrost.

"So what can we do...how can we get him out of there?" Kai said with guilt plastered on his face at Heimdall's words of truth.

"Infiltrate the base, it shouldn't be that hard for you four, you seem to be exceptional at that part! Maybe you ask the wrong one, I merely see what others cannot. You all need to think on it and decide between yourselves."

"So where will the Bifrost be dropping us off, considering it won't be where it was yesterday...I'm guessing that is soo close now."

"I was planning on the same place, there is no one in that area presently, they were just sourcing the area prior to their training but the area is safe for now."

"Will Loki be coming too."

"No! It is too dangerous for him, he is our current king!" Heimdall said giving Cole a small bottle of liquid.

"Too dangerous for him huh...typical! guess Jay isn't important to him then" Cole said in a snarky tone earning a look of disapproval from Heimdall, "so what is this stuff then, another potion...how many is that now?"

"He didn't disclose what it was only that it might help." Heimdall said shrugging "Are you ready?"

"Yep punch it Heimdall lets get the heck outta dodge" Kai said trying to lighften the sombre mood, he joined his brothers in a close circle and felt the now all too familiar feeling of super quick space travel also known as the Bifrost.

Hey guys, it might be cold down here although not as bad as Ninjago was when we landed there...mind you that was blizzard weather and December."

"Got it thanks Kai" Cole shouted, his voice quietened by the rapid travel, they were travelling faster than the speed of sound until their feet touched down onto a semi scorched area of wood land where an intricate pattern lay at their feet.

"Urgh this already looks too familiar guys, this was where I was dropped last time" Kai looked around trying to remember which way he had gone, but there were so many tracks now he had to rely on Zane "It was so much easier last night...there were a couple of paw prints and then a bare foot print...but now there's so many more."

"Hey Zane...can you.."

"Already scanning the area Kai and we need to go this way...there are two buildings according to Iceland's land registry."

"Whoa how did you get that so fast, we've been here for like seconds?"

"I do not know haha wifi maybe...I am different too remember." Zane smiled and led the way "Brothers we cannot use any lights or our elemental abilities as that could attract attention which we could do with avoiding at all costs."

"Good point Zane...turn your eyes down to a lower setting oh and no fire Kai, and no green balls Lloyd...pffffttt" Cole snickered covering his mouth earning a stern shake of the head from Lloyd.

"Is this a wood or forest Cole...I don't like forests."

"I'm fairly sure it's a forest Lloyd, why don't you like them, they're peaceful...well during the day hehe" Cole said as he heard animals rustling nearby and eyed Lloyd "except for the nocturnal ones who come out at night to feed." Cole said trying to resemble a zombie about to bite Lloyd.

"Oi Cole knock it off...you dork...seriously it's creepy out here...I mean it, this place feels desolate, like there's a huge sense of despair, y-you can't feel it?"

"What does it feel like then huh? so I know if I'm feeling the same thing."

"It's hard to explain Cole, it's like something tugging at me worse than butterflies, almost a sense of foreboding."

"Hey Lloyd...I can't believe I've never asked you this before but ya know since we're immortal now...well can you tap into Jay's power at all?"

"Ooh I don't know Cole, not even thought about trying it because I'm so focused on using my green energy now...but I guess I could try." Lloyd said as he tried to use Jay's element. He managed to summon a small lightning bolt which was purple coloured "hehehe cool...darkened lightning." Lloyd said and Cole giggled.

"What about his other element, the cosmic plasma, can you do that too?" Cole quizzed and watched in anticipation as Lloyd attempted to recreate the dangerous element that only Jay could wield.

"Argh I'm trying but I can only do the lightning...I think that was Loki's gift to Jay, the one that is tainted with evil...he's the only one who can wield it but it's a relatively unknown element because it is so unstable, can cause death or can bring life, it's goes against everything rational..." Lloyd stopped talking as Kai and Zane had stopped walking.

"What is this place Kai?" Zane questioned

"Something happened here yesterday evening when I arrived here, it was horrific, there was blood everywhere but luckily it's mostly faded now...urgh the carcasses are still here though" Kai cringed and put his hand over his mouth feeling the urge to vomit.

"These wolves were killed instantly and all at the same time by an explosive blast that happened over there" Zane stated as he walked to the exact location.

"Hmmm, I sense someone was crouching here before it happened and it looks like the blast spread out around this person however, this is pure theory and I cannot be completely accurate as I have no way of knowing for sure, but judging by the damage which spreads out from here on wards in that direction looks like that was the most logical scenario in my data processing banks."

"Oooh good sleuthing skills Zane, impressive so what now?"

"What is he doing...Zane what are you doing" Kai asked as Zane dug his finger into the ground, the other hand on the tree nearest to him.

"I have performed a root cause analysis of the destruction to this area and have found radioactive traces of cosmic plasma, which would lead me to believe that it was caused by none other than our brother, or rather sister. But why and how?"

"Well, at a guess it was because of last night, remember Heimdall said he was defenceless and he couldn't fight back!"

"Yes that would partially explain it, the obvious logic is that the potion should have bound both elements, but it appears as though it is only the lightning" Zane said in his still crouching position "So after analysing the pattern of destruction I have come to the conclusion that this was in fact an explosion caused by a shield of some sort and I am guessing here...but it must be linked to those." Zane added pointing to the dead wolves "He must have been protecting his female form from these hunting wolves."

"Ok so we've worked out what caused this mess and that's kinda creepy well they are I mean...look can we just carry on in the direction of the cabin." Kai stated trying to to divert his attention from the rotting forest creatures laying nearby. "The smell is terrible here...it gives me the creeps."

"Fine come on then lets go, follow Zane everyone keep up, we don't want to have to back track if one gets lost in here." Cole said quietly from the back of the small group as he stayed alongside Lloyd.

The ninja walked for a few more minutes until they came to a clearing, many foot steps were seen in the cold impacted snow. Kai's eyes widened when he realised where he was, he was only here yesterday and now there was nothing here at all just burnt debris and a lot of it.

"I-I don't get it where's it gone...it was right here!..." Kai stuttered in shock walking around to where he last saw Jay from behind the snow covered bush, the bush had been completely flattened.

"It was destroyed Kai, this looks like it was done on purpose" Zane said walking around scanning the area, he stopped abruptly and reached down under a splintered log and removed a microchip circuit device with singed wires attached to it, "this was most likely attached to a plastic explosive...possibly C-4, which means they wanted no evidence left behind."

Zane stood back up, "but the fire did not destroy this though which is evidence alone

"What the hell, why would they blow up the cabin, this place was huge...I'm guessing here, but they got Jay out before they blew it up right?"

"I would certainly hope so Kai,"

"Well great...now what do we do...there's no evidence here except for that?" Kai sighed pointing at the partially melted microchip circuit which Zane was putting into his gi robes.

Kai thought of something which he was unable to do yesterday "Unless we go that way..I tried to follow Loki and Jay yesterday, they were travelling in that general direction." ' _Yes result maybe the next place will give more of a clue'_ Kai thought.

"Okay we can do that Kai, considering we need to go in that direction. The land registry only depicts two properties on this side of the hill and the smaller one is only two hundred feet this way."

"This is odd, the whole thing is strange. Loki couldn't be bothered to turn Jay back, he's lied to him, made him believe we abandoned him?" Cole repeated what Kai had previously mentioned.

"I just dread what he's going to think when he sees us," Cole muttered, aware that his fiery tempered brother looked equally as worried. "What do ya reckon was in the potion Loki gave us? Hope it's a reversal spell of some sort."

"It is strange, Cole, but that's Loki all over. I guess we're just realising how evil and manipulative he is. And, just think how long Jay has been in his company?"

Cole shuddered, "Yeah you're right. I hope Jay's okay, I mean other than being a woman ya know."

"You punched her, Cole, she's gonna be pretty annoyed with you I reckon, that is, if HYDRA haven't experimented on her yet." Kai's heart sank. HYDRA only knew about Jay because he'd been the one to hand him over so they could torture him.

Cole bit his lip, his knuckle was still sore from that brutal and ruthless earth punch. He reckoned Jay hadn't fared much better, he saw the blood trailing down her face before she ran off. "They didn't say h-he was hurt too bad, hopefully he might be able to fight, if we need him to."

Kai nodded, though he was nervous too. "Hopefully, he'll be alright Cole."

* * *

Both Lloyd and the nindroid were trudging up a muddy path. They'd stopped again, this time in front of another destroyed building. Kai was still looking down and walked straight into Lloyd who then fell forward into the mud on his hands and knees.

"Ooof, watch it Kai...aww man...this better come out...I'm covered in mud and eurgh what is that smell?"

"Haha sorry Lloyd...err why are we stopping again...three times now, we're never gonna get there at this rate" Kai smirked and offered a hand to Lloyd "Smells like horse poop...you smell great Lloyd urgh," Kai mock gagged but then none too discreetly wiped his offered hand onto a area of white snow.

"Gahh I'm hungry now too, I missed breakfast and lunch today...did you guys eat?"

"Yeah" all three ninja chimed in together much to Kai annoyance, he stomach was grumbling at the lack of food.

"And lunch...it was really good today, they had a whole roasted pig, and I ate your share Kai haha." Cole teased and looked around trying to find the reason they had stopped again, he saw Zane up ahead looking around the burnt down building.

"Zane what have you found?" Cole asked in his serious tone "let me guess was it something to do with Loki or possibly Jay?"

"Yes _possibly_ but I will not know for sure as the building is unsafe. It looks as though this fire was recent, most probably within the last twenty four hours." Zane called back without looking up, seeming deep in concentration.

"But what does that mean, Jay's not here and we're no closer to HYDRA's location" Lloyd complained, flicking the mud of his hands.

"Lloyd, we can't just turn up there can we? When we get nearer, we'll devise a plan, plus we're gonna need to find a shelter...Zane what have you found?"

"I am not sure brother, the ashes from what I can tell seem to be human remains, which indicate this was a house fire..."

"Yeah no shit Sherlock...err s-sorry Zane as you were saying" Kai interrupted and blushed looking away from Cole's stern face.

"As I was saying, _Kai,_ is that _this_ house fire was not a normal fire, it was faster, more intense almost as if it were hiding a secret."

"Yeah what kind of secret? did he want to die with his money, was he rich or something and hiding from the tax man hehehe" Lloyd joked and nudged Cole with his elbow, to no response, Cole was staring at the destroyed burnt building trying to figure out what the secret was for himself before Zane could, but he didn't know either.

The ninja's carried on walking away from the building and further up the snow topped hill glad to be able to see more in front of them instead of trees. Once they were clear of the evergreen trees they were able to see a far more extensive view of their surroundings which provided a good place for Zane to do a through scan of the area. He pointed in the direction that the ninja needed to travel to shelter for the night, the journey to this point had already taken in excess of an hour and tempers were beginning to fray, particularly Kai's.

"Are we any nearer to this damn base yet? My feet are getting soggy in this snow..."

"Quit whining Kai, we've got a job to do remember, called rescuing Jay."

"Yeah, you think I don't know? I was here yesterday, and to be fair, we wouldn't have had to do this if you'd both listened to the story first before yelling and lashing out at him. We don't even know what we're walking into."


	29. Repercussions

"Brothers listen up please, I have sourced a location where we can rest our heads for the night, the plus side is that it isn't peak season so it should be quiet."

"' _Peak season'_ , you wouldn't be talking about a resort would you?" Lloyd questioned enthusiastically trudging through the deep snow hoping to be accommodated in a warm and luxurious hotel with a swimming pool and spa.

"Very perceptive Lloyd, yes it is indeed a resort and another plus is that it is within walking distance of Hydra's offices."

"Score! well done Zane" Lloyd congratulated his brother with a pat on his back as they continued on their journey "so where is it...I mean how much further?"

"Aww you're not complaining are ya Lloyd?" Cole teased from the back "That's usually Jay's job." No-one responded except for a groan from Kai.

"It's actually just at the bottom of this mountain" Zane stated by pointing to a resort which was lit up brightly by sparkling fairy lights around each wooden chalet style cabin. "Hopefully if we're quiet enough they might not even know we're there."

"Well why don't we just pay for it as opposed to scamming a resort? Come on we're supposed to be honest people and besides we've got plenty of earth money...what is the currency here.. hang on let me just get some out." Lloyd struggled to find the money he had until he put his hand on a large wad of paper notes, "Tada...ooh Iceland krona cool...we've got plenty plus we can use this to get some uniforms for Hydra and get a meal for tomorrow morning because I think we're all feeling hungry."

"Yeah good call Lloyd" Kai called from behind.

"Where did you get all that money from though?" Kai quizzed his blonde haired brother with his eyebrow raised, he stared at the large chunk of paper money his brother was holding tightly.

"Oh Heimdall gave it to me when you guys were squabbling...so he trusted me with the money hehe" Lloyd giggled "just think if I was still a little kid I would have used this money so fast, probably bought all the Starfarer comics and collectors cards that money could buy and candy too hehehe."

"Yes I believe you, you were a little reckless in your younger years" Zane said in a truthful yet friendly tone.

The ninja made their way down the precarious mountain side much of which was covered in thick untouched snow which slowed their progress down. The wind pushing behind them didn't help with their footing but they carried on with determination in single file. Eventually and after a few curse words from Kai, they made it to the foot of the mountain where the temperature seemed to warm slightly as they began to approach the ski resort. Zane walked off with Lloyd to enquire and pay for a night of accommodation at Lloyd's request.

The whole process only took a few minutes once Lloyd retrieved his large handful of money and struggled to understand how much they needed before giving up and handing the whole lot over to hushed voices and whispers. They took no more than a thin sliver of notes which was hardly noticeable as they handed the rest back to Lloyd with a sincere smile.

"Ok me and Lloyd are going to head up to Hydra's offices and wait, we'll be monitoring for shift changes, types of uniform they wear that sort of thing,it should take no more than a few hours so in the mean time make yourselves at home order some food that sort of thing...you still have your devices I presume?" Zane questioned.

"Yeah we have, just go, we'll be fine here." Cole said as he opened the door to the moderate wooden cabin and let Kai walk in past him "You're welcome Kai." Cole said rolling his eyes.

Kai plopped himself down on the large leather sofa and removed his soggy black leather boots, stretching his toes out in the process much to Cole's disgust as he turned his nose up.

"I'm gonna have a bath Cole, could you order some food in for us...like maybe a pizza or something whatever the local food is here." he said walking off to source out the bathroom.

"Yep on it, but don't be too long though." Cole said removing his outer clothes and switching the television on. He took the time to order some food for him and Kai and then relaxed on the sofa. A news channel sparked his interest because it was focused on the country he was in and more precisely the area too.

The secret report showed a small handful of soldiers training, the news reporter had done the report on location and in stealth completely unaware to Hydra's CEO. But now the report was being aired Hydra couldn't really do anything in fact it would probably help with their funding as more people would become interested.

The soldiers dubbed super soldiers by the news reporter were casting lightning bolts at each other or simultaneously throwing each other across the forest floor, tree's were being uprooted by the force of the impacts, the devastation for all to see was exacerbated by the news reporters stunned silence as the camera man panned back and forth between the reporter and the footage they captured. Cole spluttered on his water and was stunned, speechless would have been more appropriate...but he recognised that element...it belonged to his brother...it was Jay's without a doubt.

Kai had got out of the bath after a long soak, he walked back through to the living room with a fluffy white bath robe on and shrugged, Cole was tucking into a large pizza with all manner of toppings on and Lloyd and Zane had returned too.

The had managed to scour some spare uniforms including caps for further disguise all in the correct sizes, and with identity tags courtesy of Zane accessing the card printing machine.

Zane took the time to explain the timings of the staff rota's and shift changes, his schematic blueprint drawings were displayed for his brothers to see the layout of the small compound that they were due to infiltrate. The plan was simple they just had to turn up separately in get right to work like everyone else, their job titles were simply operatives, they were either required in stores or admin and would meet up mid afternoon to get Jay out of there.

A few hours later the ninja team had woken and were on their way out of the cabin early morning, all dressed in their uniforms, which they wore with difficulty over the top of their gi's, but they knew as soon as they had rescued Jay they would be heading back to Asgard so it was easier to do it that way even as uncomfortable as it was.

* * *

 ** _A few hours later_**

"Look what the cat dragged in!" I said in disgust at my so called brothers who had just appeared out of nowhere, they seemed to be standing in the doorway staring at me.

"What?...I'm surprised you even came to be honest." I was getting irritated at the lack of conversation, I realised they were looking at my new outfit, yeah it was kinda comfortable, well more so than that damned blue dress Loki had me in hmm. I looked away remembering some of the humiliation they made me feel yesterday and decided to bite my tongue. I knew I was close to losing it just by them being here.

Yeah I gotta admit it though I made this jump suit look good and I think they knew it too, a couple of the women here who were getting changed into their respective jumpsuits had helped me into mine which was quite funny for me as I couldn't keep my eyes of them, one even let me use her spare panties and bra hahaha. Mind you I think they took pity on me when the soldiers bought me in, they dressed me as soon as I woke up, one did my hair in a high ponytail which hurt a bit...and gave me some deodorant spray...did I smell or something...oh god are they actually going to talk or just stare?

I looked at my brothers as they entered my domain looking guilty except for Kai, they really were trying my patience but all I was getting from them was sympathy and pity and I hated it this wasn't a pity party, this was caused by them and yeah I took the blame for that too.

"I don't need your pity...where's Loki?" I asked looking away again, my eyebrows raised when Kai answered my question. He was the only one who came out after me, like he was the only one who cared out of all of them...it's funny actually because only a few months ago he was the one that sold me out to Hydra in the first place. My whole team conspiring against me...how ironic considering Loki had given them infinite power to rescue me from Hydra.

"You like what you see Cole, maybe you wanna go a few rounds again because you know the first time you did, you ended up breaking three of my ribs...but it's funny cos you don't remember. Then last night too, look," I said lifting some of my longer hair that covered a harsh pink bruise, the skin underneath barely healed from the brutal blow.

No response how disappointing were they doing this on purpose? I saw them exchanging glances between them, each one passing on the challenge of speaking to me first...who ever draws the short straw, perhaps afraid that I might literally bite their heads off.

"What the fuck do you want" I hissed and tried to stand in defiance but my hands were still tightly attached to the table by a pathetic piece of plastic...' _damned cable ties shouldn't be used on people, why can't Hydra just use regular hand cuffs like Shield do'_ I thought to myself as I wrenched my hands and felt a searing pain followed by the appearance of blood.

I sat down again it was no good I couldn't move away from the damn table even if I wanted to, in effect I was Hydra's detainee...for some reason I had no idea about...well I did have an idea but I really didn't want them knowing about that or me.

It was almost as if time was standing still maybe it was for me, my thoughts swimming around my head and them just standing there irritating me, just staring.

"Thought you'd left...cos I'd abused both of ya" I smirked before looking at their choice of clothing, "why are you wearing those clothes?...you look like you work here." maybe that will get them to talk or leave either way was fine with me.

"It's a disguise Jay, we've come to get you out of here as soon as possible." Zane said in a monotonous voice.

"A disguise hahaha yes we all wear them well, pain, lies, torment, humiliation!" I emphasised the last word with a curled upturned smile and watched as two of my team shifted uncomfortably.

Zane's vocal patterns always had a way of making people feel stupid and often insignificant, but I didn't care anymore and I rolled my eyes on purpose trying to elicit any reaction from him or the others, but he was indifferent or maybe he was choosing to ignore my obvious boredom of having them in this room with me.

"What's wrong Zane, you're not scared of me are you?"

"No Jay, not at the moment although I sense you are..."

"Don't say it Zane...i'm not interested." I cut him off mid sentence, I knew he was going to say something so blatantly obvious but he was sort of right...I was angry and he could tell. His body language reflected my feelings perfectly he was cautious around me, not daring to get too close.

"Look we don't really have time for this, we gotta get you of here Jay" Kai pleaded.

Kai came the closest to me and knelt by my side, I felt no anger or animosity towards him, almost as if I'd forgiven him for stabbing me with his katana blades, I remembered the pain from that too.

"Here let me take care of that for you" Kai said gently, he grasped my hands and retrieved a small blade from his bizarre uniform and put it close to my skin. In one swift motion he sliced cleanly through the plastic ties binding me to the table, allowing me the chance to stretch my arms above my head. I bought my arms down again and looked at my sore wrists, yeah they'd heal quite quickly not sure about the green veins though.

"Thanks Kai...but you shouldn't have come...they don't even know who I am hahaha...you may as well go and you can take the three stooges with you too."

"Look we've come to get you and we're not leaving without you, y-you're not safe here." Kai said in a panicked tone.

Hmm I'm not safe here so what exactly does he know that I don't, they aren't exactly talking to me in any great detail.

"So why am I in danger then?...go on then, spill it" I said biting my tongue again waiting for a response that seemed to take an eternity in coming. I hadn't suffered too badly in Hydra's so called care except for my impromptu head injury but that was kinda my fault. Hydra fed me and clothed me they watched me closely and asked me numerous questions most of which I refused to answer...I felt oddly safe, a complete change from Asgard though where I was trained in the dark arts by Loki when I wasn't oppressing lesser civilisations in my rare spare time.

"What makes you say that I'm not safe? I mean other than this.." I said pointing to my temple where I assumed a nasty bruise was located judging by the pain I felt when my fingers brushed across it and the resulting small rough edged cut.

"It was a bad move on my part, he hit me with his gun." I said before Kai could say anything in response but yet I could see Kai's face showing a look of worry and concern.

"I'm fine Kai...I don't need your sympathy." I mumbled and looked away avoiding looking directly into his amber eyes, their continued presence in the room was beginning to grate on me.

Kai stood up and tried to help me to stand but being as no-one else was talking I was adamant I wanted to stay put until someone started making sense. Yeah so what! I was being stubborn but it was my prerogative and my life.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me why?" No answer what a surprise, not like I was expecting them to talk. Well what do you know the robot talks but he doesn't seem to be talking to me, he's discussing something with Cole and Lloyd and Kai has joined them too. Kai is the only one that comes over to me again, he obviously drew the short straw again.

"Jay we'll be right back but there are some guards on the way around here, Zane says you have been scheduled for a blood test, but when you get back we'll get you outta here...right?"

"Yeah sure thing Kai, whatever" I smirked at him and watched him leave the room anxiously, I assumed they wouldn't be going far considering they had taken the time to infiltrate this place.

* * *

Three guards walked down to corridor I could see them coming towards me, I recognised one of them. They were completely unaware that they were being watched by my so called ninja team, ha my brothers apparently when it suited them.

They walked into my room but one of them was armed with an automatic rifle, the other two were there to escort me...' _Ooh lucky me I must be important to warrant an armed escort to a simple blood test haha,'_ I thought to myself and rolled my eyes. I knew I had to try and avoid this blood test for as long as possible because that would be the only way they would find out my true identity which would be bad for everyone...well me mostly.

"Hey look its the pretty thing from the cabin...hehehe you look good in that jumpsuit honey...bet you'd look out of it too hehe and sitting on this bad boy" He said as he got painfully close to me pointing at his groin, I tried to shake off the feeling of vomit threatening to overtake my senses because his breath was so bad, like he had been licking the inside of a dirty garbage can, I turned away from the stench, the threat of violent sex wasn't going to intimidate me he was underestimating me which is what was angering me.

"In your dreams ass hole...what makes you think you can talk to me like that? I'm not a piece of meat." I hissed and focused on the guard in front of me who had the audacity to speak down to me like I was a prize.

"Guards just pick her up, she needs a blood test, On orders of Hydra." The armed soldier said with his finger on the trigger of the gun which lucky for me was pointing at the ceiling. The two soldiers roughly grabbed me up from my seated position, they were being quite rough and my shoulder joints were protesting at the new position I was put in.

My hands were behind my back like a prisoner...it was funny because technically I should be considering I killed someone last night and there was no evidence left behind, it was the perfect crime.

I could just sense the guards about to say something equally as offensive as I rolled my eyes at what they were about to come out with so I could think of an equally good comeback. I could almost see the cogs whirring in their heads whilst they looked at me like I was a piece of meat.

"Ohh looks like she escaped her bonds...an escape artist guess you'd like to tell me how ya did that hey babe?" He said to me in a sinister tone which I found funny until he smacked me on my butt, now that was uncalled for, so I subconsciously growled at him for daring to even touch me.

"What the hel was that for? how dare you." I whipped my head around and spat at the guards, my mind and body was incensed at this medieval treatment by two modern day men, who seemed to delight in trying to overpower me, it made me feel uneasy at how they treated their girlfriends if they had any.

"Ooh she's feisty hehe...maybe we can have some fun later babe...just us three...get you outta this little jump suit." he said as he wiped the spit of his face and backhanded me.

"You'll regret that..." I said to him, feeling the keen sting on my mouth and cheek.

I saw him lick his lips, urgh is he thinking of taking advantage of me with his friend...' _great this won't end well._... _for them hahaha they seriously underestimate me and my hidden ability to protect myself in times of need...you just try it and I'll bite it off I swear to God'_ I thought as I watched them both planning something.

"You fucking try it I dare you...and you keep your hands to yourself or I swear to god I'll kill you both..." I said to them struggling with the restraint against the strong armed guards.

"You lay another hand on me you asshole and I'll bite that off and swallow it, my treat just for you," I said, lowering my gaze to his crotch before looking back up in defiance, staring into his useless soul.

"I believe you! Haa, shall we teach her a lesson? Let's see how feisty you are when you have both of us," he hissed in my face, his spit dribbling down my cheek.

Eww gross it smells so bad again and yet I don't think he realises how bad his breath is. I try my hardest not to gag even though my senses are being battered by the torrent of stench coming from his mouth. Actually that reminded me of being in the junk yard with Cole hahaha we argued about Nya and we both had bad breath haha...yeah good times. My anger was almost boiling over but I couldn't risk using my shield element in here and I didn't want to attract any other attention because I knew that those same soldiers were in this compound somewhere with my modified cells swimming around their normally mortal bodies.

Both guards grabbed me and threw me backwards over the table, one stood and held my arms and the other started to unzip my jump suit.

"Don't you dare..." I hissed defiantly as the guard put his hand into my top and squeezed me painfully, "Get the fuck off me, dickwad gahh."

I had a feeling that my brothers weren't too far away and they could probably hear all this going on but it wouldn't last for long.

My jumpsuit was removed roughly and dragged down and the bastard ripped my underwear, which meant I had to go commando. H _ello, cheese wire I'm wearing a jumpsuit..._

I kind of knew what was coming as I was forced onto my stomach with my legs apart but I waited for my opportunity as the scumbag behind unzipped himself and approached me with his manhood exposed.

 _Ha, not today you fucker!_ I said to myself, looking up at the guard in front of me whilst cocking my head to the side. He looked into my eyes and grinned, obviously he was enjoying this too. Well, he was until I kicked his friend between his legs with an upwards thrust of my own. It was almost like a donkey kick and I so wanted to make the noise too.

"Get the fuck off me," I growled at the guard in front of me and in a swift movement span my stomach around on the table and headbutted him on the bridge of his nose. As soon as it made contact I heard a satisfying crack as blood spurted from his nasal passages and down his mouth, he seemed incensed at this. His comrade was still on the floor panting and gasping for breath as he held his partially exposed manhood.

"Ha that's what you get for trying to violate me, you scumb..."

The other guard must have hit me over the head with the gun because at first all I could hear was a ringing noise, the feeling of flesh hitting flesh and then muffled voices. The armed soldier was chastising the other guards at a guess.

"We don't have time for this shit, if you wanna play with her do it in your own time not mine."

He helped the guard up off the floor who had paled in colour after his groin had taken a good kick "don't worry you can play with her later, I'll find you a room, besides no one has come forwards so she's all your tonight...oh here take this for your nose, that looks painful...how are your knuckles?"

"Fine just sore...stupid bitch got what she deserved" he said as him and his other comrades carried a motionless Jay out of the room trying to think of an excuse that they could give to the healthcare staff in the treatment room as to why her clothes were undone and why she was covered in bruises.

Kai and Cole had seen the whole thing from their position in the opposite room, the anger at seeing Jay being violated like that and unable to defend himself made them both feel physically sick. Cole had to restrain Kai at one point when the guard was about to commit the heinous crime against Jay but luckily Jay was already prepared for that, he had delivered a powerful backwards kick that the guard would hopefully feel for a long time to come.

"So how long is this gonna take Zane...blood tests don't take too long right?"

"No a few minutes at most, but we need to get Jay out of here before they can analyse the blood results, I have smelling salts so in the event that she's still out cold I can revive her."

"Right so as soon as he err she gets back we go...she can't stay here those bastards will rape her if she stays any longer."

"I know...I saw it too Kai we've just got to make Jay see reason." Cole said from his crouched position behind some suspicious metal boxes.

* * *

I open my eyes slowly, the brightness too strong so I adjust my eyes and focus. I feel a stinging sensation in my arm which alerts me to my current predicament...oh no...this can't be good...I need to get out of here but I have no power I look up at the ceiling hoping that Loki can see me as I mouth a curse word up at him.

Another injection and more blood samples, the tubes were racking up, think they only took six but they were perplexed by the colour and they looked at me like I was a freak who belonged in a circus.

I raised my eyebrow at them "what...can I go now? you got everything you need I assume."

The nurse removed the equipment from my arm and notified the same guards who escorted me into this room.

"He can go back now" she said to them as they approached me and took me back to my room, the same three guards as before opened my door and pushed me inside none too gently, but I didn't fall over much to their annoyance.

"See you in an hour sweetheart, I'll bring some friends."

"Ha bring it on and bring some breath mints...I'm not scared of you." I shouted in defiance at my closed door "A bed would be nice...you know for sleeping" I shouted again to no avail.

My situation was quickly becoming dire I knew I wouldn't be able to fight them off without revealing my identity and the thought of that many men could prove to be painful for me. I walked across to the furthest wall and sat back on the chair staring out of the window at the snow topped mountains but within a few minutes the door was opened again, I turned around feeling slightly relieved that it was my brothers...the lesser of two evils at this point.

* * *

Kai's face was full of concern I know by his face that he saw what happened as did Cole, even though technically nothing had happened because I was smart enough to have a back up plan. I wasn't going to talk this time so I waited for them to talk instead, the silence helping with the ringing in my ears.

"Jay come on talk to us, we won't bite...we're your brothers remember..."

"Yeah I remember...all too well" I said as I got up to walk around feeling stiff and sore, I started to zip up my jump suit which I knew revealed bruise after bruise on my stomach, I hissed when I straightened up to pull the zip up to my neck and I guess Zane saw me.

"Jay would you like me to treat your wounds...I could offer a cold compress or p-pain relief."

Oh god him too now with the pity, damn it why does everyone seem so concerned about me all of a sudden.

"Thank you Zane but I'm err fine." I said but he still approached me and put his hands on my now covered stomach.

"Jay we saw what happened, you were lucky to avoid being raped right there and..."

"Yeah I know right...You saw it like from your own eyes...hah don't make me laugh...you didn't see me from your own eyes as you beat the shit out of me on earth last time. Because ya know I'm only out there to seduce you and Lloyd...but yeah I'm lucky to have been beaten by two more ass holes."

"I guess you were right Cole I'm Loki's bitch now though hahahaha but I didn't run back to him...and I'm not a traitor."

"Jay I-I'm sorry about last night, I didn't mean to blow up like that," He sounded genuine, "It was shock more than a-anything, J-Jay?" Cole said with his head looking down, he was too embarrassed to look into my eyes, the first time he he had looked at me in this female form didn't end too well, for me.

"You're sorry huh?" I replied, shrugging my shoulders and looking up at him with a hollow feeling in my soul. "It's too late Cole."

I looked up at the clock on the wall time was ticking away, the guards would be coming back soon and god knows how many of them there would be, I needed to get out of here and fast.

"I am now that I know the truth, I am sorry we all are. W-we had no idea, we thought you'd done it out of spite because ya know you've been with Loki for so long..."

I laughed darkly, "What so you thought that just because I lived in close proximity to Loki meant that I was evil too right? That's what you're saying, that even though I've been with you guys since you arrived here, a few months ago, you secretly thought I was evil? Haa, you don't don't know me at all."

My mouth soured at their accusation, I'd done it out of spite? No, I had stupidly done it to protect them and Nya, she was all that mattered before last night.

"Why the fuck are you here, and where's Loki? He gave me his word damn it, right after we had sex, he said 'I'll change you back' but where is he?"

* * *

That single sentence made everyone except Zane cringe, Jay had just openly told his brothers of his sexual relations with the God of evil. He wasn't embarrassed by his own admission, far from it. At that moment Jay didn't understand why his brothers looked uncomfortable with what he had just uttered out loud.

* * *

" **W-what**? _err ok_...err I guess it's a good thing that you can openly discuss your erm _relationship_ with Loki in front of us...err Jay...and you're okay with Loki doing that?" Cole said trying not to seem to shocked at what I had just mentioned.

"I'm ok with it, it's what this body was made for, to be dominated. Haa, as you just saw."

"Jay, that's not a healthy attitude to have bro?"

"I'm not your bro, _Cole_!"

 _'Not anymore, I don't need anyone.'_

"B-but, Jay to uh, answer your question it w-was too risky for Loki." Cole's voice rose a level or two higher as he spoke. He had paled further at my admission, his hands rubbing at his temples underneath his longish black hair amused me, he was uncomfortable...ha good now he knows a little as to how I feel.

"What, does it bother you Cole that he takes me when he wants to...that I enjoy it sometimes but in this state I can't fight him?" I said not wanting an answer from anyone, I was getting angry again with the sympathetic glances, did they think I was being abused or something.

No, in a way I had chosen this, well I had chosen it to save a certain someone who I would likely never see again...and I had been too weak but I wasn't going to tell them that...Loki was too strong but I was almost there and I could fight him if I needed to.

"Jay this isn't what relationships are about, you shouldn't need to fight or be dominated..." Cole of all people was arguing with my reasoning which I found interesting and amusing considering he stole my girlfriend _twice_.

"Its not a relationship Cole, it's just sex. We fuck hard, well actually, he does." I laughed. I was still aching from that experience, "Yeah, mostly it hurts but everything hurts in the end, life, death, love. Haa, love what the fuck is love anyway?"

Cole felt an imminent feeling of bile in his throat, his hand went up to cover his mouth. "Jay this isn't you talking, what's happened to you?"

I ignored his concern and his question. The additional looks of sickening worry being cast my way.

"Love is the basis for relationships, if there's no love then what's the point?...Nya loves you and you love her you gotta remember that." he said trying to get me to see his reason again, I looked down and shook my head releasing a mirthless laugh.

"LOVE, love is the beginning of the end, the thorn on the rose, the lemon juice in a paper cut and the jewelled blade as it pierces the heart. Love has no place in society, we are all just creatures who want to dominate and destroy. **_I don't need love, not anymore,_** " I hissed in anger, leaning back against the wall as I rubbed my wrist anxiously.

"Nya loves me huh? Well, guess what? I don't give a fuck, I don't love anyone anymore and ya wanna know why? Because Loki opened my eyes to it all, said I'd be better alone." I could feel their intense stares again, the concern dripping from them was revolting, making my stomach churn.

"Dude, J-Jay. Love, its what keeps things together, you don't want to be alone surely? That's not a healthy state of mind to be alone forever, to die alone...Jay?" Cole spoke softly his strong gaze trying to pierce my stronger resolve.

"I don't need **_anyone_ ** Cole, I'd rather die alone."

I bit my tongue and looked up at him "When I feel like I've done all I can to save Loki, my battle weary body and lengthy servitude at an end, I'll gratefully accept death by a mythical enchanted blade. It'll claim me and my life, then I won't have to suffer the humiliation any more."

Cole's eyes widened at Jay's new found morbidity, why was he thinking of death he was immortal surely? An enchanted blade sounded horrific, as did dying alone with no friends, no love so completely alone. A shiver wracked his body like someone had walked across his own grave as he pictured an old man in his bed, old faded blue wallpaper, the house falling apart around him. Newspaper clippings scattered, piled high and a little old man sleeping who looked like an older version of Jay with an evil blade sticking out of his chest a blade with eyes as green as Loki's.

Cole shook the images from his head as he tried to focus, his breathing erratic and his heart racing.

I could hear Kai whispering to Cole, he was still looking at me with uncertainty, like he'd just seen something bad.

"We need to get out of here now Kai, something is seriously wrong, this country I can't explain it...eerie feeling." Cole said looking around the room his eyes fixating on me again. I could now see pain in his features but why the sudden change?

"Ok so now you can feel it, that's the same feeling I got when we landed here...but what do we do now" Lloyd interrupted, keeping a safe distance from me and my glare which I'm assuming must have been scary judging by his stance and fearful expression.

"You're not scared of me are ya?" I said as I raised my eyebrow.

"No, not at all J-Jay it's just your acting a little different." Lloyd shifted uncomfortably as I approached him with my head cocked to the side.

"What are you doing right now? are you just taunting me with your freedom and righteousness." I asked.

"No we're here to get you away from Hydra before they test anything else on you, Heimdall and Loki's orders." Cole said as each second ticked away.

"Their orders okay I can live with that" finally some information I could use "I know what Hydra want, they have super soldiers here I'm not dumb."

"Yes so you're not safe, technically neither are we...unless you want to die here at the hands of Hydra." Cole added with a hint of sarcasm, exasperated at the lack of movement.

I narrowed my eyes "hah, everyone around you will wither and burn, death is insignificant hahaha."

"Oh hey just like last night...Loki told me to kill someone in cold blood so I did, because apparently something was holding me back."

"What? you killed someone...you don't feel remorse for that?" Lloyd seemed taken aback by my offhanded statement relating to death as if it was something new.

"Yes I killed someone and NO...no remorse at all...I felt free and exhilarated...still do in a way, plus I don't give two fucks about what you think...I did it but I wasn't expecting these though" I said and showed my punctured wrist around for all to see.

"What caused this Jay...it looks like a bite of some sort." Zane said as he took my wrist in his hand against my will, he was inspecting and scanning it, his eyebrow raised.

I promptly ripped my wrist from his strong grasp, "It was an enchanted dagger _ZANE_ , it wrapped around my wrist and delivered venom into my blood stream because I couldn't let go of it. You could say that the dagger made me do it...hahaha the dagger made me do it." I laughed maniacally but my wrist was still burning, Loki didn't mention that little snippet but then he only had one load of venom not three.

"The longer it took to stab him the more venom it delivered...think it took three loads before my mind took over because the blade got stuck between his ribs, he strangled me in defence. Stupid old man nearly knocked me out but I succeeded and then I rammed it back in to his lonely black heart...I watched the life leave his sad pathetic useless eyes."

"I can't believe you killed someone and you can talk about it as if it was nothing...like something that happens everyday Jay...what happened to you?"

"Loki happened...torture...lies, pain blood shed, mind control, hatred...punishment, incarceration, violation, being stabbed, shot and seduced by Loki and you two, having my girlfriend manipulated and killed by Loki...that's what happened to me" I sighed and took a deep breath "I wouldn't expect you to understand though."

"You all know this same age old story, you just chose not to believe me in my time of need and so Loki took advantage of my weakened mind...I had no choice Kai" I looked at him and smiled, " I know you came to look for me but you were too late, I could feel your presence near me before I left the cabin."

I looked up to the clock and had to decide on a plan "Are we just gonna talk all night or do you want the guards to come back, you might enjoy watching my humiliation again cos ya know I'm not important to some of you..."

I turned around facing away from my brothers, "right now I need to leave here because the night shift ends in half an hour and those idiots will be back here by then."

"So you want to leave...cool, we're finally on the same page Jay" Cole finally plucked the courage to tall to me again but he was still nervous around me.

* * *

"Err you need to drink this." Cole said finally happy that Jay had calmed down enough to listen to reason, yes he was completely different to his old self but there was still a piece of Jay left, a slightly mad version but still it was Jay, he just seemed very _angry_.

"What is it Cole...poison for revenge or poison just because you never liked me...err why aren't there two?"

Cole didn't respond to the venom in Jay's voice but simply answered the question as he gave the bottle to Jay. "We were only given the one, we weren't told of it's properties either."

"I apologise Jay, for we did not have the time to analyse it," Zane said with urgency before motioning Jay to drink it, "we've deduced that it could be either reversal power or gender...Please Jay you need to drink it before we leave."

"Another potion great, hope this one tastes better than the other ones he keeps giving me" Jay said trying to be funny as he drank the red potion down in one swallow, "eurgh revolting, Loki really needs to improve on the taste." Jay gagged sitting down on the only chair with the tiny bottle grasped tightly in his hand.

"Jay, it's from Loki but he didn't say what it was guessing it will turn you back into your normal self or unbind your elemental abilities." Cole stood back and watched to see if anything would happen and it did after a few minutes.

* * *

Within a matter of seconds my stomach was burning with an intense pain, I felt my heat levels slowly rising and I was aware that I had started to hiss, a pained groan escaping my lips. Dammit what is this magic potion...argghhh. I could feel something returning but to my disappointed gaze it wasn't my masculinity returning just my elemental abilities. I opened my eyes and attempted to create a lightning bolt and I did, the purple colour extending from finger to finger, my strength and stamina returned.

Zane, Cole and Lloyd were just standing watching in shock not knowing what to do whilst I was in pain, I didn't bother to talk to them, just kept my gaze on the clock as the minutes dwindled in to single digits.

"Jay...Jay! are you alright brother do you feel any different?" Zane asked as he sat down next to me the sweaty female form of his long time lightning brother I could fight back with my element at least but something needed rectifying first

"Well we know what the potion wasn't, so I'm guessing you got your powers back..." Cole smirked from the other side of the room.

I could sense the teasing smirk coming from Cole...I've heard that if you smile when you're talking the person who is listening can tell. I wanted to wipe the smug grin off his face mainly because of how he had made me feel a little over twenty four hours ago, yeah he had apologised but that didn't really cut it.

I stood up and span around quickly to face Cole whose smirk dropped instantly when I walked up to him and stood less than an arms length away. I looked at Kai and slowly looked at Zane in confusion my fist was clenched but Cole didn't even see it coming, my movement was so fast it took everyone by surprise when I punched Cole across his face sending him to the floor. Lloyd tried to subdue me but I delivered the same punch to him too, of course I didn't want to knock them out because that would cause a problem, so I had to restrain myself...I think I did quite well.

Kai and Zane stood there open mouthed in shock, they were helping their brothers back up again whilst looking at me fearfully when I turned my back on them, I could feel their stares burning through my back. "That was for humiliating me yesterday..." I sighed and looked up to the clock again.

Kai frowned but helped Cole to his feet, he seemed dazed buy didn't retaliate, the outburst from Jay made them even more reluctant to approach him at least until he had calmed down.

"Look we have to leave now, those guards will be back in here any moment and we can't risk being caught...Zane get the schematics back up for this place so we can escape, Cole Lloyd you two okay now?" Kai asked them as I stood and waited against the wall for my punishment.

"You're too late and you need to hide" I whispered and sighed, I could hear a couple of voices coming from outside my room and knew it to be the guards again, I rolled my eyes and took it upon myself to get out of here against my brothers advice who had hid themselves in my room behind me whilst I approached the door, Kai and Lloyd hid in the supply closet with the door ajar...I bought them some more time.

"No Jay don't do it..." Was all I heard as my fist made contact with of one the guards faces when he walked through my door, luckily he hadn't seen Cole or Zane standing in the corner, but they were soon hidden near a few filing cabinets behind the door.

"Well what's your plan then, you gonna get us all outta here?...alive." I hissed as the guard came back at me confused at who I was talking to.

Another guard walked in to the room and pushed me backwards, the guard on the floor grabbed my ankle and I tumbled over backwards as he climbed on top of me and tried to undo my uniform again, zips weren't exactly difficult to remove. I could see Cole's horrified face from the corner of my eye but I shook my head slowly...now was not the time, but we needed a diversion and fast without the use of further violence.

"This how you treat your girlfriends huh...oh that's probably right you don't have girlfriends do ya" I hissed until my mouth was covered...dammit now I can't taunt them either.

I bit into his hand, but he didn't seem to care in fact if anything it made him worse, I had so many insults I wanted to throw in his direction and in the direction of the guard that was holding me.

There were only two guards in the room, the door was still open wide but no-one else was in the empty corridor from what I could see in my position on the floor. There was a fire exit ahead only ten metres away lit up like a beacon of hope. A bright green beacon of light was all I could focus on as the pain started to come back in droves...I was glad to have my element back but I couldn't risk using it in this place anyway because every other room except this one had cctv.

Zane must have sensed not only my urgency but also the pained expressions of my brothers who saw what was happening to me because he smiled at me in a sort of sympathetic way then wirelessly tapped into the fire alarm system resulting in the setting off of the alarms and sprinkler systems. This single move gave us the diversion we needed. The guards stopped what they were doing to me and one stood up pulling his trousers back up in disgust, he looked at his comrade and left my room in haste. They hadn't even noticed the other occupants in the room who were all appalled at what they had just witnessed, but then stealth was something a ninja was taught...our basic skill as warriors...ninja never quit...I did it for them.

"DON'T SAY A WORD," I spat in frustration as I pulled my clothes back on hurriedly.

"Jay, you're bleeding!" Cole muttered softly, trying his hardest to help me up whilst looking down between my legs at the steady stream of blood.

I looked down to where he had looked before lifting my gaze back up to his his concerned eyes "I'm fine...l-leave me alone Cole." I sighed with a shudder, the cold sprinkler water was drenching me to the core.

"No, you're not fine, stop fighting me Jay. You're hurt, I saw how rough he was with you." Cole's firm authoritarian voice winning through the siren sounds.

"I'll heal it, not your concern remember?"

I guessed Cole was right, I was hurt and it stung, I wanted revenge for being violated in that way and that tell tale pain was making itself known to me, the same pain which I needed to control. I got up of the floor and pulled on my soaking wet jump suit fastening it securely with the zip, I turned to look at my brothers.

"Let's go." I said as I left the room, my brothers following silently in quick succession because there was no plan, we needed to leave without causing a fuss so we left via the nearest door which was lucky as it led straight into a dimly lit car park with a few cars.

The pain becoming stronger making itself known again, most of the time it happened I could keep the pain from escaping my lips but this time and the time before I couldn't 'argghh oww dammit just gotta get clear of this place' I hissed to myself.

I walked my brothers to safety before I motioned my brothers to hide in the nearby forest, "I'm s-sorry you guys had to watch that and I'm sorry for this too, but this element hurts me physically if I keep it in for t-too long." I said as I began to walk back to the compound.

"Jay, what are you doing?..." Kai asked me, I didn't turn around I didn't want him to see my tears.

"Just stay here Kai, I w-wont be long..."

'A _rgghhh...god, come on Jay keep it together_ ' I winced and carried on walking away.

* * *

I walked away grasping my stomach as I neared the compound again, a smirk plastered on my face... **"They say that revenge is a dish best served cold...I agree but they forgot to add; heartless and evil, _"_** I shouted as the pain consumed me, bringing me back to my knees.

I didn't fight it this time, instead I focused all of my element around me pulling it from within my core. My eyes closed in concentration. A feeling of warmth flooded my body as I opened my eyes to see a purple ball interspersed with beautiful sparks of lightning which surrounded me like a cocoon, such beautiful intense power. The last time this happened, I was awed by it but that didn't cause much damage. I spotted people coming out of the fire door, they were standing back and I knew they could see me, the guards were there too...the scum.

I could see them too, and I would probably be the last thing they saw as my smirk dropped and anger replaced my smile. I shouted out in anger which caused my shield to explode around me sending a shock wave directly in front of me straight into hydra's purpose built expensive compound... **"hahaha take something that doesn't belong to you and that's what you get,"** I said out loud and rubbed my hands.

There was nothing left when I stood up, no people, no building no cars nothing...just destruction and death. I heard my brothers running back down to me asking if I was okay.

" _ **What the fuck was that**_?" Cole shouted, his mouth hanging open in shock, "Th-there's nothing left of this place!"

"Jay...?" Cole said quietly with a gentle yet nervous rub on my arm.

I flinched and tensed in response, "...I'm okay. Shall we go back to Asgard, or are you all going back home now?" I asked with a hint of sadness. I wasn't looking at them anymore, my back was turned. Wet hair trailed down my spine.

"We're coming back to Asgard with you" Cole whispered into my ear "I mean it we didn't mean to say that, neither did Lloyd."

"You did Cole, I know it's how you truly feel... ** _now_**."

"You're scared of me, aren't you? Even now, after what I told you, what you just saw, you're scared of me?"

No one answered my question, that told me everything I needed to know as I called in to the black sky.

"Heimdall."


	30. A vacation pt1

To any passers by, it just looked like a tornado coming down to earth because the circular funnel looked identical save for the small fact that the Bifrost was a mere matter of seconds rather than the undulating continual movement of a natural tornado. The only damage the Bifrost caused was a slightly scorched area of ground. However the fact that the power of the Bifrost was so powerful it touched upon the surface for no longer than a few seconds. Heimdall knew how powerful it was, he was after all the gatekeeper to the realm of Asgard, the Bifrost wasn't just a transportation device it was also a weapon which could destroy worlds if the full power was focused on one realm for too long. A power unrivalled by most except for Galactus who was known as the other killer of worlds an entity unmatched by none.

The feeling of weightlessness is something that the ninja were becoming accustomed to after being pulled through the Bifrost faster than a speeding bullet, the brightness and subsequent powerful pull was amazing to experience and an honour because no one else from their realm except for Nya had ever experienced it nor would they...Asgardians and their contribution to the worlds they had helped had long since been forgotten, falling into obscurity myth and legend.

Most people on earth lived happily, completely oblivious to the fact that Asgard did still exist as did the Aesir and Vanir who lived and observed over their realm and the other eight. Most of the time the Aesir were too busy fighting their own battles which had resulted in Loki rising to power against Thor, his banishment and Frigga's death had caused Odin to sleep for months on end. But he was starting to stir, his slumber coming to an end.

* * *

The great observatory began powering down slowly as the ninja team materialised out of the bright beam, Cole had Jay next to him with Kai supporting her. Jay's weight got heavier as each passing moment of travel elapsed which made the earth master cast his gaze at Kai and then down at Jay who was on her knees, her breathing slow she looked so ill.

The ninja were greeted by none other than Loki, his warriors and Heimdall when they returned, Loki's warriors were quick to retrieve a semi conscious Jay from Cole's firm grasp, as they whisked her away before his brothers could even stop him.

"Whoa, where are you taking her?" Cole asked sternly, as two warriors grabbed his semi unconscious teammate. "What's the meaning of this?".

Loki's evil green eyes trailed up and down Cole, sizing him up before turning around without saying a word.

"Where are you taking her? Cole asked again before Loki disappeared from view out of the observatory. Loki stopped momentarily turned his head a little yet he didn't turn around to face Cole.

"She is _my_ concern not yours...she needs treatment in the healing room." He said walking away whilst his warriors carried Jay who was deathly pale verging on grey.

"You're welcome!" Cole boomed after him.

"Err what just happened?" Kai questioned "this is one of the things I hate about being here, the fact that he won't even talk to us unless he needs us to do something...it's beginning to annoy me."

"I know, I mean I do like it here but not like this...how long has it been now Kai?" Cole asked, watching after Jay who was being laid over a horse saddle with a warrior haphazardly lifting her into a seated position.

"Three days...I know you don't need to say it, I miss it too and...I miss her...it's been three weeks for her."

"Kai I swear once Jay is better we'll go back to Ninjago, we could do with a vacation, these last three days have been physically and mentally draining for us."

"Yeah, but not as draining as Jay's last three days, no wonder he looked so ill," Kai pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes closed. "I'm just glad we got him back in one piece."

"Yes but at what cost?" Cole said with a sigh. "Jay's mind was all over the place, one minute evil the next joking and another looking like she was enjoying it."

"We can't think about that right now, even if she has cut all ties to love she still sorta trusts us. She took that assault to protect us, they were solely focused on her so much so that they didn't even see us."

"That was an image I can't un see, she didn't seem to care, at all."

"Err I saw it too Cole and for the record you could see it in her eyes, there was pain and determination, And the most painful part of all of this, is if we had just stuck together instead of fighting, Jay wouldn't be in this state."

"No you're wrong Kai" Lloyd interrupted. "Loki's been treating Jay like shit for months, this proves how much he doesn't respect him...he could have given us the correct potion."

"Yeah I know that Lloyd, thanks for stating the obvious," Kai replied, shaking his head at the belittling tone.

"I might be coming at this from another angle but I believe Loki did the right thing, if Jay had reverted back to his natural gender back on earth Hydra would have tested those super soldiers on him. Therefore, we would not have been rescuing we would be retrieving a dead body."

"You know if you came at it from another angle yesterday...no I'm not going to say it again." Kai said and then cut himself of mid sentence, he diverted his eyes to the side and bit his knuckle.

"Shall we just go back to our rooms?...I could do with a rest." He didn't wait for a response he just started walking away, his brothers were still discussing if Jay was insane or not and if he was worth helping. Kai shook his head and carried on walking down the rainbow bridge, he felt so lonely a hint of anger threatening to burn in his heart.

* * *

"Gahh if only they knew, stupid idiots...Jay needs all of us now more than ever...but they won't listen to reason" Kai whispered and rubbed his hand down his face. He felt a tear fall from his eye when he thought of Jay and his current state 'I'm so sorry Nya...but Jay's lost now, he wont be the same anymore, we failed him...no I can't say that...she's the only family I have left...this would kill her.'

Kai thought of different ways he could tell his sister how much damage Loki had caused, 'Nya, Jay doesn't love you anymore...no, no...Erm Jay's in a meaningful relationship with someone else...god no that's even worse, Jay said it wasn't a relationship he flat out refused that part' Kai thought shaking his head again, 'Loki turned Jay into a woman and fucks his brains out every night...yeah there ya go...god no, I think Jay might have to explain this one himself if he still cares.'

Kai neared the final stretch of the bridge the palace in sight, he looked behind him but his brothers no where to be seen they were obviously still deep in conversation about the whole damned journey, not anything about Jay at least nothing positive. Kai looked at his watch, a token of love and affection from Skylor, a small smile appearing on his face as he pictured her face. He watched the minutes pass like mere seconds, knowing that another day had passed without talking to Skylor, another reason why he kept walking increasing his pace somewhat. He had given her his original communication device having lied to Zane about it's whereabouts citing 'he simply lost it' much to Zane's annoyance at having to make another one at such short notice.

Eventually Kai arrived back in the palace, he walked past Loki's room hearing what sounded like running water, 'nothing peculiar about that, but where's Jay?' he thought and continued on his short journey down two flights of stairs to his and his brothers rooms. He reached his room letting out a sigh when he opened the doors, he walked in and closed them gently behind himself before removing his clothes and getting onto his bed. He carefully checked his watch for the correct time before grabbing his communications device, then he waited until the time was guaranteed to be good if it was day or night, he waited 'just a few more seconds...perfect' he said and pressed the device.

"Hey babe, how ya doing, sorry did I wake you?" he said, not really caring that he had woke her. He desperately needed a chat, to see something that brought him positivity.

"Kai?...oh my god Kai oh awesome." Skylor squealed into the screen much to Kai's delight.

"See I told you it would work, hehe it's been three weeks since we last spoke babe...how are you holding up?"

"I wont lie to you Kai it's not been easy without you here...I miss you in more than one way," Skylor said seductively, Kai's eyebrow rose.

"I think Nya thinks I'm lonely because she pops round occasionally from time to time to keep me company...oh and I have my dating scan in four weeks, you'll be here for that right?."

"Hehe of course I will babe, wouldn't miss that for the world," he said biting his lip "take it it's bed time considering it's dark."

"Yeah almost ten pm here, been a long day and I'm so tired...morning sickness has kicked in."

"I wish there was something I could do to help, but I can't Skylor." Kai sighed.

"Hey don't be down, morning sickness it's just one of those things some people get it some don't...guess I'm unlucky hehe."

Skylor re positioned herself so she was sitting upright in her bed, her camisole draping of her shoulder as she pulled the device closer to her.

"This thing is so cool, bet Zane wasn't happy that you gave it to me hehe."

"Haha err well he err doesn't know, he was annoyed yeah haha." Kai could see much of Skylor's exposed skin and was fast becoming sexually frustrated with the situation.

"Skylor babe, you're making it really difficult for me ha err..."

"What do you mean Kai...you miss this." Skylor laughed hysterically and squeezed her breasts together for maximum impact.

"You want me that bad huh?...well tough you're in Asgard you dummy."

"Not for long if you keep doing that babe...I can be in your bed in the blink of an eye." Kai said biting his lip. "Fuck, Skylor!"

"Ha is that so Kai...what do I have to do to make you do that...don't think my fishing rod and hook will stretch that far...So I'll just have to tease you some more haha."

"Don't tempt me babe...I'm serious I wont be able to keep my hands of you."

"Aww Kai...you'll make me blush...So how have you been, you seem a little down how are the people of Asgard treating you, how's Jay?"

"I'm alright babe, I'm treated like royalty here, not as much as Jay is but still...haha." Kai sighed hoping that Skylor wouldn't pick up on his hesitation.

"And how is Jay? cos I haven't seen him for months now, I mean I saw Cole, Zane and Lloyd only a few weeks ago...they're obviously all okay right?"

"Yeah they're all okay...I don't know babe they are all so self absorbed at the minute...everything is about them." Kai shrugged his shoulders.

"And Jay?" Skylor was becoming insistent his reluctance was ringing alarm bells.

"I don't know what else to say, babe...we err can't reach Jay."

"What do you mean? Where is he?"

"Loki tricked him, Cole and Lloyd blew up at Jay a few nights ago at something Loki had done, he was beyond humiliated and he ran away.." Kai bit his lip and looked away "Loki tricked him into killing someone in cold blood to erase the pain, cutting all ties to love and, he did. Jay admitted it, we've lost him, we lost Jay at least not in a physical way but, he might be a little more _edgy_ now."

"What!...oh god that is so unbelievably bad. How is he now?"

"I don't know, Loki's with him... _again_."

"You need to get him away from Loki...the longer he stays with him, the more damage will be done. Seriously Kai, all I've read about Loki is pure evil, he's devious, he'll be poisoning him against all of you."

"Yeah well I can't do it on my own, tried that once, failed. I didn't have a choice though, Cole and Lloyd had pretty much abandoned him. I'm not kidding, Skylor, he was so broken babe, it was so difficult to see him like that."

"Kai, you can't take this on your own shoulders, it wasn't your fault. I'm not sure what happened though, but I guess you'll explain it when you see me next?"

"Yeah I will, I promise. You kind of need to know, but I warn you, it won't be pretty. Anyway babe, on that bombshell of a shit heap couple of days, get some rest.. You're growing my baby in there hehe so ya need to sleep well." Kai said with a kiss to the screen.

"I miss you babe, see you real soon hot stuff" Skylor said biting her lip as she switched of the device.

"See ya babe." Kai sighed and lay back on his bed.

* * *

Loki's warriors had taken Jay to the healing room, where a team of experienced healers were quickly trying to figure out what was ailing Jay and why he was deteriorating. The healers had requested the King to remain outside as they used the soul forge on Jay's weakened body to find out if there was an infection. They had managed to find a broken rib and some pelvic damage which was relayed to the King as requested, once the healers had completed their work they let the warriors take Jay away delivering him to Loki's room.

The senior healer took Loki to the side her eyebrow raised in concern "He has pushed himself too far, his body will not cope with this element if he does not rest...please make him see reason otherwise he will die...there is something else too..." Loki frowned but nodded in response.

Loki in his disguise walked across to the door to allow the warriors in, where he motioned them to put the female on his bed before dismissing them. He walked across to Jay with a small simple stone in his hand and passed it to the dazed and confused woman who just stared at it in confusion.

"Wha...is this?" Jay slurred.

"Just crush it over your wounds, I'll add some to your bathing water." Loki smirked "it's a healing stone."

A bath had been run with relaxing natural balms and spiced scents swirling around it, the smell permeating his dulled senses. Jay was laying on Loki's bed holding tightly onto the healing stone, she held it over her physical injuries, the power's radiating through the female body as the stone crumbled in her grasp.

"Can you tell me what happened after I left?" Loki questioned with his back to Jay.

"It was nothing, just a misunderstanding..."

"Will you allow me to see for myself?, you are, after all...mine."

"I...have...nothing...to...hide...anymore." Jay sighed breathlessly, her complexion deathly pale which was more concerning to Loki than he cared to admit.

Loki raised his eyebrow, he knew when he was being lied to but he didn't want to push it, he wanted to know why she was bleeding. He walked over to Jay and helped her to undress out of the jump suit, which he burnt into a pile of ash once it was clear of them.

A new feeling washed over him, his protector was covered in bruises mostly around her delicate stomach and thighs. Feeling what could only be described as a hint of jealousy.

"Come the bath is ready, healing stone extract is in the water, it should help with the unexplained injuries." He said as he helped her into the bath.

He dutifully got on to his knees and picked up a sponge which he doused in water before running it over her upper body. The stones worked fast, her skin was healing quickly because the powdered stones were working effectively.

"I gave you my word Jay...I promised I would turn you back and I will." Loki said as he poured a golden jug of warmed water over Jay's shoulders "you need to recover first, the last time I did this you only had minor injuries, so your body could cope with the changes."

"I-I understand..." She replied in a relaxed tone, her head leaning back against the large roll top bath. "It's just..."

"Can you tell me what you saw when you were with Hydra...?" Loki said continuing with the washing routine as he moved to her shoulders to massage them. He wanted to relax her as much as he could, he needed honesty.

She had closed her eyes, tears threatened to fall. "When I was in the cabin before I was taken I saw them practising nearby, aerial acrobatics that sort of thing, but then the news came on and it showed the director err CEO of Hydra.." Jay sat forward in the bath.

Loki raised his hands up for a few seconds as she tried to remember the names.

She rubbed her face with her wet hands, releasing a deep shuddering breath. "Mr Pierce...I think the news reporter said his name was, anyway he was bragging about using my samples to power his soldiers, ha so called super soldiers. They broke into the cabin looking for both of us. You were lucky, if you were there we'd both be dead or lab rats." Jay suppressed a giggle and leaned back again.

"Anyway I was brought back to...mmmm that's so good.." She groaned at his touch earning a smirk from the God.

"You were saying?" Loki said as he carried on with the gentle muscle massage further down her back.

"They brought me back to their office complex and questioned me, they filmed me and took a few blood tests...mmmm."

"Did you disclose anything...one assumes they didn't recognise you?"

"I told them nothing...uhhhhh...but I must have annoyed them because the guards took an instant dislike to me and err no obviously they didn't recognise me...otherwise I would still be there and probably dead!"

She had turned her head and smirked at Loki, "Besides, I was wearing a fucking t-shirt when you left me."

Loki laughed at that, despite the language. The fact stood firm, he had indeed left her naked from the waist down. It wasn't like she had needed clothes. They'd been too busy doing other things to worry about being dressed.

"Ahh yes I'm sorry about that, you see it was an impromptu visit...I wasn't expecting you to stay there for long...and of course all your feminine clothes are still in my palace on Midgard...please refrain from using that type of vulgar language though it irks me." He bit his lip to stop his smile.

"I'm sorry, I do keep putting you in these awkward situations...in the next few weeks I'm going to need you around more than ever..."

"My liege?"

"My father is stirring, the Odin sleep is wearing off, he will soon waken and in doing so he will likely banish me to Midgard as a punishment...well that or the dungeons."

"But before he wakens I will give you and your brethren a...hmm what's the word for a paid journey?"

"A vacation a holiday!" She added.

"...Ahh yes a vacation, yes I will offer you and your brethren a vacation before we depart for earth."

Jay span her head around not sure if she heard Loki correctly "A vacation? for how long exactly?"

"No more than three weeks Jay...I'm sure I can hold the fort until you return, however if I require your services you must return at a moments notice...do I have your word?"

"Yes, of course you have my word." Jay smiled. It was the first bright smile Loki had seen since the wedding, "Will you tell then?"

"No I'll leave that to you Jay." Loki said as he whispered into Jay's ear earning a blush from his female companion.

"Now just relax let the healing stones do their work...what else happened to you?" Loki said as he pushed Jay forwards to massage her lower back.

"The guards were particularly horrid, vile human beings, they took mmmm...advantage of mmmmme." Jay winced when she rubbed her lower stomach, a twinge of pain making itself known.

"And you still didn't talk to them, hmmm your strength of mind impresses me Jay, not many have the ability to take such terrible treatment at the hands of their captors without divulging their utmost secrets."

"Well...I've had good practice...mmmm...I guess hehe."

"What did they do to you?" Loki questioned, his massaging hands continued to work miracles on the female body he was caressing.

"I errrrr mmm...think one of them tried to rape me because I was bleeding but uhh, I couldn't risk them knowing it was me so I let them carry on." She looked down again.

"Z-Zane was quick enough to think of a diversion to stop them before they could finish."

Loki's eyes narrowed, he bit his lip in frustration. "Well you realise it was your brothers faults, if they had not turned against you in the first place this would not have happened."

"Yes...err I know, they sorta apologised to me for that."

"You can't let them back in Jay...they will assay to overthrow you and likely me." Loki's hands moved to Jay's sides earning a pleasured gasp.

"How do you feel now...better?" Loki asked removing his warmed hands from Jay's naked back.

"Much better actually...gotta remember those little stones, how come you've not mentioned them before?"

"They are normally only for the Aesir during times of battle, none of our bodies are immune to injury only our souls, so these healing stones are what keep us alive even if we are an inch from death." Loki said helping Jay out of the bath tub.

He held a fluffy towel ready for Jay to wrap around but as she was stepping out of the tub she slipped and haphazardly fell into his arms. Loki caught her immediately, the proximity of their bodies made Jay's eyes flutter upwards into Loki's mesmerising green orbs, her lips in dangerous territory. Loki still grasped her body in the awkward position they were in until he too lost his balance and fell backwards onto the hard floor with pained grunt as Jay fell on top of him.

"Hehe sorry my liege...I err slipped" she whispered as her mouth was within an inch of Loki's. She bit her lip and slowly locked lips with Loki, delving her tongue into his mouth, his eyes closed as he accepted the kiss gladly, but not the position. He was still fully clothed but his passion for Jay's female body was quickly making him amorous, his body was telling him he needed to do something.

He grasped Jay's arms and pushed her up to a sitting position, their lips still locked in a deep sensuous kiss. To Loki this was better than Nya better than Sigyn better than any of the concubines put together this was pure unadulterated raw lust.

Loki broke the kiss "Shall we take this to the bed, it's more comforting than the floor?" He helped Jay to stand before following her to the bed, allowing her to get onto it first before he climbed on top of her.

"Are you giving yourself to me willingly? Are you sure you want this?" Loki whispered as he hovered over Jay's prone naked body, his clothes had gone in an instant.

"I uhm, I do?"

"I will be gentle...I promise." Loki said as he delivered delicate kisses to her healing body, starting with her neck.

His tongue began trailing like a snake over her stomach and chest until his mouth claimed a pert pink bud.

Her body arching of the bed as the God worked his expertise on the feminine body beneath him. Her hands gripping simultaneously onto the sheets and his hair as Loki grazed and pushed his fingers into her core, curling them gently to bring out the release that she wanted. "Please, don't...stop."

Loki was experienced and he knew it, Jay was writhing underneath him and he hadn't even started yet. He wasn't sure if she even knew what noises she was making, but it was certainly stoking the fire. "That's it, tell me what you want."

This female body was so beautiful and so perfect with his name...Loki's name rolling off her tongue, spilling from her flushed lips. Her first orgasm of the night shouted out like it had been kept inside for months, pent up lust and raw emotions spilled from her mouth like amber nectar, sweet and gushing accompanied by moans of pleasure as Loki removed his fingers.

"You liked that didn't you?" Loki said, biting his lip in concentration. Pushing himself inside with deep, smooth strokes.

His crisp salt white teeth showed as he smiled, he was leaning over her body rejoining his lips on to hers, delving his tongue into her mouth where he met no resistance. "You give me this willingly, one thinks you must enjoy it so?"

He broke the kiss only to talk. "If it was my choice I would keep you in this state...but you need to make the choice... respect works both ways...you have kept your promise to me and I will to you..." Loki muttered, eliciting a torrent of involuntary moans. His hands snaked under Jay's female hips lifting her onto him guiding her body expertly as he knelt between her long slender legs.

"Unless you...desire it. I know you are enjoying it, I can feel it," Loki hissed, suppressing his own pleasured groans leaning down to claim her mouth as his own again, whilst waiting for her response.

She broke the deep kiss to speak, "I do, just not all the time...oh god!"

"Which god?" Loki smirked.

"You, Loki." Her eyes closed serenely.

"Then...we can make a plan to continue this at a later date, maybe after all this...Hydra nonsense is done?" Loki grunted in exertion.

"I guess, just don't leave me vulnerable again...mmmmm" Her body shook forcefully with the throws of another electrifying climax. She was struggling to think, let alone think of a coherent sentence, the feeling was so good.

The shock waves began triggering the God between her legs to follow suit, his hips rocking hard and fast. He raised himself up off his forearms and held onto the ornate headboard for support and continued to thrust.

She was gasping and whimpering as the bed rumbled with the fast hard movements, her hands were holding onto his back, her fingers digging in.

Loki was close, his face contorted into a mixture or pleasure, restraint and a hint of evil, beads of sweat on his brow as he yelled out a throaty growl, expelling his seed deep inside.

He remained on top after they had finished, "Do I have your word? You will still give yourself to me freely..?"

"I-I will...I promise." She panted out half breathless. It was only sex after all, there was nothing remotely special about this, it felt good, it wrought feelings or pleasure and lust and neither would get hurt, so she really had nothing to lose, save for her mind.

"I must say this session has certainly improved your deathly pallor, you seem to have more colour to your cheeks and err body." Loki said removing him self from her, looking down seductively over her aroused body. "Who makes you feel like this...hmmm?...that feeling deep inside of you when I bed you..."

"You do..."

"That's right, you don't need love anymore do you? Just this." Loki said as he planted his lips onto hers again; to further seal his affirmation of control over his protector.

"I will stay true to my agreement and I will change you back tomorrow morning when you should be fully recovered, thank you for a most memorable night Jay..." Loki smiled and got up of Jay, her aroused body showing the visible signs of release made Loki bite his lip again, but he was satiated for once.

"You can sleep here if you wish if it helps with your recovery." Loki said with an air of sincerity "I'll watch you tonight, your body has been through so much in the space of one day, the injuries are catching up with you and you will need to sleep, reluctance to follow this will result in your eventual death".

"Do you trust me Jay?" Loki said from the other end of his room, he could hear Jay get of the bed, whilst Loki was finding his potions bottles searching for the right one "Nope not here" He moved a few books around and the book case span revealing a large ornate chemistry set, bottles lined up on each shelf too many to count. "aha perfect.." he said retrieving the one he wanted before turning around to face Jay.

"Yes...implicitly."

"Then go back to bed and sleep, I'll keep you safe." Loki said mixing a healing potion which he gave to Jay with his head cocked to the side.

"I promise it is nothing sinister...purely healing properties but it's powerful, the healing stones can only heal outer injuries and the soul forge can only identify systemic infection."

"Just give it to me..."Jay laughed, getting back onto the bed. Loki passed the potion to her and she, and swallowed the potion down with a pained gasp. It felt like she'd swallowed molten lava, her throat instantly burned, but yet she felt like she was being pulled backwards so fast, her eyes had rolled backwards. She was fast asleep before she hit the pillow bolsters. Loki climbed back into bed with her and covered her up, he lay there watching her chest rise and fall, he could sense the power coming from within her...the perfect warrior, the perfect lover and the only person Loki could think of as being his one and only true protector.

Loki frowned at Jay, even though she was sleeping a dreamless sleep she looked peaceful, he lifted his right hand and placed it over her stomach, he could sense something there. He shook his head in annoyance of his own actions, in hindsight he knew this would be bad for not only him but Jay too, he bit his lip "I'm so sorry Jay...this will make it more difficult."

* * *

The morning came around too quickly, Jay woke up in an unfamiliar bed, she rubbed her eyes tiredly...hmm green and black...she thought and looked to her left. Loki was laying fast asleep facing the opposite direction, his perfectly sinewy body, rippled with just the right amount of muscle definition, his skin perfectly pale against the contrasting long black hair. Jay bit her lip, she had never really noticed Loki like this before, his physique was kindling something deep within Jay's female body.

It was actually nice to wake up fully refreshed in no pain physically or mentally, Jay looked down and saw no bruises, no injuries at all...just an intense aching feeling which was exacerbated by the stirring god next to her.

"Morning my liege."

"Hmmm...morning." Loki said as he turned around to face Jay "you feel better now I presume."

"Yes I err think so..."

"Can I check..."Loki smirked and snaked his hand around Jay's waist, his thumb brushing across an uncovered female nipple making Jay blush.

Loki nuzzled up to Jay's neck and sank his teeth in leaving a visible mark, Jay hissed at the pain but let him continue. His hands wandering downwards again before he muttered something to Jay.

"Get on top of me..I wish to bed you one last time before I change you back.." The request came out as more of an order but Jay duly obliged.

"I guess I should have plied you with more contraceptive hahaha..." Loki said with a sinister smirk, Jay's eyebrows knitted together in concern and alarm.

"What do you mean exactly?" Jay said breathlessly as the God was thrusting.

"I mean my dear...you are with child...I guess that might make it more difficult to change you back the next time...that female part will potentially remain...at least until...the child is born."

"Wait?...WHAT? I can't be NO..." Jay squealed trying to wriggle off but Loki had his hands on Jay's hips and kept her body in place enjoying the new feeling of Jay struggling against his thrusts dominating his more evil side.

"You are I can feel it, Just relax Jay...it'll be fine...I think..."

"This doesn't scare you then...I mean me being a man naturally...?"

"No because you are still a woman, my magic only works on transforming the body, but the potion makes physical changes so they last longer."

"I guess I'll need to utilise your brothers as protection for you too now...hahaha."

They carried on until the God was satiated again, Loki wanted to remember this before he had to change Jay back. Her body was straddling the God of evil, he took all of her weight easily as if Jay was but a feather, the powerful thrusts and subsequent grunts were echoing around the spacious room until Loki changed position, pinning a terrified Jay underneath him, his hips bucking wildly until his seed was released with a final pleasured groan.

Loki got off the bed, his clothes and intimidating golden horned helmet reappearing within a matter of seconds. Loki turned and smirked at Jay who was still speechless, his hand upturned as he muttered some indecipherable words in Jay's general direction. Green smoke wrapped around his forearm and hand forming a ball of green smokey energy, Loki manipulated it and spoke more archaic words into it before thrusting the ball at Jay.

Jay stared wide eyed at the ball until it hit his female body with a pained grunt. The effect was instantaneous, his female attributes had been replaced with his usual male physique, everything was just how it should be...the only issue was his distinct lack of clothes and a possibility of being pregnant with the spawn of an evil God.

The elemental master used his spinjitsu to redress himself as he stood naked before the God of evil but he wasn't embarrassed he had a newfound admiration for Loki and a secret lustful appetite which he new he had divulged to his brothers less than a day ago...but he was in shock, his heart was hammering.

"You really need to show me that trick my liege." Jay said as he approached Loki and stood in front of him, trying to think of something to distract his worried thoughts.

"Alas Jay I can not share these tricks with you they took many years to perfect...you are more accustomed to the ancient arts of fighting. Your strength comes from within because within you and your brothers lies a history rich in Asian martial art, you are all true masters in what you do and your element projects this...but magic...magic is what I do...I always have...I really had no choice."

"Why did you have no choice my Liege...I mean magic is obviously an excellent skill to have, well yours is." A shudder wracked Jay's body making him feel like he was hosting a parasite.

"Do you really want to know? people can be intimidated by this." Loki warned.

"Yes,of course I want to know, I'm supposed to be your protector and all that, this should really come with the territory of getting to know your boss." Jay sighed, his neck was uncomfortable with a cold sweat, he really hoped that Loki was lying...a cruel trick perhaps.

"This is why I use magic...because of this." Loki boomed, his pale white skin began turning blue, patterned raised marking which looked like scars were becoming visible before Jay's confused and slightly worried expression.

Jay stepped back a little unsure as to what was happening, he watched as Loki's green eyes were being replaced with blood red colouring and the temperature in the room had started to drop, his breath appearing before him.

"This is why I had no choice, my magic keeps this monster at bay, the monster that people tell their children about." Loki hissed, his anger seething.

"But this is just another part of you, it's a little menacing I guess but hehe it's still you...right?" A nauseous feeling was making itself known to Jay the longer he stayed in Loki's presence...was the supposed unborn child even his?

"Yes Jay...obviously" Loki said grabbing Jay by the arm "But this body comes with it's own powers" he said, as Jay recoiled in shock his eyes darting to his forearm where a blackened hand print adorned his skin.

"You can burn people..." Jay said with a fake smile not daring to touch Loki in the current form he was showing.

"I was the son of King Laufey...a frost giant, Odin stole me from certain death apparently...personally I think I was stolen as a relic of war...because ever since then I was always in the shadow of Thor, always picking up the pieces of his tantrums, taking the blame for his lack of control the list is endless." Loki said, his normal colour replacing his natural blue hue.

"Wow thanks for showing me this unique side of you...but this is now more important...what the Hel am I supposed to do with this?" Jay said lifting his gi robes up pointing to his flattened stomach complete with extensive abdominal muscles."

"Nothing yet Jay, it is still early days and your physique is unlike any Asgardian, our females here can carry for what could be considered as decades, but you could carry for as little as weeks haha."

Jay's blood ran cold "but this vacation how am I supposed to hide this from my brothers?"

"Well in your male state it won't be visible until the later stages at which case you'll just look like Volstagg, someone who loves his food a little too much."

"Great so I'm going to look like I ate all the food at the buffet for months or decades...oh dear god...it gets worse."

"The change will only take effect in a more permanent way when you revert back to your female side...plus it will obviously suit you better to be a female and in that state...as you'll soon find out."

"What does that mean...what is it with the cryptic bullshit? cut it out this isn't funny in the slightest."

"Jay please don't use that language..." Loki said biting his tongue, "Your body will crave copulation, you will desire it and won't be able to fight it...of course the first signs may come in your male form...so be aware."

"Fuck...Yeah of course it will, I swear that was your plan from the start...my liege." Jay said with a hint of anger, "stupid ass potions shit...fuck."

Loki snapped and slapped Jay across the face "I asked nicely Jay, contumely language will not be tolerated so refrain and control yourself."

"Before you leave you will need to visit the healing room again, the healers will need to assess your body before your vacation."

"Okay fine, I don't have a choice do I." Jay spat in frustration. _'WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS HAPPENING TO ME?'_ Jay thought, a cold sweat appearing as he followed Loki out of the room towards the healing room whilst rubbing his face in an attempt to hide the welt.

"So you're still expecting me to protect you with all this shit going on now...I never asked for this my liege." Jay spat the last part out but Loki ignored him.

"Was this your plan my liege? my liege...damn it LOKI was this your plan?" Jay shouted out.

Loki stopped and bit his lip hard, he was so close to punching Jay's lights out, first the attitude was back and the disgusting language and the disrespect of being called by his actual name.

"LOKI? answer me dammit I demand an..." Jay's sentence was cut short as Loki punched him around his jaw, Jay fell to the floor and gasped.

"What the ever living Hel was that for? I just want an answer...please my liege." Jay cried as Loki offered his hand to get him of the floor.

"No Jay it was never my plan, but there isn't much you can do about it now except listen to the advice they give you...carrying the offspring of a God is dangerous...you'd do well to listen instead of having a tantrum like a spoilt brat."

"Fine so that's how you wanna play it...!" Jay bit his tongue and walked off into the healing room alone, brushing past an irate Loki in the process.

The healing room was a large darkened room with many rooms leading from it, each examination table was surrounded by bars which appeared to stretch upwards. Once Jay lay on the table his image was shown directly above him as if floating in mid air.

He got onto the table again and stared transfixed to the image appearing above him, seeing his heart beating, lungs moving, bowels urgh gross...'what the Hel is that?' Jay thought, his eyes widening as he saw the tiny image of an incredibly small heartbeat in an organ that didn't even look like his.

"What is that?" Jay pointed in embarrassment to something that looked like a bladder.

"This...this is a womb, an organ meant for child bearing...although I am a little unsure as to why you have one, but your anatomy is unlike anything I have seen before...so perhaps it is normal for you."

"Ha err no it's most definitely _not_ normal for me...its the complete _opposite_ of normal...it's like the circus freak, the bearded woman, two headed man...it's not right and it's not normal dammit." Jay tried to calm himself, he knew he was hyperventilating.

"Well that's not very much you can do about it, so I suggest you either learn to accept it or arrange for a suitable family of high standing to raise this child if you are incapable."

"Whoa...what? how soon are we talking here...I mean I only just found out about this...and what makes you think I'd be incapable?"

"Please just try to relax...you shouldn't allow yourself to become stressed...You will be carrying this child for a long time...only the female hormones can sustain it for the shortened duration...male hormones will prolong it."

"If this child has any magical abilities you may revert back to the female state intermittently...you might, like I said, it is difficult to predict because of your anatomy...

"WHAT...SO I'LL HAVE NO CONTROL OVER IT...are you fucking kidding me?" Jay hissed, his fingers sparking with electrical currents which interfered with the soul forge.

"You need to control your anger...do you know who the father is?"

"WHAT? I need to control my anger...I found out about this about an hour ago and since then oh my god I think I'm gonna be sick." Jay said sitting up a feeling of nausea overcoming him, as he jumped up and ran across to the nearest sink emptying the contents of his stomach.

"Would you like a potion for that my prince, we have some excellent anti emetics all created by our apothecary."

"NO I DON'T WANT ANYMORE POTIONS dammit...just leave me alone." Jay snarled in anger and stormed out of the room.

"Please restrain yourself my prince, there is nothing you can do about this...like I said in your current physique it will not be apparent, but you would do well to take adequate precautions, your strength will be lacking until the gestation is complete."

* * *

Jay left the healing room and walked back to his room with his head down, yeah he was glad to be back in his own male body...it felt good, he could control his power now easily. He found out that if he tapped into his emotions he could utilise his destructive shield, but now he wasn't just in this body alone...no now there was that...something unnatural...almost parasitic. He was angry well he was past angry he was full of rage, his mood slowly calming as he walked away, his sour mood would have to wait, he had some good news to divulge to his brothers.

He was adamant he would take this secret to his deathbed when ever that would be...sooner than he hoped if he angered Loki anymore, maybe the birth would kill him, he hoped it was all a bad dream and if it wasn't he hoped for a quick painless death.


	31. Vacation pt2 back home

Jay, with a face like thunder, walked into the courtyard and glanced around. He was looking for the most secluded spot possible where he wouldn't be bothered by anyone. For the moment, he didn't want any attention at all, he wanted to be left alone.

Being a member of the royal family gave him no rest from unwanted attention so naturally where ever he went, attention followed.

None more so than two rather beautiful girls who had spotted him easily. Jay was a young male with light brown hair, who was always seen around the King. They knew him from personal experience after his celebration, had got to know him intimately too. Other than being the athletic type, Jay was tall and handsome, sensitive, and energetic both in bed and on the battle field.

The girls from his crowning ceremony had easily spotted him. Sitting underneath a cherry blossom archway, looking every bit the eligible bachelor. One twin even sat on his lap which was uninvited.

He didn't swat them away, Jay couldn't be bothered irregardless of how beautiful they were. He just sat there until one of the twins grabbed his face and kissed him hard, immediately snapping him out of his trance

"Whoa, err hey.." Jay mumbled mid way through breaking off the passionate kiss. "I remember you and...". His eyes doing a literal double take. "Both of you, from a few months ago?" He smirked, remembering that he'd had a night of fun with these two.

"You're so difficult to track down!" One twin mouthed.

"Yes, yes we've been looking for you." The other nodded. "Even your warriors couldn't tell us where you were!"

"Or our brother." The twins spoke, finishing of each others sentences much to Jay's amusement and slight confusion as he regarded both females who gently lowered themselves.

One twin had her hand on his now bared chest, having easily unclasped his chest plate. She was tenderly nibbling his ear, whispering nought but provocative thoughts into his head.

He struggled not to laugh whilst the other was biting his bottom lip. All he did was lean back and groan, partially in pleasure but also frustration. He didn't desire this, no matter how good it felt.

"I've been busy, still am but you can blame the king for that. Haa, he works me like a dog."

One twin was sat on his lap, her tongue delving deep into his mouth which was accompanied by a deep throaty groan. The other twin was kissing his neck when he heard the dulcet tones of his brothers; Lloyd and Cole. Both voices were coming from nearby. Jay couldn't hide, there was nowhere to go so he sat, waiting for them to walk past. Hoping that the twins would obscure him somewhat, which, judging by the fact that these girls wanted him so badly; that might just work.

'Five, four, three, two, one' Jay mentally counted down whilst lazily reciprocating the sloppy kiss. Gaze locking onto the eyes of his brothers as realisation dawned on them that they were in fact looking at Jay, the real original male version of their brother. All evilness forgotten for that fleeting moment as they took in the scene.

Jay was sitting on a wooden bench, partially hidden with two beautiful long blonde haired twins climbing all over him. He wasn't even fighting them off but his hands weren't grasping them either.

"J-Jay is that you?" Cole asked in embarrassment. He couldn't be sure and didn't want to interrupt the moment, especially if it wasn't Jay.

"Mmmm, yeah it's mmme.." Jay mumbled, breaking off the kiss much to the upset pouty face of one of the twins.

"Whoa dude get a room..." Lloyd said turning his nose up. A hint of jealousy visible on his face.

The twins eventually got up, bidding him a farewell kiss before lifting their noses up at Lloyd and walking on past.

"Bye ladies." Jay sighed.

C _an't get a break anywhere without unwanted female attention_...

Cole stared after them and then back at his seated brother. He was impressed, not that he'd outwardly admit it. "You've still got it, I see? And, you look better, uh, like this."

He wouldn't ever admit that he'd enjoyed screwing Jay as a female, or the fact he'd lost control, becoming violent. That was something he'd rather forget. Laughing awkwardly, Cole sat next to Jay and ruffled his black hair. "Were they the same girls you mentioned a few months ago?"

He nodded, biting his lips shyly. "Yeah, they um, they were..." Subconsciously, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and began fastening his robes. He was blushing, but there was nothing else to say. Simply, like it had been back then, the girls were a welcome distraction and that was all.

"Nice."

"So he obviously changed you back then." Lloyd piped up, relieved. "I mean, did it hurt; being changed back?"

"Yes and no." Jay shrugged loosely. "He changed me back, he gave me his word...I trust him."

"Haa, that's the funniest thing you've said for months! You trust him, you're joking right?"

Jay didn't look to be in a joking mood. The smile never made it to his face. "I wish I was joking, but no there's no fun in that anymore...I trust him because I have no choice."

Cole narrowed his gaze and frowned at Jay, the seriousness coming out in his voice "Jay wait, you think you have no choice! of course you do, we all do."

Fighting with his inner turmoil, Jay so wanted to shout to make them listen but he didn't he just sighed, "Not really...I gave that up when I accepted his offer, gahh don't make me repeat it again." he leaned forward with his troubled head in his hands, before squeezing his eyes shut.

"Jay? you're still worrying me and you know that if you need to talk you know where I am right." Cole said in a comforting tone, his arm wrapped around his strong brother.

"Look, I've got something I need to tell you all, will you accompany me to your sleeping chambers?" Jay asked as he stood up and towered over his seated brothers.

Lloyd and Cole gave a suspicious look at Jay, wondering if this information would be good or bad news, would it be dangerous?

Jay could almost see what they were thinking before they said it, "It's nothing serious...it's good news actually."

"Well why can't you tell us here?" Lloyd questioned.

"It is a request, not an order." Jay said in a monotonous humourless and expressionless voice "please, I would prefer to tell you all as a team."

"Do we have a choice?" Lloyd asked, his brows bunched together considering Jay's strange sense of words.

"Yes...but it would be in your best interests to just follow me as it will benefit all of you." Jay said as he walked away.

"Why are you speaking like that Jay...you sound different, kind of like Loki...its a little scary." Cole said as he walked next to Lloyd keeping up with Jay's fast pace.

He carried on walking, his pace as quick as before. "I don't know what you mean, it's like you think something is wrong with me, honestly there's not. Look just follow me okay, I promise all will be explained in due course." He huffed in annoyance, turning to face his brothers. "Is Kai still in his room, Zane?"

"Yeah, both in Zane's room, he's helping with the chemistry set." Lloyd said sarcastically.

Cole joined in with the friendly banter, trying to lighten the mood. "Yeah, they're both being nerds doing science stuff, where as we've been perfecting our skills on the battle field." He said, nudging Lloyd for male bravado and confirmation.

"Gotta say Jay we're glad to have you back buddy, you scared us yesterday and last night too."

"Ha thanks Cole, I appreciate the sentiment...ahh right we're here, Zane's sleeping quarters, this place brings back memories." Jay said as he swung open the double doors and walked in with his cloak sweeping behind him.

"Hey guys listen up I have some good news to share with you all, Loki has granted us all approximately three weeks of vacation time, which equates to...Zane if you would." Jay said motioning to Zane to work it out and began watching Kai's face light up.

"Three months, we have three month vacation...what are we going to do for that duration?"

"I have no idea, but it's your choice" Jay said smirking "I'll be coming too oh and we likely wont be coming back to Asgard, we'll be stationed on Midgard for the forseable, the time difference isn't as bad."

"You serious we get a three month reprieve?" Kai jumped up of his seat.

"Three months are you serious Jay, Loki's given us vacation time...why?"

"Ha clever, the only one that has asked!" Jay smirked.

He leaned up against the wall as his brothers sat around Zane's bed. "Guys remember, one day is one week so actually, it's more like 21 weeks."

Again he smiled, when he saw their faces light up in realisation. "Look, it's not important per se but I'll take care of everything that I can and as long as I can."

Cole cast him a frown, thinking him to be keeping secrets again. His arms folded across his chest. "What does that mean?"

Jay looked at Cole, his words were for everyone. "You guys can go and enjoy yourselves. Think of it as a gift..." He said wryly.

Cole said nothing more but his frown remained until Jay spoke again.

"So uh, go get your things ready because we'll be leaving in an hour." He finished and he was just about to leave until Kai spoke.

"You're coming too Jay...right? Because, I'll be fairly certain that Nya would love to see you."

"Love...She'd love to see me? Okay." He seemed confused at the choice of word Kai used.

"Err, I will be coming with you but I might not be able to stay for as long...it depends really."

"Depends on what, Jay?"

"N-nothing Kai, just get your stuff ready and meet me at the Bifrost." Jay said turning his back on them and leaving the room in haste.

"Well that was unexpected and odd." Lloyd stated, he was busy packing his clothes, "we still taking these too I assume?"

"Yeah we'll need them for when we're back on earth, it doesn't harm to be prepared." Cole said eyeing Zane's prized diamond shurikens, "it was unexpected definitely...not odd though, why did you think it was odd?"

"Just how the message was delivered, he wasn't very excited about it himself, it's almost like he's dreading being back in Ninjago and earth."

"Well you can't blame him for dreading going back to Earth...he wasn't treated very well there was he? ya know both times!" Kai stated with a knowing look, his smirk replaced by guilt. He had been the reason why Hydra wanted Jay, he had given up his own brother.

"I think someone at least needs to notify Nya that's we'll be coming back for a bit." Zane added.

"Already on it Zane," Kai said as he raced with his device back into his own room. Kai bit his lip _'who should I tell first, Nya or Skylor, haha Zane will kill me if he knows that Skylor's got the other device haha_ '.

"Thank you brother" Zane said to a quickly disappearing Kai.

* * *

"Hey Nya...come on pick up it's me Kai...your brother...come on."

"Urgh Kai...it's four am here, keep it down" Nya said with a yawn, she rubbed her eyes and grabbed her device pulling the tiny device onto her bed from her nightstand.

"What's wrong Kai, everything okay there?"

"Yeah everything is great here because..." His boyish enthusiasm shining through, he paused for maximum impact.

"...We're coming home for a few months hehe." Kai's loud excited giggles carried around the large room, Nya was desperately trying in vain to find a volume button.

"Months...MONTHS wow that's great, will Jay be coming too?" Nya asked before her happiness turned into a frown. "Why is **_he_** letting you take this much time off, what is he planning?"

"I don't know really, well Jay does but he's being quite vague about it, guess we'll ply him with alcohol until he spills the beans hehe."

"Oooh that sounds like a good night out Kai don't forget to invite me, so when are you coming home and will you need accommodation?"

"We'll be there in a few hours, we're coming home today...can you tell Skylor please, please, please and yeah we might need accomodation." Kai whined excitedly down the device.

* * *

Jay walked away climbing the golden steps back to his room, he saw Loki but kept his head down, his earlier outburst had got him into trouble with the God and it was something he didn't want to repeat again in the same day, his jaw still bore the brunt of his anger. They had reached a stalemate, neither was talking so Jay walked straight into his room closing the doors behind him with a slam.

He walked to his bed grabbing a bag and putting his spare clothes in, he didn't need many as he'd buy some new items once he got to Ninjago, if he needed to. He stood in front of his mirror and admired his outfit again, all his weapons still in place, unused for the best part of two weeks, due to his incarceration and subsequent humiliation.

The door knocked gently behind him gently, "come in" he called gently and watched in his mirror as Loki walked in to the room with his head held high.

"Jay I needed to see you before you left, I have arranged for the apothecary to deliver some medications to you before you leave, they will help with any outward symptoms, emotions, feelings of malaise you may feel, whilst you are in this situation."

Jay glared at him in anger "I wouldn't be in this situation if you hadn't turned me in the first place...so I guess you are solely to blame...it's your fault."

"Actually Jay it's yours, you gave yourself to me many times over these last few days, our first night together in Asgard only three nights ago, I bedded you thrice followed by twice more in the cabin and twice within the last 24 hours...Jay in your female form you would be considered an earth slut."

"How dare you!" Jay stood back in shock.

"Y-you seduced me, that's not fair."

"And I err, I'm not a...a slut." Jay cried, tears spilled down his face.

"No you were my slut haha...don't cry Jay." Loki stifled an inappropriate giggle. He knew that the tears were likely caused by an increase in hormones.

"Alas, this is one of the reasons you need to take the medication with you, there should be enough to last you for the duration of your stay."

"I don't want any more damn potions, that's all you've been plying me with for the last three days...so thanks but no thanks." he said wiping his face angrily.

"As you wish, but you realise that they are there to help you...this is relative unknown territory."

"Yes I am sure I don't want any more of these potions...the last time you tricked me into taking them you bound my powers and gave me a shoddy birth control thing...dammit Loki...why me?" Jay hissed, he sat down and looked out of the window a mixture of emotions flooding over him.

"Jay, just go and enjoy this time off, I promise nothing untoward will happen to you whilst you are away. I won't force you to take these but I strongly recommend you reconsider them."

"Thanks I will and no I won't take them...all they've ever done is cause problems."

"Well the potions and you." Jay added spitefully and turned around to face Loki, his sharp accusing tone made Loki flinch.

"Look Jay I don't want you to leave under a darkened cloud, you should be completely fine in this state if you take care of your body." Loki watched Jay's pained expression, trying to guess his next outlandish statement. He had grown attached to Jay in these few months and this break wouldn't be easy for Loki or Jay.

"Ok so if I avoid being captured by Hydra or Shield or any of the Avengers...I mean no one in Ninjago is a threat anymore right."

"So that's where you're going then? well at least I know where I can find you." Loki said with a smirk.

Jay bit his lip, angry at himself for giving the vacation location up, 'great now he knows where we'll be'. "You won't try anything...will you, ya know with Nya?"

"No Jay, I had much more fun with you and now you are carrying my offspring hahaha...you're so young and fertile," Loki boomed happily with his hand hovering over Jay's flattened stomach before walking back towards the door.

"Seriously Jay, being pregnant isn't the end of the world...hahaha well it will be when my offspring roam the nine realms. You've already met one of them."

"Wait, WHAT?"

Jay's confusion was painfully clear as Loki spoke about his past experiences about being a shape shifter, "So you see this unborn creature could be something great or something incredibly evil, for example Sleipnir is my son, a wonderfully strong beast I gifted him to my father, he takes good care of him. Then there's Fenrir a large mystical wolf, I never see him anymore, I don't even know if he is still living but I heard rumours about him being slain centuries ago."

"Are you saying that you had sex with a horse and a wolf...oh my god that is sick and twisted." Jay stared at the God with disgust and shock on his face.

"I should add that this all happened about two thousand years ago...my younger years if you will, nowadays I don't waste my power on shape shifting myself as I prefer to impart that onto my possessions...or anyone that I wish to bed or humiliate." Loki stated without any embarrassment, "there was a method to my madness and the experience of birth pained me enough not to make the same mistake again."

Jay's face paled at the last part, for one he couldn't get over the idea of a pregnant Loki even though the thought did amuse him, a smirk replaced some of the shock he felt as he imagined Loki with a mothers day card from his children...he stifled a giggle and bit his lip as the God sneered at him.

"Do not mock until you have tried it Jay...well you will have the chance now, an experience with your name on it." Loki smirked in retaliation.

"Yeah but at least with your creatures s-sorry children you had a choice...you did it for a reason, this is just unfair and the worst part there is no reason." Jay fumed.

"Don't worry yourself over this but I advise secrecy, don't disclose it to anyone, if you do I can't come to your beck and call whenever you need me to."

"You don't anyway...you always send someone else to do it for you." Jay said rolling his eyes.

"That's not entirely accurate Jay...I did rescue you from Shield, the hospital and from yourself."

"What? err yeah you rescued me from Shield I remember that but from the hospital are you serious haha, they were treating me because I was bleeding to death which I should add was your plan and from myself yeah okay sorta...except you turned me into a woman."

"This constant bickering is tiring me Jay, you were turned as punishment for disobedience against your king."

"Yeah great...Thanks for that loved the experience of being beaten to a pulp in the dungeons, it was the highlight of my life..to date."

"Hmmm, I think it's time for you to go Jay before I snap and lock you back in the dungeons because this is getting _very_ tiresome, you need to learn some respect from your elders."

" _Fine I'll go_...if you need me you know where I'll be now but please don't just turn up...and don't kill anyone...I mean it Loki err sorry my liege." Jay said as he grabbed his bags and left his room saluting in jest to Loki as he passed. He stopped at the door, dropping his bags before running back to Loki and giving him a brotherly hug,

"Thank you."

"You're welcome...Jay. Please be careful!"

* * *

Jay walked back down to his brothers rooms with a small smile on his face, his personal problems would have to wait because this was his first vacation in months, he had been gone for an entire year from Ninjago which equated to six months where as his brothers had only been gone for three weeks or three days.

He walked down the stairs and stood outside Zane's room he could hear his brothers inside, excited voices coming from within the large room. Jay had to be happy on the outside for his brothers, they all needed this break, so he put on his best, bravest smile. He pushed the doors open with a huge grin on his face, his scarred eyebrow raised in animated suspension "are ya ready?" he said in a happy tone which took everyone by surprise.

"It's time to go, we're using the horses too, so follow me." Jay said as he turned back around and walked away, his smile disappeared as soon as he turned. Panic replacing his calm features, he used his free hand to rub his face before his brothers could see his troubled face, this was something he could not share, the embarrassment would kill him if the scientists didn't first.

Jay got onto his own black horse, it had his personal emblem on the reigns of a striking lightning symbol and matching black saddle, he knew he might not see this horse anymore, even though he had spent a good few months getting used to her. "Maybe I can take her to another realm...Loki wouldn't mind plus I can always bring her to earth, hey Wisp!" Jay said out loud stroking the horse he rode on. "I named you after my first dragon, but you're just as special as he was...he used to listen to my jokes and he never criticised me...or at least I don't think he did...hmm."

His brothers were getting their bags secured onto their horses and eventually caught up to Jay who was waiting patiently at the entrance of the rainbow bridge.

Jay started trotting off towards the observatory to say farewell to Heimdall, his brothers trailing behind him unaware that they would never be coming back here again at least with Jay. He knew he would need to do this alone, Loki had told him so, he just had to cut all ties every single one.

"Heimdall, looks like I'm the first one here..hehe."

"Jay...my prince I'm glad to see you looking better and a little more yourself."

"Ha thanks...so how long do you think it will be?"

"I saw him yesterday, he stirs, no more than three weeks but when he wakes if you or Loki are here you will either both be incarcerated for your alleged crimes on Midgard and Vanaheim or killed dependent on his mood."

"Awesome...I so love these choices, hmm the dungeons or death...I don't suppose any of the punishments involve being let free."

"No Odin, has always been quite strict even with Thor, he was banished to Midgard, he died as a mortal, he gave his life to save those around him, only then did his Aesir powers return."

"Loki was gagged with enchanted wire, keeping his mouth shut until his punishment came to an end."

"Great so ya know maybe send me a sign if he wakes because I don't want him hot on my trail when I'm watching after Loki."

"Please be safe my prince, take care of your self." Heimdall said as he lifted Hofund, his mighty golden sword key and placed it into the control panel triggering the start of the observatories power up sequence.

"Thank you for everything Heimdall...I really have appreciated it, the moral support, food when I was in the dungeons..haha."

"My prince this isn't goodbye...you will be back, sooner than you think." Heimdall smiled, looking behind him to see Jay's brothers joining him in a tight circle as they prepared for the distant journey.

"Then in that case see you soon Heimdall..." Jay said as he disappeared from sight when the Bifrost activated surrounded by his brothers.


	32. Testing times

The ninja team including Jay were rapidly travelling to their own realm, as a treat from Loki. What they didn't know was the reason why.

Kai was the only one to question Loki's reason, although, not directly. It was only because Jay's answer had been too vague and, as such, no answers had been forthcoming. Jay simply refused to answer despite Kai's perseverance, so he dropped it.

* * *

It would appear to Jay, that this type of travel still took some getting used to for his brothers, their faces were so full of concentration and their eyes were tightly closed, as if fighting off the effects of extreme g force.

The whole experience felt like they were flying and Jay loved it, in Ninjago before any of this had happened he had always wanted to fly he even made fold-able gliders that he and his brothers used when they were retrieving the elemental weapons, specifically his nunchucks of lightning from the floating kingdom.

Even after all that time, the subsequent fall outs, battles and numerous villains Jay had learnt to levitate, his cheeky persona landing him a role on his own television show. The

He did like the attention the tv show gave him because it took his mind off a negative and difficult time in his life, it helped to keep his mind occupied just like how Loki was now.

Jay was busy all the time with Loki, rarely getting a break. Even if he was with his brothers or on earth there was always something to do. But this was new and for once Jay was at a loss at what he could possibly do for three whole months, what would keep him occupied for all that time?

The Bifrost bean came to an abrupt stop and the ninja team checked their immediate surroundings. The first thing noticed was an abundance of blossom, spring was in full bloom, trees everywhere covered in fragrant blossoms that were wafting on the breeze, allowing the home sick ninja brothers to breathe it in in large gulps.

"Where are we?" Kai queried, looking for any identifiable buildings "grassland wilderness perhaps!"

"Well where ever we are we need to get moving because we don't want to sleep out here when nightfall arrives." Cole said in a serious tone checking everyone was present and accounted for before setting off "You're being really quiet zaptrap...it's unnerving."

"Hmm...yeah." Jay mumbled and followed trailing behind his brothers who all seemed to be excited about being back home.

Kai dropped back waiting for Jay to catch up, he noticed his slightly younger brother's reluctance to join in with the conversations "You alright Jay, you haven't really spoken much since we got back."

"Kai...really, I'm great okay, well maybe a little tired." Jay lied, he was getting good at this...too good because that was all the information Kai needed as he left to join up with Cole, Lloyd and Zane leaving him trailing behind again.

'This where it all started, we were docked here...well nearby when we were told of an electrical disturbance...wow how time flies, so much has changed hehe.' He thought as he looked around taking in the views surrounding him until his eyes settled on his attire.

'Hehe oops, might need to rectify that.' He was still wearing his ceremonial robes, his luxurious cloak wafting in the wind, kept snagging on the bushes they walked through. He stopped momentarily having only just realised the impact this would have, the last time he came here, people cowered around him, they felt intimidated by his presence or maybe it was his clothing choice.

He gently removed his glistening black weapons placing them on the floor, they looked like crude oil as the sun shone down on them. They were the embodiment of evil as was the person who conjured them and the person who used them.

He quickly span into his working armour before his brothers could see, they were almost completely out of earshot anyway and they didn't seem to notice though because they were still walking and talking about what they would do for three months. He collected his weapons off the floor placing them back onto his body and into their sheaths and scabbards before setting off again.

Jay rolled his eyes and bit his tongue 'come on Jay try and make it look realistic,' he thought to himself and made a concerted effort to catch up before he got lost. His weapons clattering together noisily whilst he quickened his pace "Hey wait up guys..." Jay panted as he caught up, a smile on his face "so what's the plan for tonight...I mean once we've found accommodation?"

"We're going out for a drink, Seliel, Skylor and Nya are coming too, you up for that? or won't Loki let his precious little prince go out?" Cole smirked.

Jay bit his tongue at the insult "No he lets me drink if I want to, it's my body after all." He huffed back in a petulant tone.

"Ha, your body! you were his bitch Jay, we heard it from his mouth...you enjoyed it right?"

"That's uncalled for Cole, you know I had no choice." Jay sighed looking away in embarrassment.

"Knock it off Cole, that's in the past bro..."Kai admonished but kept on walking with Lloyd up ahead.

"Fine whatever, I'm glad to be away from Loki anyway he was really starting to annoy me. You know down here you're just like us...you're only royalty up there." Cole said quietly. He prodded his finger at Jay's chest threateningly, "Don't forget it spark plug, I can still put you back in your place...I'm not scared of you."

"Yeah thanks Cole...personal space still stands you know." Jay stopped walking and stood back a step, looking straight into Cole's eyes with his head turned slightly. "Look I'm not planning on disclosing my royalty down here so get off my case already and keep your damned hands to yourself."

"I'm not looking after you down here, I've got three months away from all that shit and I don't plan on spending it with you, I'm not your damn baby sitter Jay. I wont be helping Loki's spoilt prince to stay out of trouble, if you get into trouble you can get yourself out of it."

"Wow...just wow, I'm hurt Cole...why the sudden change huh? thought you'd be happy to have some time off." Jay quizzed Cole's attitude change.

"You had everything up there, lording it around and rubbing our faces it in...you're a spoilt brat Jay and you've been around evil for too long...you have no respect anymore for yourself or for authority." Cole hissed, his brothers walking off unaware of his outburst, "you try anything down here and I won't hold back. My brothers depend on me to be strong for them and I will take you down if you threaten that."

"Hey, I didn't lord it around I had to behave like a prince, back the fuck off Cole. Just who do you think you are, I would have thought you'd be grateful for this break, which I should add wasn't an easy task and considering you were this close to being Loki's little bitch." Jay laughed in Cole's face, feeling ashamed at what he had just said but it was too late, as was the case for retaliatory comments.

Cole scowled at Jay, his fists clenched by his side. "Fuck off Jay...can't believe you bought that up." he spat turning on his heels.

"You started it..." Jay stated red faced, the adrenaline surge dying down.

"Cole I'm sorry bro...Cole!" Jay called after his brother but he was too late Cole had stormed away and led his team at a faster more punishing pace than before, 'you started it dirt brain... I wont hold back either' his misery coming back in droves.

Jay trudged on, he was fast feeling out of breath, but carried on regardless occasionally glancing up to where the stars would normally be, he looked with a deep sense of longing. He wasn't paying attention at that moment because he walked straight into his brothers, laughing nervously before he straightened himself up, he was soon greeted by the appearance of street lights signifying a close proximity to the outskirts of the main city they all called home.

"Maybe a taxi would be a good idea about now." Jay panted out of breath "I'll pay, my treat hehe...anyone?" Everyone just groaned around him. "Urgh I have no friends" He laughed at his own humour and felt like he was being ignored again.

Kai came back and joined Jay's side seeing his brother out of breath was odd considering he was supposedly immune from illness, he was at the peak of physical fitness, they all were thanks to Loki.

"Well this shouldn't take too long, don't think we're too far away from civilisation now and you can rest at Nya's tonight if ya want to."

"Hmm or a hotel?"

"Yeah I guess a hotel if you want." Kai puzzled over his choice, wondering why he wouldn't want to spend the night at Nya's with him and his brothers.

'There's no chance in hell that I'll be staying with you lot tonight.' Jay thought still reeling from Cole's angry diatribe.

'Gahh three months, what the Hel am I supposed to do for that long?'

The ninja team walked across the fist road they came to stopping outside a gas station, Zane hailed a nearby taxi cab minibus which was big enough to carry all of them and their baggage into the city. The taxi ride was mostly silent for Jay, his brothers deep in conversation, Cole was officially giving Jay the cold shoulder after his previous remarks, his eyes ocassionally staring dangerously into Jay's purple orbs.

The taxi pulled up outside a rather luxurious apartment complex which looked familiar to Jay even though he had never been there before in person. His brothers got out and looked in puzzlement as Jay stayed in the taxi, he winked his eye before he closed the door, opening the window "I'm going to a hotel, you all need some space but I'll still come to the bar later...maybe." Jay said closing the window as the taxi drove away.

"Great which hotel exactly?" Kai shouted after the car whizzed off into the distance, he didn't miss the shrug of Cole's shoulders watching the taxi disappear. "Don't think he should be alone Cole."

"Who cares Kai, come on bro lets go catch up with Nya, drop this stuff off then we can go out."

"I hope that was a slip of the tongue...who cares, I care!" Kai responded with a genuine disappointment in Cole, putting it down to tiredness.

"He still has his device so he can contact us if he needs to, I estimate three hours at least before we need to get ready giving us enough time approximately to refuel."

"Yeah we need something to eat but I thought we were sticking together!" Kai said, his stomach rumbling.

"Well that was the plan, this was supposed to be a team building exercise, I guess Jay didn't get that memo." Lloyd shrugged his shoulders walking into the atrium of the apartment complex.

* * *

Jay paid the taxi fare and got out of the taxi, checking himself into a small inexpensive hotel with as little fuss as possible. He put his few bags onto the floor nearest the modest sized bed and left the shabby room to find some space. He wanted to be left alone and this was the perfect opportunity, he left the hotel and walked for a short while to a disused multi story car park which looked to be in the process of being built.

"Hehe not tried this yet but I wonder what my elemental dragon would look like...considering it'll be a hybrid." He said tapping into his elements, his new dragon reminded him of the Overlord, it was almost completely black with purple eyes, the wing span was impressive as were the clouds of purple mist with each flap of the wings.

"Hahaha cool check...it...out." Jay giggled in awe pulling on the silver reigns and taking the creature for a ride over the rooftops as fast as he could, unaware that people were staring at the sky after the shadow it left on the ground. People were instantly reminded of the Overlords presence which was to say they were scared, phones were taken from pockets and pointed to the skies as people tried to get the best video of the menacing looking dragon. Typically in Ninjago city it wasn't long until the news crews were on top of the new developing story dubbed 'The Overlord is back' with helicopters searching out for the dark winged beast.

Siren's could be heard but Jay dismissed it as an emergency situation, he was having too much fun with his elemental dragon to even notice the crowds underneath shrieking in terror. The dragon was a stark contrast to Wisp, his previous dragon which had guarded the nunchucks of lightning was mostly pale blue with streaks and tendrils of lightning, it's eyes almost white. This dragon was like a plasma ball, pink and purple beams of raw power surging inside against the blackness of multiple layers of purple mist.

"Let's see what you got huh...whooooo hooooooo." Jay squealed "God I've missed this haha...yeee haw." Water was streaming out of his eyes as he soared through the air, flying back up into the clouds and swooping down again like an arrow before he hovered in one spot, the dragon flapping its large misty wings.

A helicopter even though noisy was the last of Jay's worries until it appeared under his line of sight giving him a shock from it's closeness to his feet, he quickly moved his dragon to the side with a scowl avoiding the fast spinning rotor blades. He noticed the helicopter level with him and saw the camera crew on board before he realised that he was being filmed.

"Oh shit...this isn't good" he said as he thought of a plan to lose the aircraft, he pulled his dragon steeply to the opposite side and dove down into a steep dive to the streets below trying to find an alleyway wide enough for the elemental dragon to land before disappearing from sight again. Of course this action further terrified the local population as they cowered in fear of the giant black dragon which was now at street level.

"Ahh perfect spot right there...bit run down I guess but it'll do." he turned his reigns tightly away from the helicopter and camera crew and in doing so managed to lose them in the process, he slowed down his dragon and jumped off effortlessly landing on his feet in a semi crouching stance with his arms out for balance. He jumped behind a dumpster trying to avoid being seen by anyone, it had worked he wasn't found, his secret was safe.

"Like a pro hehe," he stood and looked around "this looks familiar...sure I've been down here before hehe...hmmm downtown quarter by any chance!"

"Do you always talk to yourself?...or are you...insane?.." A familiar sounding stranger asked.

"Only when I think I'm by myself and no." Jay retorted as he looked for the source of the voice feeling a sense of deja vu coupled with annoyance, the first impression he got was this person was an idiot.

"Who are you?" he asked, backing against a dumpster so the helicopter flying above couldn't see him.

"A face from the past."

"Really you're gonna stick with that...well that was kind of obvious." Jay said rolling his eyes, "why are you talking to me...haven't you got anything better to do than to annoy me?" He hissed quietly into nothingness getting frustrated.

"There are rumours going around about your team and...you in particular."

"Yeah so!" Jay huffed impatiently "what rumours exactly?" that part spiked his interest.

"Look, who are you? you're really starting to annoy me now...secrecy doesn't intimidate me." Jay warned, his body postured for attack.

"I'm not here to hurt you lightning wielder...although I sense you have far more power now than you did a few years ago." the voice said, a cold breeze washed over Jay making the hair on his neck stand on end.

"You don't scare me, show yourself." Jay whispered as the coldness crept over him.

"I can feel it inside you, so much power the potential abilities you possess are limitless...you're unstoppable...I think."

"Look I'm this close to walking away from this or what ever this is." Jay hissed as he felt himself being pushed back against the wall with a thud.

"You won't walk away from me,hahaha."

"Oooh what is this...now this is something you don't see everyday...hmmmm I wonder how it got in here."

Jay felt the colour leave his face, an intense feeling of nausea washed over him as something so cold felt like it was prodding his stomach none too gently.

"A secret I assume and I'm guessing you don't want them knowing about it..." the voice said circling his lower abdomen before his stomach cramped, if the voice had a visible face it would have shown an evil smile because of the pain it was now inflicting on the lightning wielder.

"S-stop...it." Jay hissed breathlessly, his eyes tightly squeezed in pain.

"You carry the child of a powerful being from beyond this realm...although I'm not sure how but you have been busy regardless...I take it your brothers don't know?"

Jay felt the coldness consume him, there was something familiar about that voice it was well spoken with a hint of evil, an accent of some sort.

"Yeah I do, what does it matter to you?" Jay hissed in defiance "N-no they d-don't know...who are y-you?" He stammered as the coldness travelled through his body, freezing him to the spot in terror.

"S-stop, you d-don't know w-what you're doing."

"This is beyond any of the magic I've practised, dark magic at its best...so much more superior to any ancient grimoires I have ever studied, hahaha are you someones plaything?...you seem different hmm upgraded almost...yes I see someone has spent much time on you...a powerful weapon no less."

"Clouse...?" Jay said with a sigh, he was the only villain who had openly admitted to using magic in the past, "Get o-out of m-my body."

"Well done, didn't take you long did it although I always thought you to be the dim witted one." Clouse said appearing in his ethereal form before Jay, "evidently I was mistaken."

"Well now that introductions are out of the way...what do you want?" Jay said with a shudder, the pained contractions slowly ebbing away, "how are you here?"

"I want your help."

"Great well I'm really not in the mood to help people who seem intent on causing pain." Jay regained his composure his hand subconsciously on his stomach riding out the cramping feeling.

"I can force you to do it...I hear possession is nine tenths of the law and of course it's painful."

"Ha yeah right yawn...I seriously doubt that, what do you need help with anyway?" Jay quizzed impatiently.

"I just simply need a mortal to recite a spell for me." Clouse responded whilst trying to keep his calm and collected manner despite the lightning wielder testing his patience.

"I'm here because I chose to remain...well that and I escaped from the cursed realm...unfinished business if you will."

"Hmm okay, cursed realm...doesn't sound very pleasant." Jay laughed looking down at his nails in boredom, "So you need a mortal eh and what exactly is this spell?" Jay said rolling his eyes, making sure Close couldn't see him.

"It will allow me to become whole again."

"No-one is ever happy with their lot are they...you died because you chose the wrong side and you're evil." Jay said with a hint of irony, he bit his tongue ' _technically I am too hehe, but what harm could come of this?_ '

"Let me put it this way...if you don't help me then the press will get hold of your story, I can make a very convincing story too especially considering you'll be the first ever pregnant man in existence hahaha."

"Wow, really you're threatening me to get me to do your bidding, how stupid do you think I am?" He cringed waiting for the unnecessary snide remark that was coming his way, not believing that Clouse would attempt it despite him wanting Jay's help.

"Very."

"Hey...that was rhetorical, insults don't work either. Okay so if I choose to do this will there be any implications for me?"

"Ask stupid questions get stupid prizes hahaha, and yes implications hmm well...no of course not." Clouse said with a sly smile, Jay's eyebrow rose in suspicion.

"Hmm, look I err...I'm not gonna fall for your threats Clouse...I mean, if I do this for you, what do I get out of it?"

"You get the privacy that you so desperately crave oh and you'll get to keep your secret a little longer...it's your choice that is to say, I can't force you...but you'll find I can be very persuasive." Clouse said as he entered Jay's body again trying desperately to possess it.

"That w-won't work Clouse, m-my elements protect me f-from possession." Jay laughed and winced at the same time feeling like something was being squeezed painfully, his hand shooting to his chest, his breathing becoming erratic "I m-mean it, get out of my b-body."

"Yes I can see, hmm how does a mere mortal manage to contain two infinitely powerful destructive elements?" Clouse queried, the voice sounded like it was coming from Jay's head which was pounding with each pained beat of his heart.

"Heh, n-no idea, practice makes p-perfect I guess." Jay lied trying to get Clouse to leave him alone. "look f-fine I'll do it just get out of my b-body...NOW."

"Good answer...Master Jay, so we can begin and don't think of escaping I know where you're staying." Clouse said reappearing before him.

"Your body can't be possessed that is true, but I can attach onto living things...make them do my bidding."

"Really ya know that doesn't scare me either, you can't hurt me no one can." Jay said realising he may have said too much, something he mentioned garnered further intrigue from Clouse, he didn't seem to be going anywhere.

"Look this is getting awkward now, I just want to go and lay down it's been a busy few days." Jay said as he struggled against the ghost's power.

"Yes I can imagine." Clouse said completely disinterested in Jay's wanting to leave talk, "So you can't be hurt! now that is fascinating...to me."

"Well, I mean I can be hurt just not..." Jay stopped himself 'don't say it... _DON'T SAY IT!'_ he was mentally chastising himself, he knew Clouse was smart, he would undoubtedly figure it out for himself at the next meeting which Jay was hoping to avoid.

"Until then Jay, I'll be in touch..." Clouse smirked fading out into the building behind him.

"Oooh intimidating...you can't scare me." Jay shouted at the wall much to the puzzled expressions of the people walking passed, 'great now I look like I'm talking to myself...argghh damn this pain what did he do to me?'

Jay walked off back to his hotel oblivious to the stares he was receiving, he was mostly muttering to himself , but that coupled with his unique attire made people stop and stare at him. Jay stopped for a few seconds looking around him, registering complete silence except for passing cars, everyone he had walked past was still staring after him. 'Oh right...stop mumbling an internal monologue might be better Jay.' He smirked and carried on his journey the pain in his stomach still there letting him know it's presence.

Having finally arrived at his hotel, Jay walked up the stairs to the top floor, he was completely out of breath needing to rest his hands on his knees once he reached his door. Sweat dribbled down his face as he fumbled for his room key, the pain was causing feelings of nausea which in turn led to dry heaves as he began gagging outside his room. Other hotel guests started looking down their noses at him thinking he was drunk, muttering under their breath as they walked past.

Jay finally got into his room and stumbled over his bags, his vision distorted by bright specks of light gave a kaleidoscopic effect to everything he saw, he was miraculously still on his feet albeit not for long until he felt the mattress, at which time he fell onto his bed and sleep claimed him instantly.

* * *

 **At Nya's apartment.**

The ninja team had arrived and were busy unpacking their small bags, they didn't travel heavily, they didn't need to because they wore their armour and carried their weaponry on their person.

"So Jay's coming too right, tonight?"

"Yeah I think so sis."

"Why didn't he want to stay here?, We've got plenty of space."

"Don't know, beats me he hasn't been right for a few days actually...he's withdrawn so I'm guessing he needs some personal space." Kai said nothing Nya's expression, "hey I'm sure he'll be fine, this is the first time he's had any time off...don't take it personally Nya."

"Well it's difficult not to, the last time I saw him physically was back in Asgard and then there was the other event hmm." Nya mumbled the last part and blushed.

Meanwhile the study room in the back of the penthouse was being used by Zane, he was carefully unpacking his supplies because he had bought back a hefty supply of potions, not just any potions these were direct from Loki's own personal stores courtesy of Jay's sneakier side. Zane had only managed to figure one out so far he had researched the green potion which gave long life. Deducing that this was the same Loki had syphoned into a larger vial to ply him and his brothers with.

In small doses such as a few drops, this potion could be used to strengthen where as larger doses could be used to change entirely which is what happened when him and his brothers had drunk a mouthful each. Every drop of magical liquid was precious even though it was so small...dangerous in the wrong hands.

"I never thanked Jay for these but I'm so grateful he took the time to retrieve them for me, I believe they may hold clues to Loki's magic and perhaps a reversal of immortality for those who wish to take it."

"It is my belief that one of these potions may hold the key to unlocking life, to creating life, to being all powerful...but it is a theory none the less and I need to calculate how and why."

"well I've tested three of them on plants so far...but that is all, sadly plants don't really have the same DNA as humans or the same circulatory systems...I just need a subject."

"How are you planning on doing that,we don't exactly have a guinea pig around here anywhere, who are you planning on testing these things on?" Cole asked in all seriousness.

"Well myself, unless someone opts to do it, in which case it will be proven and not theoretical."

"You can't test it on yourself, that would be irresponsible and I wouldn't let you put yourself in danger." Cole thought long and hard "What about Jay, he's strong enough to take it...you saw it yourself, you could test them on him."

"Hmm well I guess it could work, I just need to figure out which ones to use. I would need his consent of course I don't want him to do this against his will."

"Zane, what he doesn't know won't hurt him surely...he's immortal for Gods sake." Cole smirked "just slip it into his drink later and see for yourself hehehe."

Zane frowned but oddly agreed with Cole's reasoning, "Ok but only one potion trial one on him tonight...hmm but what if there are side effects?"

"Come on bro, Jay's had so many potions now hahaha he's practically immune to them." The same callous and calculated smirk took residence on Cole's face, the next words he spoke were full of spite "Come on it'll be fun." He said grabbing two more test tubes, pocketing them in secrecy, 'lets see how strong you are hehe.'

"Well it is only a small amount so I guess it won't have a long lasting effect." Zane countered "but I don't think it will be fun, it is purely research nothing more."

* * *

A few hours later the ninja team were sitting in a local bar drinking and celebrating almost everyone was there except one certain blue ninja. Fashionably late perhaps or so Nya thought, she was missing him, he was the only person she actually wanted to see. She was ecstatic that everyone was back home and safe but she wasn't pining for them...she only had her heart and mind set on one.

The hours passed but he was no where to be seen, Kai could see her becoming anxious so offered to find out where he was stating he would be back within the hour.

"Come on Jay where are you?" he muttered to himself as he walked out of the bar 'hmm he didn't say which hotel he was staying at but I bet he's got his device with him.' Kai cleverly thought, he hid from view down a side street and activated his device, he programmed Jay's name into it which connected immediately with his device. Immense relief flooded over Kai when Jay eventually answered.

"Lo...sup Kai? Jay mumbled barely conscious, his face still buried into the mattress.

"Dude are you okay? you don't sound so good and where are you?"

"I'm at the Ninjago city hotel, just round the corner from youuu."

"Right I'll be right over...err what's your room number?"

"Erm...hang on." Jay fumbled in his pockets looking at the plastic room key card, his eyes struggling to focus "fifty...I think...hard to tell."

"Jay have you been drinking?" Kai asked with a concerned frown.

"No." came the short sharp response, Jay switched of the device much to Kai's annoyance at being cut off.

'Okay...unexpected' Kai smirked and set off in the direction of the hotel, reaching it in record time. He got to the front desk and confirmed the room number with the tired looking receptionist. Jay was on the top floor, room number eighty, the hotel concierge apologised and advised that the lift was out of order. Kai thanked the staff and walked off towards the stair well, before looking up at the long tower of steps ahead of him. "sheesh Jay, eight floors are you kidding me."

Kai managed to make it to the top floor, slightly out of breath but he recovered before he approached the door, frowning when he saw it was ajar. He fumbled around in the darkness until his fingers found the light switch at which point he flicked it up and on. His eyes adjusted to the brightness and allowed him to see into the little room where Jay was laying on the bed, half on half off.

"Hey Jay, I was worried about you...Jay!" Kai nudged him but he seemed to be sleeping again, Kai frowned again "JAY!...wake up bro...you coming out right?"

"Sheesh Kai, don't shout." Jay sat up and his body protested.

"Jay what happened to you, you look awful." Kai recoiled at Jay's pale complexion, his purple eyes still took some getting used to.

"Nothing just ran into an adversary a few hours ago...mmmm what time is it?" Jay asked rubbing his eyes.

"It's ten pm dude, we're all at the bar downtown waiting for you, you still up for it?"

"Yeah okay, just give me a second..."Jay rubbed his face again and stood up wearily, his legs almost like jelly. He held onto the wall for stability "whoa weird feeling...mmmm like euphoria or a head rush."

"Who did you run into?"

"Oh just Clouse...well his ghost actually." Jay absentmindedly rubbed his lower stomach "he wants my help with something sinister haha...the fool."

"Clouse! you're in Ninjago for one afternoon and you run into him...oh god what's he up to now?" The fire wielder rubbed his face deep in thought, "I guess it could have something to do with the Overlords return though...there was a short news segment on it a few hours ago, big black dragon terrorising the masses downtown."

"What's wrong with your belly, you got stomach ache...ya know we you can just stay here and sleep whatever it is off." Kai asked, seeing Jay place his hand firmly on his stomach.

"Look Kai, first things first...I don't know what he's up to but I'm sure I'll find out soon, secondly the Overlord is gone and there's no threat there, thirdly yeah I've got stomach ache but you know what I'll be okay besides you woke me up, so we may as well go...I can sleep when I'm dead eheheh."

Kai's eyebrow was raised in animated suspension "Why do I get the feeling you know more than you're letting on..."

"Honestly Kai I have no idea, but you'll find it was my dragon not the overlords eheheh."

"Okaaaayy, I didn't see that coming...well I guess that would explain it really your elements are dark right?"

"Yeah...so what?"

"Well people think you are the Overlord Jay, that could cause problems for you...you need to keep a low profile because we don't need any unwanted attention."

"What you mean is that you and Cole don't want any unwanted attention though...really because you came here to get away from all of it right?"

"Well kind of, I came here to spend more time with Skylor...not sure what Cole's plan is he has his own life...anyway, you coming out then?"

"Yeah sure...why not besides I could do with a celebration of sorts."

Jay followed Kai out of the room shutting the door behind them before walking into the darkened hallway. The lift doors stood with a tattered sign on them displaying 'out of order' making it look like the sign had been there for some time. "Hey wanna see something cool? I can fix the lift ya know it would make it quicker to get down." Jay smirked at Kai.

"Err it's out or order Jay...it doesn't work."

"Eheheh watch this then." Jay said as he wrenched opened the solid metal doors like a book, leaving visible finger imprints on the metal sheeting.

"Oops my bad eheheh." Jay turned and smirked at Kai, his brilliant white teeth gleaming like a mad man. He looked down at the broken down lift on the ground floor, the access shaft cold and drafty sent shivers up Kai's spine and the close proximity of Jay who was dangerously dangling over the shaft.

"Watch this!" Jay said, his eyes turned completely black as he grasped the power cable sending a current of immense power up to the transformer unit on top of the roof. Every single light on the floor looked like the power was too much, the hotel's old power circuits were struggling to cope with the surge but it worked, a click followed by a whirring sound could be heard as the lift motor came back to life making its slow but steady ascent to their floor.

"Jay , move you arm bro...JAY!" Kai screeched, he could hear the machinery straining under pressure, like the cogs were going to seize up at any given moment and amputate his limb. Kai was transfixed as the scene unfolded, Jay was changing, he almost looked like a fair haired version of Loki... _channelling him somehow, but what is going on here where has this power come from'_ Kai thought.

Jay moved his hand before the doors slammed shut, a small ping could be heard revealing the lift small was at their floor. "Tada." Jay smirked and walked into the lift.

"Jay where did that come from? that's a new power from what I can tell...right super strength...are you keeping something from me?"

"No." Jay answered quickly and that was the only response he gave, the rest of the journey downwards was quiet and awkward, the music did nothing to alleviate the strange tension as song after song came on the title as ominous as the one before. Like a halloween remix but in spring, each song had undertones of evil, distrust and betrayal and Jay was humming along to each one with a big smile on his face.

Jay turned to face Kai and smiled "did ya like my trick?...apparently my powers down here are magnified somehow" Jay laughed at himself, his hand still rested on his stomach protectively as a wave of pain ebbed away.

"Y-yeah Jay, err kinda cool...gahh how slow is this lift? and what is it with these songs they're creeping me out?"

"Aww, you're not scared are you Kai...you know you're perfectly safe...in this realm."

"Well we're not really because any crime ring could rise to power whilst we away fighting wars that aren't ours but that's beside the point." Kai responded in frustration at the small cramped lift he was sharing with Jay, not daring to look into his still blackened eyes.

"I think this lift needs some modern touches...it looks like something died in here eheheh." Jay looked at the peeling wallpaper and stained carpet.

"Hey how come you've changed your clothes...you don't think I'm overdressed for this do you?" Jay smirked revealing a glimpse of his evil smile.

"Err well they might not let you in considering you're covered in weapons." Kai looked around him he was sure he was seeing things, the walls were peeling as they were standing in there, the smell worsening like rotten cabbage.

"Well I guess I'll have to leave them somewhere safe...hmm if only I could disguise them." Jay had no sooner muttered the words as the weapons he carried promptly disappeared from sight "Ha what do you know."

"Whoa how did you do that?" Kai stammered in shock, his eyes widened and his mouth hung open "That was like err dark magic...like Loki's magic."

"Really?...I have no idea, ahh this is our floor...lead the way Kai as you know where we're going."

* * *

 **Thank you to my reviewers**

 **Crafty**

 **mememe**

 **Master of Cupcakes**

 **Any suggestions you want to add?**


	33. What?

Kai walked out of the run down hotel glad to be out of the lift, there was something odd about that whole scene, the smell, Jay's face and eyes...hallucinations or maybe something else, he shrugged it off, maybe it was just the stagnant air in the tiny lift having not being used for such a long time. Kai led Jay in the right direction, he seemed to be in a world of his own, his eyes occasionally glazing over, Kai thought he looked exhausted, like a weeks worth of sleep would help him.

"Jay! What just happened in there?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well you defying all things natural mostly, you left dents in the doors like they were pieces of bread, you weren't at all scared of the lift shaft."

Jay stopped and looked at Kai "No...look what are you getting at?"

"It was just scary I guess...so completely unlike you."

"Which parts exactly?"

"In the elevator, the wallpaper was peeling, there was a god awful smell...like death or something supernatural...and your eyes."

"Oh that...yeah, my new party trick...cool eh?"

"No not really Jay, that type of behaviour will have you on the dark island faster than you can say 'first spinjitsu master'." Kai muttered pulling Jay along with him down the city's brightly lit streets, "Seriously Jay...cut it out...please."

"S-sorry Kai, I didn't mean to scare you...I-I guess that part of me took over...sorry." Jay looked away walking slowly again, "I'll try not to do it again, although I think it was related to something else...and that is something I can't explain."

"I guess it's something we'll have to watch out for then, I mean if it happens again the other guys will need to know."

"No it's okay Kai, I can control it..."

"Ok fine, I wont tell them...but don't do it again okay...it's just evil haha like Loki."

"Come on Jay, it's not that far away...in fact before we get there...look just stop okay." Kai said jumping in front of Jay suddenly, he was full of energy.

"Hey Jay...I err wanted to ask you something...well it's a request actually, I mean that is you don't have to accept and I'd understand if you said no." Kai muttered whilst looking down at the pavement, his pace slowing a little as he tried to form his sentence without sounding like a shy school child.

Jay stopped walking and looked at Kai with a confused expression, his head cocked to the side "go on...I won't bite." prompting Kai to continue in his own time, he waited with baited breath, this sounded important to Kai.

"Well as you know, me and Skylor are engaged...and.." Kai took in Jay's expression as one of confusion, _he did know right? and what is it with his eyes!_ Kai thought back to when he actually proposed to Skylor. Thinking back to where Jay was at that time, he vaguely remembered Jay wasn't in Ninjago with them celebrating the end of the previous difficult year, the losses they had faced as a team with Jay being taken first and then their beloved Sensei at losing one his students to the ultimate evil having not foreseen it and finally Misako.

The start of the new year was celebrated with gusto with the people whom he loved and cared for, his brothers, his family and his fiance carrying his unborn child, but there was no Jay, he hadn't been afforded the luxury of stowing away for a week's respite to see his family or his girlfriend, but it was because of him that they could celebrate it without being hunted down by a vengeful evil God, who seemed hellbent on causing harm and spreading fear.

No,...Loki had him locked away for saving the woman he loved, he was in the dungeons with every enemy they had faced together as a team in Asgard taking it turns to beat him mercilessly as Loki looked on from his father's throne with an evil grin. Cole had spoken to him during that time keeping his morale up, but his toughened natural ability to shrug off most dangerous situations had already begun to crack, allowing the God of mischief and evil the chance to strike at his heart with fear. His brothers nowhere to be found allowed Loki the perfect opportunity.

No wonder Jay's mind was all over the place, he had only recently disclosed to Kai that the dungeons did have an open hour each night where all the cell shields were removed to allow the prisoners a chance to exercise, use the toilets and socialise but he was the target of their exercise regimes every day for three days...the whole thing was a test according to Loki...until Heimdall put a stop to it when Jay couldn't fight back anymore. Kai squeezed his eyes closed, locking those painful memories and thoughts in his deepest darkest recesses, he knew he would have to explain even though he was saddened to think about it let alone mention it, Jay didn't even get to celebrate Christmas, his favourite time of year other than his birthday of course. 'S _heesh Kai get a grip already nothing is gonna happen, Heimdall said it himself, he's stronger than you think yadda yadda,_ ' Kai's inner monologue snapping him out of his depressing thoughts.

"Sorry Jay...I thought I'd told you." Kai looked miserable for a few short moments until he registered an odd look of happiness on Jay's face.

Jay's black eyes widened, "Wait, when did this happen?" he couldn't understand why Kai wouldn't look at him, he avoided all contact just like in the elevator.

"Oh right yeah sorry...you weren't here were you...s-sorry Jay...err well this is a little more awkward now." Kai shifted uncomfortably tapping his boots on the floor like a naughty school child who had just been told off.

"Just...in your own time...no rush." Jay asked calmly waiting for Kai's response, he could sense his brother becoming flustered, his calmness and smooth tone made Kai feel completely at ease.

"Okay, well we got engaged on New years eve at midnight actually, we had a mini engagement party and an hour ago we finally decided on a date...we want to get married before the baby arrives." Kai sighed and recomposed himself before asking the big question, "We're getting married next month...and well, I wanted to know if you would be my best man...there I said it."

Jay was dumbstruck, speechless for once he had nothing to say, his mouth hung open for only a few seconds before a smirk replaced it, this engagement had taken place when Jay was in the dungeons just as Loki had let him out forfeiting his remaining day for his own twisted reasons.

"Okay, yeah I always miss these things right? Christmas and New year...did I hear you right? you're asking me to be your best man...BEST MAN? Seriously."

"Wha...whoa th-thanks Kai but why did you choose me out of all of us?." Jay finally uttered in disbelief, "even after all we've been through...you still want to be friends with me."

"Y-yeah of course I do, you're still Jay sort of hehe...you're still my brother." Kai said pulling Jay along with him quickening their pace.

"But what about the whole Hydra thing...you almost killed me...your aim was a bit off though." Jay smirked, flashing a crooked smile at Kai.

"W-well that err that was a while ago, things have changed...I wasn't in the right mind set...I wasn't trying to kill you, honestly." Kai blushed, not that Jay could see it, it was too dark. "I guess it was jealousy, he chose you over us and you chose him...like I said my mind was all over the place...but you know I was sorry...right?"

"Yeah...just curious that's all, that's one of my traits, always want to know everything, hehe used to get really panicky too didn't I especially if things didn't go in our favour?...hehehe memories" Jay sighed, looking sheepish at making Kai feel awkward.

"Sorry Kai...what I mean to say is that I would be honoured, I would love to be your best man,...and err, I accept your offer." Jay looked up again a smile appearing on his pale face again, his mind working overtime as he put the pieces together about what being a best man entailed.

A mischievous grin appeared as he spoke "does this mean I get to plan your bachelor party?"

"Haha y-yeah of course, just no strippers...don't think Skylor would approve haha." Kai laughed and looked away avoiding eye contact.

"Well what she doesn't know won't hurt her surely, besides it'll be your last night of freedom right? last night as a single guy heh!"

"It would be my honour." Jay said as his eyes lit up, his salt white teeth sparkled in the dark night making his grin look like the Cheshire cat but without the sarcasm and humour, this smile was mostly laced with evil undertones partially from his time spent with Loki and the serpent dagger.

"It's not Skylor's night though is it?...it's yours! eheheheh."

Jay thought of many scenarios he had seen since being with Loki, drunken orgies, lap dancing, women happy to be bound and gagged by Loki wouldn't have the same effect on Kai and they would all probably too distasteful. His fiery tempered brother had more respect for women than Loki did...no this would be difficult but he had plenty of time...maybe a strip club would work...they were classy joints...right?

"Yeah...where are you going with this?" Kai asked with slight unease and a hint of excitement. "ya know the best man also has to compose a speech too right? I mean it's not just about half naked women and booze...there is a serious side to it."

"Hmm yeah...I have been to a few weddings before...well when I was like ten or eleven, eheheh...the speeches were awful...so serious...and boring."

Jay thought deeply ' _Speeches hmm...maybe draw something from our past lives before all of this...because lets face it there haven't been all that many positives since all this happened...maybe him thinking he was the green ninja, meeting Skylor._ ' Jay smirked _'I got this...I can do it'._

"Oh god Jay...the speeches can't just be loaded full of jokes, I mean it!, there needs to be some seriousness to it."

"What?...oh come on Kai it'll be fun, okay it won't just be jokes I promise." Jay said with a fake hand signal to his head, his smirk showing he had no intentions of keeping his promise, "So when is the date?"

"Skylor is going to kill me...just don't embarrass me or her...please." Kai laughed out loud, something he hadn't done for a long time, "It's Valentines day."

"What? why St Valentines day?" Jay mused a little over the choice of date but didn't say anything else.

"We both chose it...the day of love...hehe what better day than that."

To Jay any day would have been better than that fateful day, ' _St Valentines a day full of sickly love urgh'_ the thought made him feel uncomfortable and he visibly shuddered earning a frown from Kai.

"Are you cold Jay...or was that something else?"

"N-no it was nothing Kai, so ahem, Valentines day."

Kai looked up enthusiastically, straight into the completely blackened demonic eyes of his brother "Jay! err your eyes...they're still black...you kind of look like a demonic creature...it's quite unnerving bro." Kai shuddered stepping back a little not wanting to get too close, this was the stuff of nightmares well this and what happened in the lift.

Jay stopped in his tracks seeing the terror on Kai's face, he squeezed his eyes closed and focused all he could on his vision, reopening them cautiously.

"Is this better Kai...I can't see them so you'll need to look?...please."

Kai cautiously looked back up to Jay's eyes, a flood of relief when he saw a pair of impossibly bright blue irises staring back at him. "Err yeah much better actually, they're more or less your original colour now, are you telling me you can change your appearance too?...err? "

"Maybe...I don't know just my eyes I think, it's kind of a new thing."

"Doesn't dark magic scare you a little...I mean that's Loki's trick, where are you channelling it from?"

"Don't know really, it just kind of happened after Clouse accosted me earlier...well after my sleep."

"Did he hurt you? Clouse I mean?"

"No...not really, it was just unpleasant Kai...I think I can handle a ghost...he tried to possess me...but he knows about us...all of us, I don't know how or why."

"Hmm okay, you obviously fought him off though?"

"Yeah of course I did...he gave up actually, I think he got bored...don't worry Kai, he's harmless against us."

"You know, I haven't seen your eyes this colour since before this whole thing happened and now they're blue...like really blue, what happened to the purple?"

"Don't know...don't care eheheh...I take it we must be getting closer now Kai, we've been walking for over ten minutes."

"You're not whining are you Jay?" Kai teased opening the door to the bar allowing Jay entrance first "This isn't a restaurant ya know."

"Yeah I know that...what are you getting at? your attempt at humour...okay lets hear it."

"Would like some cheese with that whine...pfffft hahahahaha," Kai giggled, seeing his brother laughing too relieved the tension they had both held onto for so long.

Both ninja tried to recompose themselves, their faces were anything but straight a fit of laughter threatening to burst out at any given moment. They semi stumbled and walked into the bar giggling together looking drunk but people just stared at Jay, he was still in his working armour "why are they staring at me Kai?" Jay took on a defensive attitude straightening up at once, his stance immediately imposing just as Loki's would be, all eyes were on him for a few seconds anyway, the females continued to look at him though, like he was the aphrodisiac drug they had been waiting for.

"Err because of your clothing choice...at a guess, you didn't get the text about civilian clothing...smart casual."

"Well no, I was sleeping." Jay smiled, he could have sworn that the women nearest to him swooned when he did that.

"Well...you snooze you lose." Kai said playfully patting Jay on the shoulder and pulling him into the nearest booth where his brothers and a few familiar women were seated. Jay sat down at the edge of the booth hoping to be left alone for the night, it didn't last long as Skylor scooped him up in a huge hug, squeezing him tightly.

"Hi Jay, haven't seen you for a while, it's been over a year and you haven't changed one bit...well except for what he did to you. I hear he made you a prince too no doubt." Skylor beamed at him waiting for him to speak, but he didn't really know what to say, she seemed to know most of it anyway.

"Hey Skylor uhh" Jay felt her warm embrace squeezing him tightly, he waited for her to loosen the hug before he spoke, "y-yeah he made me a prince and no I'm not showing you hehe."

"How do you manage to contain your elements now...you have two right...so you're like a hybrid elemental master now...that alone is unheard of...you've got more power than the first spinjitsu master. It makes you intimidating and err unstoppable...a formidable opponent."

"Yeah I guess." Jay looked away at the strange compliment, "It took time, but I mastered it, one is tied into my emotions and the other is there whenever I need it...I guess...unless Loki binds them."

"Why would he need to do that though, you'd be helpless wouldn't you."

"Well yes...I was, but he only bound my lightning, my darkened lightning I mean...I have a shield now that protected me when everything else failed..." Jay stopped talking abruptly he wasn't going to get upset, that was a part of his life he wanted to forget about, he did it to protect all of his brothers despite how they had treated him, he felt he had no choice, he didn't want them to die at the hands of Hydra.

"Sorry Skylor, I just don't wanna talk about it." He apologised to her and got up to walk back to his hotel room only to walk into Kai.

Kai smiled noting Jay's sad expression, he motioned him to sit down again "She's only concerned about you Jay...she's quite knowledgeable about the ' _Aesir'_ as she calls them."

"Well that is their actual title, the Aesir are the Norse gods, the Olympian's are Gods of the Greek pantheon, actually they are similar to the Roman gods too, they seemed to believe themselves as superior...until they fell."

Jay laughed "Thank god they can't see my weapons eheheh, they'd have a fit."

"Yeah and you'd be thrown out...still want to know how you managed to hide them." Kai cocked his head looking to Jay for an answer just to receive a shrug in response.

* * *

He felt like someone was trying to get his attention, the smell of vanilla and cherries pricked his senses enough to make him look up for the source.

"Hi Jay, I was wondering when you were going to get here." Nya said, holding Jay's hand in her own. Feeling the warmth of his touch sent shivers up her spine reminding her of a certain recent encounter.

"Hello Nya, Kai dragged me along as you're probably guessed." Jay smiled, he didn't want to be un-necessarily rude. Nya pulled him up to her and to a table just for two of them. "Do you want a drink?"

"N-no not really...my body is a temple eheheh...I'm joking Nya...well technically I'm not but anyway." Nya laughed, Jay appeared to be blushing.

"Jay, Nya Cole's gonna be buying the drinks when he's done dancing, so any preferences?" Lloyd questioned waiting for their responses "I'm getting the first round."

"Urgh fine...a beer then a blue sambuca with loads of ice please." Jay added.

"Nothing for me, actually just water with ice please. Thank you." Zane spoke without looking up.

"Cherry liqueur please on the rocks." Nya said before she turned her gaze to Jay, her pupils dilating, she leaned across the table planting a kiss onto his lips.

"Mmm Nya are you okay?" Jay asked pulling away from the rather nice impromptu kiss which to him was unexpected.

"I missed you so much Jay, when you visited me almost a month ago...you remember what happened?"

"Yeah I remember," Jay teased, he made a deal of being vague so Nya would tell him more, making him feel more powerful in the process, he knew she wanted him, he could feel it, her body language, her dilating pupils and her luscious red lips, told Jay everything he needed to know, she was aroused.

"Maybe you can refresh my mind." Jay smirked sitting upright leaning back slightly and pulling his hands from her grasp, she frowned at his actions. She got up from her seat and sat on his knees, cupping his face in her hands before kissing him gently.

"Jay, you made love to me...it was beautiful." she whispered into his ear and blushed biting her lip.

Jay smirked ' _love...hmmm, it was just sex surely, I mean I can remember it being hot, damn Sigyn and her witchcraft_ ' Jay thought, laughing out a little too loudly. Nya seemed taken aback by his response. She swiftly got up and sat back down on her own seat, her expression dropped.

"Nya, I remember it...of course I do, I mean how could I forget it, you were amazing." Jay quickly tried to think of something else as the memories came flooding back, in full colour visually stimulating his senses, creating a feeling of lust deep down in his loins. He seemed to be getting attention from many females not just from Nya. Occasionally he looked up and saw females looking in his direction, biting their lips, showing intimate areas of normally hidden flesh _'ha maybe Loki was right...no matter where you go, you will be desired, women love power...they can sense it...it turns them on._ '

"Look I'm sorry, lots of things have happened recently, kinda hard to explain okay." Jay said whilst reaching across the table to hold Nya's hand. She turned and looked into his eyes before smiling at him. The women at the bar looked forlorn as he got closer to Nya, his hand resting on her exposed thigh.

"There's things I've done I can't erase, people I've hurt...he changed me...you know I didn't want any of that...but it's hard with the world in your face...everyone's always expecting you to do the right thing...I tried so hard to fight it...he was stronger...Nya please look at me."

"I thought you had died Jay, when you visited me...I thought I'd never see you again...I love you" Nya sniffed.

' _Hmmm there's that word again...love._...'Jay lifted her chin up with his free hand "Hey I'm not going anywhere...well not for the next few months anyway, this is a vacation right?", He didn't reciprocate the love word though, he just wanted her body and he knew she wouldn't protest.

A couple of young women walked past Jay and slipped a piece of paper on his side of the table, giggling as they walked past. Jay looked up at them momentarily breaking his eye contact from Nya who seemed to be furious with the added attention he was getting. Jay smiled at them as they walked past earning a swooning sigh from them. Nya however was not impressed a feeling of jealousy was building up inside her until he resumed his eyes on her again.

"What are you doing later Nya'...you fancy getting out of here huh? just us two." Jay asked cheekily, he knew she would say yes, Nya blushed but nodded her head eagerly. ' _hahaha knew it, she so wants it...is it love nah...I don't think so...just lust...if that's what she wants I'll be more than happy to oblige_.'

"I booked a hotel room...we could be there within ten minutes maybe less depending on how far you wanna take this" Jay said as he pulled Nya onto his knees so she was straddling him, his lips instantly locking onto hers with a passion unlike any other, her lips parted by his tongue as he forced an entry into her mouth, there was no struggle, she let him do what he wanted, he could feel her moaning into his mouth. He could have taken her right here on this table, he didn't care Kai might though! but she wanted it, her body was like putty at his simple touch driving him on, his desire building.

"Does this remind you of something Nya...maybe a few weeks ago, huh? we could recreate that scene in the back room...or outside." Jay said as he ravaged her mouth again with his own, her pleasured moans filling his head like a euphoric head rush, he didn't wait for her response.

Jay was drinking from her fountain, her lust filling him up like a thirst quenching drink, she wanted more he was addictive, her eyes rolled back as Jay grasped her hips firmly, pulling her onto him forcefully, before breaking the kiss "you like that huh? that was just a starter." Nya smirked not wanting to get up, but she did when she saw the drinks being served, her face incredibly flushed.

"Beer for you Jay...hey what are you two up to? Nya you look a little err warm." Lloyd stated as he passed them their respective drinks.

"N-nothing Lloyd hehe...thank you." Nya said as she took her drink from Lloyd, taking a large mouthful of it.

* * *

Jay winked at Nya, the women at the bar wanted some of that, it was almost as if Jay could sense their sexual desires, he could see what they wanted him to do to them...' _so dirty ehehe...gahh what is happening to me?_ ,' the feelings of jealousy being the one he could sense the most, made him smile. But what he did next stirred more of the intense emotions in the room, he looked directly at the women at the bar licking his lips and biting his lip provocatively as he held his hand out for Nya whilst winking at the women, they knew what he was planning to do...the jealousy pouring out of them by the bucket load, a fine flush dotted across their chests indicating their wanton desire of him.

"Come with me Nya..."Jay stood up with his beer bottle walking towards the back door with Nya holding on to him amidst the envious looks of the women watching after him. He pulled her outside with a sense of urgency and pushed her up against the wall, they were completely obscured by various empty alcohol crates. Jay couldn't help himself, his hands began wandering all over her hot body with no resistance. "You sure you want this Nya?'" Jay said as he unbuckled his lower garments claiming her mouth with such vigour.

Her body relaxed against his as she wrapped her legs around him, his chest plate providing her with something to grasp as he entered her body, she groaned into his mouth breaking apart to mutter only one three lettered word "yes."

That was all Jay needed as he took her against the wall, his primal urges showing exactly what he wanted to do with her body, feeling every intimate inch of her like he had all those weeks ago, but this was different more animalistic. This was almost like how he remembered it to be before she chose Cole, he shook that image from his head angily, speeding up, feeling her moan at the intensity of his thrusts. He planted his lips on her neck, marking her again as his own before pulling away to finish his beer in one quick gulp, the bottle was sent flying through the air away from them smashing on the floor. Both hands grasped her hips firmly as he continued the smooth strokes, her body surrounding him was providing such an intense feeling.

He uttered no more words he was solely focused on his task of almost self gratification with his on off girlfriend. He had one hand on the wall for support and one underneath Nya, her head had rolled back in pleasure and her moans were piercing the silent night air. Jay smirked, he took in her beauty as he penetrated her deeply in steady smooth movements, he was still gentle not wanting to hurt her in case she broke like a delicate vase. His sexual appetite was ravenous, he appeared to be very skilled at delivering the right amount of pleasure. _Practice makes perfect right, guess all those concubines kept coming back for a reason then?_ he thought just as Nya screamed his name out with each thrust signalling her orgasmic release.

"So hot...Nya." he muttered and further upped his speed and ferocity, feeling a surge of pleasure building he bit down hard on his lip almost to the point of it breaking the skin as he started to ride out the waves of pleasure his body was feeling, before delving his tongue back into Nya's mouth as he came, grunting into her mouth...her pleasured moans were music to his ears.

Judging by her face and body language she had enjoyed it too, he smirked allowing her to unwrap her legs, placing her gently back on the floor, before redressing himself first, pulling up his leather breeches, and shifting his chest plate back up in to place. He looked sideways at her as she readjusted her attire, tucking her various assets away from all and sundry pulling her underwear back up...with just a hint of shame.

Jay licked his lips, that was what he came for, he had sex with someone who wanted him...not love, no normal person would make love here, that was just hot mind blowing sex and ultimately what all the women in the bar wanted. He was about to walk off before he realised Nya was still outside with him, he turned to face her seeing her flushed face indicating she had just had sex.'.. _what reason would she give if she was asked...would she say she was fucked outside,'_ Jay thought but then shook the thought from his mind thinking back to Kai and how would react to this situation. ' _She is still his sister, he's very protective of her, yeah he'd probably try to hurt me, I can't hurt him, he's the only one I trust really...other than...it pains me to say it...Loki_.'

He took her hand gently and led her back into the bar seating area, slipping past his brothers unnoticed, they sat back down at their own table, Jay tried to think of something he could say to start a conversation with her. "Nya...Kai asked me to be his best man...I mean, that was unexpected hehe but kinda cool though."

"Yeah I know, well it was a tough choice though, he had a few others lined up in case you turned it down."

"Really?"

"Well he wanted to make it up to you for how he treated you after the whole Loki thing." Nya swirled her drink around mixing it with the melting chunks of ice before she took a small sip.

"So a Valentines wedding huh, " Jay said as he pulled Nya back towards him, taking her drink in his other hand teasingly.

"What part will you play?" Jay asked, keeping her drink out of her reach.

"Skylor has asked me to be a bridesmaid...I said yes." Nya straddled his hips and tried to get her drink off him resulting in her rubbing against his armour covered body. His free hand snaked up her back pulling her closer.

"Hmm a best man and a bridesmaid...ohh what fun we can have."

"Let me guess the colour scheme is err red...just like how your cheeks were only a few minutes ago."

"Jay...stop you'll make me blush."

"Maybe that's what I want, well and something else too."

"Oh you're not trying to take advantage again...by any chance."

"Maybe..." Jay took a small sip of her drink "mmm tastes nice, sweet...just like you." he smirked again and finished her drink the remaining liqueur in his mouth as he pulled her head towards his tipping her back slightly, he opened her mouth with his tongue, the cherry alcohol spilling from his mouth into hers. Her eyes rolled back as he continued the kiss grabbing an ice cube from her glass and trailing it down her neck, she let out a rather throaty groan but it was contained within Jay's mouth. He broke the kiss and trailed his lips down her neck following the trail of cherry liqueur it left before he dropped it on purpose letting it stay between her breasts. Nya gasped at the cold sensation "what are you playing at Jay?" she giggled and tried to remove it with her fingers but Jay gently tapped her hand away.

"Oh...I've dropped it, ya know it would just be easier to get you out of these clothes so I could give you what you really want...back in your big bed against your blue wall." Jay teased, finishing his bottle of beer quickly and suppressing a belch as he was in the company of females. His silver tongue working it's magic on Nya's delicate mind and body. He retrieved the melting ice cube with his tongue, the contact of his breath and tongue made Nya shiver in wild anticipation, he looked back up to her with the ice cube between his sparkling teeth before placing it in her mouth, sealing her lips with his own.

Nya blushed and pulled away she was completely blown away with Jay, he was so different...much more confident and forward now. "You drank my drink now I need another one." she got off Jay again, his body heat and close embrace made her feel safe and loved.

"I'll get you another." He said and got up, walking past some more women, who tried their hardest to get closer to him at the bar, much to Lloyd's annoyance who was trying to talk to one of them. "Sorry Lloyd...it's just one those things." he smiled and shrugged, "ya either got it or ya don't...eheheh...joking dude chill."

"Cherry liqueur on the rocks please." Jay shouted at the bar keeper, before turning around to look at the busy bar before him, Cole was dancing with Seliel, Kai was sitting with Skylor, Zane was fiddling with a small electronic device.. _..'nerd'_ Jay thought. ' _This is a nice little bar in a well to do part of the city too, no criminals around here, just a few people who look too self important for their own good...bankers perhaps hehe_.'

A woman took the chance to stroke Jay's upper arm whilst he paid for the drink, rolling his eyes in the process, he sighed and looked at her taking in her appearance. Her dress so tight, leaving nothing to the imagination, pink lipstick accentuated with heavy gloss, electric blue nails, she was giving away a distinct retro vibe mixed with looking like a whore, Jay looked at her incredulously, he knew what she wanted but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction. No tonight there was only one woman he wanted to satisfy again and again, the sound of his name on her lips made him burn with desire.

He pulled away from her grasp with an insincere smile, flashing his impossibly bright teeth at her, he could see that simple gesture turned her on, he could see her nipples protruding from her latex dress, he smirked and turned his back noting her displeasure, a frown replacing her over confident smile..." _trust me babe you're really not all that, next time don't try so hard, but I know someone who would still show you a good time, he might tie you up though...I hear he likes his women bound and gagged."_ He whispered as she left watching as she ran off from the bar looking like he'd just slapped her _._ He laughed to himself, his eyes twinkling, he knew exactly what Loki liked.

As soon as she had left another brainless half dressed black haired female walked up to him, looking so self important as the one before her had, her large breasts wobbled as she approached him, he was the object of her desire apparently... ' _Is it my clothing choice, I do kinda look like I've just come in from an anime convention minus my weapons, which I'm hoping are still concealed...seriously how long does it take to get a cherry liqueur I could have done it myself by now'._

"I'm sorry I really would love to make your acquaintance at another time perhaps, but as you can see tonight I'm rather busy" even when he was being polite he was still turning them on...' _oh for fucks sake...leave me alone_ _please_.' He had to think of another tactic...' _ahh perfect but I don't recommend doing this in Asgard_ ' he thought to himself as he picked up a tall glass of someone else's drink downing it in one go and then belching loudly in her face.

The woman although duly disgusted leaned in over him and muttered provocatively into his ear what he had just uttered in his own mind, "It's because you aren't even trying...the women here can't get enough of someone who shows no interest...the other guys here well they came in with those ladies...so they're spoken for, but you...you're new meat...a hot new body, there's something mysterious about you, like you're a bad boy or you're hiding something." She smiled as she bit his ear lobe earning a gasp from Jay, his knees beginning to buckle.

Jay blushed how did this woman know, who was she? he had flat out belched in her face but she was still standing close to him between his legs...He felt uneasy around her, she seemed to be dominant and Jay didn't like that...it reminded him of a certain someone. Her hand shot up behind Jay's head grasping a handful of his auburn locks..."Don't be so quick to cast aside _all_ female company, you might eventually lose interest in _her._ " the woman hissed pointing at Nya. "Then you'll be ripe for the taking."

"Ahhh, w-who are y-you.?" Jay hissed as the woman held tightly on to his hair, "ya know the hair is attached to me right...it kind of hurts.".

"Mmm I love it when my audience are in pain, my protector has knowingly ripped the scalps of my enemies before at my bidding. You think this hurts? maybe an evening in my room will show you what real pleasure and pain is."

Jay's eyes widened in alarm "Your name?...so I'll know who to kill."

"You can cal me Amora...Jay." She said whilst trailing her sharp talon like nails down the side of his throat leaving four fine cuts, his eyes closed in concentration.

"I don't suppose you could let me go now...I am kinda busy...oww, stop pulling my hair." Jay was starting to get angry, her strength was impressive against his.

"How do you know my name?"

"I know much about you...you're important to someone...in here and of course someone up there too." She said.

"Yeah so?...look get off me I don't want to make a scene." Jay struggled against her as her hand closed around his throat. Why no one could see what she was doing was beyond him, the patrons in the bar, even his brothers and Nya were completely oblivious. Like he was invisible and trapped with this woman, who was annoying him more than Loki did.

"They can't see you, not whilst I'm here anyway"she said whilst sinking one sharpened nail into his skin, "I've just come to take a little something from you...oh and also to warn you."

Jay winced, her nail felt like blunt serrated metal as it tore into his neck, he watched her take a small bottle out collecting the small stream of blood before corking it and hiding it. She licked the rest of the blood off his throat and smiled, letting him go.

"My job...well you'll soon find out I'm sure...my services are usually employed to take care of the presence of love especially when it distracts the warrior or great one from focusing on his duties."

"I don't love anyone." Jay hissed in defiance.

"Actually you do, but I sense it is more of a physical thing at the moment. Of course if I eliminate her you wont be distracted will you."

"Why would you kill her, she has nothing to do with you...you lay one hand on her and I'll hunt you down." Jay tried to grab her but his hands fell right through her.

"Ahh see, there are still feelings there...or do you covet her as your own possession as Loki did?"

"N-no...I-I d-don't covet her...she's s-strong in her own right...w-we all are as a team."

"Hmm well like I said we'll see in due course, for now I'll leave her to you...yes the reason I came this eve...a warning."

"What warning and why did you take that." Jay spat straightening himself up, wiping at his neck. "How dare you."

"Hahaha I dare, because I can...I'm not scared of you or Loki, so don't try all that silver tongue nonsense on me, you'll lose...I have my own reasons for this" She said licking her blood covered nail, she mused over him for a while longer, loving the feeling of unease she was giving him.

"The warning I give is...be careful...tonight might just be your last." She said, her enchantment lifting, her appearance changing into that of a blonde haired woman. Jay tried to grab at her but she was like a fine mist he couldn't hold onto her no matter how hard he tried, he blinked his eyes in surprise to find that she was no longer there.

Jay turned around towards the bar with a deep concerned frown plastered on his face, he cringed when he lifted the glass back to his nose smelling the empty container before quickly putting it down before the actual patron noticed his expensive drink had gone. He shook his head blaming the alcohol he had just consumed for that strange encounter...he couldn't even remember her name, the memory completely gone as he grabbed Nya's drink.

"Hey where's my sake bomb, that cost me over twenty dollars." the man at the bar hissed looking at his large empty pint glass.

Jay smirked "Sake bomb...that hit the spot." he turned around grabbing Nya's drink walking back with a slightly drunken swagger _'Ha, what is going on with people around here...the women are...well,...weird...why do they want me? what can they see that I can't?_ ' he thought walking carefully back to Nya casting a glance back to the dance floor, he saw Cole tearing it up with his girlfriend showing her his smooth moves, _'yeah he was a good dancer, he had learnt some skills from his father so the saying goes...the apple doesn't fall far from the tree is pretty true in his case._ '

Jay smiled at his brothers they all looked to be enjoying themselves for once, Cole was walking away from the dance floor and he had noticed that the earth master hadn't spoken to him since he had arrived, giving him the cold shoulder from when he walked in with Kai up until now when he approached the bar. He promptly turned around and took Nya's drink delivering it to her waiting hands, "what the lady wants the lady gets," he said sitting down next to her avoiding Cole's death stare mouthing a simple ' _what_?' at his brother who was intent on staring him out from the bar.

Cole paid for the drinks at the bar, slipping the entire contents of each test tube into his alcoholic beverage, 'lets see just how strong you are Jay.' Cole thought with no hint of remorse.

All three potions in their small quantities had been mixed into Jay's drink before Lloyd saw or even noticed, Cole stealthily put the bottles back into his jacket. He put all of the drinks on to the tray, taking the ones for his table and smirking when Lloyd took Jay and Nya's. Cole sat down nearby with Seliel and watched eagerly as Jay blew out the flame on his burning drink before gulping down the blue clouded flaming sambuca, the effects were almost instantaneous...almost.

"Urgh what is this?..." Jay hissed and smelled the empty glass, his smirk dropping immediately when he felt like his throat was being closed off, he hacked grasping his throat, his eyes squeezed shut as he struggled to focus on anything, hallucinations swimming into his visions.

'What is happening to me...?' his voice shouted and echoed inside his own head, he could hear a strange drumming sound speeding up, the disco music blaring louder and louder. He could hear Nya scream, his brothers were shouting but couldn't quite figure out why. He looked around, having the distinct feeling like he had been hit by a large truck. His eyes fully opened now were reverting back to their original blue colour before he had been turned, followed by an intense sparkling purple before reverting to black terrifying orbs of pure evil, which shocked everyone who saw them.

Cole spat his drink out, coughing and spluttering as he watched Jay's pained expression. The tiny amounts of potion he'd just slipped un-noticed into his drink was beginning to do their utmost damage far beyond anything Cole could have imagined. Truth be told Cole wasn't expecting this...it was supposed to be a little bit of fun and purely experimental, he'd just taken it too far and there was no taking it back, no antidote at least not in this realm...the antidote to whatever Jay was experiencing was millions of miles away. ' _But he was immortal right...just like the Gods of that realm...right?'_.


	34. That was a really bad idea

Nya recoiled in shock and screamed as she watched her boyfriend turn into the content of her nightmares, looking every bit of evil as Loki did. The image of Jay as he was snarling and hissing reminded her of who he worked for and his sole purpose of serving the God of Evil for all eternity.

He was shaking uncontrollably, beads of sweat appearing on his face and within seconds, it began dribbling down his neck. He looked like he'd been in a rain storm without a raincoat.

"Arghhhhh what's in this...please someone...anyone." Jay hissed in pain, his stomach felt like it was on fire.

An immense clattering noise caused everyone to look in their general direction as his impressive weaponry reappeared on his person as if by magic. "I-I...no, no...it's not...no...I can't do..it...don't make me...arghhhh."

His face was contorted into pure pain and incredible sadness, he looked like he was fighting something and losing.

Nya tried to soothe him as much as she could but he was in his own world, she couldn't get through to him, his strength pushing her away.

"Nya s-stay away from me" Jay growled, his voice now baritone as the pain consumed him, "please j-jus...uhhh j-just stay ...ba...gahhhh...stay back." He wheezed out quickly with one arm wrapped around his burning stomach.

Lloyd quickly stopped what he was doing crouching down next to him, wondering what the Hel was happening and how Jay came to have weapons all of a sudden.

"Whoa, where did they come from...was that magic?" Lloyd asked kneeling next to Jay "What's happening...Nya?"

"It wasn't me, he just drank this and that happened." Nya sobbed and crawled cautiously closer to Jay. "oh Jay!"

"Sorry N...N...Nya...it w...wa...was magic Lloyd." Jay's eyes had rolled back but yet he was still managing to talk. "I d-don't m-mean to scare you...but I think I...I...I've been p..poisoned." Jay's eyes had closed completely before he slipped from his chair, hitting the floor with a dull thud. His sheathed weapons provided some protection against the rock solid unforgiving floor.

Kai turned around shaking his head, "WHAT JUST HAPPENED?...what did you do?" he looked up seeing a guilty face belonging to none other than Cole, as he ran to Jay's side sitting next to his fallen brother whilst picking Jay's body off the floor onto his knees, he was sweating profusely, shivering yet hot to the touch.

"It was an experiment dude chill out." Cole hissed wiping his mouth, he was still staring mesmerised at Jay who seemed to be hissing in pain grasping his stomach tightly.

"Zane a little help here please." Kai shouted in desperation, aiming to get Zane's assistance.

The master of ice had quickly risen to his feet upon hearing the commotion. He rushed over and tried to help.

"Can you scan him?" Kai asked.

Zane noted the anxiety in his voice, he cautiously bent down next to Jay looking at him carefully for no more than a few minutes, shaking his head in frustration before sighing in defeat.

"I cannot, I am sorry...m-my hardware is faulty or something is blocking me, each time I try to, his body seems to block my full scan...err I am sorry I-I cannot help him...C-Cole?"

Zane looked pleadingly at Cole knowing he was keeping something from them based on his reluctance to help.

"What? oh come on...we agreed to test them remember."

Zane frowned, his eyebrows bunched together. "We only agreed to test one...ONE!" He scolded the earth master. "Exactly how many did you use and which ones?"

Cole sighed, leaning forward with his arms on his thighs. "I used three, but what does it matter now, you know what they do right?" He shrugged his shoulders and leaned back casually, still not seeing the severity.

"Three?...THREE! dammit Cole...we do not know what these samples are fully capable of." He hissed taking Jay's temperature, the reading going off the scale with an alarm signalling a dangerous body heat.

"He's fine though, see, I told ya he'd have a weakness. It's for show!"

"NO! Cole, you mixed them together, he is in pain and I can not ascertain why."

"Well what do we do guys, he's not moving." Kai's panicked voice breaking them from their conversation, he was feeling for a pulse, relief flooding over him when he found a rapid one.

"I don't think this is right, his heart rate is way too fast...Zane please...do something..."Kai pleaded, the look of desperation on his face was painful.

Zane bent down to Jay's level again and grasped his forearm counting for the least time possible because time was fast becoming an issue, time was of the essence.

"His pulse is 228 bpm...we need medical help NOW, he needs medication to slow his heart down."

The bar manager came over to see if he could help, he mumbled something to Kai when he saw the weapons Jay was carrying earning an annoyed look from the master of fire. "Weapons aren't allowed in here...sir."

"Really? no, I'll call am ambulance for you or anything...just concerned about fucking weapons...where's your duty of care to your patrons." Kai spat, unable to stand due to Jay laying across his knees.

"My duty of care is to my other patrons the ones who can handle their drinks and the ones who haven't bought weapons into my establishment." the barkeeper shouted into the rapidly burning eyes of Kai.

"Just get him outta here NOW before the police show up and close this place down." He threw a clean cloth at Kai.

"We're leaving anyway...thanks."

Kai rolled his eyes and muttered loudly as the bar manager stood nearby. "Stupd fucking asshole." He said watching the bar manager walk away before looking down at his brother.

"Jay...can you hear me?...I'm right here bro, err s-sorry for the language." Kai looked up at Zane expecting him to herald the answers to why Jay wouldn't wake "Well, where can we we take him?"

"Hospital, where else is there?" He looked back at his brother, the master of earth. "Cole which samples did you use?" Zane was insistent, his anger spiking at Cole's blase attitude.

"I used a gold, red and purple one they mixed to brown before turning white...it was err..." Cole stopped himself.

Zane shook his head in anger "Right, well now you see that could be an issue. For one, I had tested most of those...MOST."

He used his element to lower the heightened temperature. "One is a sleeping draft, which would explain that." He said as he pointed to an un-moving Jay at his knees.

The royal crown appeared on his head, but his prone position caused it to fall unceremoniously to the floor creating a din like a musical triangle.

The additional noise made Kai and Nya jump as they looked for the source of the new sound as it span on it's rim before settling still onto the floor. Nya gaped at it in awe, she hadn't even seen the crown before, but it quickly became blurry as tears were still rolling down her face Jay wasn't even moving anymore save for his breathing.

"Oh now that's not good either...shit, Loki is going to be so fucking angry with this." Kai spat in anger as Nya tried to pick up his Elven inspired crown but recoiled when it gave her a small static shock which surprised Kai and Zane.

"It's connected to his element Nya...well it should be, it gave Cole a massive shock in Asgard, but how can you hold it?" Kai didn't understand...

'It's _linked to him to his element, but it barely has any power...what is going on?...no,no,no Jay you can't do this...you promised me, you gave me your word_.'

Lloyd could almost sense what Kai was thinking, his eyes were filling with tears, the large clear drops threatening to fall from his eyelids, he seemed to be holding tightly on to Jay's body, not willing to let go.

"Kai? Look, it's connected to him so if he's wearing the crown it will magnify his powers...without it he's just like us so stop panicking, we need to stay calm and focused." Lloyd said kneeling next to Kai patting his shoulder as a show of sympathy and courage.

Zane's words broke through Kai's train of thought, "The other speeds up tissue growth...I think...or was it that it shows the true potential removing all traces of spells...I cannot remember." Zane pinched his brows together trying to remember, "And the final one is the problem, I had only just began to experiment with it...only on plant life."

Zane sighed again before speaking knowing his next words would cause immediate panic "The red one is meant for enemies, slipped into food and drinks, I would say it is similar to a poison...or maybe it was a poison...it killed the plants on contact, the soil turned acidic, the water rancid and the plants to dust."

"A poison...shit who keeps poison in their room...yep...don't answer that...LOKI." Kai hissed.

Cole's expression changed to one of horrified shock as he registered what he had just done, "So what do we do...I didn't mean to poison him...err hospital?"

"No a hospital wont have an antidote...will they because we don't even have the damn poison anymore that they can test?" Lloyd argued, pinching the bridge of his nose to stop himself from lashing out "there is only one antidote and...well we can't get it...because it's millions of miles away...dammit Cole."

"Well what choice have we got," Kai said as he held onto Jay's soaking wet body, his breathing so slow it had almost stopped, he looked down to Jay's mouth seeing a slow and steady trail of an all important life source escaping his lips "what the fuck is that...is that blood?"

"What the hell did you do Cole?..." Nya screamed but Lloyd held her back.

She grabbed the nearest cloth and dabbed at his mouth wiping up the excess. "I don't think the hospital will be a good idea, they can't do anything for him there."

Nya sobbed, Skylor cried with her at seeing Jay laying on the floor still, she knelt down next to Nya with her arm wrapped around her soon to be sister in law, she gave a comforting embrace to share the burden of pain Nya was feeling.

"It's only a block away Nya...if they can't help him we'll bring him back to yours..." Kai comforted "He'll be fine...I'm guessing it was a small quantity." Kai glared daggers at Cole.

Lloyd and Zane carried Jay outside the bar, none of the ninja team had even used their elemental dragons since being back in Ninjago, none of them had even thought to. Zane was the first to suggest it being that an ambulance would take too long, he tried it in front of his brothers whilst Kai and Lloyd held onto Jay.

"This is most impressive..." Zane smiled happily. "This dragon appears even bigger than my original one."

His elemental dragon was almost similar to his previous one except for the darker colour again attributed to the evil presence within him, part of Loki's transformation that clouded Zane's good side.

The evil side reflected in the dragon made it black ice with silver iced flecked veins running over it giving it the impression of a cracked mosaic dragon. The eyes were startling they looked like jewelled stones, a mixture of clouded opal mixed with diamond, the creature had menacing razor sharp metal talons which scraped across the floor, making Lloyd and Kai cringe.

"Pass him to me, I can be there and back before you know it."

"Fine but we can't leave him there...Zane, he may be from Ninjago but he's different now...well we all are." Lloyd stated as he removed all of Jay weapons before handing them to Kai and pushing Jay's body on to Zane's dragon with Zane hauling him up easily one handed.

Lloyd summoned his own dragon his eyes widened, the dragon was beautiful far beyond his expectations _'how is this thing not going to break heheh it looks like it's made from energised emeralds._ '

"Hahaha cool, can't believe we never thought to do this in Asgard." Lloyd shouted to Zane.

"That's because the population would have been terrified" Cole boomed "Yeah I'm still here." He said reluctantly summoning his dragon, not seeming overly impressed at the sheer size of his dragon despite it's menacing looking face and body, it seemed that Cole's dragon was coursing with lava, the majority of it was obsidian just like his own weapons.

"Let's just get this over with okay, Kai is staying with Skylor and Nya."

"Well come on then...lets go." Lloyd was the first to launch his green and black dragon grasping onto his shimmering golden reigns, it lit up the sky like a green glowing meteorite flying just as fast, "Wooooooweeee this is a little too fast for me, might take some getting used to." Lloyd laughed nervously stopping abruptly having overrun the hospital by a full mile before circling back around and catching up with Zane and a sombre looking Cole.

"S-sorry about that...has this got something to do with Loki by any chance?"

"Yes Lloyd, you remember when he tricked us in to taking that potion and cast a spell on us well the potion and resulting spell increased our elemental abilities ten fold...and this is the result."

"We just never had a chance to use our abilities, considering both Asgard and Earth see dragons as creatures of evil, Ninjago being the exception to the rule, the population here don't seem to care." Cole mumbled loud enough to be heard despite being the current bad guy of the group at poisoning Jay.

"That's not entirely true though, you saw that news report today...the Overlords dragon! people were fleeing from it." Lloyd responded.

"I do not think that was the Overlord, we defeated him...actually I did." Zane smirked

"That was Jay's dragon, it represents his dual elements,so it is what we would call a hybrid or a fusion dragon."

"Although, his previous dragons were mostly neutral, this dragon however is completely evil. You could say it is strongly linked to his controlled elements, as is the case with _dark_ lightning and the element that can cause such death and destruction."

"Ahh we have arrived, do you two want to stay out here?"

"No we'll come in, right Cole?" Lloyd asked looking at the silent master of earth who was looking away.

"I'll be in soon Zane, don't leave him in there, no matter what!"

Zane lifted Jay over his shoulder and carried him into the emergency room,placing him on a nearby stretcher before getting the attention from a nearby doctor who was checking his clip board.

"Excuse me doctor this man needs your help, he's unconscious...can you help him?"

"His name would be?"

"Jay...Jay Walker-Gordon, sorry."

"Yes we have all of your names on our files, you've all been in here at some stage I assume, being the famous ninja." The head nurse responded.

"Can you tell me a bit about him perhaps, like how he came to be unconscious? or is this his normal state?"

"His drink was likely spiked." Zane stated looking down watching carefully as the doctor sped through his A to E assessment of the unresponsive patient.

"A - airway clear, no cyanosis no blockage and the chest is moving...err slowly - check..."

"B - breathing ...slow decreasing approximately six per minute...that's not good at all, this man is deteriorating...accessory muscles in use." He grabbed an oxygen mask and set it on the highest setting of 15 litres per minute in a desperate hope to stabilise his breathing or at least to increase it, he checked again using his stethoscope.

"Odd, his chest sounds completely clear. Hmm standard intubation head tilt chin lift and jaw thrust please." He motioned to the nurse as he inserted a oral airway, ramming it in his mouth in quick succession, securing it to his mouth with surgical tape.

The nurse roughly thrust Jay's head upright so his chin was pointing to the ceiling, wrenching open his jaw in the process to obtain a clear airway, she held the mask in place and smiled in sympathy at Zane who was watching his brother's chest rise and fall unnaturally.

"C - circulation , capillary response very slow...why does his skin look like he's covered in shimmer powder? oh my god his pulse is over 200 beats per minute he's extremely tachycardic...if we don't slow his heart soon, he'll go into cardiac failure. and we'll be looking at a massive heart attack...extremities cold...Err ECG leads please."

"Why is he sparkly? His complexion is unlike any I've ever seen before." The nurse questioned.

"Make up pperhaps, I am sorry, I do not know, maybe he is someone who partakes in cos-play!" Zane shrugged as another lie escaped his lips.

It worked the team of healthcare staff bought it "Well that would explain the attire at least. His heart rate is too fast we need to slow it down, temperature too high...err way too high, he's sweating...is he normally this pale?" The doctor hissed at the nurse next to him "get me shot of adenosine or propanolol stat, that will be the only thing that will slow his heart rate down."

Zane stood back feeling helpless watching as more people crowded around Jay, his situation going from bad to worse the more minutes passed, this wasn't working.

"D - disability, does he have any disabilities or disease? is he a diabetic?"

"No, not at all." Zane answered calmly now in the background, if he could sweat he would be drenched by now.

The staff had cut through Jay's armour, they had struggled as much of it was impenetrable, the broken scissors lined up in a bucket on the floor with the remnants of his now tattered clothing.

He gazed up and over at Jay, he looked so peaceful like he was sleeping, his chest was barely moving despite the nurses thrusting the air into his lungs, it was as if his body was giving up.

"E - exposure...his drink was spiked you say, we can drain his stomach, nurse get me a stomach drain."

The nurse went to retrieve the said equipment as fast as she could. The oxygen mask and oral airway was removed from his mouth as the Doctor pulled open his jaw allowing the nurse to insert the large pipe none too gently down his throat rapidly, it met no resistance.

The majority of patients would struggle with this procedure, the feeling of having some thing so rigid and artificial inserted into your throat was not a natural feeling, and most fought it or gagged. The stomach drain was switched on but was inconclusive the stomach drain produced nothing at all, no fluid came back up except more of Jay's blood. Zane sighed looking around to see if Lloyd had arrived yet, he wasn't sure how much of this he could take on his own, he needed moral support now.

"What is this fluid...nurse please prep the OR we need to operate on this one immediately, he looks like he's ingested something judging by this purple residue...no stab wounds or other bodily injuries and no broken bones." The doctor continued to do a quick assessment on Jay. He opened his eyes flashing his pen light into the black orbs, recoiling in terror at the lack of sclera.

"Are these contacts? what is the reason for these...look is this a trick or something, I haven't got time for this."

"No, you do not need to operate, he just needs a scan of some sort...I think he's been poisoned." Zane stated trying to think of a good enough reason that didn't require surgery, hoping the doctor would listen to his reasoning, he couldn't afford to get Lloyd because the minute he would turn his back on Jay would be the last time he would see him.

"His temperature is sky high, can you tell me what happened...how is he still alive.?" The doctor looked flustered at all the odd unexplained reasons this person was still breathing despite being completely unresponsive to pain, light or sound. Jay's body was covered in heart stickers tracing his heart patterns, but the staff were completely perplexed at to how he was still alive.

"Can you please just scan him, MRI, CAT, ultra sound?"

"Well I'm not sure what good a scan will do but as you don't seem to be overly fussed by his critical condition, I'll oblige. However I'll assign a nurse and junior doctor to you in case he arrests...which judging by his temperature alone will be expected soon." The doctor said calmly as he got a long needle syringe from a sterile tray, which the nurse had just prepped.

He approached Jay locating the correct area on his left side before stabbing the long needle straight down into Jay's heart, in an attempt to slow it down.

A dull popping noise could be heard as the needle broke through his chest wall, the needle was pushed four inches down until the doctor could feel the vibrations of Jay's cardiac muscle, identifying the fact he was in the right area.

He needed to be certain before plunging the miniscule contents into Jay's heart, He didn't take any longer, he could feel the heart struggling with the exertion, it would have been minutes before cardiac death.

" I understand...thank you." Zane tried to retain his calm demeanour despite the flustered doctor who was casting doubts to his brothers' recovery, writing him off as a dead man or as near to one.

The doctor checked Jay's pulse within thirty seconds of administering the dose and retrieved a blood giving set and tourniquet which he placed onto Jay's arm tightening it until his green vein was bulging, the doctor released another sigh and frowned.

"Should I ask the reason for this too, this colour isn't normal, they should be blue?" another item he would need to add to his new patient record, unexplained green veins. "His heart is slowing down...phew it's working."

Zane grasped the doctors arm before he sank the needle in "You need to dispose of that sample once you've deduced what is ailing him...It cannot be reproduced...or kept, do you understand."

"Please sir I'm just trying to help him." The doctor struggled in Zane's vice like grip, but he was unrelenting and insistent. "I'm trying to save his life...sir please."

"You need to promise...Jay is...well he is different." He repled in annoyance at having to say that to a complete stranger.

"What can be so important about him that we can't keep his sample?...it's absurd."

"Please...if you cannot promise I will take him away on my own." He threatened.

"Okay...fine." The doctor hissed but quietly, he frowned at Zane.

"I-I promise, you have my word, now please allow me to do my job."

Zane smiled and let the doctor do his job, the needle sank into Jay's skin like butter, the vacutainer attached was collecting the sample of blood by vacuum seal. It was filling up at a steady pace, the doctors face was aghast as the resulting liquid that came out confused him.

He was expecting rich undertones of deep scarlet indicating an oxygen rich blood supply, but he was shocked and slightly appalled at the purple liquid issuing from his unconscious patients' vein.

He removed the needle and quickly placed the cotton wool swab onto a wound which was no longer there, confusion was an understatement, he was terrified at what he had just seen. "Either this person is an alien or he has exceptional healing abilities...care to explain?"

"Sorry, I cannot explain really..." Zane lied and looked away, he hated lying for the whole concept was alien to him.

"Like I said, he is different," that part wasn't a lie. "He is, special...a prince..." He mumbled the rest incoherently.

"Okay, I'll be blunt because you're being secretive with me...vague perhaps but here it is, I don't know how or why this man is still alive, his blood is not normal, his breathing rate is almost none existent, almost to the point of death, his heart rate was of the scale and his temperature still is and yet you won't let us operate." The doctor said in an angry tone.

"If you want him to die then just carry on doing what your doing, otherwise allow us to help him, we could just do an exploratory operation, maybe give him some donated blood enough to rid his body of this." The doctor said holding up the swirling shimmering magical purple life source.

"Look, this is really difficult for me. We do not want him to die but like I have already mentioned, Jay is different, he is not like everyone else."

He was becoming just as flustered as the doctor, "I have already tried to scan him, but his body is blocking me." Zane didn't think for one minute that blood donation would work, it would undoubtedly make things worse as his body would have to fight it off as well as the poison, it would be catastrophic.

"Fine we'll scan him then, but I'm not expecting anything out of the ordinary." The doctor hissed and walked off with the blood sample returning an hour later with the results.

"Okay we'll perform the scans you requested, the blood results are mostly inconclusive, they show a system wide shock, he has been poisoned but we have no antidote here at least not without the actual poison that caused it." The doctor frowned , he reluctantly gave the sample to Zane to destroy before pulling him to the side quickly.

"I'm sorry what is your name?"

"Z-Zane."

"Zane, we ran his blood through our systems and although his finger prints match our databases his blood seems so completely different to his old records. We don't even have his blood group anywhere on this planet...it's got unknown almost alien minerals and chemicals in it...can you explain?"

"Erm well he is err...well...erm...No I am sorry I cannot explain." Zane mumbled thanking his face for holding such a steely poker straight expression.

"Thank you, for your help."

They performed scan after scan on Jay's body but none revealed anything explaining his further deterioration, he was according to the doctors in Ninjago as...dying, there was nothing they could do. Zane looked down as the doctors gave him the news he was dreading, he took the news as expected and swiftly removed Jay's almost lifeless body from the hospital gurney against the doctors orders. He ran through the emergency room doors rapidly summoning his dragon without saying a word to Lloyd or Cole, flying at at breakneck speed towards the penthouse complex. He held onto Jay's body as tightly as he could for fear of dropping him would kill him for sure.

"Lets see how fast you are creature of the night, if they cannot help Jay...I am not going to let him die in there."

"Zane wait up...whoooo slow down...what's wrong Zane...talk to me...what's wrong?" Lloyd looked solemnly at Zane, "It's Jay isn't it? what happened?"

"Nothing happened Lloyd, they wanted to operate. Sadly, the scans did not pick anything up...he is deteriorating."

"But he can't...he's immortal right?...OH GOD."

"Speaking of which, yes Loki...someones head will be on the line if he dies...notably mine and Cole's"

"Why?"

"Look it does not matter right at this moment, we need to get him somewhere safe." Zane looked down at Jay 'I am so sorry Jay, so very sorry brother. Come on, stay with me, open your eyes..stay with me Jay...Jay!'

"I'm sorry Zane...I-I didn't think.." Cole caught a glimpse of Zane's tightly guarded item, the wind wafting through Jay's auburn hair.

"We can talk about this later Cole. But right now, we need to get him somewhere safe, quiet and then we need to get help, likely from further afield." He pointed to the sky.

"What sort of help, the hospitals down here can't help...he can't die surely?"

"He can and he is Cole, I am sorry...the only poison I read about back in Asgard killed a god...immediately...by Loki's hands. We have no choice, we must and we need to contact Asgard, I am just hoping Heimdall can see the predicament before it is too late."

"Loki killed a God...now way."

"He Killed Baldur, but not by his hands per se, Hoder the blind God did it with an arrow imbued with the same poison...Loki gave him the arrow to shoot at Baldur and it killed him, instantly."

"How do you know so much about Norse Gods?"

"My time in Asgard was well spent researching, some of us used our free time well." .

* * *

"Jay wake up, my prince please wake up...Jay!...wake up."

"I guess I will just talk...perhaps a one sided conversation, you would think I would be used to them now...living with Loki...although he seems to favour your company more as of recent times."

"I can sense your physical pain, you are angered and annoyed...it will pass I promise."

"Oh...my husband is not here and by that I mean he is currently on the throne...alas he is not currently aware of your condition."

"By now you may or may not be aware of your surroundings but you are safe."

"You have been poisoned with one of Loki's most evil potions...the same potion he killed Baldur with."

"But there is hope...Stay with me my Prince...focus on my voice."

"Jay you need to stay with me...focus...I know you are trying to slip away, but you need to stay strong...focus Jay."

"My prince...Jay...you need to wake up."

"You protect him and he protects you...you have formed a protective bond...yet you feel no love for this life inside you...you will in time."

"Don't let the darkness consume you...my prince Jay...you must wake up...let my voice guide you."

" _Argh dammit, why are you shouting at me...can't you see I'm trying to sleep here_." Jay finally mumbled.

"You're not sleeping...Jay...this is not sleep...this is death...or what you would imagine limbo would be."

"It is the place between life and death...between Valhalla and Hel..."

"My enchantments...for now will prevent you from falling any further...at least until...help arrives."

" _Dammit Sigyn...Sorry my lady why are you in my head. I thought this was my head anyway...why are you in here?_ " Jay said noting his voice sounded more like an echo.

"Did you hear any of what I just said?"

" _Well yeah sort of...I'm still in a considerable amount of pain...can't believe Cole would do that._ "

"You will forgive him in time...I'm sure of that."

"You are exceptionally lucky...that poison has the ability to kill a god...just ask Loki and Thor."

" _No...I'll take your word for it Sigyn_." Jay sighed even his outward sigh echoed " _Err you mentioned a child, you mean the one I carry?_ "

"Yes Jay..."

" _So about this child...seeing as you said it's protecting me_."

"What would you like to know?"

" _Well when it was conceived mainly and whose child it is..._ "

"The pregnancy is roughly three months along, not three days as you were led to believe."

" _Three months...that doesn't make any sense...unless...no that's impossible_." Jay could hear a pounding sound, the beating of drums.

"The child could be Lloyd's, Cole's or Loki's...but please don't fret...it affects your heart rate...calm down Jay."

She could almost sense him crying, he was as heartbroken as she was.

"It is most likely to be Loki's considering you tapped into your evil side, you felt powerful I assume?"

" _Y-yes I did, it was unreal...but earlier today it hurt he tried to enter my body...tried to take control...all I felt was pain_."

"That was over a week ago Jay, much time has passed and continues to do as we talk."

"Your unborn child should be protected within your male body undetected by any save for ghosts, they can pass through all creatures living and dead, the pain you felt was akin to mild birthing contractions."

" _Ha, I could handle that easily, that was nothing_."

"That is a rather blase attitude to have for something natural but dangerous...Jay, the pain does get worse."

" _The healers said I could revert back to my female form against my will...is this true?_ "

"No...you can still control that...but you can't stay in this state for ever...well you probably could but it would be inadvisable...you would learn to communicate with your child, protecting each other symbiotically."

" _Impressive...haha...so you say this all happened last week, how long have I been here...where ever here is?_ "

"You were in the hospital, your metallic brother was quick to save you from the scalpel though, he saved your life..."

" _And where am I now?_ "

"Would you like to see for yourself...?"

" _How can I? I can't even open my eyes_..."

"Let's call it an out of body experience...so much easier to say that than explain the full name."

"Are you ready? don't be scared Jay...you look like death...but that is to be expected considering the poison in it's smallest amount can kill."

" _Just how potent is this poison Sigyn?_ "

"One drop of it was on the arrow head...Baldur was dead before he hit the ground."

" _Ok that would explain this then...why can't I move...my body is so stiff_."

"I am only talking to your mind, your body is dying...I'm with you...in your mind...take comfort in that my prince."

"Grasp my hands...Jay focus...I'll be right next to you."

" _Yeah okay...I understand...but you're not painting a pretty picture...I guess you can't sugar coat it then or put a pretty ribbon it...just straight out with 'ya dying get over it' pfft_." Jay rolled his eyes.

" _You seriously telling me Loki doesn't know about this?_ "

"He is aware now...time travels faster in the realm where you are, in Asgard it is but two days...almost."

" _Hang on two days...so two weeks? shit...damnit this was supposed to be a vacation...mother hubbard._ "

" _Sorry Sigyn I don't want to swear in your presence or not, I realise how vulgar our language can be...so he's aware why is it taking so long? I just want to wake up_."

"Loki...will be with you soon to deliver the antidote."

" _Great...just how fast is time ticking away up there whilst I'm laying here half dead...Loki better not try anything when he's in Ninjago_."

"I'm sorry my prince I cannot guarantee anything he is his own person...he writes his own rules."

" _Great can we not just speed this up...come on I want out...this is getting boring_."

"If you don't have the antidote you will not wake, you will die once the child is born."

" _Ha great...no choice again then...So what you're saying is I gotta take the damn potion...damned potions got me into this mess_."

" _Aghhh I'm sick of it...no more potions_."

"My prince...Jay calm down...please listen to me...focus...Jay...you're drifting away again."

" _Dammit Sigyn, I was dreaming, why do you have to shout...it's so peaceful there, the land is so green and beautiful...I swear they're calling my name_."

" _Heh maybe chanting...I don't know...but...ahhhhh...much less pain...mmmmmm_..." Jay murmured, 'I can see a lush green landscape, waterfalls, trees scattered, clear blue skies, rainbows everything beautiful and calm...haha a battle arena cool...omg their moves are so good...wish I could just get closer.'

"You must not! My prince they are calling your name but you must resist...I only have enough strength to keep you here...I do not wish to garner the wrath of Hel , her evil knows no bounds, she won't let you leave her realm...hear my voice Jay come back to me...Jay."

"Jay you need to stay here in this realm...Please...Loki will be there within the next few minutes.."

" _Argh stop shouting, my head is banging. Wait you said Hel so is that an actual person...not just a place?_ "

"Hel is half dead half living, she rules the underworld...created by Loki well she is his daughter actually...she seems to want you just as bad as Loki does though...she fights me even now."

" _So where is Loki then, why is this taking so long?...I wanna chop socky this lemonade stand now_."

"I must admit...I dont fully understand your style of jest, but at a guess I would imagine it is a stress response."

"Just focus on me Jay...my voice..."

" _Wait you said that a few seconds ago_."

"That was a few days ago, he needed to make an antidote...of course he is slightly confused as to how this poison got into your system."

"You may have some explaining to do...but I'm sure he'll understand...maybe."

" _So how long has it been now, I mean it feels like half an hour or so._ "

"One week and six days...just take my hands and I'll show you."

He grasped Sigyn's transparent hands, looking down at his own in shock, stretching and flexing his fingers in fascination. They were completely different to Clouse's green ethereal fingers.

" _Am I a ghost...Sigyn?_ "

"No my child...you are anything but a ghost."

"This is your immortal soul...you were gifted it by someone infinitely more powerful than Loki, I think it was an heir to the throne of Asgard previously slain in battle."

"It's an honour to be gifted with this...besides you look like him too, same fair complexion and hair colour, although you're still a little svelte."

" _Great...just another thing I've got to deal with right...I mean other than being a prince and carrying the child of a God._ "

" _So what exactly are ya saying Sigyn_? _why me? I never asked for this._ "

"Well let's just say that, even as a powerful body such as yours, the birth alone would kill you...you would be physically ripped apart."

" _Urgh thanks for that image...you couldn't skip that bit then, cause you know painful birth and all that isn't at all traumatising is it ...let alone the fact that I'm not even supposed to be carrying a child_."

"My prince...Jay you really are a bright star, you have spirit. I like that...I know it angers Loki sometimes but secretly you make him laugh."

" _Thanks I think...a compliment from the God of Evil...eheheh...why do I feel like I'm being pulled away again?_ "

"Because you're dying...you're being called to Valhalla...the place where all warriors go when they die however the King of Asgard decides who can go there and who goes to Helheim, which is Hel's own realm."

Jay's eyes widened at the prospect of death, he raised his hands in terror looking sorrowfully into Sigyn's comforting eyes, she could feel his anxiety levels rising.

Sigyn pulled Jay into her firm grasp, he was being pulled away by another force but she sensed this, so she enveloped him in to her protective enchantment spell, she muttered incomprehensible and archaic words which Jay didn't understand. A shield or charm of sorts was encircling the both of them as they drifted through the walls of Jay's mind up and out of his body in to a large bedroom.

There seemed to be a vast amount of flowers situated around the bed, as well as a few sad forlorn faces, none more so than Cole, who was crying...he was crying, holding onto Jay's hand.

" _Why are they here...around me._..?"

"They love you Jay...you haven't forgotten love have you? do I need to remind you of this little four letter word that seems to be so unimportant to you?"

"Your brothers love you, your girl friend loves you."

" _Love isn't important though...it's just an emotion...it's not important...is it?_ " Jay questioned, feeling like he was in a Christmas movie as the ghost of the present dragged him around.

"Are you questioning me or yourself...what do you see?...I see someone who is deep in regret, his jealousy and anger blinded him, he is suffering the most, his guilt will cause him to take his life following the loss of yours...followed by Nya...but you can stop all of this."

"Cole...my sweet Cole, hasn't left your side since they bought you back, he refuses to let you go, his own sanity suffering at his own foolish decision to test your strength."

"Nya...can not live without you."

"Kai is heartbroken, finding solace in his beau and mother of his unborn child...another boy no less."

" _Hey that's not fair, he should be allowed to tell me that himself_."

"Zane is your main carer, he can't understand why you are dying...your death will come on swift wings unless you choose wisely...even in my protective embrace you are still being pulled away." Sigyn released a small sigh, a heavenly scent washed down onto Jay like a blanket of golden shimmering mist.

"Lloyd, seems to be the one holding your team together, he is a true leader, truth be told he hides his emotions, he cries away from his brothers, he visits you when no one else does, he talks to you...wills you to live, gives you the morale you need to fight."

" _Why!...why are you telling me all of this...I-I what am I supposed to do?_ "

"Love...Jay, it's the love they feel for you, they love you they always have and they always will."

He looked at Cole, his head was in his free hand " _Oh god what have I done?_ "

"Well it wasn't your fault my prince you can blame Loki for that...he is a trickster...just open your eyes."

Jay saw himself, his skin was grey and oddly aged, any normal human would be considered dead and possibly in the ground at this point. Jay looked at Sigyn " _What can I do though I killed a man in cold blood...an innocent man...kind of sealed my fate in that aspect...I cut all ties didn't I?_ "

"Yes...I am sorry you did that...you see that was another trick, you actually killed a rather important person in your future life."

" _What? WHAT! who?_ "

"It was a time paradox, Loki conjured a portal delving you into the future...lets just say you died. Your mortal self and soul...your alternate life...the life you would have lived if Loki hadn't intervened."

" _My mortal self, alternate life...that doesn't make any sense Sigyn!_ "

"It was Loki's way of making sure that if the clock was ever turned back you would still remain forever young...you killed your past present and future lonely self, the side of you that was weak aged, eventually diseased...yes you cut all ties to that part of you...you were soulless for only a short amount of time, which is where the evil came from."

" _I don't understand...soulless...what? I'm sorry._ "

"It's a timeline my prince, if you were to reverse or speed up time you won't age...of course you would have done eventually, until you killed yourself."

"Did you struggle to complete the task Loki had set you...he gave you a mystical weapon? Dark magic yes...of course the serpent amulet."

" _I did struggle I was transfixed...but when I did it I felt something disappear from inside me, he looked so familiar why didn't I see it?_ "

"Look there is nothing you can do about that now...that is a part of your life you will have to accept...don't let it hold you back or cloud your thoughts."

* * *

A louder more masculine voice swam into Jay's mind, well spoken and powerful, his wordsmith abilities had the ability to arouse or destroy people's minds with his sharp wit. "Thank you my dearest Sigyn I've got it from here," a well spoken voice entered Jay's head one that he recognised immediately as Loki's.

" _You took your time my liege.._."Jay bit his lip smirking,wandering if Loki could see him.

"Ooh still got a humorous streak despite your condition Jay...I like that...I don't suppose you could tell me how you got hold of my potions?"

" _Ahh well it was a few days ago...erm sort of before the wedding...no I tell you what make me better then I'll tell you._ "

"Jay you're at my whim now...I can choose if you live or die...don't play the fool with me, you don't know what trouble you have caused."

" _Well why don't you divulge then my liege as you've kept secrets from me too._ "

"The poison you were given was the same used on my step brother Baldur...he died a most painful death because the arrow pierced his skin."

"Alas that was a simple mistletoe draft, this one had been aged a few thousand years increasing its potency."

"Any longer Jay and you will die." Loki said as he stopped talking to Jay leaving him in his body alone again

Jay was feeling a strange tugging sensation, the feeling scared him, like cold hands grasping at him pulling him under the bed. The feeling was beginning to subside, the cold dead hands couldn't get a grip on him anymore, all he could feel was warmth, none more so than on his hands.

He opened his eyes adjusted and took a large gulp or air, which duly frightened the people sitting around his bed namely Cole and Nya.

Loki was standing nearest to Cole, a disapproving look on his face, the bottle he held was now empty the contents of which were in Jay's stomach.

Loki smirked "You're welcome...my prince...come Sigyn, I believe a tour of this realm is in order."

Nya sneered at the tall intimidating God in front of her, his gaze not moving of his wife Sigyn 'unbelievable he just let himself in here no apologies or anything just swept under the carpet.' Nya bit her tongue to avoid making the situation tense, Loki was staring at Cole, the disappointment evident in his face.

Sigyn appeared before Nya and Cole, both had no idea that Sigyn was even here except for when Loki mentioned her name. "Cole..." Sigyn smiled sweetly.

"My lady...Cole blushed and looked away biting his lip shyly. he remembered the dream he had only to realise it wasn't a dream, he still had the same recurring dream every other night...mind blowing...punishment perhaps he didn't know but at least he slept well.

"Jay! JAY? you're awake." Cole stared wide eyed not letting go of Jay's hand, the colour gradually returning to his grey complexion.

"I am so sorry, I'm sorry...really really sorry bro...I never meant to hurt you like this...I-I don't know what happened...I'm sorry Jay."

"Hey Cole...I forgive you..." Jay croaked, his voice hoarse and dry "What happened to my voice?"

"You were intubated at the hospital, can cause trauma to the voice box." Nya soothed and wiped Jay's brow.

"Y-you almost died...well you pretty much did a few days ago, like three breaths a minute...unheard of...I'm so sorry Jay." Cole sobbed his tough exterior cracking under the strain of being strong for so long.

"Cole don't...please don't cry."

"Can you do me a favour? Can you tell our brothers that I'm back in the land of the living." He chuckled and even his laugh was dry and raking.

He mumbled half to himself in an incoherent manner. "Even though Valhalla was pleasant I'm glad to be back here."

He half squeezed Cole's hand with the little strength he had. "Oh and go take a shower dude, siting here watching my sorry ass for almost two weeks has kinda made you stink." Jay laughed painfully.

"Of course I can err b-buddy." A small corner of his mouth turned up to reveal a hint of a smile, he released Jay's hand and stretched as he stood, having spent every other waking moment sitting next to him.

"How did you know? I mean how long you've been ill for."

"Let's call it an 'out of body experience' I guess. Look, it's complicated, I'll tell you later when you've had a shower." He screwed his nose a little.

Zane walked in hearing a familiar voice having just gotten over the shock of seeing Lady Sigyn and Loki waltzing though Nya's apartment as if they owned it.

"Jay you are awake!" His sombre smile was replaced with elation.

" I am so glad to see you better, I am sorry though we had to contact Asgard, the distance made things very difficult, but that is beside the point now, you are well, alive and back with us." Zane waffled a little.

"I am sorry Jay, it was partially my fault too not just Cole's." He looked down in shame.

"Look I'm still here in the land of the living, right? I know you meant no real harm kind of!"

He shuffled uncomfortably with the feeling of pins and needles. He was annoyed but he didn't want to hold them accountable. This was supposed to be a vacation, a chance for him to say goodbye.

"Shit guys what were you both thinking, I'm not a guinea pig hahaha..." He said with some seriousness hidden in his jest.

He was still thinking back to what Sigyn had told him, his soul, a short life and his mortal life all had been ended by his own hands...soulless evil until Valhalla tried to claim him. But now an all powerful Aesir soul in place of his own, he was still Jay, his mind intact, his memories all there.

But now another secret he couldn't tell, this would not get any worse nor any better a double edged sword, did Loki even know what he had done, did Cole or Zane?

For the moment the only people who knew were Jay, Sigyn and Hel, the goddess of Helheim where the errant God's soul had escaped from.

* * *

 **Oh dear 2 weeks to plan a bachelor party, looks like Jay is going to be exceptionally busy in the next few weeks! plus all that catching up and recovery.**


	35. Lets get this show on the road

"Get off m-meee" Jay shrieked with a big smile on his face, his brothers were all hugging him tightly. "Look I'm as good as new okay...ain't nothing going to keep me down for long." Jay laughed and cleared his throat, feeling a bit of heat rise to his cheeks at the awkward closeness.

"So if my mind serves me correctly that gives me about two weeks right...Kai?"

"How...err how did ya know...you've been out of it for almost two weeks." Lloyd questioned.

"I just knew Lloyd...it was like I was trapped in my own body and I could hear things but err hehe I had good company." Jay squeaked and his voice rose in tone, he realised how stupid he sounded with just that small nugget of information floating around...he sounded completely mad like he was insane. But he smiled sincerely at his brothers, realising they thought that he meant them as the company he was referring to when he actually meant Sigyn.

"Yeah well we we're going to change the date until you were better." Kai interrupted "We thought you were going to die...ya know when Zane bought you back from the hospital you were _actually_ dying." Kai sighed. "We thought that we were immortal, free from harm and all the things that make us weak and human...but we found out the hard way that we can be hurt...We had no choice and we had to contact Heimdall although truth be told he could kinda see it all from where ho stood. The annoying thing though was the time difference because it was mere hours up there and as soon as Loki found out he got straight to work on an antidote...yeah it was touch and go for a few days at least."

"But you didn't though right...I mean it's still on for Valentines day and the night before?" Jay asked hopefully.

"Yeah Jay, but we were this close to changing it." Kai smiled as he passed a warm drink to Jay lifting it up to his dry parched lips.

"Awesome...I got this Kai...I can do this." Jay smiled gratefully at being given the chance to prove himself.

"I believe you Jay...but ya know if it's too much just tell me and..."

"No-no it's all right...n-no pressure eheheh...what do you mean though? dying really?"

"It is true Jay, I saw it all. It would seem as though our modern medicine doesn't work as well as we like to believe...Simply put, the doctor's nurses or hospital in general couldn't help you... the poison was too powerful and we had none of it for testing or to make an antidote although the doctor did manage to stabilise your heart using an obsolete and risky method...citing heart failure if he didn't and it worked." Zane said.

"So he did something right but after that they gave up in a sense and we knew as a team that we had no choice and we needed outside help." Zane smiled again before his face turned serious. "Not to forget the fact that the doctor wanted to administer a full and complete transfusion based on your unique blood group...oh and he destroyed the blood sample as per my request...I was insistent that it not be reproduced, we can't afford for a set of inhumans being reproduced in this realm."

"Thanks Zane.." Jay replied gratefully having no recollection of the events he was referring to yet believing him all the same before he turned to face Kai.

"Yeah? is that so... well I got to feel the keen pull of death so yeah I kinda believe you there Kai, but I gotta say even though I was so close to death I got the chance to see Valhalla and it was even more beautiful than they say." Jay said with a smile as he stared out the window. "I swear they were calling my name...or maybe just one person...someone powerful she was pulling me." Jay stopped mid sentence backtracking, his brothers looked at him in alarm.

"S-sorry...I err, look can we change the subject...like to something more positive." Jay rubbed his face, his eyes were glazed and staring into nothing.

"Look I've got things to arrange right?...I err well I don't wanna dwell on what could have been so err lets just get things going yeah!" Jay said removing the covers before swinging his long legs of the bed.

"Whoa Jay, take it easy buddy, you were at deaths door only a few hours ago...you're still kinda grey." Cole stated in a concerned voice, he stood quickly getting to Jay's side before he had a chance to fall out of bed, he noted by Jay's confusion that he had no idea of his complexion and general skin discolouration thinking he would have looked pretty awesome had it been Halloween.

The idea of being so close to death and grey to boot was completely bewildering to Jay, he thought himself unstoppable, infallible and untouchable and his brother Cole felt remorseful at having been the cause of it, the cause of Jay's undoing and his subsequent downfall into a state of depression at now knowing he could in fact be killed. Of course the horrid recent events made everyone realise that as a team they had a lot of things to work on and now coupled with the fact that they could be hurt or killed in the line of duty made the sombre mood more intense.

All the more guilt being piled on to Cole's shoulders as he took in Jay's bewildered face at his own complexion. "You're grey...but it will go...eventually." Cole stated.

"I am?" Jay gasped first in shock and then his strange sense of humour returned, "eheheh...cool." Jay smirked at his greyed hands and arms, which still felt cold.

"Could be worse though, right? I could be like Clouse eheheh." Jay looked up and into Cole's anxious face, "Hey err, I knew I was grey Cole...I saw it myself before I woke up." Jay said with a sigh, a slight crooked smile on his pale face disappeared when he registered the looks of confusion on his brothers faces. He hated the fact that he was being stared at like an animal in the zoo being scrutinised for being something against the norms of society and he hated the final fact that he felt it necessary to answer each confused look with a reasoned response...making him look all the more odd and strange.

"Err it's complicated...guys..." he added tongue in cheek, insincerity began flooding his troubled thoughts as he looked around himself for a familiar face...there was someone missing...Loki.

"I don't suppose you know where Loki is?" Jay asked, sitting on the edge of his bed with his grey toes touching the floor. The feeling of warmth was slowly spreading through his body repairing all the damage the poison had previously done, the grey tinge of death and decay was slowly disappearing as his beautiful pale complexion was beginning to return.

"Why does it matter Jay...you should be enjoying your time off from his oppression of you...and he treats you like shit." Cole added

Jay sighed and looked down, no matter how much he tried to defend his prince, Cole would likely never understand him or Loki, "I made a promise...Cole, until he longer needs me." Jay stated without pausing "I am his property...in a sense until he says I am free to go."

"So you're his slave then?...like I said." Cole spat.

"I'm not oppressed Cole and I'm not his slave. Yeah okay he used to treat me like that but he's different now...you just haven't noticed." Jay huffed indignantly at having to defend Loki again...being constantly questioned was draining him.

The master of earth rolled his eyes, "Whatever Jay I'm just saying it as I see it and I see abuse of trust and power and control...so you wanna know where he is or what?" Cole spat in annoyance.

"Yeah of course I do." Jay raised his hands palms up in a semi relaxed shrug not seeing why Cole was getting tense at his simple question.

"He's touring Ninjago with Sigyn." Cole rolled his eyes "She just appeared in here like she'd been here for weeks...quite unnerving real..."

Jay interrupted, "Well if he's touring he better behave...I gave him express warnings about this place...oh and Cole err Sigyn has been here for two weeks...she kinda stopped me from making _**my final journey to the realms of death...Hel or Valhalla**_." he said in a theatrical voice sounding completely unlike himself channelling some one else's voice from somewhere. Jay shivered when he remembered Sigyn mentioning the half dead and half alive Hel...'She knew about me because one of her supposed souls had escaped oh the travesty.'

Cole's face was still angry at Jay's reasoning prompting the lightning master to add more, "No I just wanted to know because I can't exactly go shopping and stuff with hands like these can I?" Jay huffed.

"Yeah right Jay, as if you'll be going shopping any time soon...you're on strict bed rest." Cole stated nonchalantly "And I'm going on a vacation to the coast with Seliel for a week...I'm not babysitting you Jay, you're responsible for your own actions now...being all powerful and what not."

Jay wasn't sure whether to roll his eyes at Cole's obvious scathing remarks but chose to be the bigger person and let the remarks go over his head without retaliating even though he bit his tongue to the point of it being painful. 'Sure Cole, I mean if babysitting involves poisoning your charge then you'd be the winner in those stakes.' Jay thought and grinned. He knew at that moment that he still could't trust Cole...the one person who had previously been his rock and his best friend was consumed by anger, resentment and jealousy and that had been the cause for Jay's recent ill health.

"If that is your biggest problem at the minute Jay I've gotta say I'm super impressed..." Lloyd beamed "Plus I don't think it'll be too long before you can come out to play and we've got plenty of time too."

"Jay, look it's good to have ya back bro...but please take it easy." The platinum blonde ruffled Jay's hair "Oh yeah that reminds me...err Nya if you've got a moment." Lloyd smiled and winked at Jay when Nya walked in with a silver crown on a blue cushion in a mock crowning ceremony.

"Your crown...Jay hehehe." Nya teased and kissed him on his cheek.

"Ugh, th-thanks..." Jay whispered with a half smile, his purple orbs sparkled as he locked onto her deep brown swirling orbs...his smile made her blush and he watched as she bit her lip.

Jay looked at Cole, then Lloyd then Zane it was his turn to look annoyed at being denied the opportunity to explore Ninjago...he wasn't a child so why was he being treated him like one.

He grabbed his crown of the cushion in a quick harsh movement, his anger spiking at his belittling treatment at not being let out. He didn't think himself that ill, and he still had so much to do.

A level of confusion registered as to why it wasn't atop his head...it should always be there.

"What, uh happened to it?" He questioned looking at it for signs of damage.

"Well when you consumed the...erm, p-potions" Kai mumbled under his breath aware that Cole was still mortified of the fact that he nearly killed his brother.

"Your magical abilities all sort of disappeared and erm...your weapons came back as well as your erm...black eyes and err crown." Kai looked down avoiding eye contact.

"The crown fell on the floor but it's not damaged, it didn't fall far maybe an inch or so but you just need to put it back on...Loki's express request upon waking." Kai stuttered.

"My eyes aren't still black though are they?" Jay asked, putting the crown back on his head delicately to amazed gasps from Lloyd and Nya who watched it disappear into his auburn locks, completely hidden from view except for when he needed it.

"What? look it's enchanted okay...it was a gift, you know this right!" Jay chuckled, "It was Elven inspired to be delicate yet strong, each pattern on it details my strengths and elements, and the purple stones show the colour of my elements combined." Jay smiled and bit his lip looking at Nya with his eyebrow raised.

"Apparently there was more to it, a little rhyme that I think Loki made up eheheh but I can't remember it...linking to the crown and how it'll help me if I'm ever stuck in a situation that requires it."

The conversation was fast becoming stale and Jay wanted a diversion, "Anyway guys...I really wanna freshen up cos I haven't brushed my teeth for ages and my breath tastes like death...eheheh" Jay cringed at just how true that statement was biting his tongue at his strange choice of words and black humour. It was working though as his brothers and Nya were making a move towards the door on the proviso that Jay have a shower, freshen up and then go back to bed like a good patient.

"Sorry guys I won't be long...just gonna have a shower that's all...and whoa err a shave too." He grimaced when he felt an abundance of bristled short hairs on his young face. His brothers and Nya promptly left the room after Jay swatted them away, Cole still wanted to help him off the bed but Jay was adamant that he could do it himself and he duly pointed to the door without saying anything else...he didn't want to be responsible for Cole being late for his week away with Seliel...'God's forbid he tries to maintain normalcy in front of me having tried to kill me in the first place...asshole! and I wont be the one to blame when he loses it in front of Loki.' Jay thought to himself as he saw his confused and troubled earth master leave the room wondering if he still cared for Cole or if he should be written of as a lost cause.

Once they had closed the door Jay stretched his legs before touching them back on the floor again, feeling the cold wooden floor on his odd coloured toes. The strangest feeling of pins and needles had been occupying his body for hours as the antidote was busy undoing the damage that the poison had caused. He stood wearily on his feet and waited for his balance to come back before taking his first tentative step towards the bathroom door.

The feeling on his feet was akin to walking on broken glass, his damaged senses were still recovering slowly but Jay really wanted a shower and the pain didn't really bother him too much, it was a small price to pay for being so close to death and one that would eventually fade, he knew he would have to bear the pain for a short while at least until he would be able to raise his legs and feet of the floor again once he retired back to bed.

He got to the bathroom and opened the door to a smallish en-suite room which had another door leading off into another bedroom. Jay opened the door to the other room and noted it's blue colour...he recognised it at once 'Nya's bedroom yeah...blue my favourite colour hehe I remember...how strange though cos I've never been in here physically except apart from when Sigyn interfered with her witchcraft.'

Jay smirked and closed the door to her room, locking it from the inside 'don't want any unwanted visitors' he thought as he stripped off and out of his gown, before opening the shower door and turning the silver knobs to the correct settings. Once the steam was billowing enough and the temperature felt good Jay stepped into the sprays of water letting his head flop backwards, his long hair falling down his back was almost as long as Loki's but not as wavy. He didn't stay in there for long but just enough time for him to wash his hair, brush his teeth and have a shave.

He grabbed a towel and left the shower, remembering at the last minute to switch on the fan which was meant to rid the room of steam 'oops sorry Nya...my bad' Jay giggled leaving the bathroom with a small towel wrapped around his shoulders and another around his waist.

The young prince was so familiarised to living in Asgard, he had momentarily forgotten about the fact that he might not actually have any clean clothes or working armour laid out for him plus he was confused as to what had happened to his existing ones.

Jay had always strived to keep his uniform in good shape, clean and undamaged where possible and in the event he was injured or his armour damaged then the seamstresses and Loki would fashion him a new one...but yet Jay looked around his room seeing nothing but a pair of butt tight jeans, a t shirt and blue hoodie with a pair of white trainers.

"Really I got to wear these...I look like like I'm at college again." Jay cringed "Hey guys are these my clothes?" he yelled towards the door.

"Yeah...Nya chose them..." Lloyd yelled back laughing.

"Thanks." He mumbled through the door struggling to get one leg into the tight jeans. 'maybe I'll go get my bag from the motel...got some spare bits in there.'

Jay got dressed quickly pulling the tight jeans on was proving difficult, his body was still a little bit damp. He managed it though but they were tight around his butt.

'Not sure if this is better or worse than my normal uniform...but the t shirt looks good oh god it's tight too' Jay cringed looking at himself in the mirror.

"Great is she trying to tell me something...?" Jay thought before smirking and biting his lip as he pulled the hoodie on over his head. The final touches were the necessary spritz of aftershave and a lazy hair styling which including running his fingers through his hair before he grabbed his wallet and phone leaving the room from the balcony exit.

Jay was starting to look like an identical version of Loki in both his stance and persona, he didn't really care anymore about small insignificant things of which the normal population of Ninjago held dear, otherwise known as societal norms and value. He didn't care about love really...if he was honest with himself, he preferred the act of love itself and the power it gave him but yet he relished in the power he held over certain people, making people bend to his will as Loki did and feeding of the inherent jealousy surrounding him when he tortured the female populace by ignoring their primal wants and needs.

* * *

"Ha it might be the penthouse but whoa that is a long way down.." Jay peered over the edge "Gotta be at least a hundred floors up ehehe." Jay said as he attempted to summon his elemental dragon. He smirked when it appeared before him allowing him the opportunity to jump back on it again before swooping down in front of the large glass fronted living room window where his brothers and Nya were all waiting patiently for him to finish showering.

"Ha typical nowhere when ya need em...ah well this gives me the perfect opportunity to do this then." he said when he looked in to the living room window, they seemed to be congregating in then kitchen so Jay chose the opportunity to do some more exploring.

Of course he did it for dramatic effect, he flew high above the penthouse into the clouds, feeling the apricity of the cold winters sun warming his face before he careened his dragon to the right and steep diving back down into the clouds. He flew it directly at the streets below trying to get a bearing as to where his motel was located and the room charges he would have accrued in the two weeks he had been unwell. He was only supposed to be there for a few days and that was only because of Cole's attitude problem when they arrived in Ninjago.

"Hehe is that Dareth? oh my god it is hehehe...first stop Dareth then, although I have a feeling I'll regret this." Jay said as he swooped down to ground level landing effortlessly before jumping out and scaring Dareth half to death. He had startled the brown ninja who was going through a repertoire of funny martial arts moves before he realised it was Jay whereby he recomposed himself.

"Jay...Mr lightning? is it really you? wow you look ill...you're not contagious are ya hehehe oh you're in the presence of greatness now ya know...I'm a celebrity."

Jay raised his eyebrow and hid his smirk with his hand, Dareth was even more talkative than before and Jay hadn't said hello yet.

"I haven't seen you for ages though Jay have you been keeping away from me...I'm still your manager ya know got some great gigs lined up for you and your ninja wipeout show too...lots of contestants some celebrities too...I hear some of them want a little one on one with you eh hahaha." Dareth winked.

"H-hey Dareth yeah long time no see and no I'm not hiding from you...I've just been busy that's all...lots of bad guys to keep under control" Jay lied technically he was the bad guy he was referring to when teamed up with Loki.

"Bad guys eh...how come I don't know about that...oh hey do you know anything about the big black dragon that's been seen around here recently apparently it's got some people scared that the overlord is back." Dareth shuddered "But you're here right I bet you could take him on your own."

"Err n-no not really Dareth, I'm sure it''s nothing though." Jay bit his lip before changing the subject. " Dareth can you spare a few minutes cos I kinda need your help with something important."

"Yeah you do...well shoot tell me what it is and maybe I can help."

"Well you see...err" Jay mumbled feeling unsure about divulging this big piece of information to the loudmouth known as Dareth,he did have his uses though having been a help in the past, he was still a good friend to have around.

"Kai is erm...well" Jay mentally kicked himself 'spit it out Jay...strewth almighty...just tell him.' "Err well...K-Kai is getting married."

"What? wait what?" Dareth did a double take, "Hmmmm when is it oh and where is my invite?" Dareth huffed indignantly before asking the all important question.

"Who's the lucky lady eh...someone I know?"

"Skylor, he's marrying Skylor and I need a venue or something suitable for a bachelor party for two weeks from now." Jay stated in a flustered tone, glad that he had managed to say it all without being interrupted.

"I take it, you've never planned anything like this before?"

"What makes you say that?" Jay asked with a nervous giggle.

"Oh I don't know just your body language...oh and because I'm a pro at reading people." Jay raised his eyebrow again feeling like it was going to be stuck in that position if the wind changed.

"So can ya help me or not? really go to get planning because time is now of the essence..."

"Why so late in planning it, ya know these things take careful time and considerations." Dareth questioned.

"It's a long story...look can you do it or not?" Jay questioned again "I mean I've still got to do the speech."

"Oh so he's made you best man then...hehehehe you poor thing...Yeah okay I'll do it...but only if I get an invite plus one...Gail might just accept my marriage proposal if she sees just how well a real wedding can be done."

"Oh do you need me to plan the wedding too...I got some good contacts for that...what about your speech?"

"Err no I think Skylor has that covered hehe thanks though Dareth...I can manage the speech." Jay added 'I think I can manage the speech...I mean how hard could it be.'

"So do I get an invite then? and a plus one? otherwise no deal."

Jay pinched the bridge of his nose before looking up and shaking his head "Don't make me regret this Dareth...I accept your offer...I'll get you an invite and a plus one."

"Oh before I go...because like I said I'm a busy guy are there any places or activities that are off limits...ya know for the bachelor party?"

"Err well strips clubs, but ya know last night as a single man and so on hehehehe...nothing too distasteful though." Jay laughed and smiled as Dareth walked off with a huge grin plastered on his face. "Two weeks though the day before Valentines oh the wedding invite will be in the post." Jay hollered at the brown ninja as he walked away with his face down tapping away on his smart phone.

"Right back to what I was doing, at least that is one thing ticked of the to do list and the next is getting out of the motel with my bags...that is if they are still there." Jay summoned his dragon again in an alleyway feeling a sense of deja vu, before pulling sharply towards the sky to see where his motel was.

* * *

"Haha there it is, wow I must have been super tired...why did I choose that place urgh." Jay looked on in disgust as he landed his elemental dragon on the roof of the run down motel, noting a semi boarded up roof access door.

"Well at least I can get my stuff first then settle up with the receptionist...god this place stinks urgh what is that smell?" he turned his nose up and walked into the topmost floor of the motel. Choosing the exit stairwell to get to his floor on the eight floor, only two floors down. He looked through his wallet finding the key card securely in place not having been touched. He got to his door and retrieved his card sliding it into the access slot, he breathed a sigh of relief when the light turned from red to green signalling he could still enter.

"Score...just where I left them" Jay grunted as he fell over his bags which he had carelessly left near his door, how Kai hadn't fallen over them was a miracle considering they took pride of place where he had previously left them he thought as he got back to his feet rubbing his stomach subconsciously. He angrily grabbed one of his bags and threw it onto the bed looking through briefly to see what he packed at such short notice. His eyebrows rose simultaneously when he peered inside, he had an entire set of healing stones in the bag for the ' ** _just in case_** _'_ events, the healers must have given them to him when he was packing or maybe Loki slipped them in unnoticed.

Jay quickly grasped both bags up into his arms but struggled to carry the weight due to his apparent weakness and the fact that he was still recovering. The effect on his body of trying to hold them both up created a feeling of breathlessness and nausea. Jay sat down on his messy bed hunched over in anger refusing to to admit defeat...his bags haphazardly splayed around him on his bed as he tried to figure out a plan to get out of this room. He had two choices he could either take one at a time up the stairs or call his brothers who would undoubtedly be mad that he left without telling anyone where he was going.

'It would only be a matter of minutes before they phone me anyway,' Jay thought before getting back up with the one heavy bag in his arm.

"One at a time it is then...I can do it on my own...I'm not completely useless." Jay carried his bag up to the top floor only two floors above from his current room, exiting onto the roof where he left his bag. He positioned it away from the access door so no one else would see it or attempt to steal it besides it had occurred to Jay that this wasn't a particularly nice neighbourhood and these bags contained some very valuable possessions. Jay had included spare obsidian blades and tried and tested ointments to help with wounds plus it also held his spare set of working armour plated clothes all irreplaceable in Ninjago.

No-one had even told him what had happened to his last set but he had an idea that whatever happened to his clothing must have occurred at the hospital...why on Ninjago they didn't ask his brothers to remove his clothes though...did they even know how expensive new armour plating was? Jay giggled to himself, no, of course, they didn't.

He was walking back down to his room when he felt a mad vibration coming from his jeans pocket, he retrieved it took one look at the screen and smirked...it was Cole.

"Hey, Cole..." Jay answered biting his lip whilst Cole flipped out at him over the line demanding to know where he was.

"Chill out Cole, I just came back to the motel to pick up my stuff...besides you said you didn't come all the way back here to look after me eheheh."

"JAY! seriously I know you're still ill and what not but you still need to keep us notified as to where you're going...we work as a team remember."

 _'Yeah, when it suits you.'_ Jay thought, "Cole I'm not a baby so just stop okay…I am more than capable of looking after myself."

"I know what I said...you're not still hung up about that are ya? you know I didn't mean it right...I was just tired" Cole stated.

Jay knew he probably would have said that with a shrug of his shoulders too completely oblivious as to how insulting he had been a few hours before the event.

"No, let bygones be bygones...I won't hold a grudge, _Cole_." Jay said with sarcasm…of course, he was holding a grudge…Cole had almost killed him despite the fact that Loki had tried and failed over the space of twelve months to do the same amount of damage in the name of becoming obedient and subservient to a God than Cole had done in a single evening in the name of entertainment.

 _'was that all I was to him…just entertainment? Is that all I'll ever be?'_

"Where are you we'll come and get you...how much stuff have you got to bring back?".

Jay knew he probably would have said that with a shrug of his shoulders too, completely oblivious as to how insulting he had been on the first night they got here...although to be fair both had retaliated and both had said largely unnecessary things.

"I've got two bags but I can handle it on my own cos I'm not that ill... _Cole_." He replied dryly.

"Why won't you tell me where you are...You know we don't keep secrets right?" the tone was almost accusing.

"I'm not keeping secrets, Cole...I just wanna get out of here as soon as possible, got one more bag to take up and then gotta check out." Jay said as he zipped up his last large bag before panting in exertion as he hauled it onto his shoulder.

"Jay you sound like you're pushing yourself too much…where are you?" Cole sounded furious at being kept in the dark and the added fact that Jay was being childish and behaving recklessly. "I hope to god you're not planning on using your elemental dragon to fly back, you know in a weakened state you won't be able to maintain it!"

"Well, again thanks for your concern but I managed just fine getting here, so get off my case already...I'll be back later cos I got some other things to do to." Jay cringed at Cole's tone, he so wanted to throw his phone at the wall to silence him and his smug attitude once and for all and maybe that was what he needed to do.

No Jay didn't want to beat Cole into submission because he was not in any fit state to fight let alone protect himself but he was so sick of the constant bickering and accusations that Cole was saving up for Jay, it was almost as if he was waiting for Jay to snap and retaliate almost as if Cole wanted to fight for supremacy of who could protect Loki better and Jay knew that Loki would potentially enjoy the show of power for his evil side craved any sense of unease.

"No you need to come back right now, Kai is fuming mad with you and I drew the short straw so get your sorry ass back here or I'll drag you back to your bed and handcuff you to it."

"Ooh Cole, didn't realise you were into kink...does Seliel know? eheheh...I'll be back later okay besides you got my number call me if I'm not back before nightfall."

"Jay you need to come back now….or so help me god I will fucking kill you myself…..fucking reckless childlike behaviour…..you are so immature Jay….if you make me come and get you, I _will_ beat the ever living shit out of you and then I'll fucking beat the shit out of Loki too."

Jay lifted his phone up and stared at the infernal device as the voice of his brother Cole was angrily being shouted across his small motel room. The cuss words flying out of the phone were all directed at him.

 _'Aw Cole I had no idea you cared so much for me and my safety.'_

"I'll...be...back...later, and Cole! don't bring Loki into this."

Jay sighed and frowned before ending the call by pressing the red button, he didn't want to listen to Cole who had started to reel out another colourful set of expletives aimed at him and probably, even more, were being said because he ended the call so abruptly.

Jay didn't want to listen anymore so he set it to silent before casting it into his bag making sure it fell all the way to the bottom, 'it's not like Loki can call me though and I know my brothers are all okay so why do I even need this?' Jay asked himself as he watched the phone slip between his carefully packaged bag to settle at the bottom of it with a satisfying clang having made contact with something hard and unforgiving.

"Yikes I hope that wasn't a glass bottle' Jay thought not caring about the possibility of his phone being destroyed by liquid rather than the fact that he would now be un-contactable because of his petulance. He grabbed his bag and winced when he lifted it, he couldn't remember it being this heavy in Asgard, he swung it over his shoulder as before and started to make the journey back to the stair well, where he was met with the option of going downstairs first to check out or take the heavy bag up first. Either way he would still have to come back up which might look odd to the receptionist, so he chose on the spot...he would take his last bag upstairs and then go downstairs to check out.

* * *

The checkout process was fairly straightforward once he'd paid for the shabby room smirking when the bill came to mere double figures. "I think I can manage that...although you might want to get your lift fixed."

"The lift hasn't worked for years since the accident anyway...I'm sorry sir err was everything to your expectations?"

"Err yeah I guess so...except for the lift and having to travel up eight floors by foot."

"Again I'm sorry...Oh you had a visitor a few days ago, he didn't seem very happy that he'd missed you but he left you a message, he tried to call the week before too." She said as she retrieved a hand written letter addressed to Jay.

"What did he leave a name?"

"Everything you need to know is in the letter, that was all he said." She replied before adding "I didn't see his face as he wore a hood but he was very insistent that you have this letter. He said to meet him at the junk yard...something about it being in your best interests."

Jay's face paled...'my mum and dad, how could I forget about them, and now Clouse was threatening them.'

Simply thinking that Clouse was a ghost and he couldn't hurt him was the reasoning Jay used. He didn't think about his most recent malaise.

He figured Clouse only wanted him to recite a spell and then Jay could get back to what he was supposed to be doing today...sourcing out places suitable for a bachelor party with Dareth.

He tore the letter open, he had a sinking feeling he knew who it was from and his suspicions were right when he saw the delicate handwriting belonging to none other than Clouse..."Clousey Clouse that sneaky ghost." Jay hissed and thanked the startled receptionist before running back to the lift and pressing the button forgetting that it still wasn't working.

"Fuck not this again...really...haven't...got...time...for...this." Jay hissed as he electrocuted the lift call button hearing the engine under the lift whirring back into action. The doors opened and Jay walked in quickly pressing the button to close the door.

He didn't notice how bad the lift was or the smell until a cold breeze caused the temperature to drop significantly. He only noticed it when he saw his breath appearing before his eyes. Some other worldly force was in the lift making Jay think 'that perhaps someone had died in it or under it...was that what Kai had meant and the receptionist? hahaha this lift is kinda cool, would be an awesome Halloween trick.' The lights flickered and the smell of rotting cabbage increased until the doors opened on the top floor.

He opened the letter again reading the threat that Clouse had issued to his parents if Jay didn't meet him as soon as possible...it was almost as if Clouse knew he would be the motel at that exact time and date, which Jay thought was a little creepy.

The letter was specific 'don't bring anyone' but he could at least tell someone couldn't he?

Fumbling around for his phone, he cursed to himself for previously throwing it into his large bag. He remembered all too well, hearing it fall the bottom of said bag.

The lift door opened on the top floor allowing him a few steps to traverse before he was back out onto the roof access, he grabbed both of his bags with a pained gasp before summoning his elemental dragon...the letter was screwed up and left to float down to the ground. He didn't need to take it with him, it's not like there were coordinates on it.

"Only one issue, how do I get onto it with these bags?" He was speaking out loud to himself.

"Normally, I'd do a funky somersault and I'd land on it...but I can't with these, unless." Jay thought looking over the side of the motel thinking that there were plenty of floors down. Enough space for his dragon to appear if he could get over the shock of free falling with additional weights on his body.

"Well, what choice do I have? Leave my bags here, might never see them again or take them with me and risk being a sidewalk pancake when my dragon doesn't appear." He huffed, biting his lip

"What would Loki do? He would get me to do it cos he never does anything himself."

Jay took a deep breath in and stood precariously on the edge of the motel roof leaning over with his two bags one on each shoulder, ten floors down was the solid unforgiving floor, where he might meet his sticky end...or not, if fate had her way.

He jumped off and regretted the decision immediately as his bags pulled him down to the floor even faster than he had anticipated.

Before he knew it, he had squeezed his eyes closed together as the fifth-floor window flew past by the blink of an eye.

"Oh god, Loki would probably say don't do it because of the child I guess...oh come on dragon please I need you arghhhhh."

He screamed and put his hands out in an attempt to break his fall, realising that the velocity he was travelling wouldn't make a slight bit of difference if he had his hands up or not. He would still end up looking like a Jay pancake immortal or not...the fall would still kill him because he was now falling at terminal velocity.

He looked around himself and squealed with Joy when he looked underneath himself at the big black dragon he was sitting on, a pedestrian underneath him screamed at the proximity of the blackened monstrous evil looking beast. The claws grasping at air looked like it was trying desperately to claw at the man below him earning an ear splitting shriek.

Jay, now flooded with relief, pulled back on the reigns, in an effort to pull the dragon upwards and away from prying eyes...he didn't want a repeat of last time.

He aimed for the sky which is where he needed to fly in order to get his bearings again with feelings of annoyance at having to do this so often.

He felt like he was becoming forgetful, his mind was becoming a sieve and he had no idea why the thought at having to find his bearings again angered him because he had grown up here and then spent a large part of his later teenage years in Ninjago with his brothers and Sensei.

* * *

Jay could see the beginnings of the desert approaching on the horizon so steered his dragon to the correct location heading south, south west, the journey would undoubtedly take a few hours just to get there, but why was Clouse threatening Ed and Edna they haven't done anything wrong…they're just his parents.

The heat of the desert was almost like a comfort blanket calling to him, he smiled in anticipation because everywhere he looked in front of him was rolling sand dunes being lit up by the sun beating down on them creating a mirage from above.

"Oh I hope this doesn't take too long I've got too much stuff to do and no doubt mum and dad won't let me leave that quickly and she'll want to cut my hair, urgh."

Jay swooped down to skim the sand with his dragon with a determined look in his eyes, he wondered how his mum and dad would look at him now and if they would even accept him as their son anymore considering his allegiance with a God of evil.

"Well it's either now or never" he said as he approached the junk yard, the signage was lit in preparation for the oncoming sunset.

He landed softly on the sand outside of the junk yard and dropped his bags nearby, his arms felt heavy at having to hold on to them for so long and he wished that the elemental dragons would come with saddle bags of some sort at least then they could carry extra things...'hehehe no that would never work. to much brain power needed for that.'.

* * *

"Well well well...look who finally decided to show up..." A snarky voice whispered behind him as soon as he entered the compound belonging to his parents, the place was quiet and nothing was unduly out of place...the deck chairs still outside the silver trailer where his parents lived...nothing looked odd at all except for Jay and the ghost who was standing behind him, breathing down onto his neck creating an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"I must say...Jay, you certainly took your time" Jay flinched as a ghostly hand appeared in his line of vision, too close for comfort as if Clouse was testing his defences.

"I swear if you've hurt them I will kill you...I will hunt you down and kill you..."

"You can't kill a ghost...Jay or are you really that naive to believe that you can kill everything and anything." Clouse stroked his cold hand down Jay's face making him flinch again at the feeling of cold.

"Oooh you're so complacent with yourself I see, and yes your _god like abilities_...I wonder how smart you'd be when you realised that you aren't as strong without your precious master or your precious team of ninja."

"Are you threatening me?" Jay asked with uncertainty, he was too weak to fight anything off after his journey, he probably wouldn't be able to make the journey home to the apartment.

"No this was not a threat but a necessity."

"Ya know I don't appreciate threats especially considering you still want me to do something for ya...this stupid spell." Jay stood still waiting for Clouse to appear in front but he stayed behind him, taunting him before delivering the worst news possible...the knife through his heart at the truth he was about to divulge.

"Ha yes, so you do remember our agreement...I see, and here was me thinking you had left town...sadly I had to revert to this tactic because my past experiences of your team gave me no choice...I hope you won't hold it against me...but I did so enjoy doing it because of course now I have more eternal company at least until I have my body back."

Jay's heart hammered at the choice of words Clouse was using and bile began to rise in his throat...what had he done and why couldn't he see or hear his parents?

"M-mum? D-dad? are you here" Jay asked timidly running around the junk yard with an eerie feeling of dread building up not caring that Clouse was almost acting like a leech and trying to stay as close as possible to him as he could drifting along with him as he tried to wrench open the doors of the silver trailer.

"Where are they Clouse...what have you done with my parents?" Jay spat, his eyes glistening with emotionless anger and distrust. Confusion mounting as to why the door wouldn't budge, it was stuck tight as if by magic.

"Well they are more fun to be around now...so much more compliant at least and quiet...I can sort of see where you got your motor mouth from."

" ** _WHAT DID YOU DO CLOUSE_**...where are they?" Jay shouted in frustration his hands pulsing with electrical activity. He released a burst of his dark element at Clouse but it went straight through him causing his anger to spike again as he hit the Ed and Edna's junk yard sign causing it to fall to the ground with a thud.

" **WHERE ARE THEY CLOUSE...where the fuck are my parents?...what have you done?** " Jay screamed and his eyes were wild with rage.

Clouse smirked and spoke slowly, "They're both dead Jay...I killed them...because you didn't keep to our bargain."

" **WHAT?** what did you say...y-you killed them...m-my parents are d-dead?" Jay's hands fell to his side, he looked around refusing to accept that sorry excuse for all he knew it could just be a ploy from Clouse.

"Oh I'm sorry...you were attached to them weren't you? how terribly sad for you...but of course you never kept to our agreement...so this was merely phase one."

"You said you would be in contact...you never gave an exact date." Jay looked utterly bewildered, "Y-you killed them?"

"I did get in contact during the last new moon which was the ideal opportunity for the spell, but you were nowhere to be found." Clouse pouted his lips into a look of disgust at Jay and his pathetic excuses that he was about to give "Yes I killed them...I took no pleasure in it of course...they were so proud of you Jay but yet you cared little for them."

Jay sank to his knees, his head in his hands hid the tears which streaked down his face. "I cared for them, I-I loved them. How dare you tell me how little I cared."

"You killed them in cold bl-blood what d-did they ever do to you?!...Where are they Clouse, where are they!...please, tell me!" Jay pleaded and looked to the trailer in horror as the realisation hit him full force, they weren't coming out to see him, he would never see them again.

Clouse crept up behind Jay and entered his body. Trying to control it in his weakened state was far easier than it had been before, even the sense of intense heartbreak still empowered the ghost because it further weakened the mind of the possessed allowing further control.

"Why...why them? what did they ever do to you."

"They are not your concern anymore Jay...maybe after you have done this for me I will show you." The voice answered as if it was coming from Jay's head.

"Please Clouse...I'm not strong enough to s-stop you from controlling me...I-I.."

"Yes I can see and feel it...you were poisoned?...how are you still alive? how are you still walking...does this child keep you here? this abomination of life keeps you from moving on yes?"

"Don't speak of it like that...it is still a life and m-more than you'll ever be..." Jay winced in pain "Y-you're nothing without Ch-Chen...n-nothing...just another hopeless soul without direction...a-and you l-lack conviction."

"Conviction...no this is one thing I have always had...an insatiable appetite for revenge on Lloyd and Kai...but you decided to take this on all by yourself...because you think you are so all important...so powerful and unstoppable...but now I know otherwise."

"Just because I am weak now doesn't mean I won't kick your butt into the cursed realm when you're mortal...mark my words Clouse you will pay for this." Jay hissed in pain as Clouse muttered some words taking complete control of the weakened demi god.

"How will your friends have time for me when they're so busy fighting you?" Clouse asked Jay's mind as he took hold of the weakened body making him do what he wanted.

"Yes hahaha" Clouse cackled "complete power an unlimited supply...but what of this abomination within and what to do with it, I feel it has power too and yet unrivalled to anything on this realm...why won't you tell me who this child belongs to Jay...too embarrassed to admit it...your sordid affair with a higher being...did you enjoy it? hmm your mind tells me one thing yet your body tells me another."

Clouse walked into the trailer where the bodies of Jay's parents lay sprawled on the floor where they had died and fell before grasping his Grimoire opening it on the pages he intended to read. The pages listed a lengthy and intricate re animation spell...a spell to bring the dead back to life.

"The spell calls forth the spirits of a recently deceased person who had all the normal attributes of a living breathing thing, capable of love, trust, betrayal and lust amongst others...small things that can be changed in the blink of an eye by a simple twist of fate. A spurned lover, a childless couple, a tortured childhood, lies and deceit, anxiety and defeat." He spoke clearly stroking the pages reciting the spell until the spirits of Ed and Edna were revealed floating around Jay's possessed body as Clouse continued reading.

"I call forth the power of the grimoire to take these two souls and the strength of this mortal man I possess to give me my life back...to give me my mortal body...an all powerful body. For the sacrifice has been duly paid as per the implicit rules of dark sorcery I have kept to my bargain and I have slain these two insignificant souls for this trade. This body can be used for any additional strength you need so please take it as your own and give me strength enough to maintain the spell until the transformation is complete...give me his power." Clouse chanted feeling some of Jay's strength being transferred to him, the souls of Ed and Edna were absorbed into the book he read from allowing a spiral of red to issue from within the book which made its' way into Clouse...the act of the spell ripped Clouse from Jay's body where he stood as his own mortal man. The sun beginning to rise in the distance alerted Clouse to his new day, a new life but what to do with the annoying Ninja...maybe set a trap for Kai and Lloyd now that would work.

Jay had been left sleeping on the floor because the spell had taken its toll on his remaining strength, he barely had enough power to sustain his breathing but he did. Clouse grasped his ankle and dragged him outside of the trailer, hearing a satisfying clunking sound as his sleeping ninja's head made contact with each metal step. He stopped in his tracks when he saw someone standing in front of him, wearing an odd outfit for the desert.

* * *

"Are you trying to emulate Lloyd, is he your hero? You foolish mortal you dare to disturb us." Clouse mocked the green, gold and black bedecked man who had longer than shoulder length black hair, his alabaster skin looking like it would burn if he stayed in the desert for too long.

The man waited for his moment, edging ever closer to the red cloaked man who had thrown Jay down to the sandy ground in disgust.

"Am I disturbing you? Because from what I can see you are taking advantage of a situation and he can't fight back." The man tensed up as the red cloaked man kicked the prone man laying on the floor.

"Who are you and what do you want...this man is none of your concern...besides he'll be joining his parents soon enough," Clouse muttered.

"My name is Loki of Asgard...and you are?" Loki sneered at Clouse,

"My name is Clouse...you must be a fool to not realise who I am, everyone knows who I am."

Loki was enraged at his lack of respect, being called a fool was tantamount to a death wish "As I was saying my name is Loki and I am burdened with glorious purpose and no, I'm no fool."

"Loki hmm, Why are you here, in this realm?" Clouse sneered unimpressed at the God who stood before him.

"That is none of your concern, you are merely a small insignificant part of something much bigger you cannot even comprehend. Simply, you lack the infinite knowledge to ever contemplate what this is about or what this will ever be about."

Loki chuckled. His concern glancing toward Jay who still wasn't moving enough to get up. "Your mind is so small and polluted with your own ideals, that it has fogged your senses to the bigger picture."

Clouse looked at the strangely dressed man in front of him "This doesn't have to get messy, surely?" He wasn't remotely scared of Loki, sensing he had no weapon on his person meant he saw no threat.

It would just be magic versus magic. "He was just a waste of space and oxygen. He doesn't know when to stop talking." Clouse muttered rudely at Jay who sobbed on the ground, his tears falling onto the sand.

"Of course it does. One has come too far anything other than to simply let this lie. Besides, he belongs to me" Loki snarled at Clouse and his rough treatment of Jay.

Clouse looked on in awe, having only ever heard of this person in myth and legend "hmmm, I have no quarrel with your people...Asgard I believe?"

"Hmm, They also say that an ant has no quarrel with a boot." Loki retorted.

Clouse looked to the side before looking up to meet Loki's green narrowed eyes "What are you planning, are you planning to step on us?"

Loki walked across to Jay bending down to him, smiling when he heard him mumbling despite the intense heartbreak he could sense coming from within. "Just you." he whispered as he looked up at Clouse and stood to his full height keeping a safe distance from the man he now knew to be Clouse.

"Of course, I have travelled with glad tidings...of realms and worlds made free." Loki boomed as he stood hoping that Clouse didn't hear his whispered threat.

Clouse looked on in confusion at the god...what was he offering? he thought and then asked the burning question, "Free from what?"

"Freedom...you see freedom is life's greatest lie and of course, once _you_ accept that." Loki paused to wipe a tear from Jay's face, "...you shall know peace."

 _"_ Yes...hmmm not that I don't believe you...but I don't. Peace haa, when you say 'peace' you mean the exact opposite. Something that is so far away from peace."

"Well, Clouse is it? You bought this course of action upon _yourself_ when you hurt _him_." Loki motioned down to Jay.

"Oh now, this is precious...I see why you are so protective of him...you are the father of the abomination he carries...you disgust me both of you...your sordid lifestyle is against all that is right."

Loki raised his eyebrow, a sour taste in his mouth at how cold and hateful he was being and at something he obviously knew so little about.

"I must say I am surprised...Clouse, that you of all people would be so judgemental about the infinite possibilities of dark magic...considering you wield its power so well. But yet there is so much you have yet to explore and here you waste your efforts on him, further insulting me. Alas, a shame I must do this...you could have been my apprentice."

"What are you planning on doing? Jay helped me to achieve mortality at the expense of his strength of course and his parents...a life for a life as they say."

"There was no need for bloodshed, Jay would have helped without you stooping to that level...he does still have a heart...well he did...until you destroyed it."

"You cannot blame his delicate mind on me...Yes, I played a part but it was a necessary evil...I thought he had gone back on his word and left."

"He had been poisoned...you foolish creature...not that that matters anymore because once you have been dealt with we will be leaving your realm. there is nothing binding him to this place anymore."

"What are you planning on doing here...to this realm?"

"Nothing now...there is little to do here, save for destroying you."

"You don't scare me...Loki I know of your kind...your weaknesses...I have all the power I need now thanks to him." Clouse said kicking Jay in the process, the act of which made Loki wince.

Loki raised his sceptre and aimed it at Clouse "KNEEL BEFORE ME" he snarled and Clouse began to tremble as Loki's projections outnumbered and surrounded him pushing him to the floor painfully, his mortal body could not fight against the intense strength of the god's mind.

Loki teased, "Ooh...It burns you to have come so close. To have power, this unlimited power. And for what? A warm light to share amongst your pitiful followers."

"Is not this better, simpler?" Loki smirked at Clouse who was in an unnatural bowing position.

"Tis the unspoken truth of lands such as these that you all crave subjugation. Indeed, the brightest lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in that mad scramble for power and for identity."

Loki held his sceptre to Clouse's chest before pulling the trigger, he spoke calmly but the venom in his voice was solely for Clouse, "Your people were made to be ruled and in the end. You of all people will always suffer, kneel or die, whichever route is fine with me."

"Next time don't touch what you cannot even fathom controlling or owning...this one is mine." He said as he pressed the trigger. The blue mist enveloping the body of Clouse in an instant before absorbing his darkened magic as his own.

The man lay dead, motionless at Loki's feet. Jay was still sobbing pitifully.

"Let your journey to the underworld be full of pain and misery, Clouse."


	36. Inherent weakness

"Why are you still so weak of mind Jay after all I have taught you?" Loki criticised harshly as he pulled Jay by his civilian clothing.

The only part of Jay he hadn't focused on was his mind because he had been so all consumed with training his body to withstand most gruelling training and punishment, his body had just simply learned to adjust to the pain often inflicted upon it. His mind however had been tested on more than one occasion, including being controlled by the mind stone which was still residing within Loki's sceptre but other than the events that happened in the cabin his mind had barely been touched since.

* * *

 **Jay's pov**

"Fuck of Loki...don't you dare...don't you fucking dare pin this on me...this was not my fault." I pulled against Loki in defiance, he had my tunic in both fists in what looked like concern but also anger, I can't believe he was blaming me and not Clouse.

"He killed them for no reason... _no reason_!" I shouted with a tinge of sadness.

"There is always a reason... _you_ gave him a reason...your very existence and that of your brothers. Clouse held you accountable for what happened." Loki raised his hands in a vain attempt to be neutral.

"It pains me to say this but…Cole was telling the truth….it was because of him that I sought out to follow you and, your actions which led up to this event were dare I say it…..simply reckless! In simple terms you put yourself in clear and apparent danger and for what?"

"For what? Are you kidding? I didn't put myself in danger and I'm not reckless plus I don't appreciate the tone you're using or Cole's earlier…I'm not a child Loki…..fuck off."

"I did it for my parents." I stated.

"I could feel it, I could sense his loss was just as great as yours is now." Loki replied without emotion.

"His loss! Don't make me laugh...he didn't lose anything you moron, he was evil and he deserved everything he got...you sensed his loss...give me a break!"

I was appalled by Loki's lack of sympathy but then what was I expecting really? So he chose to tell me he could feel Clouse's loss at the hands of me and my brothers, well Lloyd actually for the sake of blaming someone...I should say that we took on the responsibility as a group...as a whole...we were in it together.

"Do you not truly see the gravity of your crimes as a singularity...or as a team?" Loki scolded with an eyebrow raised questioningly, he was struggling to see how I was being so blind to my alleged past crimes at being part of the vigilante problem that my realm has gotten used to…..' _yeah right douchebag what crimes are these exactly?_ '

"Are you truly blinded by hate and revenge that you failed to see him as a person? even after the sheer loss he suffered."

I looked incredulously at Loki who was attempting to get me to see the horrid turn of events from that of the guilty person and from that of the killer. I guess I didn't expect anything out of the ordinary from him of all people he was evil after all and yet he seemed to sympathise with those closest to him in evil stature rather than seeing my loss. Yet a tiny niggling part of me which had been altered by Loki was willing to accept the reason freely and this small insignificant part made me listen to his reasoning….' _I so wish I could just switch off to him and his acidic words…maybe he is right, maybe I am weak of mind._ '

I kind of knew it to be true but it didn't stop the pain and torment of losing my parents so brutally….no what are you saying Jay….' _I'm not guilty of anything except helping people right?_ '

Being helpless to stop Clouse from committing the act was just as bad as doing it myself, I should have been able to stop him, to stop Clouse. But no I am not going to give in to Loki's accusations, Clouse was evil dammit.

"He was evil...deal with it." I spat in frustration at the accusing tone issuing from his mouth.

"And, what of you? are you not evil too, even now?" Loki questioned.

"N-no I-I'm not...my slate is clean." I looked shocked and betrayed at him, at the man in front of me….he was blaming me, ' _what is your problem Loki?_ '

"Yes you are Jay, you have killed so many people since your agreement with me, your slate is dripping with red...it's gushing, with the blood of all those you have slain in battle...the civilisations of all the realms you have helped me to take over...all those lives you ended with my sceptre or with your own powers...all the pain, misery and death follows you as it does me."

'What? No"…I was hurt and shocked by his words they cut like a knife.

"I did it f-for you...and you gave me no choice...I had to do it."

I looked down at my hands wanting to wipe the smirk of his face, was he trying to anger me on purpose?

I looked down at my hands to see nothing, I was expecting crackles of electricity and lightning to silence his accusations and venomous drivel but all I had was barely static...something was wrong…very wrong.

Loki smiled with an evil grin plastered on his face "You always have a choice...you could have said no during any part of this journey even in the beginning...I could show you an alternate universe where you chose the other path….in fact every choice you ever made with me." Loki cackled and his laugh sent shivers down my spine.

Not this again, mind control to teach me a lesson on how to strengthen my mind so mind control again…"Maybe all this mind control has made my mind weaker you asshole." I whispered and he heard me because right at that moment he looked me in the eyes with a crooked smile etched on his pale features which was akin to a smirk but laced with a plan most evil…no doubt.

All I want to do is grieve and I can't even do that now…all I want to do is rest and spend some time with Kai and maybe Nya…but no typical Loki again.

"Well after you so _eloquently_ put it, my mind control has _not_ made you weaker in mind, but this will be my treat Jay." Loki paused thinking of an idea.

"Because you are so unenthusiastic about this whole concept of being under my direction…I have come up with an idea." His face contorted into a wide Cheshire cat grin before revealing his idea to my unsuspecting brain.

"Well, let's just say it might serve to make you more grateful of what you have and also **STOP YOU FROM DEFYING ME ALL THE DAMN TIME**." Loki sneered and pulled me at a punishing pace towards the royal Asgardian palace.

I didn't like the sound of this at all, he made no reference to what he was about to do, no, he was keeping that to himself and that was what made me unsure about being back here. In this realm he could get away with anything because he was still the king even as a disguise he could still be cruel…to me. Loki had a firm grip on my hood and I was being pulled like I was his teenage son who had just stolen his damned car…the Einherjar warriors seemed to smirk at it….because to them it looked like Odin.

' _I don't see what is remotely funny about this situation….that's bullying behaviour ya know and yeah I'll hunt you down and find you both, don't think I won't_.'

I heard them laugh as I was led past the two guards stationed at the middle of the rainbow bridge…I made sure to note their faces so I could confront them later about this…just who do they think they are?

"This will help to make you stronger in mind Jay, to finally accept what you have been given and what I expect of you in the long run." Loki stated, he wasn't even out of breath.

"Why aren't we using the horses for the god's sake…my legs are killing me."

"Quit whining Jay, we are almost there…" Loki hissed.

I let out a long overdue and overly annoyed sigh…the type of sigh that you give someone when you are completely bored or emotionally drained….it worked Loki rolled his eyes, his grasp was beginning to hurt my neck until I unzipped my hoodie and watched as Loki pulled it clean of my back. Now I would have found that hysterical and I admit I laughed a little as Loki stopped abruptly with his arms by his side when he realised he wasn't pulling me anymore. His face was like thunder, so unforgiving and not an ounce of humour…just an odd look of concern aimed at me.

"I'm worried about you and I believe this will help, besides what choice have you got?" Loki walked back up to my side and grabbed my wrist before grabbing me again and pulling me at his side.

Well that's just great I really don't like the sound of this one bit but I really need to get out of here and back to Ninjago. The time travels so slowly here even mere hours are days and any more than two days will be a bad thing…I can't miss the wedding or the bachelor party Kai will kill me for sure.

* * *

Loki's mind was made up he would show Jay what would have happened thus giving him the choice to live either life. But this would need to take place later once Jay was suitably relaxed or unconscious which ever came first.

'But first…how to get him angrier...I need him to snap so he can open his mind to me, maybe the guards can anger him enough' Loki thought and smirked.

"You had a choice Jay...I gave you plenty."

"Ah ha...yup but each time I did you punished me or if I recall correctly, I would have bled to death initially!" Jay sighed in defeat before admitting the overarching truth.

"I-I am evil I guess, we all are in a way...We let it consume us, revenge for Sensei Garmadon revenge for Zane...heck even revenge for Cole becoming a temporary ghost by Sensei Yang and Nadakhan."

"Clouse served his master as you do with me, but you and your team killed him and his master leaving him as a ghost floating for all eternity with unfinished business." he stated coldly "The reason his ghost didn't return when I killed him was purely due to the fact that his unfinished business was finished when he tortured you in mind."

"In mind!...uh what are you saying none of it was true…imaginary? preposterous!…because it looked pretty real to me." Jay sniffed and hung his head solemnly.

"I did not go into the homestead I figured you did considering the duration of your stay...of course, it could have all been an elaborate hoax of which an extraordinary master of dark arts lost his life in by misjudging his formidable opponent." Loki smiled at Jay, but Jay wasn't believing of him, he wanted to go back to see for himself because he believed them to be dead.

" _Formidable opponent_ ….you mean yourself?"

"Of course I mean myself," Loki taunted, "You were weak of mind Jay I have already told you of this…yet, had you taken my advice and the potions the pregnancy wouldn't have affected you so."

Jay rolled his eyes, "I was setup **_Loki_** , and how exactly would I explain all those potions to Cole and my brothers? You expected me to take an entire case full…it looked like a frickin pharmacy." Jay laughed in sarcasm.

" **For your own good** " Loki shouted, "But you, are obviously so stubborn you chose _against_ my better reasoning….at your own cost I should add…and now, I guess you are remorseful of your actions, alas contrition should come naturally."

"No I'm not remorseful at having you kill Clouse for me, not at all…but for not being there for my mum and dad when they needed me...that I am remorseful for."

"I've never felt remorse for any of our past enemies…why would I or we? We dealt with them as a team, it wasn't one sided ya know."

"All of your past enemies are not my concern Jay, you dealt with them all as a team whilst believing the course of action you took was the right one….just as vigilantes do." Loki smirked again and Jay grew frustrated.

"Sensei Yang, hmm yes, well after the events that Cole discussed with me recently indicated that he had indeed worked out his personal issues with _this_ ethereal person and thus became a stronger individual for it." Loki turned his back on Jay and pulled him along the rainbow bridge at the same fast pace as before, one hand grasping Jay's arm.

"Judging by Cole's present physical appearance would mean that he succeeded in his endeavours?...he accepted it, eventually, and didn't dwell on it but saw it from his enemies' point of view."

Jay shuddered violently at the sheer memory of witnessing Cole turn into a ghost, the pain he suffered from the loss of his body and the pain Nadakhan inflicted when he wished to be human again...but Jay hadn't done anything in revenge he had merely tagged along with his team and joined in as the valued team member he had always been. Up until recently, when he began to go alone thinking himself invincible against all odds...he was, up to a certain point invincible; thanks to his unique dual elemental abilities. But the act of going alone had caused the problem, the act of revenge had tipped him over the edge into uncertainty and into madness the never ending downward spiral of despair.

"The loss you feel will pass I'm sure but you need to ask yourself why this happened." Loki said in an almost patronising tone of voice.

"This course of action could have been avoided...had you listened to me and taken my advice."

"Great, so what pearl of wisdom would that have been then...stay here in the realm eternal with you? take the potions Jay...do this Jay...do that Jay!"

"Well to be fair you have just answered your own question, I do not feel it necessary to provide you with the information you need considering you came to the conclusion yourself."

"So you _are_ blaming me...just so I'm clear? unbelievable ** _fucking typical omnipotent Loki, the only God who is perfect above all else_**...fuck you and your perfect self." Jay retorted sarcastically but meaning every word to be in jest.

"Please do not swear!" Loki said and added with a smirk, "But I thank you for your admission and sarcastic childish retort…I guess I do see myself as _omnipotent_ hahaha." Loki laughed.

"Alas this unfortunate turn of events has shown a weakness in your psyche that we still need to address...a weak mind will never do Jay not for a warrior who has a rather eventful future yet to be paved out."

"And by unfortunate you mean because my parents were killed...cos ya know it's not like you can sympathise...you still have a father right? I mean other than the one you killed!"

"What are you insinuating Jay...please be mindful of where you are going with this." Loki's eyes narrowed, glinting with evil, he was taunting Jay and stoking the fire enraging him enough to snap when the time was right.

"You have Odin, you have Thor...you still have family, you even have a wife who loves you...and I-I have NOTHING...nothing...was that the idea all along?"

"Odin is not my father Jay, and Thor is not my brother." He sighed and looked away "Yes, Sigyn is my wife of course...it does not mean I love her though." Loki paused licking his teeth he didn't want to make Jay hate him considering how fragile his mind was at this current time.

"It was never my plan, my idea was never to make you feel all alone because all you will ever really need is me, and, in a way it just happened save for Nya of course...but that was a necessity to make you stronger...she was holding you back and if you didn't stop I would have employed Amora to despatch her as Odin did with Jane Foster."

"Wait!..what! Amora?" Jay recoiled as if he'd been bitten by a snake, an uneasy feeling came over him but then got side tracked by Loki's admission of it being necessary.

"Did you say it was a fucking necessity...yeah there's that shitty excuse you pathetic piece of scum...holding me back really?" Jay's scarred eyebrow was twitching.

"Loki we can't choose who our families are, we're just dealt with that hand and we have to learn to live with them and their quirks...why are you so stubborn to see that they love you."

"No, you're right Jay we can't choose...but I didn't have a choice in the matter I was taken against my will...it wasn't done for love."

"It was _love_... _they love you_ Loki, they did it because you were an innocent child." Jay looked downwards and sighed, "but of course I have nothing now...no love, no family all because of you."

Jay wiped his wet face, gobsmacked at Loki's blindness to the love his family had given him over the years.

His eyebrows were bunched together as tears rolled down his face, Loki didn't understand at all what it meant to lose your family or to lose someone who loved you almost as much as you loved them.

"You-you've made me a loner so w-when you tire of me you'll cast me aside to wander the r-realms alone. And then when you're bored of your p-precious wife you'll come and fuck up my life again or rape me like you did with N-Nya...the only woman I ever loved." Joy openly sobbed, he was angry at himself for allowing Loki to see him cry…All Jay wanted was a reaction from the God something to show that his words did have meaning.

" **SHUT UP JAY** , just stop already...please before I do something I'll regret." Loki shouted with his fists clenched ready to lash out, he was getting tired of stopping and starting, all he wanted to do was sit and ponder about the events leading up to this disagreement he was having. He stopped walking and turned again to face Jay who had an angry smile on his face waiting for Loki to punch him in vindictive retaliation.

"Go on I fucking dare you to try it go on Loki fucking hit me…everything you touch has turned to shit...my life is a mess and it is all because of you. So why can't you just be grateful for what you have, why do you have to ruin my life...Odin loves you as a father would love a son even Thor loves you."

"You are wrong Jay, they do not love me because love is not important."

Jay slapped Loki hard across the face enraging the God "What is wrong with you Loki? snap out of it, Hel I can feel it even if you can't...ya know. And here was me thinking that the potion you gave me would destroy that part...guess what Loki it didn't." Jay cried, he was shaking nervously as the torrent of emotions flooded his sensitive system.

"When I died and before you gave me that antidote something happened when I killed that man...Sigyn told me what you did...but the strange thing was the fact that I could still feel love but I felt jealousy too and the two combined making me feel desire but it's a poisonous chalice Loki and it keeps me from loving her...I satisfy her needs and the needs of every woman I fuck and they with me but it feels wrong...incomplete and unnatural….you've turned me into a monster…like you."

"My parents, I guess I have a deep seated affection for the way they raised me and a different type of love, not a physical one...maternal almost."

Jay sobbed and a rogue tear ran down his face. "It hurts Loki, it hurts so much...I want to feel love's keen sting, I need to feel it again...I can't live like this...I can't live without it...meaningless sexual relationships can not and will not sustain me for all eternity Loki...I'm not a machine I'm a person with feelings and needs."

"Jay you are a machine, you are a weapon of great importance...you will be by my side when the nine realms are reborn, our child will recreate the future we want...free of all things that weaken us and weaken each individual race...the people will be free of freedom of life's great lie and I will rule them as the god and king I was meant to be."

"Fuck off Loki, don't be so stupid how do ya know that is even going to happen...Ragnarok is just a myth?"

"I know Jay because it has already happened in my lifetime and it had already started...you saw Yggdrasil for yourself...she is dying and as she does she will weaken releasing the great Midgardian serpent to destroy earth in coalition with Cole enveloping the planet with tremors and quakes, Jotunheim will be destroyed with help from Zane, Helheim will be destroyed by Kai and so on."

Loki smiled " And you will be taking on anyone who tries to usurp me from my rightful place on the throne of Asgard. All whilst I recreate a new and better Asgard for our child."

"That plan is insane, I'll die trying to take everyone on...besides I never agreed to that we were supposed to fight side by side...right?"

"Maybe you will die." Loki smirked with a loose shrug of his shoulders, his lack of concern made Jay take a step back. "Yes I did agree to that didn't I before I realised Ragnarok would be come a reality which set the wheels of action into creating another plan...you are still my protector...my sole protector so it will be your responsibility to make sure nothing happens to me...because if it does it will be done to you tenfold as is the binding contract we used in our initial spell...the one that turned you."

"Great, so whilst I fight all possible enemies you've accrued over these centuries; you're saying you'll be relaxing on the throne and watching me get bloodied up whilst simultaneously brain washing our child? yeah right, that is never going to happen Loki... ** _never because I won't allow it...I would rather die_**." Jay hissed and pushed Loki away forcefully.

" _ **You probably will with that attitude**_ …but what does it matter? Ragnarok isn't just the dawn of the gods it's a rebirth too, and once the dust settles the gods will be reborn and I will take my rightful place with our child by my side."

"And what about me and my brothers? Ya know once we've taken on each realm on our own."

"You'll likely perish in battle…well some of your brothers may. Besides only the gods will be reborn so it will just be me and the child."

" _Fuck!_ …so you set us up for this Ragnarok event knowing full well that we could die… **NO** …I'm not doing it…not anymore and neither will they."

" ** _ENOUGH_**!" Loki snarled "You won't have a choice in this matter because you are not a god and you can not decide what is best for the child no more than a goat can."

"Well I could probably do a better job than you Loki..." Jay said as he punched Loki's hand away from his arm expecting to receive a blow back but nothing came.

Jay smirked an evil yet insane smile was etched on to his face. "Why won't you fight me Loki...what are you scared of?"

Loki looked to the side and into Jay's eyes as they walked towards the palace, "I am not particularly fond of hurting you in this state because you cannot fight back for some reason...whatever happened has affected you negatively."

"Ehehehe that's so funny **_'this state_** ' like it's a disability or some sort eheheh! …..BUT let me get this right, you don't mind beating the crap out of me normally because you secretly get off on hurting me…oh yeah I've seen it in your eyes before but don't worry your secret is safe with me…"

Jay's eyes sparkled with just as much evil as Loki's his words coming straight from his heart which he knew to be true, Loki was far too evil to care for anything, his quest for the throne blinded everything else from his visions.

"I don't want to fight you because you will lose." Loki snarled.

"I can fight back you know I can...I am more than capable of beating you because I've done it before."

"No Jay you can't you are too weak...you have no power against me." Loki quite possibly chose the wrong words because everything he said after was the wrong thing to say.

"I'm not weak Loki...I'm anything but weak and if I am it's because of you and how you treat me." He stood up straight with a determined look in his eyes ready to prove himself.

"Put me in that arena and I'll prove it to you, you think I'm weak? strange cos when I beat you in front of my brothers I was anything but weak...you weren't even standing when I had finished remember."

"I remember going easy on you...But no Jay, I will not do it to prove a point...why can't you just accept it? You are in no fit state to fight and you have no strength no elemental ability and no fight."

"If you don't allow me to prove it to you if you won't let me fight then I fight the guards or I'll go to earth and seek out these inhuman super soldiers who are still baying for my blood."

Loki cringed at Jay's words he knew that if he was pushed too far he would keep to his word and in his current state would end up dead or dissected by Hydra.

"Fine Jay, because you won't accept it from me you can have it your way but don't say I didn't warn you or give you fair choice...you are so very stubborn." Loki hissed at Jay before turning his back ' _maybe if the guards subdue him before he goes to visit the healers then he won't be able to fight, then he can recover._ '

Loki tried to think of a small but quick way of taking him down in his weakened state, ' _it couldn't be anything too severe because he was still recovering...maybe a small tussle but Jay would need to be the one to start it so the guards would merely be defending themselves_.'

"So when do we fight? I can take you on anytime Loki."

"You want a fight? you really want to fight me after I saved you today after I delivered the antidote to you...this is a new level of ungratefulness from you Jay...I am disappointed...but as you requested so petulantly we will fight and I'll give you an hour to prepare...but I will admit I won't make it easy for you." Loki smirked, he was flat out lying and he wasn't going to fight at all, he wasn't even going to turn up in the arena...neither was Jay but he didn't know that.

"I'll be there in an hour sure...but why the fuck did you bring me back here...why? answer me Loki dammit...don't I get a vacation...Hel I didn't even get Christmas off cos you kept me in the dungeons."

Loki dragged Jay down the rainbow bridge shoving him up against the bridge gate entrance to the palace…the shove was a little too harsh as all the wind was duly knocked out of Jay in the process.

Loki loosened his grip somewhat and seemed appalled and shocked at his own strength until he reasoned with himself. ' _Clouse must have weakened him with the spell…of course dark magic requires light and life living strength. Jay was the only one with immortality and Clouse used it unknowingly but how to get it back into him without revealing my true self or over powering him?_ ' Loki thought before answering Jay who was still waiting for an answer as to why he had been brought back.

"You're back here because you are unstable...you're falling apart." Loki huffed and looked directly into Jay's eyes wishing secretly that he would just accept it, this journey had been long enough without the bickering adding to its arduous duration.

"Is that all! b-because I'm ill…ya know I could have just stayed with my brothers in Ninjago…they were more than capable of looking after me."

"Stop testing me Jay or I swear on my father's grave you'll never see them again, you are not going back to your realm ever again if I can help it." Loki sneered at his protector seeing a look of complete and utter betrayal etched on his pale face coupled with an immense sadness at his words.

"WAIT, you're saying I can't go back….c-can't we work something out?"

"They poisoned you! for the Gods sake will you stop questioning me Jay." Loki said exasperated.

"You _will_ rest here and recuperate with me until you are well at which point we will leave for Midgard….we will _not_ be going back to err Ninjago because it is apparent that you need constant supervision."

"Fuck...off…I'm...not...a...child, give me two reasons then why I need to stay." Jay fumed.

"Two reasons why you were brought back here...hmmmm, one of which is that you need additional help from our healers as you refused to head my warning back in your own realm, choosing to disregard your brother's help...secondly I don't know what is wrong…but you are really testing my patience." Loki hissed, he was worried though normally he would need much more bodily strength to hold Jay back but he was showing no strength at all, he could barely push Loki away.

"What so I couldn't just stay in Ninjago, ya know like maybe bury my parents so their bodies don't rot away...no fuck you Loki you did this for personally selfish reasons."

"Don't be so quick to write them off Jay…it may have been a ploy to get you to give yourself freely." Loki smirked again further annoying Jay.

"So you wanna go again do ya is that why you bought me back? ...you want this body for yourself right...take advantage of me like everyone else does!"

Loki raised his eyebrows in surprise wondering where Jay's mind had wandered off too, did Loki really create that deep seated feeling of unease in his protector making Jay think that Loki had wanton desires and lust for Jay's male body…' _no not at all…female of course now that was a different matter_.'

Jay had foolishly promised and agreed to give himself freely when Loki requested, it was his payment for freeing Nya from his personal service. Loki bit his lip and felt the heat rising thankful that his dark clothes hid any blushes or other bodily twitches…his mind had wandered but he was quickly pulled back into reality as Jay's arms were thrashing about wildly he had a look of wild panic on his face, something wasn't right….something was missing and Loki could see it in Jay's face.

"Get of me...let me go Loki get off me." Jay spat in anger confused as to why his elements wouldn't work properly. ' _what is wrong with me…I can't even get a spark going wh-what's happened to me?_ ' Jay's face turned to stunned realisation…had Loki done this?

"You did this to take my body again didn't you? a ploy to get me away from them so you could turn me and fuck me!" Jay accused with a sudden gush of fury and vitriol in his tone.

"No Jay." Loki hissed avoiding Jay's flailing arms and fists "I didn't do this and don't want your body at this minute...what happened was a-a mistake..." he paused and bit his tongue….' _Wrong choice of words_.'

"A mistake...wow thanks Loki...a fucking mistake...so is this a mistake then too." Jay asked as he revealed his impossibly toned abs again expecting there to be something visible.

"Yes...obviously because I didn't expect that to happen." Loki bit his tongue before asking a delicate question. "How many months now?"

"Five...you asshole," Jay snarled back "A mistake... **FUCK YOU LOKI**."

Jay hissed "my mistake was accepting your fucking offer in the first place." He opened the gates and walked on through not looking back at Loki who was left standing there with a smile on his face

"You would have died, are you really that foolish?" Loki shouted in response, "you ungrateful miscreant."

Loki smiled as Jay walked away, he would bide his time and wait until the guards had subdued him before he played and manipulated his mind showing him the errors of his ways but he would need someone else to help….another person with the same level of magical talent capable of mind manipulation, altered time lines and power transference. He wouldn't be able to do it alone because he knew it would drain him and leave him vulnerable potentially revealing his true state as Loki of Asgard and not Odin.

* * *

Jay spat and walked away from his prince and back into the palace…the very place he had thought he was going to miss and he had but it felt like he'd never left yet now he was pining for his brothers and the fact he didn't even tell them where he was going meant they were now stranded, technically that wasn't a bad thing because they were safer away from him and Loki and his evil domineering plans.

Everything still looked the same but then it had only been two days since he'd left. Jay would have to be meticulous about his stay this time because in less than two Asgardian days he would be due to accompany Kai on his bachelor party as well as deliver a fitting speech after the wedding.

He couldn't stay here any longer than a day at most so he would need to make Loki understand his plans, but without divulging anything…as far as Jay knew Loki hadn't been invited and for good reason.

He was getting strange looks from the guards who didn't recognise him in his civilian clothing. Even when he stood outside his own room he had to look up at the guards who were standing outside keeping watch so they would recognise him.

"Why are you standing watch outside my door?"

"At the kings request...Prince Jayson."

"MOVE away or I'll knock you over." Jay said with his head cocked to the side waiting for them to respond.

"We don't want to hurt you my liege...but this is for your own protection and you are required to see the healers in the soul forge to assess your body straight away."

"It's just…just don't tell me what to do." Jay sighed and attempted to grab his door handle which was partially blocked by a guard who didn't move fast enough.

Jay pushed past the guards knocking into one of them on purpose, he slammed his door as hard as he could muster before walking to his large sumptuous bed and sinking into it. He yelled as loud as he could in anger and resentment at being bought back without any choice in the matter, everything had been left outside his parents junk yard which had all probably been stolen now.

He couldn't contact his brothers at all now everything was back in Ninjago, well everything from his room but a thought came to his mind maybe he could quickly check his brothers rooms two floors down.

"Shit I can't stay here….I need to get back." He whispered to himself.

Jay rushed to his large windows as quickly and quietly as he could without making too much noise he knew he wouldn't be able to leave because the guards were stationed everywhere. He looked down and saw the balconies below his own balcony sweeping down and away from his room, beautifully decorated balconies sweeping outwards like an gigantic ornate golden cathedral organ.

"Nope the drop is too steep." Jay sighed wiping the errant tear from his face.

Jay opened his door gently and spoke to the guards at his door, his request was simple and it would take no more than a few minutes.

"I am sorry for my earlier outburst…it was not my intention to cause any harm to you."

The guards looked up at him with genuine smiles glad to hear a pleasant voice after dealing with the disguised king and his negativity for so long.

"What would you like us to do our liege?"

"Well I guess you would have to accompany me as I can't go alone can I?" Jay smiled feeling uneasy at the new title they were using.

"Where to…we can't be gone for too long as the King will be sending guards to retrieve you soon."

"Retrieve me for what? Ah no it's fine let's just go…two floors down if that's okay?"

The Einherjar guards nodded and led the way down two flights of steps and down a long golden corridor similar to the ones above, Jay motioned to one of the doors and the guards unlocked it. It was swathed in green and golden accents…'Lloyds room' Jay thought a sad smile came to his face as he walked in looking desperately for a beacon of hope he could use to make any contact. He searched as quickly as he could in the drawers and tables, nightstands and wardrobes but he found nothing.

He shook his head and left that room, the guards were getting tetchy and watching the sun go down which indicated a few minutes was all Jay had left.

"Please you gotta help me…I need to find a small device no bigger than this." He said as he gave an example of how small the device was using his fingers and hand. "Please…"

The next room Jay walked in was almost jet black, the drapes pulled closed to preserve the immaculate condition of the room. Cole's musk could still be smelt in here coupled with the subtle smell of petrichor and earth. This room was the same as the last there was nothing here, everything had been taken out by Cole himself, the only things left behind reluctantly was the bedding which Cole had secretly loved.

One guard had managed to find a small device in Zane's room, but Jay noticed immediately that something was wrong with it. He thanked the guard sincerely and sighed when he was given the device 'a prototype maybe…' he thought as the guards led him back to his room quickly pulling him like a criminal.

He was let back in his room and the door was locked behind him securely, he walked across to his bed and slumped on it backwards. He looked at the device in his hand and inspected it carefully noting signs of damage and burns and singe marks signifying that something inside had burned.

He hurriedly opened the device with a simple click of either side of it popping open in his hands. "Ahh that's a problem, an electrode has blown and the circuit board needs new solder...dammit my elements won't work otherwise I coulda done it...shit." He turned around on his bed accepting his fate.

Did he even have the tools here…Zane didn't he'd taken them back to Ninjago, did Jay have the time to repair the device…the simple answer to that was no….he would have to leave tomorrow if Loki wanted him to or not because he had too much to do. He closed his eyes in defeat and let the bed swallow him whole, his tears free falling until he fell asleep.

A few minutes had passed before his door was opened abruptly by a large amount of Einherjar guards who marched to his bed and hauled him up with his hands restrained.

"Gahh…..get of me what is the meaning of this?" Jay struggled under their firm grasp, shocked by their unnecessary rough manhandling.

"You are ordered to attend the soul forge for assessment...an order from the King directly and you _will_ comply with him unless you fancy the dungeons as your new sleeping quarters." An Einherjar warrior replied with a struggled grunt, he was struggling against Jay's wrist.

"Get off me, this is not how you handle people...I'm not a criminal gahh get off me" Jay got a hand free and punched an Eiherjar warrior sending him spiralling painfully towards the floor, but the remaining warriors piled on top of him delivering a few of their own punches which effectively subdued him enough so they could carry his body into the healing room and soul forge without any further trouble.

He was dragged part of the way until some females saw and appeared shocked at which point he was carried the remaining journey until they arrived near to the healing rooms and soul forge. He was then placed gently on to the table by the warriors who were quick to leave as soon as the healers appeared, two however stayed behind to keep watch as per the express instructions of the King of Asgard.

"His pregnancy progresses well but he is weakening and this is extremely detrimental to his body...has he even taken the medication we supplied?"

"I suggest not…" The assistant spoke and touched the swirling red mist above the sleeping prince, "The child takes any remaining strength he has…I'm surprised personally that he is still alive and also a little perplexed that he isn't showing any outward signs yet."

"Maybe the child of a God…it has been known to happen before…a demi god perhaps can stay undetected until the maternal carrier is ready to birth their offspring."

"But I've heard that can take years because of the bonding process…" the assistant questioned.

"Not always it can take mere months depending on the physical attributes and strength of the maternal component."

"His body shows no signs of any of the potions we suggested…save for trace elements of the Mistletoe draft and resulting antidote which has almost completed healed his body." The assistant added.

"That is excellent news the King will be pleased, he was dubious as to the antidote being successful considering how toxic the poison had been after all these centuries." The senior healer seemed relieved and smiled.

"I must say his body is unlike anything I've ever seen before…does his male race normally conceive children?" She queried her elder.

"No I don't think so…this was as a result of dark magic, he was transformed into a woman if you remember….but yet we don't know who did this to the prince…it is a terrible crime to do to someone so important and yet someone so who is so vulnerable and delicate…I fear that if he wasn't here he would be dead…who ever gave him his strength must care for him…unless it was the same who made him with child." The senior healer responded with concern before chastising the sleeping prince.

"He has not given himself enough time to recover from the matured mistletoe drafted poison and his mind had just suffered a tremendous loss. Hmm he has new injuries consistent of a recent fight...I'm sure the king requested he was free of injury when he arrived...Guards please can you elaborate?"

"He put up a fight and some of the guards subdued him, he went down very quickly actually so he's not his usual self and not the person we have known to train with...he's almost akin to an impostor."

"Yes well, he is not an impostor but he is unwell and his strength has diminished by a small act of dark magic…now I can heal him and his malaise quite easily by way of this." She said and tipped a vial of gold fluid into his mouth wiping at the resulting dribble which fell down his neck and settled at his bare collar bone.

"Maybe one of our sorcerers can help with replenishing his strength further after all the golden one will improve his mood somewhat and heal his injuries." The younger healer removed the vial from his soft pink lips before rubbing traces of it onto his bloodied head. She smiled when she heard him mumble throatily, she was being as gentle as she could by massaging the golden liquid onto a small wound near his already scarred eyebrow.

"Do we know how he came by this scar? he was lucky not to have lost his eye considering the scar it left." She was met with no response but continued to rub the golden liquid into his head wound and mouth.

"Please notify the king of my assessment, he will need to find a suitable sorcerer because without his strength he will die if the pregnancy doesn't claim him first."

* * *

Loki was duly disguised as Odin and was in the vicinity of the healing rooms waiting for any news as to Jay's apparent deterioration. The assistant came out to find him and brought him inside the room to the soul forge which Jay was laying under as a perfect liquid version of his body floated above, the healer was duly touching things to complete her findings.

Loki was annoyed at seeing new injuries marring Jay's face considering when he had left him his face and body was otherwise healthy except for his fragile mind which was shattered like a mirror. He was only expecting a swift knock to the head, but this looks like he was taken down by force.

"What happened to him? I expressly requested him to be unharmed because of his inability to protect himself, so why is he still bleeding?" Loki was lying he had expressly forbade his warriors to inflict too much harm a simple hit would have sufficed but this was more than that.

"That you will need to raise with your guards my liege, he was bought in like this...we have been trying to revive him for a while now."

"How long had he been un-responsive."

"Two hours at most..he is sleeping, his state suggests a long overdue deep sleep." Loki let out a large sigh, he licked his lips and let out an involuntary tut. The soldiers obviously needed more supervision and training as to what was expected of them.

"Fine thank you, please keep me updated of his progress and I will source a reputable sorcerer...how much time before he is beyond help?"

"No more than a few hours at most, his mind cannot live without his body and vice versa...sadly it is a mixture of many things all contributing to his demise just like Baldur my liege...he needed to recover but I assume he is just as stubborn as Thor is."

"Yes I believe you are right...but Baldur! what makes you say that?" Loki questioned.

"Just his appearance really, I'm surprised you haven't noticed my liege, he is almost a thinner version of him a doppelganger if you will."

Loki looked again at Jay in another light and another way different to how he would normally see him, he always saw Jay as someone underneath him, a lesser mortal until he was turned and even now a lesser person under a god, he was not a god and he would never be a god...not in Loki's eyes. He was his protector in his male form and Loki's concubine as his female form and the mother of his unborn child.

* * *

The power he had absorbed from Clouse could be the power he himself had taken from Jay during the spell, but how could Loki transfer it back to Jay without leaving Loki at risk of being seen for who he was? The act of power transference was risky to both Jay and Loki, if it was done incorrectly Loki would be exposed as himself and would then lack the relevant magic to disguise himself. Then Jay would possibly end up with all of Loki's magical abilities and the effects of which would cause him to go insane….the power alone would consume him.

Yet if Loki didn't do anything; Jay would undoubtedly die a rather painful death after the child was born but the child could at least be sustained in Asgard, the healers were capable of looking after magical children but not so much with other worldly creatures such as Jay.

But there was one other who could do it, someone whom he had taught years previously...a woman whose mind he had expanded exponentially, giving her the same power he had himself. She could do it and he could make her if he stayed disguised as Odin Allfather.

But there was the slight chance that she wouldn't do it knowingly for free there would need to be a bargaining chip and that was what troubled Loki. For all Loki desired he had…he wanted for nothing anymore because he had the throne, a protector, a child and a team all to himself.

Jay murmured fitfully in his sleep, he was stirring enough to know that Loki was in the room with him because he mumbled clearly.

"I-I need to go b-back...m-made a p-promise."

Loki smiled reassured by Jay's comforting voice, "I don't think you're in any fit state for interstellar travel Jay...whatever deal you made won't be so important as to be unmade besides I'm sure they will understand."

"NO, you don't understand I-I need to go back...I can't stay here for more than one day...please" Jay opened his eyes pleadingly at Loki, he didn't want to divulge why he needed to go back just that he did...that should have been enough for Loki but it obviously wasn't because he would undoubtedly find out...he always did.

"Unless you are planning on disobeying a direct order from your king I suggest you stay here...unless you would prefer a cell in the dungeon to recuperate in." Loki added with a smirk of pure evil, which to Jay meant he probably wasn't joking. He turned his back on his ill prince and motioned to the assistant healer to meet him outside.

"You will keep me duly notified of any changes in his health and I will attempt to find a suitable sorcerer who can rectify his ailing health."

"You can't keep me here! ...my liege, you promised me time off..." Jay shouted to his side where he could still hear Loki outside of the room.

"Please you need to let me go….I need to get back." He whispered to the senior healer who seemed to look at him in sympathy. "I can't stay here….I made a promise."

"My prince you need to lay down, you are not well..." the healer pleaded as she tried to hold him down but failed against him and his reluctance to get up. The assistant healer rushed back in and was quick to help soothe him with an ointment infused cloth which she applied over his nose and mouth until he stopped struggling and fell back to sleep….a smile reappeared on his calmed face removing all traces of grief.

* * *

Loki walked away into the great ceremonial room where the golden throne sat pride of place atop the golden sweeping steps. He smiled and walked up each step carefully enjoying the feeling it gave him...the power of being the king of the nine realms made him the most powerful person in the cosmos until the time when Odin would wake. Loki turned around and sat on the throne, the days were winding down he could feel it, the impending doom of his adoptive father waking from his Odin sleep...and the impending elation of Ragnarok which would soon follow and see all nine realms obliterated as the gods of old fought whilst Loki would sit and watch, his team of ninja would destroy each realm on their own and Jay would have the battle of his life against any and all who opposed Loki being the ruler.

He shook the exciting thoughts from his head because he had a task to focus on, he needed Jay to be at the peak of physical and mental fitness and other than Loki there was only one other who could do it. Loki looked to the sides of the throne where two black ravens were perched, he looked at both and spoke as if they could understand him clearly. He spoke with clear and precise emotionless tone at the ravens who seemed to listen intently as he communicated with them.

"Huginn and Munnin I need you to find Amora...tell her it is a matter of urgency, Odin requires her services." The black ravens flew away from the throne squawking as they left the golden room they flew straight out of the window and off into the impending sunset.


	37. Letter's know

Meanwhile back in the hidden realm of Ninjago, one whole week had passed since Jay's disappearance.

Kai was becoming restless after Cole had told them of Jay's departure a few days after the event...and now, his best man was missing, the bachelor party was meant to be tomorrow and he was getting married the day after.

He had at one point confided in Zane about having a spare best man since Jay had vanished off the radar, but no sooner had he mentioned the idea he quickly recoiled it as a mistake and chided himself for even thinking it. But yet he kept thinking of him….not one person had seen him and it was as if he had just simply vanished.

* * *

Cole however wasn't bothered enough to send out for a search party considering the fact that Jay had acted so recklessly by putting himself in needless danger.

It all escalated when Cole had received a telephone call from Dareth on the same day Jay had accosted him. The brown ninja was ecstatic at having been asked to help find suitable venues for said bachelor party and he phoned Cole to gather total numbers being as he couldn't find Jay nor call him.

Yet Cole had expressly forbid Jay from leaving,; let alone gallivanting around when he had only just woken up from his severe illness.

According to the brown ninja, Cole now knew where Jay was and the name of the motel. He knew what Jay was doing but not what but not what he was about to do. He hadn't bothered to go and get him but instead he went behind Jay's back and contacted Loki on his behalf and he had shouted at the God in anger, which only created more tension.

Of course, Loki wasn't best pleased at being sent on an errand to retrieve his protector from trouble, but it was quickly becoming the normal situation he would find himself in. If the god was unable to do it then he would send his team of warriors namely, the ninja.

This time it was different than a standard rescue operation. Loki was trying to drive that wedge between them all. And it was working well...

Jay often and frequently got himself into more scrapes now more than ever due to his popularity as being the bad boy in the majority of realms he had visited, although to be fair he had been caught and tortured for crimes that Loki had him do on his behalf and his reluctance to give up Loki's location ended him in further hot water.

He was fast becoming a troublemaker in more ways than one, his reckless behaviour at believing he could do it all himself was now pitting him against strong adversaries. And this one had over powered him.

Yet unease resided freely in Nya's penthouse, Cole had left to spend the week with Seliel on the coast and even there he was being his usual stoic self. Seliel had phoned Nya on more than one occasion to ask if everything was okay but Nya just responded nonchalantly each time with a resounding but slightly unsure 'yes.' Inside she was worried sick about Jay's sudden disappearance but no one knew any-more than she did and if they did no one was talking about it.

* * *

Kai had thought that Jay, and the subject of him was now a sore topic that no one dared mention. Each time someone brought his name up, Cole would snap at them to stop worrying. And so, the subject of 'Jay' fast became the white elephant in the room. After a few days, they stopped talking about him in front of Cole, that was, until he left for some r & r.

Zane had decided to spend some time at the new training school they had bought almost a year ago, offering his services as a sensei to those who wished to learn the morals and logical tactics of a ninja. Cole's temper and attitude had fast become an issue for Zane's normally logical systems but yet something wasn't computing with him because with each reason Zane would offer; Cole would argue needlessly, his anger showing itself violently as he lashed out at any and all who dared to try and talk him about the sore subject namely Jay and his whereabouts.

It was almost as if Jay had angered him somehow or said something, but Zane nor Kai could figure out what it was troubling the earth ninja. What was even more bizarre was the fact that Jay had only just woken up from being poisoned by none other than Cole who at first was just playing a game of who was strongest until it hideously backfired. The rest of the time he had spent at Jay's bedside feeling guilt and remorse for his actions. Yet once Jay had woken he had gone straight back to his angry self with no explanation or reason.

So after the first few days Cole decided to go away for a break...just a short one and he would be back and hopefully better by the weekend, he had confirmed that much he was sure of...a break would be good for everyone.

Zane's offer of Sensei was taken up immediately and he was given a temporary job until he needed it. Before he had left he mentioned to Kai that he would be back in plenty of time for the celebratory last night of Kai's freedom and the wedding celebrations the following day. After that he would undoubtedly go back to the dojo until his services would be required or when his vacation time came to an end either way he had just under three months, which to a nindroid was ample time to do anything he pleased.

Kai who should have been the happiest of all of his ninja brothers was unsure; he felt uneasy with a sickening feeling. Something didn't seem right, Cole was incredibly blasé about Jay not coming back when he had promised and even chose the most inopportune moment to say he was going away for a week. Kai was gobsmacked at his brother's attitude, stunned would have been a better choice of words. Cole had literally stormed out without a word after that and hadn't even phoned during the week, save for his girlfriend calling to let everyone know he was okay.

Lloyd was feeling the same as Kai, he wanted to go out for a few hours for a breath of fresh air…three months seemed like a long time to do nothing but wait. He was the one who made the suggestion to Kai about both of them going out to get suited and booted for the bachelor party as well as getting the wedding bands and a bouquet of flowers for Skylor.

Kai was secretly impressed at Lloyd for being so smart whilst keeping his cool at the same time.

* * *

"Lloyd, do ya think we can check in on Jay's motel before we go shopping?"

"Yeah sure….why?"

"I just have a feeling….that's all, but I just know something's wrong. Call it brother's intuition or a sixth sense. Remember, he said he needed to go back there, to get his stuff. So maybe he was too tired to bring it back, he might have dozed off or something else." Kai shivered at the thought of the ' _something else_.'

Lloyd was quick to notice Kai's grim expression, "You're worried, aren't ya?"

Kai nodded, "I just don't like that he's just vanished. He said he was coming right back and it's been almost a week with not a hide nor hair of him and I swear that Cole's hiding something."

"Hmmm, I think Cole is hiding something but what can we do he's not here either. My mother always said that running away from your problems won't solve them." Lloyd stated and grinned and Kai smiled knowing what he was about to say.

"Actually that is kind of funny because they both ran away from their problems leaving little ol' me at Darkley's….so just ignore what I said." Lloyd ruffled his hair sheepishly.

"Ha yeah….pot calling the kettle black I think Lloyd….can't believe she said that to you, I mean it is funny because she contradicted herself…but still she had a point."

"Besides, I think you're right he is hiding something...Well on Saturday when Cole gets back we'll get the truth out of him one way or another, I just hope we can find Jay before then."

"We will Kai, he can't be that far away surely…. So motel first then shopping?"

"Yeah, I promise as soon as we're done we can go shopping, need to keep on top of this checklist Skylor has given me."

"What! why have you got a checklist dude?"

"I offered to do my fair share considering she's carrying our child and I didn't want to stress her out any more than she already is. Ya know planning a wedding is stressful enough let alone being pregnant and having to deal with that too."

"Aww you big softie Kai, didn't know you had a soft side….all I've ever seen is the overprotective side of you when it came down to Nya."

"Well she's pretty much invincible now like us right? I've cut her some slack…especially when it comes to Jay or Cole or whoever, I mean I've explained she needs to be careful and all that." Kai blushed.

"Hmm okay, tmi Kai…too much information I can see where you're coming from without the explanation bro haha."

"So dragons or taxi?" Lloyd asked changing the topic of conversation to one less embarrassing.

"Like you even have to ask…Dragons of course." Kai's face lit up with a cheeky smile, Lloyd reciprocated the smile and they both headed to the roof access after advising Nya where they were going.

* * *

"You ready Kai?...do ya know where this motel is?"

"I will once I'm in the air, this penthouse is almost central but I have a feeling Jay's motel was near the outskirts of the city; after all the taxi dropped us of first and then took Jay onwards."

"Hang on…didn't you go and get him on our first night back."

"Yeah I did but it was night time; everything looked different."

"It was a little scary actually, never told you that part Lloyd."

"What was scary….the motel?" Lloyd looked at Kai with a puzzled expression. His dragon materialised in front of him, looking every bit as precious as an emerald as its golden claws scraped the roof.

"Nooooo…Jay was scary and the motel just made it worse…I'm just saying it was like a scene from a horror movie and I felt like the first victim, well you'll see when ya get there."

"Well now you've said that I'm having second thoughts, can't you elaborate a little? I mean what was wrong and why didn't you mention it earlier?" Lloyd questioned.

"Because I personally don't feel it bears any importance to what we're doing now…I think it was just a one off." Kai replied quickly, honestly.

"Oh come on, you can't tempt me with that small nugget without giving me more. I need details, need to know what we might encounter Kai, come on, spill it."

"Fine-" Kai huffed, "-from the minute I got there the lift wasn't working he was up on the eighth floor so I had to use the stairs." The firestarter shook his head and jumped onto his impressive dragon, never having seen it before.

"Aww so you're telling me you were scared of eight flights of stairs!" Lloyd teased.

"Haha NO, let me finish…I got to his room , he was completely out of it, apparently he had run into Clouse a few hours earlier."

"W-was Jay ok, I mean after Clouse? The ghost didn't try to hurt him right?"

Kai grimaced at the vague recollection of how ill Jay looked, "I think Clouse might have tried to possess him but it didn't work…Jay said he just felt uncomfortable and exhausted afterwards….honestly he kept falling back to sleep when I talked to him."

"Haha you sure he hadn't had any alcohol before ya got there?"

"No, I couldn't smell any on him, he was fast asleep and completely unresponsive."

"So what happened next?" Lloyd asked as his dragon flapped its large golden green wings.

"I got him up and we left the room but we didn't fancy walking down the stairs because he looked like he was going to pass out at any moment."

"But he didn't right or you wouldn't have bought him out for the night?"

"No of course not, he didn't pass out but he looked like he was about too. Anyway we got to the lift shaft and he told me to stand back….he then pulled the doors open like they were made of paper….I'm telling you he left visible finger dents in the metal doors." Kai shook his head as he remembered the events which felt like they only happened yesterday.

"Where has he got that power from? I thought it was just the two elements he had….ya think he is channelling it from somewhere?"

"Uh I don't know…maybe."

"Ooh I wonder if it is anything to do with his female side hehe like a hidden element or something hehehe." Lloyd chuckled to himself and Kai smirked.

"Well anyway Lloyd, once he left finger imprints he leaned into the lift shaft completely unaware of the danger below him before he grabbed the main power cable leading to the roof and then he somehow restarted the engine to the lift." Kai shuddered.

"Yeah then what?" Lloyd was getting bored.

"He looked at me and his eyes turned jet black as he grabbed the cable, he kept his arm in that lift shaft and removed it just in time….like a millisecond before the lift would have mangled it."

"His eyes went black?" Lloyd gasped in shock "Wh-why didn't you tell me?"

"Err well he seemed fine other than that really….I guess and we kind of agreed not to mention it unless it happened again."

"Okay fine carry on…Kai, sorry."

"Lloyd, Jay almost resembled a fair haired Loki, except for his eyes….his eyes made him look like a fucking demon. Not only that but when we got in the lift the journey down was painfully slow and I'm not kidding every song that came on was carrying the same type of topic."

"Oh god….what types of song were they?" Lloyd laughed nervously not really wanting to know the answer.

"Mostly songs about blood, death, lying and betrayal….not the typical lift music you tend to get except maybe for Halloween."

"Urgh creepy….so then what happened…..ya know this would make an excellent camp fire story Kai."

"Yeah but the fact it was true makes it all the more horrid. Let me continue, the wallpaper was peeling as we were standing in the lift and there was a god awful smell of rotting cabbage like something had died in there at some point. Once we got out of the lift Jay was a different person again, he seemed more relaxed although his eyes were still black."

"I mentioned to him that his eyes were black and he somehow managed to change them back to blue oddly enough then he also managed to completely hide his weapons from everyone including me…..like dark magic almost. I only realised it was dark magic when everything reappeared at the bar when he had been poisoned. Then and even now I ask myself where he has the ability to do dark magic….where is he getting that power from?"

"Ooh spooky. Haa, I don't know Kai, but he's another one who's hiding something from us, and believe me, on this bachelor party of yours we're gonna get em both drunk then they can spill the beans on what secrets they're keeping from us."

"Yeah, it'll be a night to remember hehehe that's for sure." Kai laughed, he pointed downwards motioning to the nearby motel, "That's the one Lloyd, gahh even during the day it looks horrid, what was Jay thinking?"

Both Ninja approached the roof space and simultaneously jumped off their dragons landing effortlessly on the roof.

"Right I'll go down to his room and you stay up here, you got your phone right…Lloyd?"

"Yeah, yeah….of course never leave home without it." He smirked and flashed his trusty new phone at Kai mockingly.

"Hey, is that a new phone?"

"Yeah of course, Skylor bought it for me."

"Gahh, she buys you loads of cool stuff….I think I need myself a girlfriend too."

"Ya, you do, mind you that girl in Asgard was sweet on you, you saw her a few times right?"

"Heh, that's none of your business Kai, but yeah she's a keeper…don't think she'd give up her life on Asgard for this place though."

"Well how will ya know unless you ask her?"

"Okay fine, next time we're there I'll ask her, right!….can we redirect our attention now to more pressing matters?"

"Hehehe, I'm going, I'm going."

"Just go I'll scour the roof access for clues…not that I'm expecting much."

Fine I'll not be long, I'm guessing he's either here or not and at least if he's not then this is one location we can tick off." Kai stated as he walked towards the only door on the roof.

Kai swiftly left the roof access disappearing behind the boarded up door leaving Lloyd to turn his nose up at his surroundings. Although the roof wasn't littered as such apart from one piece of paper the whole place seemed run down, it was surprising to Lloyd that this place was still standing…considering the buildings surrounding it were all immaculate and new.

He walked around the roof space looking down ominously at the ground below seeing nothing but the odd person walking past, they resembled ants from this height, almost how Loki felt when he was talking about taking over Earth or Midgard as he called it.

The same solitary piece of paper flew around the roof access being stopped only by the raised lip surrounding the edges of the roof, but eventually a gust of wind whipped it up into the air and pushed it in Lloyd's direction.

The crumpled piece of paper was almost about to fly over the ledge when Lloyd grabbed it with his finger and thumb. The paper looked to be a letter of some sort and Lloyd was apprehensive about reading something that could be so very personal.

He looked at the ball of paper in his hand and slowly unravelled it, corner by corner until he saw delicate handwriting in an ominous green ink. The odd thing about the letter was it wasn't signed by anyone except an overly decorative 'C' on a golden red background with a wax seal which revealed nothing untoward to Lloyd.

The content of the letter was incredibly dark in nature and extremely threatening to whomever was the intended recipient, the letter was ridden with pure evil and blackmail laced throughout it. It was undoubtedly written by an irate unhappy person who was hell bent on revenge on this person judging by the tone they chose. The first time Lloyd speed read it and it made no sense but then he stopped and read it properly taking it each word as if it was spoken rather than written. His eyes widened in an instant, he recognised the name Jay….how many Jay's could there be, staying in this motel?

"Maybe Zane would recognise this….it looks vaguely familiar but I can't place it."

Lloyd grabbed his phone and took a photo of the letter, the intricate large letter 'C' and the wax seal, before sending a quick message to Zane and attaching the message as an additional link.

After a few minutes of scouring the roof access Lloyd became bored and sat down near an air conditioning unit, typically one that wasn't working and blasting out heat….Like everything else in this motel nothing really worked but this was a welcome break; no heat emanating from it meant he could lean against it without fear of melting or being electrocuted.

Within five minutes Lloyds phone began to vibrate madly, he retrieved it from his pocket and stared at the screen for a millisecond seeing his nindroid brothers face appear followed by his name. He was expecting a text back not a phone call as he knew Zane was quite busy with the school, but he answered it regardless.

"Zane!...how are you….get my message I presume?"

"Hello Lloyd, where are you? it sounds rather atmospheric yet I sense no traffic noise as such."

"On a roof actually, so you were almost there….wasn't expecting such a swift reply Zane as I know you're really busy but we really had no choice in the matter."

"As you know Kai gets m-married this weekend and in one day is his bachelor party and afterwards is the actual day…..and we still don't know w-where Jay is."

"Where is Kai, is he nearby?

"No he's checking out Jay's motel room a couple of floors down to see if he's sleeping in there, but I-I think it's highly unlikely; I mean who s-sleeps for almost a week?"

"Hmm okay…I guess no harm could come of that besides it is one location to tick off."

"So anyway Zane what did y-you think to the letter, do you know who it's from?"

"The letter is really interesting Lloyd but how did you come by that wax seal or the letter….where did you find it?"

"Well I found it, err it was on the roof access of the motel Jay was at." Lloyd answered and offered a fake smile as he saw Kai reappear from the roof door with his hands upturned signalling no luck. Lloyd was quick to wave the letter at him hoping to have made some progress in finding Jay. The wave he performed hid his apparent nerves at seeing the content of the letter…hoping it wasn't meant for who he thought it was. Lloyds' heart sank when Zane spoke, he knew at that point who the letter was aimed at…..not just any Jay but Jay Walker.

"I knew I recognised that handwriting somewhere and that seal too…having seen it in previous years….bear with me Lloyd I need to check my archive folders…" Zane paused, his tone slow as if he was trying desperately to remember.

"Ahh yes, that wax seal belongs to Clouse, I vaguely remember seeing something similar on Chen's Island; the handwriting, everything about that letter even the capitalised 'C,' It was almost exactly the same as was seen in his cherished spell book."

Zane quietened his tone slightly "C-can you read the letter to me please…Lloyd?"

He whispered before speaking clearly again to the people surrounding him.

"Recess children, five minutes until we resume." Zane said as he walked to find a quieter area away from the younger children he was teaching whilst putting the phone on speaker.

"I'm going to write down key parts maybe this letter will hold clues…in your own time Lloyd."

"Okay Zane, just for you I'll read it…Kai you might wanna listen in to this too, as so far it's the only thing we've got…" Lloyd smiled in sympathy realising this might be difficult for Kai to hear.

Kai's face turned to a concerned stare, but he duly did as he was told and sat next to Lloyd who held the screwed up letter in his shaking hands. The wind was quite strong up here but the shakes were from Lloyd, he had already read the letter…thrice, each time he had read the letter it had created a sense of despair for the recipient.

"You okay Lloyd….you're shaking, can't be that bad surely?" Kai looked into Lloyds widened eyes and saw a look of fear etched onto his pale young features

"Okay I'll s-start the letter is addressed to Jay, and it says and I quote:

 **Jay,**

 **I refuse to use formalities in this letter, due to your blatant lack of respect for our previous agreement…therefore this letter I have penned will be as blunt as I can make it.**

 **Because you didn't keep to my agreement I have had no choice but to implicate two rather unsuspecting individuals into our little game…As you and I recall, you offered your services to help me last week but alas you were no-where to be found when I needed you. Dare I say it, but you had tried to escape no less, how pathetic of you!**

 **I expected so much more from you Jay, but it seems you were just as ignorant as Lloyd was. Believing yourself, above that of everyone else.**

 **Still I must admit I did enjoy doing this and if you had only followed through with our agreement you wouldn't have to endure what you will be enduring shortly….It may be painful for you or not…physically and almost definitely emotionally…I hope you're ready!**

 **These irritating overly talkative individuals speak highly of you yet they didn't know your dirty little secret either…the apple didn't fall far from the tree did it?**

 **If you don't come before sunset on the first weekend of February I will kill them….both of them and you can find them all for yourself..**

 **HOWEVER if you want them to live then you should meet me where they reside…you have a small window to save them Jay…if you fail they will die and if you succeed they may die too…unless you can stop me….'C'**

Kai was the first to talk after the pained silence that followed Lloyd's reading, even Zane was speechless momentarily. Lloyd was still staring at the letter in shock and worry at what had happened and the reason that Jay nor Close were nowhere to be found.

"Uhh I don't like the sound of that at all, he means Jay's parents right? The apple doesn't fall far from the tree?...Clouse didn't know he was ill either!" Kai frowned and shook his head.

"It was a ploy to get Jay separated from us as a team…we all know he can withstand tremendous physical punishment now….well to a certain extent I mean he can still be harmed but what about his mental state…has Loki even worked on that yet?"

"Whoa how do you know that? Like lightning fast logic right there! Seriously though Zane how do you know?" Kai questioned in amazement.

"It is the only logical explanation."

"What are you getting at Zane? what about his mental state" Lloyd quizzed.

"If this was a ploy; which sounds highly likely, it would seem that Clouse was trying to break down Jay's mental psyche in an effect to weaken him. Kai didn't you mention his dual elements prevented Clouse from being able to possess him almost two weeks ago?"

"Y-yes I did….but again why does that even matter?"

"Because one of his elements is linked to his emotions…his shield element the one gifted to him by the Aesir himself…by Loki, its Jay's most powerful weapon and the one that solely destroyed the Hydra office and base in Iceland…remember?. If Clouse bypassed that he would have gotten hold of Jay in an instant."

"Yeah I remember that! Great so Clouse could be walking the streets of Ninjago in a meat bag we affectionately refer to as Jay? Oh god, we can't fight him again, we're a few men down what with Cole away and Nya losing all hope."

"No hopefully it won't have come to that, but I fear Cole is hiding something that may be beneficial to Jay's whereabouts."

"I suggest the Sea of Sand, if you are up for the journey and I will meet you there…I believe that location will hold some clues, at least recent ones."

"Are you going to be okay considering you are teaching today?"

"I'll be fine, the tutors are very appreciative of my input and I am a valued member of staff here with exceptional knowledge and data banks capable of working out many scenarios….I'm basically an asset to them so I really don't think they will mind me leaving for a few hours." Zane smiled before switching the phone off.

Kai looked at Lloyd and shook his head, he took the letter off Lloyd and read it himself, feeling the intimidating threat within its poisonous words. How Jay must have felt when he read it was what was pulling at Kai, how much pain and torment had his lightning brother already been through over the space of one year?

How much more could he endure…what else was in store for their team as a whole? All these questions made Kai question his life's own direction as he read the letter again, the tone of threat apparent, the unnecessary hatred within it made Kai's blood run cold. The letter looked like it had been screwed up and cast aside in anger by Jay and left to float around on the roof for days before anyone knew of its existence.

"I'm so glad we have Zane, don't know what we'd do without him to be honest Kai….you coming then? If Jay isn't there then we visit Cole and make him talk."

"Yeah okay Lloyd….fine." Kai looked crestfallen, his well laid plans were all falling apart at the seams, his plan to give Skylor a beautiful wedding day was going up in smoke.

* * *

The flight to the sea of sand was quite arduous but Kai and Lloyd spent the majority of it racing their dragons at various altitudes to see if the atmospheric pressure would hamper or help their speeds.

After a few near misses and complete black outs the two young ninja decided to stay at the lower altitude to avoid injuring themselves. They then spent the next few minutes joking with each other until they spotted a blackened but sparkling dragon landing on the sand ahead of them.

"Must be Zane...right?"

"He got here fast?"

"Maybe he was closer..." Kai replied.

"Or he might have put some upgrades on himself.." Lloyd teased whilst raising his eyebrows.

Both ninja swooped down to ground level before jumping off their elemental dragons to join Zane.

All three ninja walked through the eerily quiet junk yard looking for signs of life expecting to see Ed and Edna running out to welcome them all in with open arms.

Zane was the first to notice and he made his way to where he wanted to investigate, some thing looked familiar.

"Brothers it would seem that there is a large amount of melted glass in a circular position...here."

"Yeah and?" Kai grew inpatient with knocking on the door of the trailer to no response.

"Just come and look...please!"

Kai and Lloyd reluctantly walked the short distance to Zane and on the way Lloyd noticed a charred but very familiar book belonging to none other that Clouse. He picked it up and walked across to Zane.

"What is it...what have you found...I mean what is so important about melted glass?"

Zane looked sideways it Kai and replied with in an exasperated tone "Melted glass on sand happens to signify extremes of heat...such as lightning or...I don't know a Bifrost."

"Oh...Bifrost so Loki was here then?" Kai added positively.

"Yes it would appear so...but why?" Zane answered.

"Uhm guys...I found this." Lloyd interrupted and passed Zane the large thick spell book he found.

The page was saved by a simple but small slip of paper within the old grimoire which Zane opened and looked at with confusion.

"I-I can't read it...but this looks to be the spell he used judging by the depiction of it anyway."

"Did you manage to rouse anyone? is anyone here?"

"No, Zane there's no answer, Kai's been knocking, shouting and everything in between...I don't think they're here."

"Fine...I'll do it myself then...please step aside." Zane said and walked by Kai and Lloyd who watched after him as he walked on by. Zane stopped and stood outside the door, his finger pointed at the key hole. Out of the end of his index finger came a lock picking device which he gently put into the key hole before twisting it gently and feeling for each lock mechanism to open in synchronisation.

"It's open...brothers."

Zane opened the door and switched on the light and immediately wished he hadn't.

"NO, DO NOT COME IN. STAY OUT THERE!" Zane hissed at Kai and Lloyd's shocked faces.

"Why? what's wrong? Zane...Zane!"

"Just...just stay out there pl-please. I-I promise I will explain, just give me some time."

Zane shut the door behind him and locked it before looking upon the carnage in the room, everything inside was destroyed by something powerful and everything human or otherwise resembled the same thing...everything was...dead...destroyed.

There was a distinct smell in the air but it wasn't pungent it was a mixture of chemicals, toxins, fabric, wood, body and dust. Zane scanned the room for signs of life but frowned when he could only pick up three signs; himself and his two brothers.

Zane left the trailer switched the light of and locked the door behind him before sitting on the lowest step, he lowered his head into his hands before speaking.

"Clouse killed them, there is nothing left. It was not possible to see their bodily remains because everything resembled carnage." Zane sighed.

"I did not want you to see that...it was not pleasant."

"But where's Jay gone?..." Kai asked as Lloyd walked around a little more before stopping around the side of the trailer gawping stock still at something.

"If he was here, I am guessing Loki took him to Asgard after whatever transpired..."

"Err g-guys you might wanna come and see this..."

Both Zane and Kai looked up and turned their heads to where Lloyd's voice was coming from. They both swiftly got up and walked to where he was before pulling back in shock. In front of them was the rotting remains of Clouse...a human version of Clouse.

"Whoa, he became human...but how?"

"The spell! He looks like he managed to get Jay to perform the spell." he looked at Kai for clarification. "He was evidently successful in possessing Jay, and I am deducing that he ruthlessly utilised Jay's parents to lure him here." Zane replied. "And, before you ask, I think Loki killed him but it is difficult to assess judging by the amount of skin damage after being out on the open for a week."

"Killed him!...why?" Kai asked whilst looking at Lloyd in concern.

Lloyd still remembered losing his father because of Clouse and his spell had ultimately cost him his life, Sensei Garmadon was taken into the cursed realm with all of Chen's minions and Clouse too.

"Well, revenge at a guess, he killed Jay's parents. There is nothing left in there, it is all gone."

"So what do we do now?" Lloyd inquired.

"We wait...we go back to Nya's apartment and we wait for news." Zane replied.

"We WAIT? we can't wait...I'm getting married in two days...I can't wait Zane."

"Kai, choose someone else for the Gods sake. This is more important than a wedding." Lloyd growled. "Sorry...but it is, Jay's parents are dead!"

Begrudingly he agreed, Lloyd was right. "Fine, we'll go back and wait. Besides, there's nothing we can do here is there considering we got all the evidence we need with, this, that and that." Kai said pointing around himself at the various things they had found.

"Let's go then...I'll secure the gates and when I get back to the dojo I will inform the authorities...please call me when you get back." Zane said with a sad smile.

"Be careful...oh and see you tomorrow Kai." Zane added.

* * *

A few hours had passed and both young ninja had made it back to the city, they were headed to the apartment before Lloyd interjected, snapping Kai from his downward spiral of misery.

"Kai we need to get the things from the list because you won't be able to tomorrow...and we still have a few hours to burn." Lloyd asked gently.

"Are you up for it...I can help you and err if Jay isn't back in time I can do the best man duties too."

Kai ears pricked up, " Of course why didn't I think of that I should have had more than one best man to start with considering you're all my brothers."

"Then lets go...Nya's home anyway so she'll hold the fort."

"Let's do this Lloyd...oh we need to tell Zane or else he'll worry, oh whatever we'll do it when we get there...we've gotta get this things and I've still got to deliver her flowers for her."

"Kai you worry too much, relax bro...everything will be alright...I'm sure of it."


	38. Escape to the country

The disguised King sat on his throne strumming his fingers impatiently on the arm of the golden chair until the sweet alluring vocal tones of a familiar female caught his attention at which point he looked up.

He saw a cloaked figure standing before him down at the foot of the golden steps. He knew she was a female with the way she carried herself.

The majority of her appearance was mostly hidden behind her traveling cloak but he knew that she was as tall as he. She was svelte yet curved in all the right places with a sneak of golden hair shimmering at the side of her hood. Her green and golden nails were the only other thing he noticed about her before she spoke.

"Odin Allfather you requested my service" the woman bowed removing her blackened cloak revealing her waist length thick blonde hair which was held back from her face by an intricate but intimidating green helm sitting forward on her head.

He noticed her outfit, it was no hidden fact that she too favoured the same colours as he did. Her outfit was a simple but alluring green mini dress which barely covered her pert bottom. Her legs were covered in black opaque tights with a green circle pattern emblazoned all the way down the never ending legs. She was wearing boots but they all blended in together effortlessly making her look dangerous yet enticing to any who didn't know what she was capable of.

Loki recognised her immediately, after all he, the God of lies, evil and mischief had created her magical abilities all those centuries ago and of course, he had had previous relationships with her sister Lorelei.

He knew the Enchantress or 'Amora' would be the right person to undo the spell that Clouse had performed on his protector…on his brother…his young prince.

"Enchantress you have come in good time…I assume your journey was pleasant and free from harm across all these many realms you travel?"

Loki had to try to keep his identity hidden because he knew that Amora would do anything for Odin without requesting anything in return except the forgiveness of her past crimes against the kingdom of Asgard.

"Yes my liege, to both." She stood again and looked at the King sat before her.

"I request a favour of you my dear….it is one of a most urgent nature and I must ask you for complete secrecy."

Amora looked around herself noting the guards surrounding the King on his throne, "A favour my liege what does the All father request that carries such a favour?"

"A favour surely that would require something more than forgiveness ….maybe a payment of some sort if it as urgent as you state."

"We can discuss that when you see what you need to do." He added before getting up off his throne requesting her to join him as he walked away quickly towards the healing rooms with his father's staff Gungnir in his grasp and his golden cloak swaying in the breeze that his momentum was creating.

The King opened the doors and escorted Amora into the darkened room where a solitary warrior was laying, he appeared to be fast asleep and dreaming of something most pleasant as his smile would have them believe but it kept reverting back to intense sadness and tears would appear to trickle down his cheek.

Amora recognised him instantly but kept her face steely straight as she looked up at the King to enquire of his ailment.

"What ails him my liege?"

"It was a spell Enchantress, not a particularly powerful one but a spell none the less and the holder of the grimoire transferred power from him into another."

"And by another you mean, yourself? Loki?"

The King recoiled and stood back a step before stuttering his reply whilst trying to recompose himself at being found out so easily.

"What makes you say that Amora, I-I did not disclose any more information than you need."

"Because I can see through your trickery, deceit and lies Loki" She licked her lips and looked at the young warrior.

"After all your magic created me, remember." She taunted with a smile and approached the young warrior.

"I'll do this of course, for you Loki but it will come with a request of payment, for which you will need to come to an agreement on."

"What is the payment you ask of? Speak it Amora!….is it riches! your own title! rule of a kingdom! your own realm!….name it and it will be done…..just, just save him." Loki pleaded without trying to sound too desperate.

"Oh, well actually I really don't need any of those for you see I have power too and I am more than capable of getting these things for myself without having the need to hide my own face behind that of a king you cower in front of…Loki."

"That tone is not called for Amora…I-I was betrayed, I was the rightful King of this place before finding out of my true parentage….besides all this is wasting valuable time…..what exactly do you want in payment for your service?" He spat the last part out in frustration.

"Tell me Loki, how do you look at yourself each morning in this form? Does it make you burn!….make you cry like a spoilt baby who lost his favourite toy! Each time you look into his face and not your own what do you feel?."

"I tire of you woman….I could have easily requested Queen Karnila….I'm sure you're more than familiar with her are you not? She would do this without blinking…..hahaha mind you she would probably be extremely disappointed with your choices and the way you came to gain most of your magical abilities."

"Oh you dare to bring her up Loki, you really are despicable. I see your time in the dungeons hasn't tempered you at all."

He didn't even flinch at the mention of the dungeons. "Well you didn't exactly help yourself did you? No actually you did in a way….you seduced your way to the top…taking Mage's and sorcerers powers alike once you had bedded them."

"Loki, why didn't you just do this yourself?" Amora snapped.

"I-I'm sorry I overstepped the mark. I did not want to do this because I fear that if I attempt it, then it would reveal my true self and of course it may completely go awry alas if I transfer too much he would be consumed by pure evil and I would be powerless to retrieve it."

"Hmm, I understand your reasoning Loki in a way but you seriously underestimate your own skills, yours far outweigh my own." Amora paused again and looked at the warrior biting her lip she thought carefully of her payment.

"…..Ah yes, my payment….the only request I have is…" She paused for full dramatic effect before giving her response.

" I want…..him." Amora hissed and pointed at the young prince laying on his back.

"WHAT? As a payment! You want him rather than actual payment or riches are you mad?"

"Quite possibly, but yes I want him….not for long but just so I can try him for myself."

His eyebrows has risen considerably "You want to try him?" He laughed a little, mostly in confusion "But why?"

"Because you brought me here on false pretences, you ask for one thing when you want two so I want a payment that will amount to cover both."

"False pretences! Not really…just desperation and yes and I ask of two things one to remove his grief, two for his power to be restored...What exactly do you want with him?" Loki questioned.

"No reason Loki, just that you seem to be so interested in him and all that attention caught my eye. I've been watching you…both of you and with him I like what I see." Amora smiled and touched the young prince's arm.

"He doesn't hide his true self from anyone, alas he cannot but it does not hinder him for he uses it to his advantage…most of the time. Putting himself in danger to hide your secrets Loki?" she said whilst asking a definite question.

"Maybe….but it is not of your concern, he accepted this path as his journey."

"I bet you gave him no choice….actually." Amora smirked.

"Fine…..I'll agree to your payment terms….but this should not distract him from his duties because he still belongs to me regardless of your wants and needs of him. And when you are done you will bring him back to me unharmed and intact of mind and body, spirit and soul."

"I can't believe you would think I would harm him like that….Loki I am hurt."

"Don't fool with me Amora I know you too well, you have killed many men in your plans to find the right one….I'm just asking that you be careful with him….he is special and he belongs to me."

"He belongs to you…..ooooh intriguing…..a dirty secret perhaps the God of lies can elaborate as to why he is so special…..no? how disappointing…"

"Stand away from me Loki and join hands with the young one, this power transference is quite simple as I just need to simply remove the excess from you."

Amora spoke into the air with both hands raised, her palms turned upwards as green sparks flew from them resembling small green lightning bolts. She manipulated her hands so that the lightning crackled into a spherical shape.

"Hold perfectly still Loki….this will be over before you know it."

She placed the sphere onto Loki's clasped hand, the one of which was holding Jay's hand to his chest. She started reciting well said verses; ones she had obviously memorised with years of practice before she looked at Jay longingly.

"It is done Loki…..you might feel a little weak for a few hours but it will pass but this is only because you got used to the additional power coursing through you, even though it wasn't your own…anymore."

"Well thank you Amora but it was not a purposeful thing, it happened but it matters not; all that matters now is his grief….you can remove it I presume?" Loki wheezed as he prized his hands out of Jay's firm grasp, his young prince was stirring.

"Oh yes I can do it…but it may come with a side effect but that's not a big problem is it?"

"No not at all but what is the side effect? I mean it will not affect his ability to protect will it?"

"Oh no not at all quite the opposite, he may become temporarily plagued by the desire to protect more than just you, in his quest to find happiness and close-sure…but it will only be temporary…..I'm sure everything will be fine."

"And when it has worn off?" Loki asked.

"He will have accepted it as a part of him, making him stronger in mind of course…what else is there?"

"Do it Amora…you have my permission."

"I was going to anyway but you keep distracting me Loki."

Loki stood back with his hands raised allowing her the space to work whilst he stood back and watched.

"You know you haven't changed one bit Amora…not at all, I take it that Lorelei is faring well?"

"Why do you care about her, you broke her heart Loki…now she's every bit as twisted as you are…in fact she seems to favour your workings now…you know the whole trickery deceit, lies…that sort of thing. I don't see her anymore because she doesn't live in Asgardia nor Vanaheim."

"Where does she live now? Don't tell me she has chosen Midgard…..urgh may the Norns have mercy."

"Haha Loki, she favours Midgard….the population there are so much easier to corrupt and sway than anywhere else."

* * *

A few minutes had passed and Jay had woken up, he sat up cautiously looking around himself finding himself confused as to why he was in the healing room considering his last memory was that of being in his bedroom.

He sat up and rubbed his aching neck feeling the tell tale signs of an earlier beating which he took to be from the guards who had barged into his room. He looked to his side and saw Loki looking intimidated in his Odin disguise before turning the opposite direction at what Loki was staring at in frustration.

Jay was face to face with one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, she was as tall as he was with exceptionally long wavy blonde hair reaching down her back. She wore a very tight revealing outfit and mostly black and green circled tights which looked like long thigh high boots, her legs looked never ending as they reached up to some very curvy hips.

Her hips and breasts were barely hidden by the tiny green dress she wore and her hair was held back by an ornate green head dress….everything worked in harmony she was drop dead gorgeous. And for Jay, she was a sight to behold after coming around from a rather nice dream too.

Jay had to draw his eyes of her painfully and he looked away in embarrassment, trying his hardest to keep his eyes off her whilst trying to figure out why he was in here.

Amora could tell that the young prince desired her body, he had more than enough stamina too….well he did now.

He wanted her and she loved it for it was a part of what she was, it was one of her many abilities. She could control men for a short while with just one deep kiss where-as if she desired them for longer she would simply renew it, thus keeping them in her service enthralled by her until she tired of them.

Amora's bewitching beauty had initially made her all powerful once Loki had created her as a tool of chaos she used her beauty to gain more powers form other powerful sorcerers. Learning their secrets and taking their powers from them as they slowly but painfully fell in love with her beguiling ways.

Loki grew concerned at what he saw, he could see a physical attraction forming between the two, but not one of love one that could be bad, the dangerous type.

But he still let her continue to remove all traces of grief from the young prince and all the while she was performing the spell she was soothing him, whispering words of encouragement into his ear setting the wheels into motion.

"Just grief that you're removing?" He questioned as he watched her rubbing Jay's thighs gently before moving up his chest slowly.

"Of course Loki…."Amora smiled "just his grief." Her hands were feeling his muscle definition, she was teasing him as she moved further up to his neck.

Loki frowned at her, when Jay bit his lip and stifled a moan.

"Just relax Jay, this won't take much longer…it was a powerful spell he used on you but a simple spell regardless. Of course, if Loki here had been more careful you wouldn't have been affected so badly my dear." She soothed and stroked his arm giving it a firm squeeze.

"Why do I get the feeling I've met you before?" Jay asked, he watched her fingers tenderly touch the sides of his head before his head was brought around to face her.

'Uhm this is a little too close for comfort….ha err, oh my god!' He squeezed his eyes closed at the proximity of her chest to his face.

"I give people that feeling….deja vu? Hmm I don't know maybe it's my face." She shrugged and clicked her fingers finished her spell to remove his heartbreak and grief.

"Your dual elemental powers and abilities have been restored Jay…..please be more mindful of them in future….now my payment Loki!"

"Can we discuss this outside Amora….the prince needs to recuperate."

* * *

As soon as both people had left the room, Jay, quickly but nimbly edged of the bed before slipping his clothes back on. He cringed at the fact they were ripped and dirty. His mind kept drifting off to Amora but he shook the thoughts from his head as a bad idea and continued on his quest to put his clothes on.

"Damn, my civvy clothes are ripped! just gotta hope I still have some money in my account when I get back."

"Fine robes it is then…" He whispered as he threw his ruined clothes to the floor angrily.

He span into his clothes, glad to be back to his normal all powerful self before looking down at his fully clothed form. He looked around carefully and found another door towards the back of the healing room which he quickly walked through.

Inadvertently, he bumped into a few of the healers in the process but apologised as he walked past, he still hadn't made it out of the palace but he had no choice as Loki had said he wouldn't be going back and that was not a choice Jay could take.

"I need to get back to Kai…..I can't stay here any longer." Jay whispered to himself before taking one last look behind him and the sun beginning to rise signalling another day was starting.

"I'm sorry Loki, you're gonna be mighty angry with me but I tried to tell ya…"

The young prince raced down towards the rainbow bridge as fast as his legs could carry him and almost as if his life depended on it. He stopped when he got to the stables thinking it would be quicker to use his own royal steed rather than hot foot it and potentially be seen.

"Hey Wisp long time no see…yeah, yeah, yeah I know it's only been a few days but time gets a little screwy up here and down there, it messes with my mind."

Preparing his horse as quickly as he could whilst being gentle all the same, treating the magical beast with the respect it needed. The protective cover was placed, followed by the thick blanket and finally the saddle was secured with the relevant bridle straps.

"Ready to go for a quick trip? Come on Wisp, I'm gonna show you my own realm."

And with that he galloped as fast as his horse would carry him, down the rainbow bridge, a journey that would normally take at least ten minutes had only take a couple to traverse the large but lengthy bridge. Jay slowed his horse down to a steady trot before slowing further to enter the observatory.

"Heimdall." Jay greeted jovially as his horse stomped it's hooves on the golden observatory floor impatiently.

"My prince…?" Heimdall looked confused as to why Jay was still on his horse considering he wasn't about to go to war just yet.

Jay, looked every bit of royalty, his cloak had swept over the side of his black horse and the look was complimented by his own sparkling silver crown. The whole ensemble gave Jay the overall look of riding of into glorious battle rich in offerings and bloodshed, even his regal silver ceremonial sword that he had never used was on show.

"I request transportation to Ninjago if you will." Jay spoke trying to maintain his air of pompousness whilst stifling a giggle.

"I plan on pillaging and plundering….no that's not it….I plan on ruling the mortals who live inconspicuously in the realm of Ninjago as their great and righteous leader…will you grant me free passage?"

"My Prince, it is not wise to go against Lo….."

"One does not wish to hear it Heimdall." Jay bit his lip and put his hand to his mouth to cover his smile again, aware of time being of the essence.

"One will activate the Bifrost and let me and my mighty steed free access to the realm of Ninjago….pfft."

"Jayson, really? This is not a good idea…."

"Heimdall….Don't make me beg, apparently princes don't beg or so I'm told."

"I cannot let you go, it is against the King's orders…you are to sta…"

"Please Heimdall….I made a promise and I can be back in a few hours if needs be but I really have to do this." Jay interjected as his horse moved around impatiently.

"Look, I've got a prior engagement I have to attend….please."

"I cannot physically stop you and I cannot commit treason against the king so alas you are on your own."

Heimdall walked away leaving Jay staring after him with his mouth agape in shock.

The young prince was soon snapped out of his stupor when a fizz of lightning caught his attention. Heimdall had left his mighty blade, Hofund. It was the key to the observatory and Bifrost and it was stuck in the console.

The whole machine began to whir and spin, creating a vortex of light and colour coupled with powerful beams of electricity which were surrounding the young prince and his royal steed.

The next thing Jay knew was that he was laying flat on his face with his horse rearing on her hind legs having thrown thei prince off in terror.

"Whoa, whoa calm down Wisp…"Jay got up quickly and pulled the reigns to calm his horse.

"First time huh? Whoa, whoa calm down."

Jay winced and rubbed his side, "Come on I'll show you around…are you okay…not hurt are ya?...I am." He said and rubbed his chest.

Jay stroked the horse and checked it over for injuries but none were apparent only on his person.

The prince duly got back on his horse and rode carefully and slowly until he could gather his location…Heimdall had not made it easy for him but he knew that he was somewhere vaguely familiar and at least he was in Ninjago.

The journey was much quicker on horseback than by foot and he was so much taller being that the extra height of the horse made all the difference. He saw the sandy grass soon becoming gravel and after that paths and roads began to appear signalling civilisation was approaching, houses were getting closer together with less space between them until the appearance of bigger buildings were in the distance hidden amongst the haze of spring smog.

"Gonna have ta find a stable out of town for you Wisp…you're way too important to have any breathing problems down here….you're kinda irreplaceable girl and one of a kind." Jay whispered and thought carefully, he needed to try and find the perfect place to keep his royal Asgardian horse, somewhere inconspicuous would be good.

"Of course the new dojo would be perfect, plenty of space and its' not too far from here…plus there's grassy outside sparring space too." Jay whispered and turned his horse right and off the beaten track again to find the dojo where he knew the horse would be safe.

He travelled for no more than thirty minutes asking directions from any passers-by until he arrived at the building which he recognised immediately. It was so long ago that he had been here and it still looked the same except now there were school children running around, not many but enough.

He leaned down and pulled on the bell outside of the gate expecting the gate to open or someone to open the window but instead he stood back sharply when a monitor poked out of the wall and came up to his height.

"Can I help you?"

"Uhm…Are the ninja here?"

"Who exactly shall I say is asking?"

"My name is err Jay…..who is this?"

"I'm the receptionist of this fine establishment….we have to check each visitor for safeguarding purposes."

"Yeah okay I understand that, I'm not threatening I just want to speak to the ninja if they're there."

"We only have one of which you speak…Zane is here but he's teaching, can you come back next week?"

"Teaching? Is this a school?"

"Yes…can you come back next week?"

"No not really…Please can you just go get him…it's important." Jay huffed impatiently.

The voice left the screen and within a few minutes the gates had opened allowing Jay to enter on his horse.

"Jay!...Jay it's you….you're alright" Zane stood back in awe and surprise as his brother rode through on his horse still dressed in his ceremony clothes.

"Jay? Why err…..is that Wisp from Asgard? you brought her here….you brought an Asgardian horse here?" Zane asked in shock as he stroked the large menacing black horse with purple eyes.

"Yeah of course, she won't be staying long though just temporary." Jay said as he got down of his steed and replaced her eye patches so as to protect her magical form from passers by.

Zane threw his arms around Jay as soon as he got off the horse which was unexpected but relished and Jay reciprocated it feeling slightly awkward.

"You are alright aren't you brother?…..we were very worried….still are actually." Zane soothed as he kept a hand on Jay's shoulder.

"Ha, Zane….of course I'm alright why wouldn't I be?"

"Well because of what happened before you left.

"What happened before I left…what?"

"You don't remember?" Zane frowned and looked sideways at his brother who seemed completely oblivious as to what he was saying.

"Hmm, I guess maybe it for the best but it is not good to hide such an emotion, strong emotions need to be shown not hidden by magic….the mind and body needs time to grieve."

Jay looked confused at Zane but continued to stroke his horse whilst shrugging his shoulders. "Zane, I need to ask a favour."

"Anything Jay just ask…" Zane said as he stroked the horse looking at it with mild recollection at galloping down the rainbow bridge on their last day in Asgard.

"I need a stable…for Wisp to stay in for two nights at least….please."

"Of course, does Loki know you've taken the creature?"

"No….it's my own steed, she belongs to me why would I need his permission."

"Well because it isn't from this realm…it is a palace horse and technically she belongs to the err…..to Loki."

"Yeah maybe the case but it's only a short thing and if I feel concerned I'll get Heimdall to take her back."

"Err, uhm Zane…..w-what day is it?" Jay asked timidly and feeling embarrassed at having to ask in the first place.

"Thursday…12th February, why do you ask?"

"Shit…..that gives me less than a day to sort every damn thing out." Jay kicked the wall and cringed at the small crack he left before mouthing sorry to Zane.

"You're still coming tomorrow right?"

"Yes I guess but where are we meeting up?"

"Hmm how about Dareth's dojo…at 10am on the dot?" Jay smirked.

"Okay what have you got planned….Jay?"

"Ha no spoilers Zane you'll find out just make sure you pass the message on in case I forget."

"Before you go Jay." Zane said as he ran inside the building.

"We found these." He replied as he bought out two heavy but expensive bags.

"Oh wow, where did you find these?"

"The Sea of sand! where else outside? Ed…..and….Edna's….junk y-yard…" Zane raised an eyebrow and looked confused at Jay who seemed to be completely oblivious again to the name and location.

"Why did you go there?"

"Because that's where you were b-before you disappeared…..don't you remember?...you remember who lives there right?"

"No!" Jay looked around the place and grabbed his bags looking at them like he didn't recognise his own bags. "You sure these are mine?"

"Fairly sure Jay…They have your spare working armour in and all of your blades."

"Oh right….thanks Zane." Jay smiled and winked before turning his back.

"Just two days yeah…Wisp likes apples, carrots and stuff like that….thanks Zane see ya tomorrow." Jay yelled and walked off leaving Zane to walk the horse to a sheltered area whilst looking over his shoulder in sorrow.

Zane watched after Jay, he was perplexed at how different he was, it was as if the tragic events had been deleted and removed from his memory. There was concern in Zane's programming, no one should be denied the chance to grieve but Jay was showing no signs of loss. He just had a rather odd smile plastered to his face.

Jay walked away feeling oddly happy, he wasn't happy he was ecstatic and buzzing at being back in his home realm. But he was fast becoming tired with the weight of his bags and he threw them to floor angrily.

Carefully he opened a bag and riffled through it hoping to see something of importance.

"Ooh armour, good start 'oww fuck' blades, great."

He dug his hand further in, "Mmhmm, oh come on where…..are….you? Ahh, found it." He pulled out his phone, happy to see it still had some battery life left despite not being used for so long.

"Now just to call Darreth, see how far he got…."

"Hey Darreth….err it's Jay…..yeah slow down look I've been busy…no scrub that really busy okay."

"JAY! where have you been I've been trying to contact you for days…..spoke to Cole but he seemed angry and emotional and no-one else seemed to know about the plans, but anyway you're back now and you kinda need to decide on some things…you need to come and meet me as soon as possible."

"Can you come over now?"

"What like right now?" Jay quizzed.

"Yeah this thing is going to nosedive if we don't discuss it now….we've got to book them…." Darreth shouted down the phone panic stricken.

"Err okay I'll be right over, where are ya?"

"Where else would I be other than at Gale's….still trying to get her to accept my proposal damn woman is so hard to please….no just meet me at Grand Master Dareth's dojo in thirty minutes."

"Figures…I'll be at your err mmm dojo in thirty minutes." Jay smirked trying to hold in a fit of giggles again.

Jay conjured his elemental dragon whilst still holding his bags, which in itself wasn't an easy task but he managed it with a strain and juggling his arms a bit to hold the reigns so he could at least take off.

The journey to Ninjago city wasn't too bad the weather in the mid evening was pleasant and dry which was something to be grateful for as opposed to a sky full of rain. It would be a bit of a stretch for the lightning master to hold an umbrella and fly his dragon and hold his bags so he looked up to the sky and thanked the gods or whoever it was that controlled the weather.

That action then made him feel stupid because he knew that atmospheric conditions and the phases of the moon did just that…..'gahh too much time in Asgard, myth is just science that's been proven…right?'

He arrived in record time and promptly dumped his bags unceremoniously inside the brown ninja's dojo before seeing the look of surprise on Darreth's face.

"Have you been to a fancy dress party?"

"No, why? Ohhhh right!" Jay caught a glimpse of himself wearing his robes and crown."

"Hey Darreth err sorry but I can't leave them outside."

"Why not?…you know I still train students here?"

"Do you? eheheheheh" Jay giggled out loud earning a hurt look from Darreth.

"Ouch Jay….of course I do how do you think I got all my trophies!"

Jay bit his knuckle hard not knowing what was happening but unable to stop his laughter. He broke the skin and made his knuckle bleed to quell his laughter pangs long enough for Darreth to start talking again.

"S-sorry Darreth….I can't leave them outside because I don't want any of my stuff stealing because none of it can be replaced."

"How are you anyway you wanted to see me?" Jay hid his knuckle from sight aware that Darreth was looking at it.

"Jay, Jay Jay where have you been?" Darreth finally opened up and walked across to Jay grabbing his shoulder before walking him around to the back of his dojo and offering a glass of water whilst pouring himself a cup of hot tea.

"I have so many plans for tomorrow so I've booked most of them just to be on the safe side…..and the best bit is that we only have to pay for the ones we show up to, so that gives us plenty of options in case we get a few guys that don't like it."

"Whoa…s-slow down Darreth err give me a list then…like top 5 choices."

"Paintballing, Err casino, strip club, themed nightclub and a nice meal out sort of thing."

"So which one Jay….which do you think would be best?"

"Are you kidding? All of them we've gotta do at least the first four."

"Okay cool, I'll phone and confirm oh also I need to know about transport."

"Transport oh erm…what about something like hiring a couple of Hummers? They're manly right pffft."

"Yeah good call Jay, I'll get right on it."

"No stretch ones though because we're not women and they look kinda cheap."

"Who the women?" Darreth quizzed and laughed a cheesy laugh.

"Oh hahaha no you dork, the stretch limousine's."

"Who will be responsible for Kai?" Darreth asked genuinely.

"Me obviously…I've got his back."

"And err what about the other male members of the party?" he added.

"How many are going I mean other than us lot?" Jay asked unsure of the answer Darreth was going to give.

"About fifteen or so, most of the elemental masters will be coming, the male ones at least and Ronin too, so we've got definite numbers which include; Kai obviously, Cole, Zane, Lloyd, Shade, Ash, Neuro, Griffin, Gravis, Karloff but keep an eye on him though. Oh and Paleman….don't know his actual name though."

"That's quite a number we've amassed….fourteen including me!" Jay smiled excitedly "What about Nature and err Sound?".

"Bolobo and Jacob didn't really want to come I think they had prior engagements, but they'll be at the reception the day after."

"You gonna look after everyone then even after a drink or two…"

"I'll look after all of them….got plenty of energy….I probably won't be drinking anyway…not after last time urgh."

"You won't be alone Jay, I'm sure you'll have help to round them all up as each events finishes and before the next one starts."

"Okay so now the numbers are out of the way what are the time scales for each venue?"

"Paintballing get there thirty minutes after leaving here, but we blindfold Kai…split into teams, two hours on the range followed by back to the cars and twenty minutes later Casino for two hours where we'll get a bite to eat then we go to the tropical themed nightclub before finishing at the strip club eh eh? So ya think you can pull it all off?"

"Yeah of course I can….if anyone can do it I can."

"Does Kai even know you're back yet?"

"Err….I-I don't think so….I'll call him in a bit."

"Oh err Darreth you're coming too right?"

"Of course I wouldn't miss it for the world, so anything else? Oh have you got your speech sorted? clothes for the wedding and so on."

"Well not yet but I can do that now I hope…see ya tomorrow Darreth and thanks I owe ya one."

Jay sighed out loud and conjured his dragon before flying of in the direction of Nya's apartment whilst calling Kai from their air. "Kai err hey bro just checking in with ya, give me a call back when ya get this message oh and err sorry for just disappearing like that but it was out of my control. Oh, I'll be at Nya's."

He ended the call and flew in the direction he remembered from almost two weeks ago. Happy in the knowledge that he still recognised some landmarks and tall buildings; naming them correctly as he passed with a fist raised with each correct answer.

His phone began buzzing within minutes of him pocketing it and so he retrieved it carefully trying not to drop it into the depths below. "Kai…..Hey."

"Oh my God you're back Jay….I was so worried about you…..you fucking idiot….where the HELL have you been? You realise I get married in two days right….two fucking days….I almost cancelled the damn date because of you…moron."

"Ha err yeah s-sorry Kai….It was kinda outta my control."

"Fucking Hel Jay, where the Hel did ya go?….like one minute you were here then you vanished I went out of my head with panic….you just literally bailed on me, no note nothing….poof gone just like that. Oh and the best part you weren't supposed to be going anywhere you'd only just woken up."

"Err K-Kai uhm well ya see….." Jay was cut off mid-sentence by Kai who was still mid rant.

"That's one of the reasons why Cole is so mad with you I guess but still it didn't make any sense as to why you went it alone….we're a team dude….stop thinking you can do it all alone ya know we're here to help each other. And besides if you hadn't gone you wouldn't be rushing around now would you?"

"Oh, yeah I knew where you were I found out yesterday…me Lloyd and Zane figured it out for ourselves and we retraced your steps." Kai paused and bit his lip from the other end of the line it was an uncomfortable pause.

" …Which kinda brings me down to err you…..I am so sorry Jay and forgive me but we found out what happened and I can only guess that you needed time to yourself to recover….so Loki took you to Asgard."

"I mean I have asked Lloyd to ya know…sort everything out because after what happened we thought you would be grieving and too upset to join in with the celebrations."

"What! No Lloyd….I-I'm fine really…f-fine I-I can do this….hang on you asked green machine? He's still a kid what does he know about bachelor parties? Come on Kai give me another chance….I'm sorry bro….like I said outta my control."

"Jay I'm worried about you….you don't seem to be upset in the slightest about what happened…you sure you can do this? I would understand completely if you said no and I kinda wish you would so you could give yourself time to recover."

"What! no I'm fine Kai there's nothing wrong with me dude….just thrilled to be back home and super excited to get this on the road for tomorrow."

"Err Jay….your parents? You know they passed away right?"

"Yeah I know…I just feel really happy about everything, I guess they're in a better place though…maybe happier just like me."

"Err how can they be in a better place….they died!"

"Yeah they died, we all die though…."

"It's just another journey, I'm sure I'll see them again real soon so it's not all bad Kai….I loved them and they loved me and now they've died. Ya know that my love didn't die with them I carry it with me in my heart and yeah I'm still happy about it."

"Well that is certainly a different reaction to what the other 99% would feel and say so I guess you're grieving or have grieved I err I don't know."

"I'm fine Kai….just super stoked and buzzing at being back here…got stuck in the healing rooms again with some hot chick rubbing my head in circles…..Amora….Loki said that she performed a spell on me eheheheh but I feel great…..fuckin great awesome, epic infact."

"So where are ya? Nya's or Skylor's or somewhere else?"

"At Skylor's place why?"

"Because tomorrow you need to be at Darreth's dojo at 10am because that's when things start oh and bring smart clothes, jeans, hoodies trainers that sort of thing and I'll bring the first aid kits pffft."

"Why what's happening tomorrow?"

"Hahaha your last night as a single man dude….it's your bachelor partaaaay and your best man has come through…..you gotta be stoked about that."

"Yeah of course I am, I'm just concerned about you is all….you sure you're up to this? Jay!"

"Yeah obviously...I'll see ya tomorrow then…and I'll phone Cole and Lloyd too so ya don't need to worry about that….oh, before I go don't disturb us tonight because got some time I need to catch up on with sweet Nya."

"Yeah okay dude, point taken and err she's still my sister so can you refrain from talking like that…I know exactly what you're talking about so don't even go there."

"Fine from now on I'll keep it closed just for you, but seriously don't disturb me…I MEAN IT."

"Fine chill Jay, see you tomorrow."

Jay ended the call with a huge beaming smile before sending a group message using the last amount of battery life he had detailing the times for tomorrow including what to wear and things to bring including suggestive items for humiliation as was always the course of action for bachelor parties.

He received instant responses as expected, Lloyd responded with 'OMG your back bro….I missed you so much, will be there early.' And Cole responded with a 'CU 2MR which Jay assumed to mean 'see you tomorrow.' Everything was on and everything was planned and now he just needed to do one other thing before the celebrations could begin.

The last bit of his mobile battery was used to send a very provocative message to none other than Nya which said simply;

'I'm home baby and I'm sorry but I've really missed you and I need you NOW.'

* * *

 _Of course in the realm Eternal known as Asgard was the angry irate, furious God of lies, evil and mischief. He had just been told of a certain someones departure and he was mad...no he was beyond mad, he was livid and his eyes burned with rage at being played._

 _This feeling was exacerbated when Amora the Enchantress raised her eyebrows and purposefully mocked his lack of control of the one he calls 'his protector.'_

"If he was mine Loki I would make him pay for his insolence...because this behaviour is not becoming of royalty...he needs proper direction a more ruthless regime would work."

"Amora please...I need to think." He clenched his teeth before looking up again.

"Heimdall you are free to return to your duties and I thank you for alerting me of his departure." Loki muttered and raised his hand in a lazy attempt to wave the guardian away before looking down again, his vision filled with red mist as Amora's taunts continued.

"And while you think, he is busy gallivanting around and flouting his responsibilities whilst rubbing it in your face..."

"You allowed him to do this because you can't control him."

"Hmm maybe I can help you too...Ninjago is his realm I hear!"

Loki raised his eyebrow and licked his teeth, "I'm listening."

"Let me have him for a short while, I beseech you Loki...together we can control him and turn him into that weapon you so desire."

"I-I uhm...you want to control him?" Loki frowned and looked at Amora sideways.

"Well...yes, he is a protector as you say and he needs direction, but in order to achieve that he needs to be controlled, he needs to learn the error of his ways. Accept responsibility of what is expected of him."

"You're right...he does...but we should wait!"

"Wait? oh no, no, no...we must strike now whilst the iron is still hot...Loki...we know where he is, oh come on it will be just like our adventurous days of old."

"Your feminine wiles have won me over Amora, you win lets go and train this petulant imp the correct way of respect."


	39. Paintball run

Both Nya and Jay were laying in her bed at the crack of dawn as the sun made an appearance in her room courtesy of the floor to ceiling windows. The clouds were painted red as the sun breached the horizon painting a warm glow on the naked couple who had not long been in the throes of passion.

The covers were strewn across the floor, cushions, pillows and clothing were scattered everywhere else in between.

"Wow Jay….where do you get the energy?" Nya bit her lip and stroked her hand down his chest.

"Was that rhetorical?" He shrugged and then frowned when he noted fine bruises dotting her skin "Sorry did I do _those_?" he asked as he stroked her shoulders, she was lying next to him on her side.

She looked at them and bit her lip, remembering the positions they'd tried, "Yes, I guess you did." She smiled and trailed her hands around his navel. "We're all stronger now though, and, of course we heal faster." She said as she climbed on top of him.

"Yeah but it's not all good though is it? I mean how does Kai control himself or Cole? Both of their girlfriends are still mortal."

"I think they know how to control themselves, besides they've had plenty of practice since being back here and I think you're forgetting that for one Skylor can absorb elemental ability. Seliel well, she's just strong that's why Cole likes her so much." Nya rocked her hips back and forth as his hands grasped her hips speeding up the momentum and depth.

"What are your plans for today then…..take it a day of pampering of some sort with the girls is in order?" Jay asked, not really interested.

"Yeah, there's not many of us...going though. Plus, it's not like we can go out on the town like you all will be."

He wasn't really going out on the town. Jay wanted to avoid town if at all possible.

"So how long….exactly will you be gone?" She asked as her eyes closed.

His breathing was heavy, struggling yet again to form coherence, "Why….does it matter Nya, I'll be back when I'm back."

"Because I haven't done with you yet…You've been gone almost two weeks and then you were ill for another two weeks…that's a lot of missed time to catch up on." Nya threw her head back in pleasure.

"Isn't this enough?...I've not slept at all since being back last night….you've not let me." He smirked and panted in exertion closing his eyes momentarily.

"No it isn't enough…I've missed you Jay….I've missed this…..oh god.."

Jay smirked as his fingers worked their magic on her body feeling her body shudder in pleasure as he found the right spot and felt her tightening around him in response. She was so sensitive now even the slightest touch set her off and it did, as if on cue.

"Oh God...Nya, mmmppph."

Her eyelids were squeezed shut. Her grip on his shoulders was tighter than ever, "Loki...yesss." Nya shouted out as her orgasm was verbalised across the room.

Jay's face instantly paled, his blood ran cold at the mention of _his_ name.

* * *

There was _that_ one event of interstellar lovemaking that had occurred several months ago whereby two star crossed lovers had been joined again by an act of wanton desire and a newly emerging spark of love. Sigyn had helped of course, without her it would have been just a thought and a wet dream but her abilities as an Aesir and goddess had made it happen.

All of this God desiring depravity that Nya had held onto should have worn of, it was cast out of her body along with all traces of his essence...it should have been enough but yet it seemed that love even in its beginnings could not quench the inner most basest desires of lust of something she could no longer have...Loki.

And, of course Sigyn had told him that after everything that had happened that she would be his and he would be hers for as long as they loved each other they would desire no one else. But yet she still called out his name…Loki's name and it cut deep. It was almost as if Jay wasn't enough, he wasn't strong enough….Yes he knew it was true his strength was indeed waning, for he had been told to expect it but he didn't expect it to happen so quickly.

The spell Amora had performed meant he didn't stay sad for long even though a small part of his heart had broken at hearing her words. Jay still picked himself up at least mentally and shook it off; for one he didn't actually love her but he was getting there. Lust and desire was eventually leading to something more powerful, he was becoming attached to her and her quirks, her body and her voice but as soon as the spark of love appeared and had made itself known it was cruelly snuffed out like a candle blowing in a snowstorm of frozen tears.

Jay had wondered what had made her utter his name especially considering they had been making 'so called love' all night with the odd nap thrown in. Hel they'd even done it in the shower as they washed the sweat of from each other.

Yeah he'd given in and called it 'love' but it wasn't what he was feeling now...'she had called it that, what was it?...ah yes we made love.' Jay thought momentarily.

Jay stopped his thrusting momentum, she was completely oblivious to what she had just shouted…but Jay wasn't, he was appalled and he pushed her to the side. Removing himself in the process a move which elicited a startled gasp from Nya at the sudden positional change.

" ** _What did you just say?_** " Jay hissed and frowned, turning his head enough to hear her but not to see her face. "My _name_?"

She rubbed her flushed face where the few strands of sweaty hair had stuck to her, "S-sorry Jay I-I don't know what happened." Nya mumbled and covered herself up in shame, she grabbed the nearest blue blanket from the bed leaving Jay exposed and naked.

The smile replaced his features again but he looked away from her and he saw reason in his mind where none had been before. The words he spoke were not his but Amora's and the spell which altered his way of handling difficult situations, his pain and anguish became his joy and laughter, his tears would be his smiles and only he would know.

He could see the words forming in his mind, the letters re-arranging themselves into coherent sentences and he knew he was destined to speak them, it was like he had no choice.

Jay said them inwardly to himself and cringed even though he wanted to bite his tongue and stomp on it for even thinking such nonsense, he was putting Loki before himself in the bedroom but he could at least put some meaning behind the words he was yet to verbalise. She would know that even though the words weren't his that he was still hurt by her actions.

" **It's fine Nya, I understand….he is a God after all and obviously better than me…..I can see why you favour his experience over that of mine**." Jay spat out in sarcasm, his teeth clenched as venom laced every word.

He stood up and grabbed his spare clothes in a hurry before walking out of the room. He couldn't even bring himself to look at her, he was still smiling….but smiles meant something else whilst the spell was in effect.

"Jay please don't go like this….can't we at least talk?"

"Uh we just did….you said everything I needed to know." He half laughed.

"No I don't mean that Jay….why are you being like this…this is _childish_!"

"What? I'm not being _childish Nya_ ….just give me some space please." A smirk and a small shake of his head.

 _'I don't want to break your heart Nya….please just….just stay away from me._ ' Jay thought and smiled to himself.

"No I want to talk….look I'm sorry I-I don't know what came over me….it just sort of popped out." She spoke angrily and followed him into the living room.

"Yeah I bet it did...right at that moment when I bring it out of you….release your pleasure, you fucking shout his name."

"Well you can't exactly blame me can you? If it hadn't been for you he would have never know about me." She hissed and turned her back to him.

Jay span around on his bare heels "You're blaming me for…..for that and for what just happened in there." He shouted in shock whilst smirking trying to hide an inappropriate giggle.

He sat on the couch and pulled his trainers on before putting his smart black shoes into the carryall carefully on top of his zipped up suit protector.

"No….that's not how I meant it to come out….Jay please listen to me."

"I've gotta go Nya….sorry."

"Where are you going?" She asked.

Jay rolled his eyes, shook his head and smiled again, "Bachelor party where else!" He said, standing and grabbing his watch.

"You'll be coming back though won't you before nightfall?"

"Not necessarily….I don't know okay…maybe." He shrugged.

" ** _Well_**?" Nya questioned impatiently tapping her bare foot on the floor as the blanket trailed of her shoulder.

Normally, this behaviour would have irked him, but since Amora had interfered, all Jay did was smile. He smiled when he was happy and he smiled brightest when he was a moment away from complete and utter heartbreak.

"No, I'll see you later or maybe not….need some time to sort something out." Jay smiled and grabbed his wallet and charged phone before leaving the apartment aware that Nya was staring daggers at his back.

" ** _Fine_** , whatever Jay, go and play with them and walk away from your responsibilities."

Jay cringed at her words but carried on walking out of her apartment and towards the balcony. A huge beaming smile on his face, even though the witch has made him feel no grieving heartbreak. It didn't stop the tears though, and one by one, they fell.

"Urgh I can't even conjure my dragon…I'm so tired….Taxi will have to do then." Jay walked back into the living room and without stopping he left her apartment to get down to the lobby. He walked into the large elevator with his bag and pressed the floor for the lobby before waiting for the elevator to move. First task was transportation, he needed to get to the dojo so he accosted the receptionist who was responsible for delivering messages to the occupants of the vast apartment complex.

* * *

He wiped madly at his eyes, "Could you phone a taxi for me….please. I need to go to Grand master Darreth's dojo." He smirked when he said the name as the mere mention of it elicited a giggle.

"Of course…..Anything else you require?"

"No, just that thanks," Jay rolled his eyes and stalked off to find a seat where he could wait, hoping the taxi would turn up before Nya came down.

The elevator doors opened and Jay rushed outside as soon as the taxi arrived, it wasn't Nya in the elevator just another occupant but still he didn't want to take any chances and he didn't want to speak to her. Not after she uttered _his_ name.

Jay climbed inside the taxi with a massive smile plastered on his tired features, today was going to be busy but fun and it would be a day that no one would forget in a hurry least of all Kai.

* * *

When Jay got to the dojo he was surprised to see that so many people had shown up before him despite him saying 10am, but yet here they all were with more arriving in pairs.

"Jay! You're early hahah, are you ready? It's gonna be a day to remember and look even the weather is on our side." Darreth said as he looked up positively and pointed to a pure blue sky with no clouds in sight.

"Who's here so far? is Cole here or Kai?"

"No, but there's on their way approaching as we speak."

"Eheheh this is gonna be so good." Jay said as he faced the other party goers before clearing his throat.

"Hey everyone, party host and best man speaking ….oi pipe down at the back, right plan of action and the times are as follows." Jay smirked as all eyes were on him.

"Hey who made you boss?" Karloff shouted from the back.

"Err Best man…..so uhm Kai did!….Karloff, this isn't about who is the strongest, we're not on Chen's Island anymore, this is a party…a celebration yeah so come on enjoy it."

"Everyone ya listening?..good so I'll begin." Jay cleared his throat.

"So we've got paintballing first, two hours split into two groups followed by change of clothes as we go to the casino afterwards."

"What about food are we getting something to eat?"

"Who said that?" Jay asked looking for the source of the voice before spotting a gloved hand rise into the air with an invisible face.

"Yeah we'll be eating at the casino and then after that change into themed clothes suitable for the nightclub before ending up at the strip joint…..can I get some cheers please...oh and keep the last bit secret please guys cos Kai doesn't know."

"I couldn't have pulled this off without Darreth…..thanks Darreth." Jay said with an upturned thumb.

"Ah look our last three party members" Jay smirked and saw Kai, Lloyd and Cole walking over the brow of the hill.

Kai looked to be in a deep conversation with Cole and frowned when he looked in the direction of Jay for fear of what Loki and Amora had done to him.

"Where are we supposed to keep our clean clothes for the casino and nightclub?" Griffin asked.

Jay looked in front of himself as he saw the transport arrive. "You can leave them in the transportation we've put on, there's plenty of room." He smiled and looked to his side where he thought he saw a green and black image swim into view before disappearing again…..a double take, there was definitely something there but it was blurry.

"Cole….Kai and Lloyd glad you could make it guys eheheh, so which convoy do you wanna travel in, one, two, three or four?"

"One."

"Cool so I'll meet you there got some things I've gotta pack together with us, can't expect Darreth to do it all on his own."

"Oh the driver knows where he's going so don't worry…..oh and guys have fun."

Jay watched as everyone got into the vehicles except for himself and Dareth as they were busy getting the last parts together namely the furry handcuffs, cling film and masking tape.

"You sure that's not a little too much Darreth….I mean err masking tape."

"Hahah no besides how else are you supposed to keep him strapped to the lamp post while you take photos?"

"Just the cling film would suffice…seriously we don't need the tape…..that's a little creepy eheheheh."

"Right come on otherwise we'll never get there on time." He motioned the brown ninja to join him as they carried the two small boxes to the remaining car before they set of at break neck speed to catch up with the convoy.

After a short journey the hummer's all pulled into a field which was equipped with green army tents and there were a few excited gasps which could be heard especially from Kai who smirked when he realised what they were all about to be doing.

"Paintballing…..we're paintballing…hahaha I've always wanted to do this." Kai grinned and jumped up like an excited child on Christmas morning.

"Well we just gotta make sure you don't bruise your face because I don't think Skylor will appreciate marble sized bruises on your face when you get married tomorrow." Cole smiled and ruffled Kai's hair.

"Just excuse me for a minute Kai, I gotta go speak with Jay." Cole muttered before he stuck his chest out and strode over to Jay who was still smiling enthusiastically.

"Cole, haven't seen you for a while." Jay beamed.

"Well that's because you fucking walked off without telling anyone where you were going?" Cole hissed.

"No harm done though right…..I'm still here….you worry too much Cole." Jay held his hand out for Cole to shake but Cole pushed it away.

"Look Cole, I came back against better judgement….I shouldn't have left and I'm not sure how long I've got but I wanted to make this special for all of you but specifically for Kai."

"What do you mean by how long you've got? Is someone after you?"

"Wow so many questions, err sorry I mentioned it actually, it was a slip of the tongue…..two people actually and you already know one…..angry God wears green and black favours punishment and the sound of his own voice. And he already knows I'm here." Jay said as he looked to his side again where he could see the same black and green blur with a hint of gold flash before his eyes.

Cole frowned and pinched his bushy brows together. "Look Jay…..I heard what happened at the Sea of Sand and even though I've not been around to help I just wanted to say how s-sorry I am at hearing about your parents."

"I figured you took time away to recoup….regroup your feelings, that sort of thing."

"You realise I was gone for just over a day right?" Jay smirked.

"Besides like I said I'm fine…I'm over it and it was as if nothing had happened."

"Jay you know this is not healthy….this reluctance to accept grief is dangerous, it's an emotion it makes us human and when we suffer such loss we need time to process it to grieve." Cole stiffened his jaw.

"Which is why I think it was a really bad idea that you decided to do this all alone."

"Do you mean do this all alone or do ya mean something else Cole." Jay's eyes widened evilly as he looked around himself and up to the skies above.

"Cos you know I can and I probably will just to spite you all, of course I'll likely have no choice in the matter…no….No what am I saying? err uhm…..I."

Cole recoiled slightly at the new tone "Jay!..."

Jay shivered and the smile replaced his features again. "I can do it Cole and I am fine, I thank you for your concern but it is not warranted, my grief was removed by Amora and my power restored by her too."

"Physically I feel fine, mentally like my mind has been expanded, emotionally I feel sort of exhausted but then I didn't sleep at all last night, Nya wouldn't let me."

"Fine, if you think you can do this then do it, but we're all worried about you, me too even if I don't show it….it's not right and it's not normal to hide it away Jay."

"Okay just get off my case Cole, I told you I'm fine and I am and I said the same thing to Zane and Kai last night." Jay paused with his index finger on his mouth before remembering what he had said.

"I know they both died, I'm aware of that and I know what happened. I got a glimpse into Clouse's mind as to how they passed but I forgave him and I…..I-I grieved for them and for him, they are all in a better place now and soon I will see them again. Life is but a journey and the journey doesn't end at death for we are just a vessel."

A tear threatened to spill from his purple eyes before he looked away from Cole's pained gaze, the earth master was extremely concerned with what Jay had said.

"I will always love them and…and they will always love me, I will carry their memories with me until I die, until we meet again, until they can find it in their hearts to forgive me for my weakness."

"Jay you weren't weak….not at all, what you did was stupid….brave but stupid and there was no weakness not at all….You grieved for Clouse?"

Jay nodded, "Yeah I did and uhm thanks but they said otherwise. They called it 'inherent weakness' something that I have to go through to make me stronger…..a road I have to travel alone."

"Who's they? You mean your parents?"

Jay shook his head slowly. "No, they never thought I was weak, quite the opposite. Loki and Amora agreed it upon themselves to train me sometime in the future." He sighed but tried his hardest to retain his smile and back it came as if by magic.

"Look Cole, I'm sorry okay can we just try to enjoy this day because we've got so much planned and I still need to write my speech and I haven't slept properly for over three days…..urgh may the Gods help me."

Cole gave him a worrisome smile and offered his hand, Jay gratefully took it shaking it eagerly within his.

"Come on Cole you can help, we got to get these groups into two decent teams but we need to make it fair so we'll have to split up too. Example, two of us with one group and three with the other."

"Okay, team red and team black then I'll be team black." Cole smirked

"Of course, I wouldn't expect anything less from _you_ Cole." Jay shook his head in jest.

"Kai come forward please, guys everyone line up we need to pick members."

"Kai is the red team so you choose first and Cole the black team both team leaders will pick their own team mates, those deemed fastest, stealthiest and with the best tactical advantage will do well…so gentlemen try your best and retrieve the flag's from each other bases before the time runs out."

"I choose Jay, Griffin, Zane….." Kai yelled and Jay looked at Cole apologetically at being the first to be chosen.

"Shade, Karloff, Lloyd…." Cole paused waiting for Kai to choose again.

"Ronin….Ash and Gravis." Kai smirked and welcomed each member to his team.

"Ooh good choices Kai but you missed an all important one…..I'll choose Neuro, Paleman and err Darreth."

"Err I hate being chosen last…it's not fair." Darreth whined.

* * *

Each team member went into their respective tents and redressed into adequate protective equipment before the instructors explained how to use their guns and how to reload them. The aim was simple all they had to do was work together as a team and capture the flag from the defending team using infiltration techniques.

It was going to be epic because each ninja and elemental master was experienced in doing just that, each one had their own niche and way of getting their way and winning for themselves but this time they had to work with their allotted team.

The instructor gathered them all outside before he started and laughed as he spoke. "The paint balls are baby pink and baby blue because we don't know as yet so enjoy yourselves and play nicely…time starts and ends with the sound of the klaxon."

"You know Loki we could just sabotage this game, replace the paint bullets with real ones….."

"Amora that is just evil! We do not wish to maim or kill, we are simply observing the spectacle."

"Oh but it looks like so much fun, they are running around like the insects and night creatures of Vanaheim…"

"No, we do not wish to alert them to our presence for it could stir certain emotions and we don't want unnecessary bloodshed. These look to be quite the group of fighters though." Loki said as his body became transparent as a paintball shot through it.

"Can I do just one trick Loki?"

"Fine, just don't hurt anyone….I don't want bloodshed." Loki smirked and sat down huddled against a tree keeping a close eye on Jay.

Loki was still impressed with his warrior, even in his bizarre camouflaged outfit he was still exceptionally fast, his stealth had prevented any paintball hits, same with Kai, Zane and Lloyd but Cole seemed to have a few paint splats due to his muscular bulk.

Kai whizzed out from the bushes with Shade and Karloff hot on his heels shooting their paintball guns at him but they only managed to get a shot on his thigh because he was moving so fast.

"Way to go Kai, one point team red." Jay whispered as Kai ran past, Jay was precariously perched in the tree, not too high up but over six feet in the air where he could see the battle going on in the distance.

"Snooze you lose Lloyd." Jay whispered as he targeted his paintball gun on Lloyd's back, he was a mere twenty feet away but still it would be a sure shot. He looked through his scope again at Lloyd's position and he was still wide open so he took the shot and pulled the trigger, Jay smirked at the yelp he heard and the ensuing panic he had just caused as the opposing team ducked for cover.

Jay climbed down carefully and quietly before using the landscape to his advantage. He listened carefully and for any footsteps, the sound of twigs breaking made his head zip to the side. He held his breath and ducked down low.

Finding a downed tree trunk as the perfect cover, he hid behind it and waited his turn to strike again. Jay turned onto his side and saw Cole approaching, he wasn't difficult to see because he was huge.

 _'Been working out Cole?…I hate to tell you this but bulk doesn't always work well with stealth bro.'_ Jay thought as he targeted his scope and gun on Cole before pulling the trigger and giggling as two blue paint balls flew out of the chamber of his weapon flying towards his thigh.

"Ooof…what the?"

Jay stifled his genuine laughter and heard a rustling of leaves before he looked again and Cole had ran off, which direction he had no idea. He presumed Cole had escaped into the more dense woodland and not the open area where Jay was currently hiding in wait.

Another sound and two more approached, he recognised one by his visible grey and black hair giving him the look of raccoon or badger. Jay smirked and stayed hidden as Neuro and Shade made their appearance. These two were almost impossible to capture just as he thought Ash would be too due to his elemental ability allowing his body to turn into smoke at will.

Neuro however, was using his powers to his advantage as he guided Shade around the open area and he stayed in an open position ready for shooting, he was planning something.

Jay aimed, another sure shot guaranteed to hit, he pulled the trigger and the paintball ball went straight through Shade, Jay bit his lip and ducked.

 _'Dammit caught out, sneaky Neuro...'_ Jay thought, he knew Neuro could find him.

He ducked down behind a fallen tree trunk, keeping himself and his weapon hidden as best as he could. He heard Shade spin on his heels as the leaves squelched underfoot at the change of direction, with each step getting closer. Neuro was guiding him to Jay's position but he lay perfectly still...it wasn't enough as Neuro read his mind.

"Oh snap…found you Jay." Shade smirked and held his finger on the trigger releasing five marble sized paintballs into his chest at point blank range.

"Hey no fair I'm not using my element Neuro." Jay whined and wiped his wet upper body free of the bright pink paint before standing and congratulating his opposition. They both swiftly left after Neuro had read his mind again in the hopes of catching Kai with their flag before the time ran out.

He wondered how much Neuro could read into his mind, whether he could see any of his past heinous crimes with Loki or if he could sense what Jay was hiding from everyone...it was the only thing he hadn't even contemplated about this whole day, the fact that Neuro could read minds.

Jay walked further into the undergrowth and looked around trying to find any of his team mates, he saw Zane up ahead, his metal face was kind of difficult to hide even with camouflage paint, his eyes gave him away but his exceptional speed at ducking as each bullet came his way was awesome to watch.

Jay walked further to find Kai again or the rest of his team mates, he was alone for the moment and tried to find another place to watch from. He was completely unaware that Loki was still watching him with interest although in an astral form at least, his physical presence was nearby but not visible.

Loki heard a twig snap and so did Jay both looked backwards at the same time and stared for a few seconds, there was nothing there…..no-one was behind him but as soon as he turned around again he was face to face with Karloff although he was still standing ten feet away.

Jay attempted to grab his weapon from his belt but Karloff already had his loaded and ready. He pulled his trigger first and Jay went to the floor with a pained grunt.

Karloff ran off in the direction of Neuro to regain the red flag for their team.

Jay was laying on his front dazed, all he could see was pink, and purple, he blindly removed his mask and was annoyed to find that the paint was actually in his eyes. Whatever had just happened had caused the visor to just disappear and now all he could feel was a headache, a blocked nose and pain between his eyes.

"What did you just do Amora I said not to hurt anyone?" Loki hissed and looked to the woman who had just joined him at his side.

"Oh it was a simple trick….I removed something so he could see better."

"What? That is there for his protection….for his eyes." Loki winced as he saw Jay stumbling around blindly rubbing at his stinging eyes whilst the paint dripped down his face mixed with what Loki knew to be blood.

Jay was smart enough to carry a bottle of water with him which he fumbled for before unscrewing the top and pouring it on his face washing away the traces of pink paint and blood from the bridge of his nose and eyes.

"What the fuck happened to my mask….mmm and my nose." Jay cringed as his own blood made a slow trail into his mouth. He glanced at his watch and stood back up carefully taking his protective mask with him back to the tent…..It was time to go, the next event awaited.

And right on cue the klaxon sounded….Each team member emerged battle weary and covered in an amount of mixed paint, by the looks of it Kai's team had won, which was a relief, Jay had got a few hits in himself and judging by Cole's team they had too.

Kai was covered in a mixture of blue and pink paint which looked like his own team had turned on him just before the klaxon had sounded resulting in an all out paintball battle…but it was all in good fun and no one was angry, laughter could be heard and differences had been put aside for the day.

Kai and Cole had congratulated each other as they approached the tent but not before Cole had shot Kai again in jest.

Zane had come back without any paint splats at all but his gun and all his cartridges were empty and Lloyd had the most paints splats, the one Jay had given him made him a target, a bright blue dried paint splat mixed with a multitude of other blue splats and the odd pink one too.

"Ooh ouch bro, what happened?" Kai quizzed and cringed.

"Jay what happened to your nose?" Cole asked as he and Kai both approached him, he was tilting his head back to stem the flow.

"My mask broke…I fink and Karloff shot me between da eyes." He replied, as his nose continued to bleed.

"Just need a tissue and quick before anyone else sees the colour of dis blood." He muttered and turned away from the other team members who walked in.

Cole was quick to grab something from the first aid kit and handed it to Jay swiftly, allowing him to cover his nose and wipe the residue away.

"Where we off to next Jay?"

"Da casino and we need to change our clofes…err clothes….into somefing smart." Jay replied with difficulty.

He removed his boots and unzipped his slightly wet paint soaked suit allowing it to drop the floor in a pile.

He removed his casual clothes quickly before grabbing his spares for the casino event. His spare clothes had been a gift from Loki during his last trip to Midgard, The God had expected his young prince and protector to at least look well-presented when not on duty. So Loki had taken him to New York and Italy to buy four tailor made suits mostly blue but a black one too just in case and each spectacular suit had cost over $60,000.

The suit was one thing and only part of the outfit, Loki had chosen his white shirts and cuff links too, to make him look presentable at all times because of course his armour wasn't always appropriate and there would be times when wearing the suit was preferred as was the case for negotiating and the occasional hostile takeover.

"Finally stopped bleeding..." Jay muttered as he put the cloth down and proceeded to fumble around in his carryall, for his shoes and next outfit.

Jay unzipped his suit bag and retrieved a pure royal blue suit complete with pure white shirt and button up waistcoat.

"Ooh nice threads Jay, where did ya pick those up?"

"Midgard….Loki took me to Brioni or something when we were there and they made the suit just for me…..you can't even buy this bad boy in the stores it is tailor made dontcha know." He smirked as he carefully pulled his shirt over his toned shoulders doing each button up carefully before adoring it with the diamond cuff links.

"Not sure what is so special about it though other than it being made for me…" he felt how smooth the trousers were as he pulled them up gently, repositioning his manly parts before zipping and buttoning to secure.

"I mean even the name of the suit is intimidating…they called it the 'Vanquish 2' eheheh." He finished the look by pulling his waistcoat and suit jacket on. "How do I look?"

"Like you're a bad boy who just had a fight or got out of prison and had a smart tailored suit ready for you when you go out."

"Hey one of them is almost right, one happened recently too ah who am I kidding I fit all three." Jay sighed and shoved his casual clothes into his carry all smirking as he did so before rounding everyone up again.

"You sure you're alright Jay?"

"Uh huh….yeay….just one of those things right?"

"No I don't mean your nose or err eyes I mean you?" Cole asked again.

"Urgh Cole…yes sheesh, stop already…look I know you're worried but I'm fine okay, I'm happy see." Jay pulled a big fake smile flashing some impressive white teeth at the master of earth.

"Well Jay, you know where I am if you need to talk and I mean that, even tonight or tomorrow when you're ready just come and find me…yeah."

"He's right bro, it's not good to keep it all inside." Kai soothed with a gentle squeeze on Jay's upper arm before Lloyd and Zane joined in.

"Jay we're all here for you, it's good to talk remember….don't keep it all in." Lloyd smiled and stood next to Kai grabbing him and giving his head a noogie.

"Please guys, y-you don't need to worry about me…it's all been sorted, it was all removed and I don't feel sadness or anything now….just immense joy and happiness but yet…..still anger…No..I'm fine guys seriously."

Jay rubbed his face and turned his back on his brothers before standing up on a wooden bench within the tent clearing his throat before he spoke.

"Hey guys….e-everyone," Jay rubbed his nose carefully the blood flow had stopped.

"Hey listen up, we need to change into our smart clothes now because in twenty or so minutes we'll be travelling to the casino, where we've got a hundred dollars each….spend it wisely and when it's gone use your own eheheh."

Jay stood back down and walked out of the tent, he had to clear his head….too much emotion in there. Did they want him to cry in front of everyone?

* * *

"When exactly are you going to strike? Loki." Amora quizzed.

"He's right there, you could just take him now."

"No Amora, I want to see what is so special that he felt he needed to leave despite me forbidding him to do so."

"If he was mine I would have punished him long before now…..you're just delaying the inevitable…..that is far more cruel."

"Really how so? Jay may be aware that we are here but I do not intend to hurt him."

"You really have changed Loki and I'm not sure if I like it or not, you loved to dispense pain and punishment, you revelled in it at one point, it gave you the lust for life. You desired to inflict pain and not just with your body but with your mind too."

"I'm not like that anymore Amora….I-I have changed."

"It's because of him isn't it?" Amora stared wide eyed at her fellow Asgardian.

"Don't worry it won't last, your evil persona will always win out, it's who you are and who you are meant to be…..so enjoy him while you can."

"What does that mean Amora? I write my own destiny now and I certainly don't follow those pre-ordained for me by Odin All father nor All mother Frigga. My past lives and reincarnations have all lived and failed but they didn't have this special weapon with them…..No, those Loki's were all but alone….and loneliness leads to desolation and despair." Loki sighed and watched Jay walk back to the tent.

"Despair and desolation leads to weakness and the wrong choices…All that happened centuries ago….during the last Ragnarok," he replied.

Jay walked up to the cars looking at the registration plates to remember which car he left in with Darreth before finding it at the back. He opened the boot of the car and reached in to retrieve his coat which hid his wallet. His wallet held a huge wad of cash which he had managed to withdraw from his father's bank account as part of his will settlement, he had been left Cliff Gordon's home, Yacht and his savings. Which was plenty enough and then some to guarantee a good night.

"Some spare cash for the casino and night club me thinks." Jay smirked as he walked back to the tent happy to see that everyone was walking out looking very smart his own brothers included.

"Nice threads Cole, Kai and Zane….very impressed." He smirked as they approached and walked towards their respective transport giving him a high five as they walked passed.

"Hey green machine rocking the black suit, very dapper Lloyd." Jay winked as he directed everyone else to the waiting cars, checking his watch for the next event was due to start in fifteen minutes.

He walked back into the tents to check nothing had been left behind including party members or bags and noticed his own before grabbing it and walking out to the car left standing.

"Sorry Darreth forgot my bag…..ehehheh." Jay smiled and put his bag into the back before getting into the drivers seat of the hummer.

"Everyone buckled in?...cool." Jay put his foot down and wheel span the large and heavy car into motion tearing up the earth as he did.

It didn't take long for him to catch up especially after a quick off road detour consisting of a few minutes of fun and jumping over large mounds of earth at breakneck speeds. Luckily there were only three ninja in the car Jay, Darreth and Lloyd and Jay seemed to be quite good at keeping control of the car despite Lloyd's panicked pleas to go slower.

"So where are we off to after the casino? Or is it a secret." Lloyd asked holding on to the door handle above his door and the sturdy metal bars in the centre console.

Jay and Darreth exchanged glances and both spoke at the same time.

"Nightclub and the rest is a secret…."

Jay smirked "Don't worry Lloyd it'll be fun."


	40. Friday 13th

The black hummers, bar one, had all arrived on time. Everyone present, had got out and the keys had been handed to the valet which was owned by the luxury casino.

The Casino Royale was Ninjago's only casino and the venue was new and very exclusive so strict clothing and respectable behaviour were expected of everyone.

The owners were supposed royalty but only the Mayor of Ninjago had ever met them. To the mayor, they were considered as nouveau riche, they were incredibly ostentatious, thinking so much of themselves when he could see clearly through their guise.

This was one reason there was only one solitary casino in Ninjago, because the type of people that frequented it were the type of people that would bring debt and despair to the citizens of the nearby town where it was located...And the other reason, gambling was a sin and people had lost jobs, houses and families because of addiction in other places.

But the Mayor and the local council had given planning permission for the casino to be built as long as they would receive some form of benefit from it, like a back hander a bonus if you will.

A 15% payout each day would be given to the Mayor of Ninjago based on the takings...and then nothing more would be said. Complaints from the villagers and local townsfolk would be swallowed up and spat out, nothing would be done but the Casino would remain whilst the payments kept coming in.

* * *

The majority of plain clothed but smartly dressed ninja were waiting patiently for the organiser and best man to show up, having already got out of their own transportation, the cars were now securely locked in the Casino's own underground car park, leaving the waiting ninja to look around in awe at the brand new marble building with red and blue carpet leading into the pit of debt and despair...of the Casino Royale.

Their attention was briefly piqued when they heard the distant tell tale sounds of a large multi valved engine approaching. You could hear it before you saw it...a haze on the horizon was approaching quickly and by the sounds of it the driver was going over the speed limit. Lucky for him there were no blues and twos following because this wasn't the city...it was the suburbs and as such...no speed cameras and no speed traps...what luck eh?

Jay roared around the corner and pulled up underneath the grand archway, nearest as possible to the valet booth.

Cole was secretly impressed, Jay's car was completely caked in mud and the odd bit of grass was sticking out from under the grill. Whilst all the other vehicles were spotlessly clean and looked like showroom cars but at least someone had had fun and used it as it was meant.

Cole laughed and shook his head as Darreth and a rather nervous looking but relieved Lloyd climbed out of the muddy beast, Jay grinned behind the large steering wheel and took the keys out before handing them to the valet.

"Superb driving Jay….didn't know you were a rally driver." Darreth mumbled as he put his hand to his mouth and let the colour come back to his face.

"What!…Hey, we went off road for no more than a few minutes…..no biggie right?" Jay shrugged and giggled, he brushed past Darreth and went to join Cole and together they led the group of young men into the large grand casino.

* * *

First task was checking in with the concierge before the obligatory depositing of jackets and personal goods, second task was gathering each member's tokens and chips before dishing out $200 to each member of the bachelor party. Jay pocketed his wad of cash again, it was steadily going down but he still had plenty to spare.

"Again guys, listen up right, we're here for about two hours then we get something to eat which should stretch us out until at least 9pm."

"Neuro if you wanna use your elemental abilities you do so at your own risk…..you hear me?" Jay smirked at Neuro who nodded.

"Ronin?" Jay shouted looking around for the strangely dressed man.

"Yeah…..what?" came the gravelly reply.

"Just behave please, this is a semi respectable place." Jay smirked.

"The rest of you have fun and be lucky." Jay watched everyone walk off and went to grab himself a drink of water with his stack of chips.

* * *

"Aww Loki, can we do another trick here? It's den of depravity and depair….all these gamblers look so mournful." The two gods watched from afar, their enchantment made it so no-one could see them.

"Well they probably are Amora. The casinos, as you know, are there to merely make money from the poor. Thus, in effect keeping them in their place so the bourgeoisie can stay rich, tis but human nature."

"Gambling is a sin! Greed! Please, just one trick."

"Make it a good one though this time, maybe issue someone with good luck, considering the date."

"What is the 13th not a lucky date here?" Amora questioned.

"No…..it's synonymous with bad luck, they are a very superstitious realm as are Midgardians."

"I am not a bringer of good luck Loki, it is not my thing, I'm a trickster and sorceress as you well know. I'm not a leprechaun."

"Well, you wear green do you not?" He smiled.

"As do you Loki."

"Amora, if you cannot do it…" He teased, "Of course, I could…..now you have to give two people, a form of good luck for the sake of arguing with me…..next event will be my turn." Loki taunted.

"Then you better make it good….no evil! at the next event….can't we at least have a fight?" Amora pleaded.

"We'll see, we might be able to relieve some of this pent up tension I can feel radiating amongst these young men." Loki mused and put his finger against his mouth.

"Oooh it burns Loki, I can feel it too...hostility…..do you think these men have a history together?"

"Yes something recent perhaps and something that drove a wedge between their team workings….."

"Maybe it was a show of strength or courage." Amora raised her eyebrow.

"They are not so different from our mighty warriors in Asgard….I sense."

"Yes, I can see what you mean, but in Asgard our warriors fight and then then drink and celebrate together."

Amora disappeared and left Loki to sit near to Jay unnoticed, the God grew concerned at Jay's persona, he was changing before his eyes, no emotions were being shown at all, just an unnerving unnatural smile which was almost completely plastered on his face.

Loki stayed in close proximity to Jay completely unnoticed by him, he moved until he was sitting right next to him, but once he did he could feel the pain radiating from within.

 _'The spell, needs to run its course Jay...but this is what you get...your petulant actions led to this.'_

* * *

Jay leaned back in his booth and lifted his legs up on the velveteen buttoned couch watching with the same unnatural smile as his brothers played the various tables and one armed bandit machines, some cheers were heard as some of the men were winning and others were consoling as they lost half of their chips by bad choices on the blackjack, roulette and poker tables.

Amora was up to her usual tricks though because after an hour of trying to find the perfect person to give a boost of good luck to, she finally settled on a blonde haired young looking man, one who looked younger than his years.

She bit her lip and watched him, his skin was so young almost as if he was aged against his choice and his hair…..it was as bright as hers. She could feel his power and strength….his elemental power and so much of it in this young body.

Amora stroked a hand up and down him provocatively not caring how and where she touched but as she did she smiled and blew a small amount of red dust at his face.

Lloyd didn't sense her at all he just coughed and wiped his nose, shrugging it off as if nothing had happened. He pulled the handle down again, "Gahh nothing, this damn machine won't pay out."

"Chill Lloyd, maybe try another…..how much have you put in it?"

"Enough…" Lloyd bit his lip and smiled at Cole.

"What about you…..been lucky yet?"

"Yeah on the roulette table mostly." Cole laughed and flashed his five golden tablets.

"How much are they worth?" Lloyd questioned.

"Each one is worth $250 hahahah." Cole giggled "Telling ya you got play the tables they pay out more than these do."

"Yeah right." Lloyd hissed as he pulled the handle down again.

He was fast running out of chips because he didn't dare to use the busier tables due to the pressure and stress of those surrounding them. Poker games he wasn't really a fan of card games but roulette seemed like fun, but here he was inserting his last two chips into the damned machine that had so far taken over $50 worth or chips.

Amora and the astrally projected part of herself that she kept hidden was beginning to manipulate the machine he was playing…..she triggered the jackpot function and watched from a distance as he pulled the handle down for a final time.

He looked at the machine in defeat but then watched as all three reels matched up and read 'jackpot' in big golden letters before the machine began buzzing and ringing like a bell had been set off.

"Oh, hehe Oh my god I-I won." Lloyd shouted out loud as large chips and coins came from the machine falling noisily into the tray, the bells and alarms went off alerting the casino goers and staff of the big win.

"Whoa, Lloyd way to go dude." Cole cheered and helped Lloyd by fetching coin buckets to collect the jackpot winnings. "And here's you thinking it wouldn't pay out eh….what luck, it only goes and pays out the freaking jackpot." He added, passing the buckets to Lloyd.

"How much did you win?" Kai smiled and laughed as the chips and tablets continued to fall.

"Uhm." Lloyd looked up at the jackpot number above him and awed at the sheer amount of zeros emblazoned in flashing bulbs. "Uh…$100,000.00."

"WHOA…oh my god…..what are ya gonna do with all that?"

"I-I err don't know. Have a great night me thinks hahahaha…..drinks are on me guys."

"Hey can I get the biggest bottle of champagne you got here…what size is it?"

"Nebuchadnezzar sir, it is the equivalent of 15 litres of our finest champagne and a perfect choice for winning our one armed bandit jackpot."

"Perfect! Then serve all the party with a glass or two….please." Lloyd beamed.

"As you wish sir, and congratulations." The casino managed congratulated and walked off.

"That was awesome guys, can't believe I finally won something."

"Yeah I guess the pain and humiliation of losing the comic book store comp was pretty bad wasn't it?" Cole teased tongue in cheek.

"Hey no fair, you wouldn't let me get the newest edition so I couldn't tell him what the last answer should have been."

"Oh wow, still holding a grudge about that, green machine?" Kai laughed.

Zane, Neuro and Ronin were the only other three ninja who were doing exceptionally well, they stayed well clear of the machines for the most part and stayed nearest the tables, favouring poker and blackjack. Neuro had won his money back ten times and was now quite happy with his winnings.

Zane had counted cards and learnt about the rolls of the dice until he too gambled only when he felt it safe to do so. He played carefully and won his money back before trying his luck on the machines.

He knew the machines would pay out, it was a given and it was what they had been programmed to do after a certain amount had been played. A certain mechanism had to trigger to allow the winnings to be released and it was a time consuming process.

Five machines around him were all about to trigger so Zane played them all as the computer nindroid he was, he deposited a coin in each one and meticulously pulled the handle on each machine waiting for them all to trigger.

One by one they all came up just as he had computed they would, and he too won. Flashing lights again signified more winnings had indeed been won and now Zane too was the proud winner of $500.00

"That wasn't even me Loki." Amora smirked "It was his own doing, he seems very talented…oh what ails him Loki." Amora questioned Loki as she looked to his side and saw Jay looking solemnly at his almost empty glass of water.

She smirked and replaced it with pure vodka as well as that which he had already consumed.

"What did you just do Amora….leave him be already." Loki scolded.

"Fine I will….I'll be back later, still need to find another worthy soul." She huffed and stalked off to find another unsuspecting soul who she could grace with a hint of good luck.

Jay hiccoughed and shook his head looking at his glass of water, before swallowing the contents of the glass and shrieking as his throat burnt with the strong alcohol.

"What was in that damn glass woman," Loki caught it as it fell to the floor but Jay didn't see it because he was snuggling up against the seat until he finally succumbed.

"Vodka, you plied him with alcohol? Amora that is low even for you." Loki smirked but stayed next to Jay stretching his own long arms and legs out occasionally as he watched his protector sleeping.

"I'm sorry Jay, she hasn't been around your type before, alas she is new to this behaviour…..I'm trying to make her understand okay!" Loki wished he could reappear and give some consolation to Jay but knew if he did he would likely receive unwanted attention from the other males in the room and then Jay would have no choice but to fight….them.

* * *

Amora floated around, her form allowed her to appear and vanish not unlike a ghost but with the ability to materialise into solid form within a millisecond, a trick she had learnt with from her last beau before she killed him ruthlessly.

She saw another willing soul but this one she didn't want to bestow luck on she wanted him in another way.

He looked so bad he was wicked at least his appearance was because of course his face was scowling too and to Amora it looked like he was in a bad mood…like he was always angry. His skin grey and the same as the dismal weather on Svartalfheim; the home of the dark elves. His hair was as black as the night just as Loki's was.

'Is his heart as black as his soul?' she thought and watched the young but intriguing man as he stalked around angrily looking for his next win or loss.

'What is your name you beautiful creature she asked as she took in his odd complexion.'

"Hey Shade, how ya doing over there?" Ronin shouted, collecting his winnings from the poker table.

"Stick it, none of your business cause you're not having any of my winnings." Shade replied as he put his last $100 chip on number 23 on the roulette table.

Amora smirked at him and his admission. "Shade such a beautiful but appropriate name for someone with such a penchant for the dark side of life." She ran her hands through his hair and she knew he could feel it.

"Who a-are you?" He hissed as his eyes widened. "I-I know you're there I can feel you." he said smoothing his hair down again in annoyance.

"I won't show you…your mind won't be able to handle the truth." She whispered, she saw his jaw clench in anger.

"Oooh such power and…anger in here."

"What do you want?" he hissed, and the croupier looked at him in confusion.

"Sorry…..talking to myself." he sneered and looked away happy with his decision at putting his last chip on one number rather than spreading it over four.

"I am a greater being that you could not possibly hope to comprehend."

"Hmm." Shade replied visibly irritated as the table span before his eyes, he watched intently as the ball span around and around.

"Why?" he whispered again so only she could hear.

"Shade is it?...I am here to bestow good luck for today only and this I do just for you." She replied calmly.

The roulette wheel slowed down and the ball found the correct slot, it fell into slot twenty three. The croupier took a second glance because initially it hadn't it was like his eyes were playing tricks on him, the ball had most definitely settled into black four which was situated right next to red twenty three but yet there it was. Sitting snugly in the pocket…..odd.

The croupier frowned again checking his roulette camera but it showed the same thing, it was like magic. Shade was beginning to get antsy at being kept waiting for his winnings so the croupier reluctantly gave him his new chips.

"Congratulations sir…" he said and handed over $2000 which was more than he should have won back but according to the croupier he had placed two chips down which was good luck again.

"Thank y-you whoever you are…..really." Shade smiled as he collected his winnings and went to try his luck on a few slots machines.

* * *

Another hour had passed and Jay was coming round as Cole and Lloyd had joined him at the table. Jay was drooling slightly and still had a firm grasp on his chips, he hadn't even played yet. But his phone alarm diverted him to the time, it was time to eat.

More of Kai's party were making their presence known as they came back with winnings or with nothing and Jay tiredly handed out menu's to each and every one. He stumbled a bit as the alcohol was still in his system but following his sleep was slowly beginning to wear off.

"I hope you're all hungry because they seem to serve big portions here according to Darreth." He yawned and motioned everyone to follow his through to the restaurant where everyone sat down at the long table they had laid out.

"One too many Jay?" Cole mocked.

"Eh? Just water I thought, *hic* but strange because I-I don't remember drinking alcohol." Jay mumbled to Cole whilst retrieving the bottle and struggling to focus on it before passing Cole his own menu.

"Just go steady, yeah? God knows what Darreth will do if you're down and out."

"Prolly panic a whole lot or not, he seems to be pretty chill actually." Jay smiled and saw him chatting to Ash and Griffin.

"Speaking of chill…..Zane you come to join us?" Jay asked.

"Because you kept your distance today, well so far." He added.

"Tactical advantages Jay, I don't want to disclose my secrets nor my logical parameters, my internal servers would not allow it." Zane replied and sat down either side of Cole and Lloyd, Kai sat next to his best man.

"Fine, I get it…..but I don't think you'll need logical parameters at the next place we go or the place after that to be fair eheheh."

"I will take your word for that, but ultimately I will decide that for myself upon discovering where we will be going….you never know when logic will come into play."

"What gives Jay, you didn't even use your chips today." Cole asked.

"Yeah I know….well someone switched my drink and I kinda just slept it off…feel really thirsty now though." He replied grabbing his glass of water and drinking it back cautiously sip by sip.

One by one each ninja ordered their main drink choice followed by their three course meal. It took a little longer than Jay had expected as there were quite a few men to feed and some of them seemed to have quite a ravenous appetite especially Karloff and Cole who was on his third slice of chocolate cake following a rather large t bone porterhouse steak complete with mashed potatoes and broccoli.

Jay and Kai had gone for the same, a half roast chicken with other small cuts of meat...a meat feast full of protein followed by apple pie and ice cream.

'Dammit Cole, you keep eating like that dude and you're gonna be huge in ten years…although immortality, no wait Volstagg is rotund too and he is kinda immortal...urgh who am I kidding I'll be the same.'

Jay laughed and ate his food all the while his mind kept wondering back to Nya and the night they had spent together….. 'Damm it felt so good but was ruined by the mere mention of a four letter word….a name….Loki.'

Jay smirked and pushed away his empty dessert plate before checking his watch and feeling relieved that there was still plenty of time. All the men had to was change their tops into something a little more…tropical and everything they needed was in the box in the car and that would be bought out in due course.

"So Lloyd I hear you won big today?"

"Yeah, it was weird really like magic almost." Lloyd hastily cut into his apple pie and ice cream before shoving a large moist piece in his mouth and groaning at the taste.

Jay frowned at the word he used, knowing only one or maybe two people capable of performing that type of magic.

"What happened, were you on your last chip or something and you won the jackpot?" Jay joked and smirked, waiting for the answer which he expected to be completely the opposite.

"Yeah exactly…just that, the machine just sort of let me win….I mean I had put over $50 in it and I was on my last one…And I won the jackpot $500,00.00" he replied and cut into his pie again.

Jay spluttered on his water and sat up straight as the eyes of his brothers all looked at him in confusion.

"That is impressive that you won so much…." Jay coughed, recomposing himself.

'And slightly worrying that you mentioned magic…..because that would mean….he's here and I'm gonna be in so much trouble.'

"So guys did anyone else win today….like big winnings or anything?" Jay asked loudly.

"Yeah Shade did," Ronin hollered from a few seats down. "Got some help from an other worldly creature too apparently…..female." Ronin smirked and made a hand gesture signifying he had drunk one too many.

But Jay took that as a sure sign he wasn't alone in his own realm anymore and now for some unfathomable reason he really needed to speak to Shade.

'He is here, I knew it!…..no they both are. Oh god two Asgardians great, what fun we'll have….just what exactly are you playing at Loki?'

"Jay, so glad to see you, are you responsible for this table and the bill?" A pair of astonishing green eyes asked the blue suited man who had stood up to get the attention of the group.

"Y-yes, that's me…..Thanks." Jay replied looking back at the enticing green eyes feeling like he'd seen them before. He took the small silver tray with the bill attached whilst keeping his trained eyes on those startling green ones.

"Your bill sir…..are you having fun, Jay? I mean your whole party?" The man asked.

Jay felt his heart beating faster whilst he tried to form a simple sentence. "Yeah, s-so far so good actually….n-no problems yet and no fights so as well as can be expected with such a group of err energetic young men…..right?"

"Of course, of course…..well, enjoy your evening while you still have the energy." He said backing away aware that this simple action had caused a tremendous rise of anxiety in his protector.

* * *

"Loki, was that the best you could do? That was boring."

"I do not plan on humiliating him, why would I need to? Besides, he is my protector and as such we need to have some form of respect in our working relationship."

She looked at him questioningly, "I see, but tailing him like this isn't exactly being respectful though is it?"

"You're questioning me aren't you….my tactics?" Loki looked at his long fingers pausing carefully.

"Enchantress, if you will indulge me for one moment, I would like to add; that Jayson is the crowned prince of Asgard. We are just here to keep an eye on him and…."

"Educate him….teach him a valuable lesson." Amora suggested.

"A valuable lesson…..no because that sounds unpleasant…..we're here to guide him."

"Hmm well, we'll see what the next event holds." Amora huffed and turned her back on the God.

* * *

"Hey Shade, long time no see….where ya been hiding." Jay said and then bit his tongue for his use of not one but two unwarranted puns.

"Oh like I've not heard that one before….so funny _Jay Walker._ " He replied looking happy with himself at using Jay's name as an insult.

"Touche Shade, anyway that doesn't insult or offend me because like you I've heard it every day since I was old enough to understand what is meant….yeah my name is a crime; literally!" Jay smiled and sat down next to him.

"You won today too huh?" Jay asked.

"Yeah was cool really I was being careful because you know you guys only gave us $200….cheap skate." Shade retorted.

"Ooh ouch Shade, you realise that equates to quite a lot of money stretched out between all of you guys, considering I'm paying for the whole day including food and drink!"

"That's not my fault." Shade mumbled.

"Fine…..ya know what it doesn't matter I mean you could have asked for more if you were that desperate."

"No, no it's fine Jay just ply us with enough like pocket money…..we're not kids ya know."

"Well you realise you could have brought your own money too right?"

"Why?"

Jay shook his head and took a deep breath in "Anyway….what happened when you won, anything strange happen I mean right before?"

"Hmm." Shade looked at Jay incredulously but kept calm with slow steady breaths. "The roulette ball wasn't meant to go into my pocket but it did it jumped from one and into the other….I had to argue my case with the croupier cos he didn't wanna pay out but the camera never lies and he reluctantly gave me what was mine."

"Hmm interesting…anything else?"

"Yeah, a soft female voice was speaking to me, telling me she was an other worldly creature…get off my case Jay, I'm not insane like Ronin believes me to be so that's all you're getting." Shade folded his arms and turned away in effect giving Jay the cold shoulder.

"Thanks….Shade." Jay smiled and rolled his eyes, getting up to go back to stand at Kai's side.

"Hey guys, are we almost done here? Because we still have an action packed evening lined up so when you've finished you'll need to meet me outside as our transport awaits."

"Where we off to next then?"

"Somewhere….energetic Kai…..you'll love it." Jay replied.

Jay grabbed his jacket and went to settle up the bill, withdrawing his huge wad of cash and removing half of the notes before depositing them on the tray.

"Thank you sir, anything else for you tonight?"

"No we're just packing up now actually." Jay replied looking away.

"Where are you off to next then?" the female voice asked.

"Oh err a nightclub actually, these guys still have way too much energy."

"Are you the one who is keeping an eye on all of them?"

"In what way?" Jay turned around and looked in the stunning blue eyes of the female.

"Keeping them free from harm when they are in the club?"

"No, I'm not their babysitter besides they're adults they can look after themselves…my soul responsibility tonight and tomorrow is the groom; Kai." Jay pocketed his cash and change before buttoning his jacket up.

"So, you will be looking out for one other person tonight? other than the one who you are supposed to watch over?"

"What?..." Jay looked up to find no one there 'great just great, mind games is all I need tonight.'

* * *

"Well then Jay maybe you shouldn't have run off like the conniving scamp you are." Came a male voice with a visible sneer to it, the cold breeze carried across to Jay making the hairs stand up on the back of his neck.

"L-Loki? I-I know you're here….I can sense you near me, just stop with the magic already." Jay backed up against the empty till.

"You gave me no choice I-I told you I had to be back here for an important event." Jay whispered trying to find the exact location of the voice.

"Yes one that was so important you didn't feel a need to disclose it to me."

"I-I couldn't, I'm not in charge of the guest list."

"The guest list, oh how droll…but it's okay now, because we both know that it will be a wedding…" Loki raised his eyebrow aware at just uncomfortable he had made the young prince.

"Do not worry, I will keep my distance, Although I cannot say the same for her though. It would seem she has a penchant for being most cruel when she sees fit."

"I don't care what you do to me, just don't ruin the wedding tomorrow."

"Oh I was not planning on ruining a ceremony as important as the joining of two lovers in matrimonial bliss, but alas I do feel somewhat hurt as to not receiving an invite, considering I invited you and your brethren to our wedding celebrations. Not many can say that they have attended the wedding of a god, can they?"

"Well again I had no choice to that either and neither did they."

"If you keep throwing that pathetic word around like it's a severed head I will make you live every last choice you have made with me." He sneered and openly tested his protector.

"Look I can't deal with your mind games tonight Loki, I'm sorry okay I-I shouldn't have just left. I-I did it because this was special, I'd been asked to be a part of it."

"And I had expressly forbid you to leave Asgard because of how close you had put yourself to being controlled by another….your behaviour dare I say it…..is equivalent to that of a teenager and not of an adult male….reckless. Immaturity will not be tolerated, you need to grow up."

"You agreed to this Jay, you belong to me for all eternity and you cannot escape to this realm that you claim to love but inwardly despise."

"I-I don't despise it…." Jay said in bewildered shock, a part of it was true, but how did the God know?

"Yes you do….you now feel isolated here, you secretly desire Asgard yet do not disclose it to them. I of course don't blame you for that, the Realm Eternal is indeed magical."

"Look, I've told you already! You gave me no choice okay because, well, because I gave you my word that I would stay by your side on the proviso that you let them go."

"And I did as you requested."

"Yeah you did, but that was on your own terms…so I stayed with you and took on the responsibilities as your protector."

"What are you getting at Jayson, because I know you're trying to say something."

"It's Jay…..and I'm getting there okay! Look you said you gave me and the guys a long vacation because of our service to you and then you took it off me after, like what? four days!"

"And your point is?"

"Is that it? I get four days off?"

"Jayson, the reason we went back to Asgard was not to cut your vacation time short but merely because the behaviour of your brothers warranted it."

"What?"

"They tried to kill you, do you not remember? One by one Jay they will succeed until you can't bear it any longer."

"No….you're wrong they won't do that…..they're my brothers."

"But don't you see they already have begun…first Kai blinded by jealousy….he gave you up so freely and easily by way of a huge dowry on your head. Did he ever divulge how much you were worth to him?"

"No…..why would he divulge that to me? He was put up to it by Hydra, he wouldn't have done it willingly, he was threatened….no doubt." Jay panted shaking his head.

"Hydra paid him a small fortune….enough to buy that penthouse that your beau accommodates….enough so that he would never need to work again, so much money that his future children can go to the finest schools, he can retire and would still be the richest man in this realm…..blood money Jay."

"What no…..he didn't know that they were going to try and kill me."

"Yes he did you insufferable fool, listen to what I'm saying." Loki spat and Jay could feel the ice cold breeze hit his face.

"You were never meant to survive Hydra, because Kai wanted you dead. That brother you protect tonight didn't protect you at all, if anything he made it so difficult to get you back." Loki paused thinking back to the doctor retrieving the throwing star which had been embedded in his body.

"You realise that even after you were rescued from Hydra, Kai had pushed a star into your healing wounds…he knew you had been poisoned and he revelled in watching you squirm yet you care to love him like a brother forgiving him for all his slights….how incredibly naive of you."

"He was paid over $2 million for you…..but now you know…..how much your life was worth to him. That is why Hydra want you so badly…they think they own you now and Kai made it all possible."

Jay stood and shook his head in denial, panicking slightly "Y-you're wrong, we're best friends now….I-I forgave him."

"You forgave him! How noble. He almost succeeds in killing you twice and you forgave him, small narrow minded fool."

"I'm not a fool." Jay hissed.

"Don't you see, that feeling still lies there. The feelings of jealousy boil under his skin, lying dormant only waiting to be awoken by a certain event, a reason to snap. The longer you stay here the more of an outcast you'll be and the more your life will be at risk."

"Then of course there is Cole who was taken by envy at your strength and determination…."

"That was an accident….I don't think he meant it to cause that much harm." Jay stuttered and felt the walls closing in on him.

"That was no accident, he put Zane up to the idea and both of them devised a plan to test you, Zane only partially agreed though but Cole took it upon himself to mix the potions." Loki paused and laughed.

"Oh the Norns why didn't I think of that…oh that's right! because I'm a master sorcerer, manipulator of magic, destroyer of worlds, master of the unknown and breaker of minds….I know not to mix potions….But Cole didn't and he created a whole new one….just for you no doubt."

"What? I don't underst…"

"He almost succeeded in his endeavours Jay. You could have died as a result of his actions. So I ask you now, do you still see him as your brother and your best friend? And think carefully before you speak."

"Well I….." Jay stalled, his hands shaking, he saw Cole towards the table of men, laughing.

"Oh now this is sweet,….I so _love_ conflict. Because you do not want to say no for fear of saying goodbye and now you know the truth you refuse to say yes ..oooh that must burn to know how they truly feel about you though still somewhat expected."

Jay bit his lip trying to stop himself from smiling because his emotions were now plain to see, the smile was hiding a greater emotion…"I-I said I will join you and I have already agreed to that and once this weekend is over with I will stay with you as you request."

"And you will begin to cut your ties with them?"

"If I must….."Jay sighed deeply and shuddered. "If…if that is what it takes, then so be it." He pinched his brows together looking at his brothers pitifully as they laughed together seemingly oblivious to his own troubles.

"It will be so sweet to see it finally come together…..don't you agree Jay?"

"No….not at all, but then this is what you always wanted…..to control me completely."

"Of course it is…no distractions Jay, no love, family or children and if any of them have children they will be cast aside and out of my service."

"You remember…..I did disclose that to you didn't I?" Loki taunted.

"You may have mentioned it in passing…..but I…."

"That's right because you are incapable of love now but they are not. Just to reiterate if any of your team are with child you will be punished for not following through with my direct instructions…..A warrior with children is incapable of focusing on his duties when at war, the child is often neglected and in the event of the unforeseen circumstance the surviving family are used as bargaining chips" Loki paused and even though Jay couldn't see him he could tell he was smiling.

"Whose life so you think they will save? Yours or the life of their own family and offspring?"

"I would never ask them to choose me….ever." Jay spat.

"Well good because they wouldn't choose you anyway, they would choose their own kin. The resulting aftermath of that would have them all pitted against you which turns the tables in their favour."

"Fine, y-you win, I'll do it, just give me more time."

"Time! How much _time_ does one need?"

"A month, no longer a month is….a month is all I need."

"Must I remind you that you belong to me, not them you don't owe them anything yet I own you which means you do as you are told and if I say you stay put then you should damn well stay put...a month really?"

"Dammit Loki, I am not your personal possession anymore, I-I said I would go with you till the end of the universe but you need to give me more respect."

"I swear to the infinite Gods, I will beat the ever living human curses out of your smug mouth if you don't stop swearing at me. And, for what it is worth you gave your female side to me remember, so yes I believe you are my personal possession."

"And because of your childish show of petulance I will show you the error of your ways in due course, Amora of course well she wants to do it in front of everyone but I am not that cruel…..but I guess her persona rubs off on me and I could be swayed if the time and circumstances thought it necessary."

"Y-you wouldn't! Look I-I'm sorry, please you can do whatever you want to, w-within reason, I don't want anyone to see."

"Fine,…you conniving scamp, after midnight like the tale of old I will take you away from here and teach you in the art of choices….to show you what each choice would bring you."

"Now before you interrupt again I must say that when the time comes; the mind makes it real so choose wisely."

"Let me guess…do I get a choice?" Jay whispered in secrecy aware that Cole was frowning at him in concern.

"Always, but not with this for this was Amora's choice."

"But why are you letting her get involved, she doesn't even know me properly and how do you know she'll be fair."

"She will know you in time Jay…I'm sure of it."

"I don't have to do what she says though I-I don't protect her…and how exactly is that respect?"

"No but you would do well to at least try to stay on her good side…..considering she was the one who gave you back your powers…Oh and, respect is earned."

"Did she do anything else…..or was that it and am I supposed to be grateful for that?...fucking earn respect…..I've already earned it." Jay hissed into nothingness.

"Yes you are supposed to be grateful Jay…I should remind you that I gave you your title and you are still to call me by mine, I assume you remember that?...Respect hmm I can teach you respect." Loki said as he grabbed Jay by the throat and squeezed.

"Yes my LIEGE…" Jay hissed and turned his back on Cole who was steadily approaching.

The voice and presence disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared and Jay now had a fine sheen of sweat adorning his brow and an elevated heart rate. Jay span on his heals with a mildly panicked look on his face before Cole put a hand on his shoulder.

"Jay! You don't look so good bro, you look like you've just seen a ghost."

"Jay….what's wrong bro? JAY?" Cole said loudly over the louder environment he was in, the bachelor party was certainly a noisy lot.

"N-nothing C-Cole….I'm fine." Jay rubbed his throat and face and a comical smile appeared there which looked odd against his otherwise anxious face.

"If you say so….I mean you look ill, you sure you're okay to go out?"

"Uh huh….yeah I'll be fine just, no I'll be fine." Jay smiled and shakily wiped his brow free of sweat, Cole looked at him in concern Jay's eyes were darting all over.

"Hmm...looks like I'll be keeping an eye on you tonight too then" He said as he led Jay away.

He followed Cole back to the long table where everyone was getting up, feeling rather full after their huge meal. Jay pinched the bridge of his nose and laughed, his brows furrowed.

'So far so good and hey no fights yet.' He thought, all he needed was a full on brawl to start as well as the loaded and timed bomb that Loki had just dropped on him.

"Come on guys our transportation awaits." He hollered to the table and led the way watching behind him where he felt a pair of angry green eyes staring after him.

 _'One month, I promise and you will have my complete and utter servitude.'_ He smiled and sighed looking to the floor avoiding all eye contact with his brothers as he walked past them in defeat feeling the weight of all nine realms resting on his weary young shoulders.


	41. The club scene

"Oh before you go Kai, you need this and Cole you'll need to do it if you can." Jay said as he handed Cole a pink fluffy blindfold, he bit his lip as he watched the faces of both ninja change into that of shock and surprise. Although Kai's face showed a reluctance to even contemplate putting the pink thing anywhere near his face until Cole took the choice of him and shoved it roughly over his spiky hair, Kai quickly hauled it up so he could get into the car with ease, a small roll of his eyes told Jay all he needed to know.

He looked to his right and saw the cars all pulling up ready for their next journey, they pulled up underneath the large car port lobby where all the males were patiently waiting to get back into their cars. The valet drivers quickly handed the keys back and one bu one each member got into their respective transportation.

"Don't forget each of you has a new shirt to wear and a little something else too, Cole put the blind fold on him first please." Jay winked at Kai before being given his keys.

He climbed in to the driving seat and waited patiently whilst the brown ninja finished talking to everyone, Lloyd climbed in followed by Darreth and Jay duly followed the convoy out of the casino carpark before taking the lead again and directing everyone in the right direction.

Jay wanted this night to slow down it was going far too quickly for his liking and before he knew it he was about to enter the third event leading to the grand finale and the subsequent end of the bachelor party.

He remembered the conversation he had with Loki and how persistent he had been in making sure that Jay followed through with his plans. But truth be told Jay was dreading it, he didn't want to say goodbye, he never had, the first time he did it a part of him died and this time would be no easier and for what it was worth why did he need to do it all alone?

But he had spoken, the God was insistent and as such Jay had to take note of what was expected of him or face a certain angry God.

But how could he do it? He would somehow have to make them hate him if that was possible, make himself so annoying that they would want to disown him and they themselves would cut the ties binding them instead….that would make it easier for everyone but of course it wouldn't be pleasant….for Jay.

The cars pulled up outside a nightclub, it could have been any inconspicuous nightclub but Jay and Darreth had chosen the only one with cheap plastic palm trees erected outside and the same neon versions inside. The nightclub was named the 'Copa Cabana' and was indeed a tropically inspired one, complete with staff in Hawaiian styled shirts and shorts where-as the women were wearing short grass skirts and leis atop a bikini…leaving little to the imagination but guaranteed to get the patrons in through the door.

Kai had been duly blindfolded with the hideous pink thing and Cole had taken the honour of applying it with a huge grin on his face as he did it despite the taunts and subsequent whines from Kai.

Alas Kai was completely unaware of where he was about to be taken even as a Hawaiian lei had been placed over his head complete with a rough but quick change of top to that of a tropical inspired one…..Cole wasn't particularly gentle but he'd received no complaints before at his adept skills of clothing removal in a hurry.

The fire ninja was completely oblivious to his change of top but figured something had happened as his new shirt was a little….snug, 'someone had chosen the wrong size or was that done on purpose?' he thought but quickly shrugged it off for a part of him was anxious and yet an evil part of him was enjoying the unknown and the darkness.

Yep everyone even Jay had changed shirts, Jay's still matched his trousers though and he got some female attention the minute he got out of his dirty mud covered car. The cars; all four of them, had been parked across the road in an otherwise empty car park. Most people wouldn't have drive here because at the end of the day it was a nightclub and such alcohol would no doubt be being consumed by any and all who entered.

The car park was separated by a large wide busy road, an intersection in the newest part of Ninjago city; apparently a new and upcoming part of the city and destined to be a popular spot for the young professionals destined to move into the area in due course...the night club however looked completely out of place.

Jay; formerly the blue ninja of lightning but now the young crowned prince of Asgard and royal protector Loki put on his best face complete with an aching jaw where his smile had remained all day. He jumped out of his car and ran to Kai's before opening the door so Kai could get out without injuring himself or anyone else in the process. The hideous pink and fluffy blind fold was still in place and as yet he had no idea where he was.

Luckily the pavements here in this new part of town were level and even, no crumbling bits and no run down areas, no this was again a new and upcoming part of town with an odd looking out of place nightclub that was brand spanking new yet looked to be decades old.

"Hey w-what gives Jay? Urgh don't like blindfolds, it's sort of like the feeling that your put your life in someone else's hands."

"Yeah like a trust thing right…you trust me Kai?" Jay asked as he led Kai out and away from the car carefully Jay walked backwards all the while keeping Kai's face in his main view.

"Yeah I trust you, is this a trust exercise?"

"No,…..not at all, I'm not that cruel besides it won't be on for long Kai…..so quit whining." Jay smirked and grabbed a pink sharpie marker from his pocket before drawing an ornate moustache on his best friends face complete with long beard.

"Now just hold still for a second…done" Jay smirked and threw the pen to Lloyd.

"Perfect…..you ready to go in bro?" Jay asked looking at Cole and Lloyd who were hysterical and crouching down in fits of laughter whilst trying to follow yet remaining silent. Both had to hold back for a few minutes until they had calmed enough to join their red fire elemental brother as he made his journey across the road.

"Yeah but why can I smell the all too familiar scent of a permanent marker Jay?" Kai asked as Jay guided him across the busy road.

"No idea Kai…..come on bro…guys come on let's get this show on the road."

Zane was as usual not laughing at all, not seeing the funny side of having a permanent marker in the form of a moustache drawn on the face. He saw it as childish but that was why his brothers loved him because he was the sensible one, it was often his logic that stopped any potential disasters what with Cole and Lloyd's exceptional leadership qualities sometimes letting them down.

"Guys we'll be here for about two hours right so don't drink too much because I don't fancy having to pay the soiling charge for these cars…oh before you go in who is the responsible adult between you all? who's the driver?" Jay shouted as he gently removed Kai's blind fold.

"I am," Darreth replied.

"Me too" replied Paleman but as usual Jay couldn't see him.

"Well I obviously am which means we can give up a car at least because we've got five seats per car…..Darreth can you do the honours and I'll get us all in to the party."

"Have fun Kai...but remember we've still got one other event lined up after this." Jay smirked and patted him on the back watching him walk off with his other friends.

Jay walked off once the males had entered the club before handing all their jackets to the cloakroom attendants. They were all given wrist bands and the obligatory leis to wear around their necks and of course Kai was given a coconut cocktail as he was officially the guest of honour.

"Thanks for doing this Darreth, owe you big time man." Jay ruffled the brown ninja's hair but he was busy contacting the hire car company to let them know they could come and collect one of the cars, rather than pay for an extra day. The brown ninja lifted his mirrored aviator sunglasses and winked at Jay in recognition.

"Well I'm glad you approve Jay, it wasn't easy though….bribes had to be made and I agreed to send them your business for the next few months at least." He finally replied after ending the call. He retrieved a comb from his back pocket which he used effortlessly on his hair without the need for a mirror. "Management baby, I'm good at what I do...and for a small fee I could market you all ya know get you some extra publicity." he crooned and combed his hair with a sly smile painted on his face.

"Eheheh good luck with that though, but I guess if the guys have a good time here then you never know they might come back again. Oh have you got anything else planned for tonight? That I should know about….I mean?"

"No but I'm sure we could start a competition, they have a mechanical bull ride here and sumo wrestling too ya know the big suits!"

"Ha, that would be awesome for the camera roll tomorrow let's do it." Jay replied eagerly as he turned to Kai whom he had somehow been handcuffed to.

"Time to remove that blindfold pretty boy." He teased and slowly removed it allowing Kai's eyes to adjust to the bright disco lights, his eyes scanned the room and he shook his head.

"Although not sure about these things…!" Jay raised his hand up and yanked Kai's up too. The red ninja of fire just merely shook his head and laughed.

"Okay own up…..who did this and who's got the keys…..dammit pink is so not my colour." Jay whined.

"No, but it is Zane's" Kai replied with a giggle as he collapsed to his knees in a fit of laughter, puling Jay down too onto the shiny wooden dance floor unexpectedly.

"Shit what was in that cocktail bro?" Jay laughed and lifted Kai up of the floor before slipping his wrist out of the furry cuffs before attaching them both to Kai.

A small smile came to his face and Jay knew he was expecting something bigger and maybe more twisted but that was the finale and Kai would again be blindfolded for that too was the best bit.

"Were you expecting something else by any chance?" Jay quizzed noting the slight frown.

Kai looked up and saw a large banner welcoming him and his bachelor party, the title was emblazoned with sequin covered letters in a fire coloured effect. The disco lights bounced of them effortlessly creating a sparkle akin to smouldering ashes in the air. The sign simply read 'Enjoy your last night of freedom Kai.'

"Not really to be honest…but your evil side did kinda paint out a slightly twisted night of trouble."

"Well you realise that the night isn't over yet right? Besides if my evil side as you put it were in charge of planning this then we would all be behind bars by now having robbed every bank in Ninjago, screwed every prostitute from here to Midgard and taken every drug possible….seriously it might have been fun but you'd be locked up for life because of me."

"Whoa, Jay that is kind of sick and twisted but did seem a little fun."

"Which bit?"

"Well the first bits mostly."

"Oooh Kai you dark horse…..I'm shocked by your admission, last night of freedom and you want to get your rocks off with a multitude of loose women…I'm shocked but also kind of impressed, Eheheh….the night is still young bro."

"I'm joking Jay…..I think." Kai sat down and grabbed his coconut cocktail with both cuffed hands finishing the last bit before belching.

"It's okay Kai, I know when you're joking….I can almost tell when people are lying now mainly because of Loki and his silver tongue…..he makes me question myself all the time. Each answer is a question and each question tests me."

"Kind of annoying really, anyway Kai this is your night so enjoy it but don't drink too much here."

"Thanks Jay….I'm kinda blown away by all this ya know…..how much did it all cost cos ya know I could have paid for the whole day….already paid for the wedding too." He said as a large tray of drinks was brought over consisting of a large hurricane style glass for the groom.

"It doesn't matter how much it cost Kai because money isn't an issue any more…..I mean my account is pretty impressive after Cliff Gordon passed away but I don't need any of your bl…..money…" Jay corrected and recoiled in terror at what he had just said, he quickly grabbed a drink of the tray and swallowed it.

'What had Loki said… 'blood money Jay…..Hydra wants you because they think you belong to them…..them…..you belong to them…but you don't you belong to me.'

"I-it doesn't matter Kai…..just enjoy it everything has been paid for so you don't need to pay for anything." Jay's blood ran cold, he was struggling to control his thoughts, the money Kai wanted to use and had been was the money he had been given from Hydra. Everything they had bought in Ninjago since being back, furniture, food, clothing, bills everything had blood on it, everything had a price and that payment was now overdue and was standing in person unharmed at least physically for the time being, standing in front of Kai.

Jay was still unharmed but the words Loki had uttered were ripping him in two, he knew that Loki wasn't lying about Cole or Kai but he had forgiven them and moved on….hadn't he?

When Jay looked back up Kai and his party had moved away to a few booths and some party goers had started dancing. Jay was surprised that Cole wasn't on the dance floor but maybe that would come later after a few more drinks.

Jay sat down on his own and withdrew a pen and pencil and began writing a long and lengthy letter, the last one he would ever write. One from the heart and meant for a special day. This was his speech and he wanted to make it special, meaningful but most of all he wanted to give them that last glimpse of Jay and the part of him that would remain, his chatterbox and annoying side the part that had tested their patience on more than one occasion but also the part of him that they would miss, his cheerful and colourful persona...him...Jay the original master of lightning and the blue ninja.

Pen to paper the words came like confetti from the air, emotion and heartbreak were purposefully kept out of it but pure jokes, banter and fun now littered the entire speech, it was filled to the brim with sickly true feelings, tainted with little lies and truths meant to indulge everyone. No humiliation was allowed nor was hatred, Jay knew Kai had paid for the entire wedding and everything in between, he'd even brought her a house which they had been decorating together. Hel even her engagement ring was a six figure number and of course it pained him to know how much money he'd been given, how much was someone's life worth?

But the blood money as Loki had called it was now the least of his worries, he knew that Hydra were still after him and they wouldn't stop until the CEO was dead and all evidence of his research was ultimately destroyed and he hoped that the serum's hadn't gone any further than Hydra.

Although remembering back to Iceland, Jay recalled the CEO mentioning the fact that the serum was still in it's testing phase and there was no way that they would freely distribute it without it being tested fully first.

Jay looked up momentarily keeping an eye out for Kai but deep down he wished he could just leave yet he had agreed to this, he could have passed the responsibility on to Lloyd but his inane ability to please everyone had caused this chain of events.

Kai was being roped in to dancing with some of the girls and it was apparent to Jay that he was now somewhat tipsy, having drunk all of the large glass of mixed cocktail without a care in the world.

He was notably surrounded by Cole and Lloyd and a few other ninja; namely Griffin, Neuro, Ash, Gravis and Karloff. Zane and Shade were watching the scene unfold and Zane was as usual perplexed by the events. Zane sat and shook his head at why his brothers were purposefully loading their prime and fit bodies with toxins…..alcohol.

Ronin…..well Ronin was chatting to a woman at the bar whilst helping himself to the contents of the man's wallet next to him…..

'Really Ronin, you choose to do that in here.' Jay thought shaking his head but not really expecting anything else from him.

Kai was happy though and even more so when a large amount of young women joined them on the dance floor. He was smiling, not just smiling he was grinning from ear to ear as two girls danced behind him….

'Ooh hidden talents Kai…..some competition there Cole.'

Jay watched, he was unable to tear away his eyes from Kai as he gyrated his hips against a female who seemed to love it as much as he was. Jay was laughing and thankful that Skylor wasn't here otherwise both Kai and himself would receive a whack around the head at his behaviour and the fact Jay as the best man was allowing it to continue.

The situation quickly changed as Jay had expected due to the proximity of their bodies and the addition of alcohol, 'he is quite the mover and kisser too by the looks of it….wait kisser…..no not here Kai.'

Jay jumped up and approached the dance floor pushing himself between the girl who was all over Kai's face before he looked up in disappointment and then in alarm at the girl who was now on the floor at Jay's feet.

"Ooof hey asshole…..what the f**k." The female hissed at Jay's feet.

"Hey err look I'm sorry." Jay looked down at her pitifully and was just about to help her back up.

"Hey, that is no way to treat lady…..blue ninja." Karloff boomed and raised his hand.

"Are you okay? I didn't mean to knock you over." Jay whispered gently at the woman who was cringing, she saw it before he did.

The punch echoed around the room and the force of it threw the master of dark lightning and cosmic plasma across the dance floor.

"WHOA KARLOFF….back away…..calm down dude," Cole stepped in seeing the uncalled for blow that Jay had just taken.

"She lost her balance right?...you lost your balance are you okay?" Cole said as he helped the girl up and back to her feet, she nodded and quickly walked away with a few of her friends who supported her and her now sprained ankle.

"I am sorry. I hit too hard when alcohol in my system….I mean no harm." Karloff said apologetically to Cole.

Cole merely shrugged and patted the master of metal on the shoulder before scanning the floor for his brother.

"Karloff just go and sit, I'll err I'll talk to Jay okay?"

His eyes focused on a male figure who was sitting up and climbing carefully back to his feet. Jay had skidded over fifteen feet away by the force of the blow and the slippery surface of the wooden floor.

For anyone else who had taken that blow would be in hospital now but yet he was wearily rising to his feet and wincing. Jay's eyes were closed in pain and then just like a light bulb being switched on he was fine again. He stood up straight and looked down to the floor trying to figure out what had just happened.

Cole could see a huge bruise marring the side of Jay's face and a small streak of blood was being wiped away hastily by the back of his hand before he looked up and stared daggers straight into the back of Karloff. Jay turned his back on the dance floor and walked off.

"Hey J-Jay…..hey wait up bro…y-you okay?."

"M'fine Cole leave me alone…..just need some fresh air." Jay hissed and stormed off leaving Cole standing aghast as Jay brushed past him angrily.

Jay went into the rest room, the outside relax rooms were all fully occupied and not just that but they were all filled by people who were smoking heavily and the smell made him heave.

He quickly locked the main door and approached the mirror before cringing at the red and purple bruise o the side of his face.

"Motherf**ker Karloff what the Hel was that for douche bag."

"Sorry Jay did I say I would leave you alone?…"

"What do you want Loki?...my liege." Jay whispered as he looked back at the locked restroom door, he looked back in the mirror at his bruise dabbing at it with a cold wet hand towel.

"Are you having fun yet?"

"I was until you showed up at the casino…..and again I was until you told me about Hydra, Kai and the witch you seem to be associating with…..Amora...so in answer to your question...No I'm not."

"If I were you I would watch what you say about her for I cannot control her anymore than she can control me…..well within reason of course dark magic can control anything given the right amount of time and effort….with just a hint of evil and a power mad person to control it."

"You're waffling Loki…." Jay rolled his eyes and held the cloth over his face.

"What happened to you anyway?…..your face dare I say it….looks painful." Loki coughed recomposing his train of thought into that of the questioning person he always was.

"It was an accident, I was protecting Kai…..sort of."

"From what, pray tell? From a girl? was she eating his face, delivering a poison into his mouth?"

"Why do you mock me Loki?…..He's drunk and as such he could do something he might regret…..he is due to get married tomorrow and ending up in bed with someone on his last night of freedom isn't exactly starting of married life in the right light."

"But you just said it is his last night of freedom…didn't you?...go on Jay let him live a little."

"But if anything happens he'll hate me for it because I'm supposed to be looking out for him."

"Look at it this way Jay, his marriage may well end up on the rocks with or without this but it is not like you are forcing him into her is it?"

"Forcing him, why would I need to…."

"I do not mean literally my young prince just let Amora take it from here….she has the perfect plan."

"I really don't think it's a good idea Loki…err my liege."

"Why do you care Jay…you remember what I said….this will help you to remove yourself from the equation."

"Yeah and like I said, he'll f**king hate me for it." Jay hissed and dabbed at the blood with the cold wet towel.

"Exactly….one less to deal with."

"Urgh…f**k….. **FINE DO IT** dammit….Karloff." Jay rubbed his face with his free hand and shouted at himself.

"And now….let me guess are you seething with rage? Do you want to see blood spilled? Vengeance or the taste of sweet revenge?"

"Yes okay I'm seething but that's only because I just received a f**king right hook from the master of metal and now you want to break Kai's damned heart." Jay winced and stretched his mouth wide feeling that all his teeth were still intact.

"Why do you seem to think that I want to see blood as much as you? if anything I don't want to see it because that means I'm doing my job at protecting you…sometimes I-I feel like I can't do this anymore."

"So quick to give in my young prince, you are yet to march into battle with your own battalion of worthy warriors at your disposal dear boy. Yet to feel the victory and blood lust that a war will bring. The spoils of war are yet to grace you Jay and the feelings of rage and vengeance…well, you will bay for it like I do, then you'll see blood, mostly theirs of course."

"Well we're not at war yet though are we…..I mean there's nothing on the horizon yet. The dark elves have now fully retreated after the convergence and I annihilated Vanaheim's feeble attempt at defence. And I did it all with minimal blood lust, or I should add; loss of life."

"Hahah so blasé about the losses of 500 plus people Jay…..loss of life is just that…..the loss of one or many."

"I-I mean obviously people died and l fully took the blame for that but then casualties of war are common place when there is unrest, so when the dust had settled I helped them bury their dead as a benevolent ruler….like you wanted me to be." Jay felt around his mouth with his tongue and finger removing it and grimacing at the blood clot before flicking it into the sink and flushing it with a splash of water from the tap.

"Yes, and you did this all for me I remember in my name no less."

"How many did you kill Jay…..women and children too I heard."

"It was unavoidable my liege, they were used and disguised as warriors and I didn't know until it was too late." Jay replied as he stared into the mirror wiping at the bloody gash inside his mouth.

"Unavoidable ooh I could make a politician of you yet."

"You know what I mean! I didn't revel in it though but the sceptre made me feel it….blood lust I mean."

"So you spilled blood and you enjoyed it….somewhat,."

"In a way I-I guess I enjoyed it because it was so different to what I was taught."

"You were trained as an assassin a ninja warrior were you not?"

"Yes but I…."

"A Ninja warrior is trained in how to inflict harm and how to take down a worthy opponent so you see this is no different to killing say a few civilisations."

"I guess you're right….my liege, it sounds logical after all, all in the name of a better future."

"Mmm you stir something in me Jay, something inside me wants you right now…..although not this side of you though."

"Yeah well that part you can keep to yourself Loki uhm my liege because that is not gonna happen tonight."

"Maybe not here but soon Jay besides I hear the next place you'll be going is even worse than a casino….I'll make it quick just for you."

"You wouldn't dare." Jay looked down at his white knuckles as they grasped the sink tightly.

"Don't tempt me….you'll regret it….remember our agreement Jay."

"The agreement wasn't just on your terms Loki….my liege." Jay bit his lip and felt his temperature rise.

"F**c…..now what?" Jay hissed and turned around.

Jay shuddered and sighed, he stared carefully at his reflection feeling alone again, Loki's presence gone. The door rattled to his side and it was only now apparent that a few men were banging on it trying in vain to get inside in an attempt to relieve themselves.

Jay walked across to the door and stood behind it unlocking it quickly. The door swung open but Jay remained hidden behind it with his foot positioned carefully in an attempt to prevent the door from hitting his face. The men ran through, almost tripping over each other in the process until they had each found a cubicle to use at which point he made his own escape.

Jay brushed past Cole as he made his way back to his booth. "Cole!" Jay draw in a shaky breath at the proximity.

"Jay I've been looking for ya, where have you been, you okay I mean that punch looked brutal and Karloff is mortified."

"It was nothing Cole, stop worrying over me, nothing bruised just my ego." Jay smiled but there was no meaning to it, he grabbed his pen and notebook from his own booth.

"So care to explain what happened, I mean I saw Kai kissing a girl and I stepped in to break that up and then all I remember was skidding across the damn floor."

"Uhm well Karloff thought you pushed the girl over, he had paid her to kiss Kai and we were all in on it."

"Oh right, thanks for keeping me in the loop then cos you know a little heads up would have been nice." Jay smiled and shook his head.

"Yeah sorry about that Jay, you were kind of keeping yourself away from everyone."

"Well I wasn't sure if you knew but I still have a speech to write and I only got back yesterday and then of course I was having my head manipulated by a witch whilst an evil god played with my elemental abilities as if they were his own and then of course my parents died oh and the cherry on the top of the shit cake was the fact I was poisoned too…..keeping away from everyone, not really I call it trying to keep everything together with the small amount of time I've got left to pull this off. So get off my case Cole."

"Whoa Jay calm down….I was just saying we were giving you just that….we were giving you space."

"Next time keep me in the loop yeah? Because the next time someone hits me will be their last…..night in this miserable realm" Jay hissed and mumbled the last part so Cole wouldn't hear.

"Okay, I promise we'll keep you in the loop and in doing so I'm just letting you know that the sumo suits are out of commission but the bull rider is ready…I'm next."

"Hmm, I'll come and join you in a bit okay just got to do this…..only need one more line and then it's done. Who's turn next?"

"Yours Jay, then Kai, Darreth, Gravis and so on…look the names are on the boards and the times to beat." Cole replied with a gentle rub to Jay's upper arm before walking off and climbing into the inflatable square where the bull rider machine was.

Jay watched Karloff with a newfound hatred, his punch packed a painful sting to it for which Kai had also felt at Chen's tournament a few years ago, but at least Kai had all of his strength to help him recover from it.

And now he was alone in his thoughts, the threat of Loki was almost a distant memory, he wouldn't dare surely and if he did he wouldn't humiliate….not anymore. Jay looked up occasionally trying to get his brain to string a simple sentence together as he thought about his times with Kai and his brothers in general.

'Come on Jay think, arghh writers block….damn you Loki and you too Nya.'

A thought came to him, he could mention about how Kai had thought about being the green ninja, the impromptu sparring session with him and the hilarity of it all, then finding his true potential. All Jay needed to do know was find some good jokes for fillers.

His mind was fogged with the threat of what Amora was planning and he was dreading it, he could either attempt to stop it from happening but that too could end badly. But what choice did he have it was either let her create a spell that changes the scenario in her favour and makes Kai do the unthinkable on his last night of freedom knowing that he is due to get married tomorrow.

And what if Kai remembered who would be the one that would be blamed? his best man for letting it happen of course! Jay knew that although he was meant to be watching out for Kai all night he couldn't watch him every second and what scared him. He had barely been able to get near to him all day because of the amount of other ninja wanting to be with him, celebrating and partying hard.

Cole climbed onto the Bull and Darreth cheered him on, actually he was trying to make him lose concentration so he would fall of and Darreth would remain in the lead. Cole held on for dear life, one hand up in the air behind him as the mechanical bull bucked repeatedly spinning him from side to side in rapid succession before he was thrown to the side of the inflatable square enclosure.

"Jay you're up…..your turn bro." Cole hollered out of breath, snapping Jay out of his thoughts again.

"Yep on it….." Jay muttered, pocketing his pen and paper.

He approached the inflatable with trepidation, the infernal creature was located outside next to a rather small swimming pool and hot tub which matched the club perfectly because that had the same plastic palm trees and palm frond sun shades surrounding the pool.

'I thought this was a night club…why do they need sun shades?' Jay thought and removed his shoes. He carefully climbed over the barrier before taking his place on the still and un-moving bull before feeling the machine come to life beneath him. Each machine part whirred to life and before he knew it he was being bucked left, right and centre and so he held on for dear life grasping the short strap with both hands.

'Shit this bull needs a saddle and it would be great, hurts my pelvis though….whoa shit that was close, hang on, am I supposed to do this one handed? The reign isn't long enough for both hands…urgh god I feel sick…..whoa hahaha….too close…..bucking too…god I hope Wisp is okay at the stable.'

Jay was thrown off at a force but landed softly at the far corner of the inflatable with a smile on his face. Before getting up and frowning at his time.

"Hey top three isn't too bad right?" Jay smirked and shrugged.

"Well don't be too smug remember we're the first four that have been and of course if any times are tied we have to do it again."

"Oh god no…..really, can't we forfeit?" Jay whined and rubbed his hips and buttocks.

* * *

 **Edited because of grammar...again, oh and thanks for reading guys xx**


	42. Care to elaborate?

Jay sat back on the uncomfortable deck chairs surrounding the inflatable square as Kai came through with a woman by his side. He simply shook his head and bit his tongue as the girl full on kissed Kai before he climbed over the inflatable barrier.

"You're okay with that?" Jay asked his black haired brother, a disappointed tone.

"Yeah course last night of freedom aint it?"

"Yeah but where do you draw the line?" Jay took a slow drink of his fruity cocktail. Some concoction bought by Cole a few minutes ago, as an apology.

"I guess he will have to make that choice himself….dude he is an adult."

"He's drunk Cole…..we're supposed to be looking out for him."

"You worry too much Jay, just let him have this last night before he is sentenced to life with the same woman."

"Sentenced to life….are you kidding me…..marriage isn't a sentence it's an honour... pffft."

"Jay that was so cheesy I almost felt a little vomit rise in my mouth."

"Wow, never realised how cold you could be…I take it by that answer you won't be marrying Seliel anytime soon?"

"No didn't really think she's the marrying type to be honest, besides we have an open and honest relationship, she's quite adventurous ya know even let me have a threesome with her….she's up for anything."

Jay raised an eyebrow at Cole's admission. "God, do you even respect her at all or women in general? Sorry bro, just sounds wrong to me. Look I know what you mean about being adventurous because in Asgard I was the same but I didn't do it with two girls that I have a relationship with."

"Yeah you lucky sod…..two eager whores who were willing to take an eligible prince."

"Whoa Cole, they were not whores, they're actually from a very respectable family, employees of the palace if you must know, but still I didn't have a relationship with them, just like a fling sort of thing….eheheh that rhymes."

"How many times then Jay? come on spill, because if it's more than three times then it's a relationship."

"Twice okay almost three times with both of them…..ya know they're twins so you can't have one without the other."

"Braggart….Jay."

"Hey you asked." He replied taking a large sip of his drink. His eyes being drawn to the bright red light that displayed a new high score. "Oh, looks like Kai has knocked you off the top spot eheheh."

"Changing the subject Jay clever tactic bro." Cole didn't care in the slightest about the Bull riding game. "Anyway where we off to next?"

"Strip club," He said with a shrug, "but keep it hush hush. He'll need the blindfold again so keep it close. Oh and for what it's worth you changed the subject because I was talking about Kai and you turned it around to you and Seliel."

"Actually Jay, that was you. Trust me bro." Cole got up and helped the slightly inebriated Kai back over the inflatable barrier where his new girlfriend was waiting with his drink.

He quickly walked away with her. Wanton desire in his eyes, a raging fire burning within him at her openly flirtatious nature. The alcohol had bowled him head over heels and now he wasn't thinking straight. His new love interest, from what Jay could see, looked like she was leading him away by his belt and away from prying eyes. Kai wasn't exactly stopping her either.

"No, Cole I'm putting a stop to this right now before he regrets anything." He got up and followed them both.

The club was now in full swing. Busy and full to the rafters, patrons were all over the dance floor. The patterned surface had more fluid over it than dry patches, a health and safety nightmare.

"Be back later Cole." Jay mumbled and tried to keep up with a fast disappearing Kai.

"Am telling ya, he needs to learn for himself Jay, you're gonna get yourself in trouble."

 _I couldn't be in any more trouble than I am already._

"Well it's marginally better than sitting on your ass and doing nothing about it" Jay hissed, walking off in hot pursuit.

* * *

He caught a glimpse of him, it could be Kai, he was wearing a red coloured Hawaiian top after all same build and spiky hair was a dead giveaway. Jay followed him to the restroom where he had been earlier after Karloff had surprised him with a playful punch as he'd called it.

Jay got to the rest room and attempted to open the door before realising it had been locked from the opposite side. Lucky for him he wasn't desperate for the toilet but still he wanted to stop Kai from ruining his chance at marriage before it had even started.

"I swear to god Loki if Amora ruins his life I'll kill her myself."

"Ooh those are fighting words my young prince I certainly hope you can back those up with actions."

"Don't threaten me Loki."

"Don't do it Jay….you'll regret it…." Loki's voice whispered into his ear.

"Why will I regret it tell me why?…..Kai's in there and I can hear him screwing her."

"Because she is a master of dark magic as am I…it is Kai but if you disturb them she could make you pay for ruining her plans." his voice replied with a hint of threat, he was openly daring Jay to test him because he knew he would do just that.

"I don't give a shit what she does my liege because she doesn't scare me...now open the damn door."

"I will not open it...not for you, only when she has finished." Loki laughed at his protector's feeble attempts at opening the door.

"She is ruining his life and for what?" Jay shouted at the God before him, he grew increasingly frustrated as the time continued. Alcohol has the tendency to cloud the mind, fog the senses and remove inhibitions and the longer this went on for the more trouble Kai would be in.

"For you mostly as a small favour to me." Loki whispered. "You remember?"

Jay cringed at the noises he could hear, he knew what was happening from experience, the slapping noises, the groans and grunts, she was enjoying it and Kai was too. Jay hated being this close with such little privacy at hearing Kai's pillow talk. His female company seemed to love it though because within minutes she was calling out his name and then came Kai's urgent groans as he was obviously nearing the end of his sexual encounter.

"Dammit Kai let me in…..don't do this bro cos you'll regret it." Jay hissed twisting the handle to the door, feeling it open with a satisfying click.

"I warned you Jay….I gave you fair warning." Loki laughed as Jay stumbled in to the male rest room.

* * *

"What's goin on?" The female asked, shooting upright rapidly with an almost afterglow blush on her face.

"What's the meaning of this interruption and who the fuck are you?" A burly guy stood up stock straight, zipping himself up in haste without a care as to how close the zip had been to ripping his cock to shreds.

"You tell him babe, he's just a pervert, bet he wanted to watch." She smirked and hurriedly redressed herself.

"You sick freak, is that right you wanted to watch huh?"

"Uh, actually no uhm, it's not ahh what it looks l-like." Jay backed away into the wall. "I-I thought you were, someone uhm else." He squeaked unintentionally as the large man towered over him.

"He's staring at me babe…why don't you show him what happens when we're interrupted."

"What….no I…didn't mean to….err interrupt you….s-sorry." Jay sighed hoping that the man who towered over him in height and bulk was just a body builder and not a boxer, because that wouldn't end well for either of them.

 _'A body builder however, we'll it's just muscle mass right?, steroids and stuff.'_ Jay thought.

 _'Right I'll regret it, like this you mean?'_ Jay thought as a fist made contact with his gut, bending him over double, leaving the bulky man to follow through with an uppercut. The effect, instantaneous. It left Jay sprawled on the floor seeing stars.

The bulky man didn't feel like beating the crap out of him, he took pity on him thinking that maybe he was desperate for the toilet but he still kicked him on the way out. "Come on babe. I'm sorry he disturbed us, pervert."

He grabbed his girlfriend and walked out past Jay who was still lying dazed on the floor.

"Maybe next time heed my warning my young prince." Loki taunted as he materialised in front of Jay helping him to his feet.

"Ooh two hits to the face in such quick succession. Jay, I'm impressed that you haven't lost any teeth yet."

"Just, _don't_ ….wh-where's Kai?" Jay hissed and batted the God's hand from his face.

Loki had been turning Jay's face gently, giving a silent cantrip to heal the bruise that was already forming.

"He was in there all this time but alas he's finished now." Loki said with a big smile whilst pointing to the female restroom where Jay could see him fastening himself up, his female companion was pulling her underwear back up and straightening her bra, a fine flush covered her face and upper chest.

"Please tell me he used protection at least?" Jay tried to frown but a smile remained.

"No, not at all. In nine months, give or take a few weeks he'll know for sure. Ah yes, another addition to the fire master's brood."

"You bastard, how could you?"

"Actually, I'm not a bastard. I was born into royalty and wedlock. Besides, do not blame me, blame her." Loki hissed, pointing to Amora who was on the dance floor in one of her many guises.

"Hang on she was in here with me….she made him hit me….twice no less."

"I warned you though, she can twist things around and I must admit it was quite a spectacle to watch…..she played you well. Made you believe in her diversion and it worked…..it was all a trick of the eye."

"And you let her do it…..you're just as bad…..he freaking hit me….dammit."

"Yes but you're strong Jay and you got back up….I can see why she likes you."

"Oh look Kai is emerging maybe you can congratulate him on his personal endeavour, he staked his claim literally and the best part…...he impregnated the slut too...oh what hurt and betrayal awaits him and his wife to be."

"You….you're sick Loki…God damned sick." Jay spat out but as he did Loki glared at him changing his appearance into that of a security guard.

Loki grasped Jay's neck, a weak point in Jay's armour…..and he squeezed tightly pinning him against the wall.

"Why keep doing this to yourself Jay…..why do you defy me?"

"What has….she done to you Loki….you never used….to be like this….well you did once…." Jay grasped at Loki's strong hands.

"My rightful title is?" Loki squeezed tighter.

"Sicko…..twisted...mother…f****r….asshat…." Jay wheezed defiantly staring straight into the green menacing eyes of Loki...the man he was sworn to protect.

"No….not quite what I was aiming for." Loki punched Jay in his stomach avoiding his lower abdomen but delivering a painful jab at his liver.

The young prince closed his eyes covering his stomach where the fist had made contact so soon after the large body builder had hit him there.

"Urgh I tire of this and yet I don't want to draw blood….so I guess a little tighter won't harm…..what is my rightful title Jay?"

"Dick…..head…shit for….brains…home…..wrecker...am I getting...close?" Jay laughed but the only sound was breath escaping his mouth.

"Well, well, well it seems we have come full circle Jay but no worries you'll remember soon enough...so stubborn." He sneered and slowed his young princes heart down with a simple click of his fingers, the resulting green smoke flew into his open mouth and caused Jay to silently gasp out in agony.

"Hmm, that knocked the laugh right out of you didn't it?"

"What was that Jay?"Loki taunted again, lip reading wasn't his forte but Jay was only muttering two silent words enraging the God further.

"My rightful title…in full Jay if you would enlighten me?" Loki said, watching the colour leave Jay's face, his hand was grasping his chest.

"My…liege…..and …rightful…..ruler…my…..king...and...and...s-saviour." Jay panted out breathlessly grasping hold of his chest tightly.

"That's correct, now wasn't that better?"

"What…did…..you…just…..do….to….me?" Jay wheezed and held his chest tightly, each beat of his heart felt like broken glass was taking place in his veins instead of blood.

"A simple spell…..one created by Amora no less, good at educating apparently."

"Whatever…..witch craft…..hate…magic."

"Oh come now Jay, just a little magic….and at least we have started the ball rolling as they say…his fate has been set in motion and next will be Cole."

"I…won't let…..you do…..it…..again." Jay panted out and collapsed to his knees. "Over….my…..dead…..body." He smiled despite wanting to scream out loud.

"I would never let that happen…you are far too important to me but Amora doesn't share that same idea. No she doesn't know why you are so special, doesn't know what secret you hold. She simply sees you as a mortal with superior strength….a mutant of sorts."

"But…..why….are you….letting her…..guide you…..and why…..are you teaming….up with….her if you….know what….she is….capable of?" he grabbed his throat and wiped at the tears falling from his eyes.

"I guess a small part of me hopes she has changed….."

"You're….willing to….take that chance….with her…then, despite how…..little she…..cares about me?"

"Yes…I owe her a debt of gratitude for saving you and this little partnership could be a permanent thing if it works well."

"Then…so be….it…my liege, if you think….she won't….hurt me more…than you then I'll trust you….and your judgement…..but when it fails….you'll only have….yourself to blame…..because I…..don't trust her…at all."

"I do Jay and that is all that matters right now, for we need all the help we can get."

"At the expense…..of me?"

"No of course not, but I did warn you…..Amora is powerful I created her as a weapon of chaos and my how she has grown….I am impressed but also slightly worried."

"So…..you trust her but…..you don't care of my concerns….or worries?"

"I trust her implicitly and as of this moment and your attitude I do not care of your worries nor concerns Jay…you have brought this on yourself...for now you protect her and me."

"Fine…..just so I know what I'm up against." Jay huffed and pulled himself viciously out of Loki's disguised hold. "This will be…..your undoing." He muttered as he left Loki standing in the door way of the restroom.

Kai brushed past at the same time as Jay and they both locked eyes in recognition, Kai was smirking and holding the girls hand before being pulled back to the dance floor and Jay just stared after them.

"Wow Jay I saw that, thought the security were a bit harsh with ya back there what did you do that was so bad huh?" Darreth asked as he pulled the still dazed and emotional former blue ninja back into the loud bustling club.

"I barged in to the restrooms and caught a couple going at it, a fight ensued and I got blamed for it, the security….yeah they were a bit heavy handed." Jay turned his evil glare toward the security guard who he knew was still Loki in disguise. The security guard was visibly sneering at him mocking in the process….

'Amora has put him up to this but why couldn't he see what she was capable of? And, why do I get the impression this is all going to end badly, this whole threesome will become deadly and he is incapable of seeing it.'

'And since when had he been so happy to dish out physical punishment again considering he had all but stopped that weeks ago…it was all her, he's been acting odd since she's been with him.'

Darreth pulled Jay back to the deck chairs where he sat and rested his head in his hands, his name and Cole's both trailing the bottom rankings but who cared it was meant to be in fun…but now it wasn't fun anymore it was a nightmare.

A nightmare that would ultimately lead to the ending of a marriage in due course and the ending of a relationship between brothers thereafter. Yeah this night was turning out to be a steaming pile of shit caused by none other than the two reprobates known as Loki and Amora who were up to no good.

They were doing their utmost to ruin what was meant to be a bachelor party. They had already succeeded in ruining Kai and Now Jay knew where he stood in Loki's standings. He had been demoted to his third in command and was now expected to put himself in danger for both Loki and Amora.

He looked down at his phone, it was time to go but Jay didn't want to move, he was angry…..and he snapped.

Lloyd and Zane were getting their jackets having already noted the time thanks to Zane's exceptional timekeeping skills, Neuro and Ronin too were shocked at seeing Jay just walking past oblivious and looking angry.

"ITS TIME TO GO…NOW." He boomed loudly, his voice carried across the room and he left the club grabbing his jacket on the way out. Jay stormed out of the club and across the busy road much to the annoyance of the many cars that had to slam their brakes on to avoid hitting him.

But he kept walking into the darkness of the car park until he spotted his muddy car at the furthest corner. He grabbed his keys and ripped the pocket in the process angering him further.

He looked into his rear view mirror, his eyes were bleary, his face still bruised but now he was mad and just a hint of evil was making itself known again as he waited in the darkness.

"You trust her over me…you'll regret that my liege and I'll make you pay."

Jay put the keys into the ignition revved the engine loudly before creating a donut circle on the newly paved concrete carpark before speeding out of the carpark, he performed an impressive handbrake turn and the car was up against the kerbside with a loud screech of burnt rubber.

He reached over and opened the passenger side door without saying a word and waited in silence as his four passengers got in quietly. His new passenger….Zane 'how appropriate.'

"Brother I sense you are emotionally unstable….I can try to help if you are willing to divulge…."

"No Zane, I doubt you would even be able to calculate what is wrong with me right at this moment….and no it's not because of my damned parents."

"Jay I am trying to help because I am picking up on intense feelings of anguish and anxieties, your emotional state is off the scale."

"Just drop it Zane…..You know when you try to make something good and it backfires? when your apparent safety is of no concern anymore! or when someone is trying to rip you away from what you love! Or how about when you think you've got it all figured out and it is so far from the truth! or when you're told you're insignificant!…that's way past what I'm feeling now." Jay choked out feeling his voice breaking under the strain of holding his emotions back.

"Again, emotional states are unimportant now, because Loki wants me to be like this….so off the scale is so good to him and the witch he stays with off the scale means evil and that's' what they want….Zane they want this…they want this." Jay hissed and stared his nindroid brother in the face. "They don't want the normal me…..all I am to him in this state is a weapon and all I am to her….is…..well, I don't know yet."

"Jay!...how do you know all of this? Are you sure of it?"

"Jay….please brother…..I'm trying to help."

"I'm not interested Zane….you can't help, I'm sorry tin man but…..you need to keep your distance from me too."

"Why do I need to keep my distance from you Jay, you are still my brother?"

"Because I'm dangerous…Zane, and I will God damned rip you apart….it is taking all of my strength to stop myself from snapping and destroying this part of town and everyone in it.

"What are you saying Jay? what the Hell happened in the club?" Lloyd questioned.

"I-I…..NOTHING but yet everything happened for a reason and it was out of my control….I'm only doing this for Kai now and I've Screwed that up too."

"Jay, do you need sometime alone?" Lloyd whispered and squeezed Jay's shoulder.

"No…..I need you to stop talking…NOW….just got to clear my head."

"S-sorry Jay….sheesh."

Jay pulled off as soon as Darreth and Ash had climbed in, and once they were all buckled in he pulled off in silence. Jay didn't speak a word but his passengers did all except for Zane whose charts were going of the scales at just how muc turmoil his blue brother was feeling.

Zane had subconsciously thought about the fact that Jay would actually match his original element based on his fluctuating anger and sadness levels. Both of which had gone over the normal levels of what would contribute to a complete mental breakdown.

Yet it would appear that an immortal was incapable of that and the resulting heightened emotions just led to an insatiable desire for evil and pain. A dangerous prospect for anyone who would be on the receiving end of his anger and evil.

Zane continued to monitor Jay, his eyes were still purple, a colour he would never get used to, but at least his eyes weren't black. His face showed the signs of tear tracks and from what Zane could tell Jay had received some physical injuries at the club, ranging from what he could see was a blow from Karloff and a bruise under his chin. As well as dotted purple bruises around the sides of his neck.

It was getting easier for Zane to identify unexplained bruises on Jay now because his skin was almost shimmering cream in colour, almost the same shade as Loki, his fair skin though was still dotted with freckles on his nose but even those were starting to fade.

Jay focussed on the road, his satellite navigation system on board directed him to the location without divulging what the place was called, he stopped abruptly and craned his neck to his side before whispering.

"We're here guys oh and Zane next time ask before you scan me."

Zane frowned again leaning back as uncertainty flooded his computer systems.

"I didn't scan you Jay but I was monitoring you, because your emotional states are fluctuating and I must advise caution in here for this could further exacerbate you."

"You worry too much tinman…..what's the worst that could happen?"

"You'll go insane?" Zane replied worriedly.

"I can cope with that…insanity never killed anyone…..right?" Jay answered coldly and turned his back on his passengers as they got out of the car.

"Insanity killed everyone who ever came into contact with the insane...for the mind is a powerful thing and if that is damaged what is there to stop the mind from acting out the hallucination." Zane finished quietly before holding Lloyd back in concern.

"Lloyd, you need to promise me you'll keep away from Jay…..he's unstable...fluctuating levels of mood, something happened at the club I believe and….his emotional state has gone off the scale for a normal person."

"Yikes, what does that mean, he'll be okay though right?"

"Yes, he'll be okay…..but for the mean time keep your distance. Lloyd if we were hmmm mortal Jay would have had a complete loss of self-identity, a complete mental breakdown, but he and we are immortal now and….." Zane paused and tried to make it easier for Lloyd to understand.

"Because we are immortal, these extremes of emotion have resulted in his evil persona revealing itself, and that side of him is so completely consumed by rage, bloodlust and…..evil."

"Is he even safe to be here then? Shouldn't he be back with Loki?"

"I have a strong feeling that Loki and Amora? between them may have contributed to this side of Jay."

"Also I believe he is a danger to everyone at the moment...Please Lloyd keep your distance and I too will alert our brothers too."

"What are you gonna say?"

"Just that he needs dome space...on his own, we don't want any casualties and we don't want the same thing to happen here as happened in Iceland...dare I remind you."

"No I remember that all too well...so I'll let Cole know and a few others but I don't think it'll sound the same coming from me."

""I will do it Lloyd, do not worry yourself." Zane replied with a frown.

"Typical, they cause the damage and we have to rectify it…I swear to god one of these days we'll fight Loki till the death and Jay can be the one to put an end to him."


	43. Too hard for you?

Jay had got to the strip club first due to his storming off in anger, so he took the opportunity to pay for entrance for each member of the bachelor party. He set foot inside the place with an upturned crooked smile. He looked every part the crime lord and master criminal because he was suited and booted and even carried a large amount of new notes in his expensive suit.

He removed the large wad of notes and placed half of them down rapidly; slamming them into the hands of the management. The club Darreth had chosen was as seedy as strip clubs came, dark inside, almost thread bare carpets and instrumental music playing in the background, the sounds of male voices only, the females were not paid to talk...only dance.

"Make sure they have a good time…." He growled, barging past the two security guards. Now walking back outside, Jay was waiting in preparation to welcome each member of the bachelor party into the seedy club, this would be where the last part of the celebrations would take place.

Unless Darreth had any humiliation plans to dish out to Kai!

Once Cole and Kai had arrived, Jay motioned the master of earth to only take off the blind fold when Kai got inside. He had to reiterate the fact that Kai was somewhat inebriated. This was all in order for Cole to assist him better in getting in to the run down club, therefore avoiding injury.

Jay just wanted to sit outside, he needed to calm down because he had almost lost control in the car, first Zane and then Lloyd; both meaning well but trying his patience. He snapped, he knew he had and it made him feel worse.

* * *

His nindroid brother had mentioned that Jay's shield element was made up of solidified yet liquid mass of cosmic plasma. It was mostly tied in to his emotional states; those being, anger, sadness, rage and fear.

And after what he had just been subjected to, this element was close to revealing itself. Jay could feel the same pain that he had felt in Iceland and Jotunheim; the same aching throb coming every few minutes and it was building in intensity….

The worst part was the fact that there was nothing he could do about it.

If he kept it in, the unrestrained element would increase exponentially and, if expelled it would likely decimate and kill like it had done previously…..in Iceland. But then, that was done for a reason and, bar the bad experiences suffered on that day and the forty eight hours prior; it would have never killed anyone had Loki not antagonised the situation.

He was sitting outside the club, in a somewhat quiet contemplative mood. Jay was keeping his head in his hands trying to figure out what the Hel was happening. Out of nowhere a maniacal laugh began to escape his own lips, he couldn't hold it in any longer.

And he was horrified to know that he was the one laughing, it wasn't a trick.

"Hahahahahahahah hahahahah, hmmmmm…..Well played Amora…well played. I certainly hope you know what you're up against because I won't let you get away with this anymore…You won't hurt my brothers anymore…..No, now it comes to a stop."

Loki and his witch had finally done it, they had pushed the young prince, the blue ninja formerly known as Jay had been pushed over the edge of reason, into darkness and uncertainty. Loki or more precisely Amora had just interfered in the affairs of men, they both had to a certain extent, he was just as guilty and neither had any right to do it, yet they had and were still continuing to do so.

Jay could still feel their presence nearby it was like a tugging feeling…..the same enchantment that kept them together…the magnetic force between them of dark and light.

Loki had initially given Jay his power at the cost of his own strength for the enchantment he used weakened him significantly but saved Jay's life and as such they both shared a strong bond as long as both were living and relatively healthy then the other would be too...both linked to each other by the mere mention of their name in times of sorrow or pain.

Jay was deep in thought, he was trying to focus on anything but his current predicament, thoughts drifting to Cole, what had she got planned for him and then of course…..Kai.

 _'Had the enchantment Amora used made Kai forget about his encounter or was he that drunk he couldn't stop himself? No surely not because he was still capable of walking and talking, he wasn't that drunk.'_

He looked at his fingertips and hands they were turning purple rapidly like someone was spray tanning him slowly. Lightning was beginning to appear as he sat and rubbed his fingers gently. He wasn't sure what to do with this now that it was making itself known to him and typically Heimdall couldn't help because Loki had told him not to.

As part of his punishment from Loki he was banned from Bifrost travel for two Asgardian days….not really a severe punishment as such but now it was proving to be more of a hindrance and Jay knew he needed to get away before he hurt anyone.

He looked up after having opened his eyes, the maniacal laughing had finally subsided leaving him looking every bit the psychopathic killer. He took in the night air; a deep chest full of fresh cold early spring air….the night wasn't young anymore, it was old and aged, decrepit would be a better term, the time was past midnight, his brothers and friends had been in there for an hour already.

 _'An hour really…..how long does it take to stare at half dressed women?'_

The bright neon signs were doing an excellent job at lighting up the sky unnaturally. The eerie glow of bright pink, green and yellow were obscuring some of the bright twinkling stars.

Jay had grown fond of the brightly lit night sky since living in Asgard, all it ever revealed was an expanse of beautiful stars, cosmic radiation, plasma clouds and a multitude of galaxies as far as the eye could see and then some. The great tree showed so much more and it was certainly magical, quite surreal to the former inventor who had to learn quickly that myth did exist and was living and well, the fact alone helped to explain some of his scientific theories he had questioned at university.

But Jay wondered how far from grace Loki was falling. He was still thinking how low Loki felt he needed to go before he finally accepted his plans were cruel and pointless. Then typically, how long he thought it would be for Loki to see Amora's true colours. Jay could see it, he just had a sneaking suspicion that Amora the enchantress was truly evil, she had some sort of twisted plan, that Loki was seemingly oblivious too.

* * *

"Gahh…..dammit." He couldn't even attempt to calm himself down; there was simply too much distraction, the bright lights, the music blaring out, the men waiting noisily to get in.

He leaned back on the graffiti strewn wooden bench behind the club and sighed. His hands still glowing, he wasn't safe to go anywhere at this moment let alone move. Just one thing could tip him over the edge, one thing like the pair of green eyes that were now looking into his own.

He knew the perfect place to use his shield and it would wipe the smug grin right off Loki's face and right into the next century. The consequences, Jay didn't care about, he was so far past that point; the point of no return.

"Loki what do you want?" He asked, at the breeze and the eyes that he could see clearly, "-I know you're here to make fun, so for pity's sake just do it and go already, or I'll end it myself."

"Come now Jay, I don't mean to insult or betray your trust in me-" The voice spoke sharply, "-this was merely helping the cause, yet you fail to see the bigger picture and I attest that I am most disappointed." He sneered.

"Go to Hel Loki." Jay replied curtly, in a sharp tone.

"I have had the pleasure of visiting!" Loki replied with a snide laugh.

"Oh hilarious, full of jokes, fuck off."

"That is no way to speak to the next in line to the throne…Jay." A female voice screeched, the sound came out sounding like fingernails down a chalkboard.

"Let me guess…would that be the calculating venomous voice of Amora by any chance….the witch who can't even show her face but hides behind everyone else's? Pathetic." Jay licked his teeth and waited for the retort that he knew was coming, he smirked as soon as the reply came.

"Why you insolent child….I should cut that bitter tongue from your mouth you vile creature." She replied angrily.

"I'd like to see you try, _witch-_ " Jay laughed, leaning back and relaxing out across the hard bench. "-Three things for ya to hear before you do whatever it is you're gonna do, for one; I'm not scared of you…. and two; you don't intimidate me and finally three; I won't protect you either."

"You will or you'll die…" came the reply and a shrill cackle filled the air.

"Then I'd rather die…than serve you." Jay retorted coldly.

"Well that can be arranged in due course…boy,….a death most befitting of a young insolent wayward prince will be sometime in your near future but not by my hands…..by someone closer and yes I'll be watching...it has been foretold." Came the cryptic but cold reply.

"Really, you think threatening will help to scare me? Well, it won't…and FYI, future's can be changed-" He said, now coolly indifferent to her tone, "-but, if it's a battle you want, fine."

"Oh good, I do so love a battle." She replied laughing and rubbing her hands together in glee as she materialised in front of him, "-Seeing as you think you are so much better than me Jayson, I guess a show of strength wouldn't go amiss!"

Her voice and chuckle was driving him insane.

"-What's wrong, you didn't like my tricks and sorcery back in the last place? Maybe you would be better of dead anyway if that's how you speak to the King of Asgard."

"I must say, it's really brave of you Amora to just cast your voice into the wind rather than face me in person. What are you, A coward?" Jay sneered and smirked in response. "You use magic as a weapon, like Loki does, but I've grown used to it. You could say it has no real hold on me anymore, and your antics don't scare me."

She was still chuckling at him, "-I will end you if I have to. You see, all it takes is some of this..." she said as a faint glow of green appeared in mid air. "-and you'll be as good as dead."

"Fighting an element with magic, have you even seen my skills yet? Lightning hurts, bitch. Did Thor ever warn you about that?" Jay muttered through clenched teeth showing his purple hands. The plasma was beginning to spread painfully up his limbs.

"Hmm threatening words Jay, I mean, I don't know why he keeps you around anyway, what are you his pet!….a charity case he has taken pity on! a wayward soul! or just a pauper who wanted to be royalty! To grovel at the feet of a true god and leader…I'm right aren't I boy?"

"Answer me you insolent brat…you are so unworthy of his attention and you make me sick."

"If I make you that sick then show yourself…you stuck up bitch, show me your true colours….you whore." He shouted at the female voice, the taunts never ending like a game of tennis. "I'm not a boy or a child anymore….. and for your information, I earned the title of prince…..not the title of whore like you did and I wear my title proudly."

"Yet you run away how is that wearing your title proudly?….I digress boy. If it's a battle you want then it's a battle you'll get." She hissed and materialised in front of him. Her long blonde hair trailed down her back, her outfit as dark as Loki's. But she wasn't standing she was hovering a few inches from the ground, her hands glowing green and issuing dark mystical energy coupled with dangerous sinister dark matter.

She moved backwards without removing her blue eyes from his and settled ten feet away from Jay who got to his feet angrily and into an attack position.

"Neat trick Amora….do you want to see mine." Jay smirked and shot at her with a blast of purple lightning. He watched the darkened element of his lightning hit her full force in the chest….the smell of singed leather filled the air and created a smirk on his face.

"Ooh sorry, you might want to replace that remarkable outfit Amora….maybe red is more your colour….unless your blood is yellow like you in which case…..nah I don't care." He sneered.

He shot her again before she had a chance to respond, he wasn't willing to listen to her snakelike tongue anymore for every syllable she uttered made him see red. His aim again hit the target and she landed her feet on the floor with a sharp intake of breath. It had worked he had managed to injure her somewhat although she was still standing and it was now evident to Jay that she wanted her turn as was only fair and his eyes widened when she smirked at him in response.

"Nice, it has a sickly pleasant colour to it and the magiks you control brings moderate pain but it lacks something…..hmmm the delivery was ill conceived, the focus not completely on target and the colour leaves much to be desired….but anyway where was I? ah yes my turn." She hissed and threw an enormous streak of green lightning at Jay.

Jay skidded across the floor as the beam hit him in the chest, his shield prevented the beam from destroying his body as it absorbed some of the force until it began to dissipate slowly. His strength had gone completely and the resulting effect of taking her lightning began to show….his legs gave way underneath him and he skidded the remainder on his knees painfully before landing on his chest.

"Is that the best you got…green lightning doesn't scare me at all." Jay muttered as he rose unsteadily to his feet. He winced when he stood as he noted his bleeding knees and then cringed when he saw the state of his new suit…destroyed in every possible way. Holes were now adorning his suit at the knees and chest where he had taken the full force of her beam.

"No I'm going easy on you….."

"Well don't….and stop using the magic fight me properly."

"Okay if you insist…but it's your pyre….." she replied and approached Jay who shakily stood and raised his fists in defence.

He allowed her to take the first swing but that one move might have been the worst decision he had made that night because he forgot momentarily that she was an Asgardian and had stronger skin and bone density than humans, immune to any and all earth borne disease and of course she was over 2000 years old.

That fact alone stood her in good stead as to how resilient she was and perhaps how many battles she had been involved with.

She didn't clench her fist though but instead opened her hand thrusting her palm under his chin, the resulting action pushed upwards under his chin lifting him cleanly off the floor by three feet before pushing him backwards with her free hand by an elegant straight blow aimed at his core. Jay flew effortlessly through the air for almost ten feet before landing on his back.

* * *

He stood back up and huffed angrily with both purple fists clenched. Jay took a powerful swing at her chin whilst looking at her shocked face. He should have expected it.

No sooner had he thrown the punch and before the fist had even landed, Amora's expression had changed to a cruel smirk. And now he knew why...Loki had quickly grasped Jay's fist firmly in his own hand, just before it was meant to make contact.

"No Jay! You will not hit her, you WILL PROTECT HER." Loki shouted. He had never shouted at his protector before, not like this.

Fear reflected in Jay's eyes as he stared back in bewildered shock at this new side of Loki. His evil persona.

The God squeezed Jay's fist, he could feel the bones crunching in his grasp and stopped when he saw how much pain he was needlessly inflicting. It was a terribly interesting thing to watch, and Loki watched in concerned fascination as his protector struggled to contain these elements.

He knew what they were capable of, even in his brainwashed state. It left Loki with no choice...Subdue Jay or die and be reborn? Face unnecessary bloodshed in this realm or fight another day?

He did what needed to be done.

Loki physically picked Jay by his suit lapels. One in each fist and he raised him clean off the floor by almost a foot.

Jay's hands were sparkling, his skin had turned purple in anticipation of this meeting.

Loki could feel the keen sting of Jay's element, it felt akin to small sharpened blades attacking his arms and hands; at least whilst he was holding him up.

And typically, Jay's shield was ready to be used. The young prince somehow didn't care how many people would be killed now. He only had one thing on his mind and that was putting an end to her; to Amora.

It was apparent that Loki was fighting for her, protecting her in a chivalrous way and in doing so, fighting against his young prince and the one whom he had promised to protect. Like they had travelled full circle, they both protected each other.

Loki swung Jay around like a heavy discus, his young and somewhat vulnerable body was gaining momentum with the spinning motion. The additional attribute of rage gave the God that added boost of energy before he released the angry young man. The momentum threw him over twenty feet horizontally where he collided with a concrete covered brick wall, back first.

All Loki and Amora could hear was the strangled groan that came forth the second Jay hit the wall, the next sounds were the gentle crumbling of the bricks and rubble as they fell back into someones back yard.

* * *

Of course it worked, why wouldn't it? Jay's shield had dissipated, as expected. The purple colour of his dark and dangerous element had for the moment left his body. The element merely swirled away like a dust cloud; travelling up and into the atmosphere like a puff of smoke trailing lazily away.

Loki had done it, he had successfully averted disaster and typically the two Asgardians were the only ones watching it. They had watched the potential obliteration of a neighbourhood, averting the crisis without so much as a thank you.

Of course actually having to do it; having to actually throw Jay that hard and far into a wall had subsequently hurt Loki mentally and also oddly physically. He had just knowingly injured his own protector all in the name of saving the unimportant inhabitants of this hidden realm. And yes, he did it to save Amora from a vicious blow that he knew Jay was more than capable of delivering.

The female Asgardian was almost right though, if Jay were to punch her even in his powerful form he would easily break a few bones.

The God of evil was quickly bought to his senses once the ringing in his ears had subsided. It was known as an effect of the priori incantantem that Loki had performed when he turned Jay. The old enchantment that kept them together for all eternity was meant to bring them closer, not tear them apart. Typically the closer it bought them the more harm would befit the other should one be hurt as was the case for this irreversible spell.

The original idea behind the creator of the spell was that in bringing the two together would allow one to feel the others pain and to understand each other better. But the spell had never been successful because one of the two would normally die in pain and the other would suffer in silence as had been noted. But Loki had thought about that and had altered his spell to counteract the failures of the past. He had wanted the lifetime servitude of Jay and his complete and total attention so things such as injury had to be taken in to account.

However that part of the spell always made itself known, now more than ever...For to injure one so greatly would cause undue pain to the other. Right now Loki was feeling an intense internal pain in his back coupled with a migraine headache and ringing ears.

Loki wiped blindly at his nose and hid the red crimson liquid from Amora, he stared at Jay but kept his worried gaze from her eyes and yet he knew her to be scrutinizing him even though his back was turned away from her.

His long pale fingers rubbed through his own hair and he winced again, he removed his hand and cringed, he was not injured but this was a sign that he had gone too far….his fingers again doused with his own blood. He daren't touch his back but he could feel a damp sticky feeling spreading….his eyes reached across the abandoned car lot behind the club searching for any reassurance.

Jay however wasn't moving, his suit was covered in rubble, his hair was grey and covered in concrete dust, he was grey all over, his skin tone couldn't even be seen, he looked like he'd been caught in a demolition site when the building came down…on him.

"I think you might have overdone it Loki."

"And whose fault was that? You taunted him no less, made him feel worthless."

"Well he was being very disrespectful to you. He was insolent so I taught him a lesson."

"No you made him hate you even more, he was this close Amora….this close." Loki shouted.

"He is more powerful than you think….. he can certainly inflict more pain than you have potentially ever experienced."

"How can a mere mortal inflict so much pain, it is unthinkable and contrite and I for one do not believe it nor you."

"You doubt me?" Loki asked incredulously but kept his smile away from her.

"Because you offend reason...mostly." Amora replied with a simple shrug of her shoulders before skipping in front of Loki with a childish fascination in wanting to see the damage for herself.

"Silence Amora, Jay is stronger than you think." He growled out before striding over in long graceful steps with the same amount of concern as before.

Although the God could not see any injuries from his current position, he knew that there would be something considering the fact that Jay was not moving. And if Loki's empathetic injuries were anything to go by he knew that Jays injuries were all potentially hidden...and he began to worry, thinking maybe in the presence of Amora he should perhaps feign ignorance. He could not do with having to explain in detail; his reasons for worrying or his reasons for changing Jay into the immortal warrior he was now. And finally the spell he had used for he knew that Amora would undoubtedly use that spell to her advantage if given the opportunity.

* * *

"Am I right in thinking that if you had not been so heavy handed that his magiks would have hurt you?" She questioned and turned around to face him, her hand stroking his face gently.

"Aye, and you too. And, they are not his _magic. Jay_ has no magical ability that I am aware of; they are his elements and he can use them exceptionally if given the opportunity."

He crouched in front of Jay, the now dilapidated wall looked like it was about to collapse due to the seismic shock it had just received. Bricks were tumbling from it at a steady pace before the God removed him from further injury.

The whole wall fell promptly leaving an unsightly missing section and an open view into someone's back yard. The God held Jay in his arms, he was breathing at least. "Amora do you mind…clean him up a little and make him more presentable."

"Loki…..I'm disappointed."

"Amora as you can clearly see my hands are full…literally so just for the Norns sake will you just do it."

"Fine and the injuries too I presume you don't want him bleeding all over you!" Amora replied.

"I said you were too hard on him Loki, you could have used a spell instead of brute force."

"I panicked okay, there I said it and I'm not overly fond of admitting that and he was about to hit you….where is his injury anyway?"

"Injury? More like injuries…multiple places Loki. Like I said 'too hard' on him." Amora tested.

"Maybe you should just leave him here…..to die."

"No…..that's callous, why would you even think that?"

"He doesn't respect you and you don't respect him it is plain to see but I could change him, it would just require a simple change of ownership."

"No…Amora, he does respect me but he has strange way of showing it…..please just do it."

"Fine, as you wish Loki, there is a hole from the metal supports in the wall and his head wound is severe….life threatening for a mortal at a guess and excruciating for any other." Amora soothed as she spoke relaxing the God as she did.

"My spell will leave no wound bed nor bruise just a lingering ache for a few hours at most."

"Just do it, because Norns forbid his brethren should show up….it would be a waste of good warriors…..Please Amora."

"Is this another favour you want of me Loki? Another payment I might request of you for your slight of hand against this mere mortal!"

"I was doing it to protect you Amora for I know what he is capable of, but repetition is not my strong suit so please do stop making me repeat the very reason he is now in this predicament."

Amora paused waiting for the god to realise she was still waiting for some type of reward before beginning. She wanted something in reward for saving the worthless but rather attractive young mans' life twice in less than forty eight hours.

"Amora? you're stalling why for Valhalla's sake are you stalling?"

"My payment Loki…..I'm not asking you to do this am I?…..no, it is you asking me again!"

"Fine anything you wish Amora just do it…" Loki foolishly agreed to her payment terms without actually agreeing to any specific terms.

The Enchantress was quick to perform said spell on Jay, one to clean him up and another to rid him of all his previous injuries he had sustained over the course of the last day. He looked the picture of health when she had finished, his suit and shirt repaired and not a trace of a rip or tear.

"Loki, you realise I can defend myself...I feel we were making progress before you charged in!"

"He was about to strike you down." Loki whispered again annoyed at having to repeat himself yet again.

"Yes but he wouldn't have struck me down, he is mortal after all and would probably break his wrist trying to hurt me. Besides it is evident he doesn't like me very much but I'm sure that he'll come round soon enough…..I just need some time alone with him."

"Yes I know you want time alone but I grow dubious of your intentions….I know of your enchantments my dear but I implore you to see reason with him, he is special to me and I do not want him tainted with your dark magic."

"Hmm is that so, so for the moment you'll just be tainting him with yours then….remember my payment terms Loki…I still get one week with him…for my help in Asgard a few days past and of course my new payment terms which you didn't add any stipulations to I might add."

"Aye, I agreed to you having one week with him but what exactly do you mean by new payment terms?"

"My one week with him….well you said I could return him to you intact of mind and body which I fully intend on doing but then my new payment will be…..him."

"He'll be mine, rather than yours…..doesn't that seem better for all?"

"No….that's not what I meant Amora….a payment is not of that magnitude and I would never agree to that. You know how important he is to me…..I told you of this."

"Urgh….Loki I jest…..although seeing you squirm like that makes me think that in due course when you grow tired of him or when you push him to his limits physically then I'll be able to claim him for myself."

"Ha my dear that will never happen, I would never knowingly try to kill him, this was just a mere misunderstanding….a show of chivalry and uhm a touch of anger."

"Look, just help me get him in to the club and make him look awake without actually waking him. I-I need to calm him down sufficiently and I need privacy to do that." Loki whispered and Amora shot him a suspicious glare.

"Why privacy Loki, what are you hiding from me?"

"Please Amora just give me privacy for a few hours at least."

"Aye, I will not interrupt you as you request although I am confused as to you intentions." She added.

The final piece was to wake him up properly and Loki would do that himself but he needed privacy for he knew that the moment he woke up Jay he would be angry and likely fight back.

Loki and Amora disguised themselves as an inconspicuous couple before walking Jay into the strip club, this action got some concerned glances namely from Cole and Kai who had to pull their gaze away from the pole dancer in front of them.

"What happened to him?" Kai asked, his voice slurred.

"Yeah what are you doing with him?" Cole asked and fell off his chair in a drunken stupor.

"W-we just found him like this!" The male shouted quickly and together they both led Jay into the male restroom watching around them as they did.

"We think he had one too many fine beverages, alas he is still in fine fettle."

"Amora, it is known as alcohol in this any many other realms…you'll blow our cover with archaism like that."

Jay was placed across the sink pedestals atop the sinks before Amora left the room. She had swiftly changed her disguise again into that of a woman in this establishment. Amora changed into a stripper.

Loki locked the door behind her as Amora left.

But the look on Loki's face was pure evil intent, he had something planned for his protector.

* * *

Amora's new outfit was typically green so her new attire was a rather eye catching green sequinned number that duly caught the young men's eyes. She walked up the stage in her thigh length black and green circled boots before grasping hold of the long pole in front of Cole, Kai and Shade.

Instantly she was the centre of attention, the music came on and she had chosen it herself a trance song perfect for mind control. She danced in front of the young men and watched happily as they took in all of her beauty. The money was thrown onto the stage as their jaws dropped at her flexibility, she leaned right over the stage backwards and her enchanted lips rested on Cole's...he was smitten with her…. He stared wide eyed watching her gyrate around the pole, but she removed no clothes, she was a seducer not a stripper and this was part of who she was and how she had reached her sorceress status, she used her own beauty well to seduce just as she was with the long black haired warrior.

 _'A few years from now…..once the single mother takes the relevant tests…..then he will suffer and then of course is Cole…..hmm what can I do to make you cut your ties?'_

 _'You're next baby…..Cole how will your soulmate react when she knows you had a prostitute rather than her…how will she feel when the sees the evidence for herself.'_ She thought as she continued to dance focusing on the men in front of her.

She inwardly laughed at Kai, she had played him so well, his life's lie was going to haunt him but it wouldn't happen this year, no.

* * *

"Just a simple spell should do it, one that wakes calmly, one with a hint of tame that fogs the mind, a dash of fire to ignite the flames of lust. One incantantem for a simple change of gender to calm the anger and a small enchantment to allow me the strength to stay in control." He whispered as the female form of Jay came back into stunning vision.

Her eyes fluttered open, she sat upright and she looked down feeling confusion at her surroundings, this wasn't where she could remember being last, She was sure she was outside but it was difficult to remember.

"What…..happened to me?"

The God was standing right in front of her, he moved so he was right in between her legs before pulling her towards him. He expertly undid her white cotton shirt like it was his own before unclasping the belt buckle to her now baggy trousers.

"You were angry and unstable….that is all and you just gave yourself to me willingly." He lied snaking his hands on her now exposed shoulders.

* * *

 **Sorry but the next chapter will be quite smutty but Loki isn't himself for the moment...she's in his head...the seat of Asgard hangs in the balance as does a strong but young protectors servitude.**


	44. Just a little mind bending for some

Loki undid each button carefully whilst slipping his cold hands into the open front of the crisp white cotton shirt to grasp her gently before claiming her mouth with his lips. It was evident to the God that she wasn't expecting that, she was speechless...for once. Her too smart mouth, actually had no wise cracks to utter aloud.

He removed the shirt from her shoulders, somehow it ended up on the coat hook attached to the door.

"Then what is all this…why are you here and why am I female again?" She questioned, breathlessly, now realising she was awake, but a different gender, _again_.

"You chose this my pet….I gave you choice and fair warning." He lied with a sick smile and carried on.

She didn't protest as such but she frowned at him and what he was saying. She had a sinking feeling of where this was heading, and she gulped when she looked into his eyes.

Loki removed her trousers carefully, aware of how expensive the suit was and then pushed her down backwards over the sinks. He grasped her long silky hair in between his fingers and pulled it tight. He loved how her hair glistened over his pale hands, the sun could be reflected in those long auburn tresses, unlike Sigyn's whose hair was as dark as fertile soil. "LOOK AT ME!" He commanded, firmly as his other hand moved further down.

She did, although fearful of what to expect. "Why are you doing this?" she asked, again.

"You ask too many questions my pet…I rather think you have suffered enough for today."

"And whose fault was that…..don't say mine!" The female hissed angrily, frustrated that she couldn't do anything to stop his advances. His hand was still provocatively toying with her.

"Aye, it was a mixture of many contributory factors….you were still wrong to leave though."

She rolled her eyes, in frustration more than anything, "This is like a broken disc…I had to go…I also gave you fair warning too."

* * *

But how Loki loved her long auburn hair. He could grasp it all day and pull on it, knowing that Jay would allow him to do so. She would accept it, if only to avoid the pain of refusal and the humiliation of a physical beating. Loki had never had to use that tactic because the female Jay was always so compliant and tolerant to his domineering side in the bedroom, she never questioned him…not really.

Of course if the God could tame this part then surely the male part would follow suit and in doing so would become submissive to his directions. No the God did not want to partake in sexual activities with the male counterpart to this vixen, he merely wanted the male part to do as he was told. And in doing so, to obey every command Loki would give him as well as Amora.

Jay, in her current state was making Loki exude nought but anger. This left him with no choice but to take her by force, and he changed her with a simple spell yet again, one of amore and lust and nothing less…and what better way to cure a dose of pure evil than with an extended session of filthy love making in a den of depravity where whores danced for paper money mere metres away.

Loki pushed his fingers in deep which elicited a gasp, he wasn't gentle in the slightest. All the time he did this, he thought about what she'd made him do. Just who was she, to make a God step into a battle to prevent an all out war between an elemental and an Asgardian witch? What made Jay think that she was right in any of this?

* * *

Within a few minutes of those provocative ministrations, his pet had begun whimpering and writhing gently. Loki could hear her gasping breaths, and the whimpers escaping into the night. It was in abundance, like the sounds of perpetual howling on the full moon. His name repeated over and over spilling from those beautiful pouting lips.

Had the Evil God thought more about it, he could have calmed his protector down with a simple apology and a heartfelt discussion about morals and the sanctity of a pure marriage, but where was the fun in that? No, Amora had stirred something evil in him and mere words wouldn't work for him anymore, not whilst the witch was around...and certainly not when his protector was in this form. It left him ravenous for her, for both of them.

Loki desired this more than he cared to admit. He was almost drooling at the sight of the compliant female as he had successfully disrobed her, freeing her of any obstacles. Not wanting to apologise either, every other word he had spoken had been the truth. Yes, he had knowingly put Amora before Jay and that was something huge yet it was the right thing to do for the time being. He knew Amora well, as _well_ as he would like. But he didn't trust her fully, call it intuition or at being just as evil and manipulative as she was.

The God would simply see how this would play out, he was eager to find out her plans for Jay.

 _'She seemed to despise you, my pet, showing such feelings of hate towards you but why...should we test that...find out what she has planned. I know she watches you in your male aspect, is there something else there?'_ The God thought as he curled his fingers gently and felt her hands squeeze him in response.

"Loki?...Wh-what did you do…to me?" She groaned and arched her back in pain.

"What did I do to you? Hmm nothing my pet, you lost control of your emotions by your own actions," he lied again, his face stoic and not giving any clues to his deception.

* * *

He could apologise to Jay but no, he chose not to for he wanted to take advantage. It would seem that Amora had cast her own spell on him unknowingly, all in the name of testing bonds. She was testing their bond as the next in line to the throne of Asgard and his protector seeing how far she would get before she needed to implement her final plan. But Loki didn't know this part, he was too caught up in the moment to even care if this was the right thing to do or not. He was going to take her and she wasn't exactly fighting him off for she lay back willingly.

"Mmm you want this? As much as me no doubt." The God smirked and unbuckled himself, his leather breeches falling to the floor.

" **No** , not really I mean you could have waited like a few more hours at least…or until the party had ended. Or just paid for a prostitute!"

"Silence!…I told you, _you_ were too much of a temptation. You, my dear'are just issuing pure evil, it's pouring out of you and all because of this place and what you did earlier." The God hissed into her ear, "And, that makes me dangerous too."

"Uhm…oh God…" She mumbled.

"Strange" He replied as he removed his fingers and marvelled at the moisture, shoving them in her mouth before she had a chance to speak again.

"Haa, it seems that your body betrays you also." He'd placed his fingers into her mouth and she sucked them willingly, without prompting. "You say **'N** _ **o'** _ but I rather think you mean yes." Came the smug reply as he removed his now clean fingers. "Do you hear that?" Loki asked quietly, cryptically.

"Wha...what?" She replied, confused.

"It is called silence my pet, and I expect it from you…"

It was an order, Jay recoiled slightly.

The God pushed himself forwards until he was fully enveloped by her heat. He still had her hair pulled up so she could watch him in the various mirrors surrounding them as he took her slowly. "This is just part of your punishment my pet, but it is more of a pleasure pain thing and this as I'm sure you can guess is the pleasure part of it." Loki whispered as he rocked his hips back and forth.

"Hey you finished in there yet?" a familiar voice shouted.

Jay recognised it at once, it was Griffin and she could hear Cole too. It was more luck that the door hadn't broken off considering how many people were now banging on it but the God didn't seem to care. And again the moment they were both in had surpassed that of Iceland because there had been no real risk of being caught in such a sordid position. This was incredibly bold and daring, in what was considered a public restroom.

"This is….oh my god!-" She panted, gasping for breath, "-this is kinda called taking advantage of me, and I'm not…..your pet dammit." Throwing her head back as she slowly got used to the feeling.

Loki was just ignoring the unwelcome disturbance as if there was no one there and he made his female take notice in him as he sped up his thrusts. The subsequent action of what he had just done by way of another spell; had made the female moan out loud, her legs completely relaxed allowing him more access.

"Ha, well...much more supple now!" The God smirked and looked at her longingly before snapping his eyes shut in deep concentration.

"No, you are my pet, you are my possession and my lover and this is merely called taking what is mine. Besides I know you like it too and, it helps to calm you…down." He said with a forceful thrust.

"But the people outside."

"I don't care what they want, why should I? I only want your attention, fully focused on me." Loki boomed and grasped her face before staring into her wide fearful eyes. "Unless you would prefer this instead," he replied showing her the back of his hand, admiring it for himself.

"But….mmmphhh…..you wouldn't dare…!" Jay stated in shock, the God had never threatened her like this before.

He followed through with his threat and swiped his hand across her face leaving a bright red welt and a look of complete disgust and shock. The echo of the resounding slap had bounced of each wall. Jay's face had turned with the force of it. " _YOU ARE MINE, pet_! I do what I want, when I want."

"How, how c-could you?" Jay saked, her voice squeaked, an a teary eyed look appearing on her her face as her hand came to soothe the sting.

"You choose to test me….my pet and you will lose."

"That's right, focus on me…..not them just focus on me." Loki closed his eyes in concentration smirking when he saw traces of white powder around them. He pulled back out and then rammed back in eliciting a further panicked squeal from her, "Mine...you belong to me and I can do anything to that which I own."

"Feels good" Loki said, it may have sounded like a question to Jay but this was more of an admission from the God who was enjoying himself more than he cared to admit.

 _'_ _Illicit drugs my, my, my how the great have fallen.'_ Loki thought.

"I won't be long my pet…." He smirked and continued.

"Loki I-I have to get back to the…party….you can't take me like this it's not right."

"Mmmm, I love it when you struggle."

"I-I will use my element against you if y-you don't get off me right now." Jay panted out with each movement.

"And then what my dear pet? You will be stuck in this form for the foreseeable." Loki mocked and picked up his pace, bracing himself against the mirrored wall and the edge of the sinks where cracks were beginning to form in both. "Is that what you truly want, to be stuck like this? I of course, wouldn't mind."

Jay shook her head defiantly, "I vaguely remember you saying this would be quick…I'd mmphhh hate to think what long would feel like."

"Long hmm…odd choice of words." He had _the_ most smug grin on his face.

"Look up, my pet, watch me... You should feel honoured most females are begging for this and yet I only give it to you now." The God scrutinised her as she refused to do his bidding until he pulled her hair a little too harshly and forced her to watch as he pulled himself all the way out before thrusting back in slowly.

He watched as her eyes flooded with tears at the pain he had inflicted before releasing the strain somewhat.

The audible appearance of his name again as she clenched him tightly, her pleasured moans escaping again from those same luscious pink lips. The action of watching what was happening had kept her eyes glued to it like a addictive movie, Loki was large in comparison and there was little to no wonder that Nya had indeed desired him.

"Oh…god…..yes…."

"I guess this treatment is turning you into a minx of sorts but I wonder what it does to your male side…..have you had any strange desires yet…..have you wanted to dominate or inflict pain to your sexual encounters?"

 _'Mine, you are mine, this is mine...MINE.'_

"You want the truth?" Jay panted as they continued to move in time.

"Yes…..of course." The God replied.

"Then apologise for this and….this." Jay's female voice hissed as she pointed to her body and face." Blushing at what she saw when she looked down.

"Then I..." He frowned at his inability to do such a simple thing. "I-I, apolo….apologise…" Loki struggled to say the words, like they were being blocked from leaving his mouth.

She frowned at him,"Was it that difficult to say?" Jay stared up confusedly at the panting God before her.

She received no response, his face looked like a mixture of emotions was making itself known, he was evidently having some sort of internal battle with himself. He was silent, his silver tongue absent, his green eyes were almost soulless black, his pupils dilated beyond all reason.

"Answer me pet, NOW!"

She squeaked, in fear, "a…a few m-maybe. It depends though I-I guess, on how I feel."

"Good, good...The dominant side of you will be noticeable when you are angry…..just don't let it take over you."

"What you mean like you are….like this?" Jay mumbled again.

He placed his finger in her mouth to silence her whilst the other braced the wall for support as he carried on, Jay took her opportunity and bit down hard on his finger but the God just smiled down at her.

" **You'll break your beautiful teeth before you damage my skin, pet.** " The God laughed mirthlessly at her feeble attempt to cause him harm, it wasn't like anyone else had ever tried this but he had to give her due admiration for she was certainly being persistent.

Jay was still seething with anger despite the amorous situation. She was desperate to cause any type of physical injury but all she did was make Loki smile. She had even tried to rake her nails down his back to no avail, Loki had simply told her to stop tickling him.

"You can't hurt me in this form, for I control you.." Loki smiled and his evil grin spread across his face, "And,-" he said as he devoured her neck,"You are mine."

* * *

Jay tried to focus on anything but this, why should his female body enjoy it? He hated it and despised the body, it was a huge weakness to be subjected to and far too easy to corrupt; similarly so to take advantage of. But the female body betrayed him, for no matter how much he didn't want it to happen it was making itself known. That same feeling again building up inside, a tight coil being wound tighter the more the God remained there.

His thumb grazed the right spot again as he started to increase his speed. "Cum!" He ordered.

He watched her intently to see her release before he would follow suit. He didn't have to wait long until her eyes had closed and her face had flushed, then like a switch, it simply happened. "NOW!" On cue and to his command, his name was shouted in desperation.

Loki could feel her pulsing against him. That feeling alone was bringing him into his own pleasure filled climax. He couldn't hold it in any longer, his anger and rage had been successfully subdued, his lust was almost satiated as soon as that loud throaty growl escaped from his pale alabaster face.

The growl he verbalised was one that could have originated from the depths of Hel for his eyes were sparkling a malevolent green. Furthermore there was no emotion on his stern face just a desire to take something that he could never hope to control. Unless of course he was planning on torturing his protector in the most brutal way until he died. But he wasn't going to do that because Jay was still important to him.

He smirked and slowed down but remained thrusting slowly as she too came down from her climactic throes. His lips hungrily claimed hers and he rammed his tongue into her mouth fighting for domination. In that moment it was all the God truly craved; domination both in the bedroom and in Asgard.

* * *

Loki wanted to rule over all and everything; Jay included. And Amora the Enchantress had driven him to this newfound desperation, her words had somehow unleashed the malevolent side of him and he was now taking something that he had promised to ask for respectfully.

Of course Loki's own spells had prevented Jay from questioning most of his more recent physical actions. There were no potions that were required for this as it was a simple incantation meant to control and subdue painlessly. Loki had made it so, because he knew what he was going to do as soon as he had thrown him against the wall. Mostly punishment was called forth but part mind control so he could have his way.

He still hadn't stopped and people were banging on the door threatening to get security if they didn't open the infernal locked door. But the God didn't care in the slightest he would let them watch and then he would kill every last one for interrupting him and his lover or as was the current situation; his concubine.

He carried on delivering kisses claiming her mouth before she tried to speak again. But the God placed his hand on her mouth and lifted one of her legs up and over his shoulder, he half climbed onto the sinks and lowered himself slowly again before looking down to the swollen stomach in confusion. He was careful not to exert any pressure on her body for his was much heavier than her even though they were almost the same build. "Are you pregnant?" He asked, confused.

Jay looked up to him, pleadingly. The tears in her eyes all but gone. Only pleasure remained, but then was the startling reality that his God, the one he was meant to protect, Amora had done something to his mind. How could Loki forget? The damned God had planted the seed, he had changed Jay as a punishment, not thinking of the consequences of such.

"I'm sorry…I-I can't control…..myself when you are in this form…..I fear for your safety I-I know I must stop before I hurt you…because if I lose control or if I lose myself in you….well, you could die….mmmm."

Jay merely grunted as the position drove her body to all new levels of pleasure and all she could do was roll her eyes back. He was being gentle but still dominant, this was new, kind of different but felt so good. "Then…st-stop taking advantage….my liege."

"I did this to, mmmm calm y-you, for you tried to strike her, down. Ugh you could have, hurt her with your, jealousy and blind…hatred." Loki panted out as beads of perspiration appeared on his brow. He seemed to be pushing himself past his usual limits for some strange reason unbeknownst to Jay.

"You never gave me the choice!" Jay replied, breathlessly.

'Y _ou're choosing her even though you barely know of her intents. You know she's evil yet you chose to ignore it. How far will you let her take it?...How far Loki?'_ Jay replied, although only in mind.

The God placed his hand over her nose and mouth again effectively silencing her as he continued slowly, her muffled voice and attempts at getting his attention all but diminishing. His cantrip and runic spells helped to keep her strength away.

She couldn't even pry his hands of her mouth and nose.

"I don't want to hear it...you will submit to me and you'll be grateful." His malevolent side revealing it's ugly head again.

He was dominating her but he was being incredibly gentle too. It was just the initial part, the beginning where Loki had thrown him against the wall in anger, and the reason for that outburst was purely to stop Jay from using his shield for protection and striking Amora down in the process, he was close to obliterating the entire block which would have resulted in a huge loss of life.

* * *

Jay was not moving at all on her own, just his movements gave him all the momentum he needed as he slowed to a stop. She had relaxed to almost a sleep like state eyes hazy and lids heavy, brow covered in a fine sheen of sweat, her arms had flopped over the side. The God quickly realised he was keeping her nose and mouth held before recoiling his hand in terror and shock at what he was doing.

"I am sorry…..forgive me?" He muttered, removing himself as gently as he could before dousing her flushed face with cooled water from the nearest sink that was still functioning.

"I-I don't realise my own strength but I know it can overpower if unrestrained." Loki said as he wiped her hair from her face.

Still, there was no movement, "Please, wake my pet!" The God began to panic slightly. He knew that the female was alright because he could see her chest moving evenly. Then there was the fine flush on her skin and her pulse that was slowing to the regular rate. He had wondered how long he kept her mouth and nose devoid of oxygen.

"I'm sorry…..please wake up."

Jay sighed, yawning loudly, her delicate feminine voice breaking through the noise of the continual door banging and angry patrons behind it.

"Is that you…or her speaking?" Jay whimpered releasing a throaty groan.

"I am sorry..."Loki grumbled. His head was down, "I do not know of these feelings that came over me, I just saw…r-red." He looked up, almost for forgiveness. The evil smirk remained. The visible appearance of that smile had removed any sense of genuineness that Loki was just skimming the truth.

"I-it's okay….we both kind of wanted it in a way." She spoke breathlessly struggling to sit up, "I think." She looked around, confused as to her surroundings.

"Well I guess this p-part of me did but I-I can't say the same for my real part, you know the real m-me would outwardly cringe at this and probably try to kill you." She panted and wiped the wet feeling of her forehead wincing at the pain from the taps which had dug into her side. "But why do it anymore?…..I mean, it isn't fair for me…..really."

"Because you carry my child and I intend to protect you both as you do with me."

"So you remember that now huh?" She cringed when she looked at the mildly swollen stomach. "But sure, okay unexpected considering earlier you threw me into a wall from what I remember…anything else?"

"When Odin wakes he will likely punish both of us for this slight and it may only be a matter of time before he finds out about this." He said as he approached and bent down to kiss said swollen stomach.

"Punish both of us?" Jay hissed, "this was….this was all your doing, again!" she winced and raised an eyebrow when the God acted so gently around her exposed stomach; considering how hard he'd hit her face a few minutes ago.

"How hard did you throw me….against the damn wall?" She questioned. Another pain making itself know was a literal 'God awful' backache.

"Forgive me….I forget my own strength." Loki replied. "It was a necessity, and as such, the force was the reason for the injury you sustained."

"Injury?"

A genuine smile this time, "the _injuries_ were severe but the potential consequences were best avoided. Can you forgive me?" He asked with a smirk, he didn't care if she said yes or no, it wasn't like he chose to seek forgiveness. It just made him want her more for her defiance of him.

"No…..I can't. At least, not while you remain at her side." Jay replied simply, shrugging her shoulders whilst attempting to sit up.

"….And, why exactly will we both be punished? Considering you keep changing me?"

"He will not allow it anymore, one of us could be executed for this crime carries the highest punishment as afforded to those who commit treason and murder." Loki looked away and bit his lip.

"Executed?….great! then I guess….we'll have to keep it a secret….." Jay groaned out loud, "Please….I've got to get back…..y-you've kept me away for too long as it is."

"I know, I know, you have someone else to watch tonight…"

"Ooh is that jealousy, are you jealous that I'm watching him tonight? Because you know I gave you my word and I will stick to it….I am true to my word as a Ninja...a ninja never quits and neither shall I." Jay replied gently avoiding his eyes scared of what he would see there.

"I-I guess it was and still is hard to give up everything and I mean EVERYTHING to be with you for all eternity, guess I didn't really think about it but I understand it all now however I still question your allegiances and I always will."

"An admission…..I thank you for your words and truths. An admission from me…..yes, a hint of jealousy may be within my dark soul."

Jay looked back into Loki's eyes, her head cocked to the side at hearing Loki admit to being jealous.

"But you cannot exactly blame me, for the brother who flaunts your blood money around like he earned it himself is who you chose to protect." The God rolled his eyes and helped to clean the female up.

"How his lies have fed his friendships, oh if only they knew." Loki laughed.

"Please don't!" another plea, "-you've both caused enough trouble tonight….okay! I know you had a plan but you should have just trusted me with it." Jay looked up and away from Loki's guilty face.

"I told you I could have done it myself within a month or less, but how Amora's done it was just plain evil….I guess a part of you would have thought it up too but you would have at least spoken to me about it in depth first….you would owe me that much surely?"

"My pet...it was not my int..."

"That is **_not_ ** my name!" Jay snapped, her female voice angry at hearing him call her a domesticated creature.

"Kai and Cole are my best friends despite their obvious flaws and their attempts at trying to end my life. I wanted to do this my own way but I guess it's been taken out of my hands because she knew better….but she didn't and neither do you."

"Will Odin punish her for interfering? Will he be as cruel as you say he is or will that be reserved just for us? For the son who was denied his rightful chance to rule a kingdom he was born into or the one he desires...and what of his poor wayward soulless protector who follows blindly?" Jay looked away and quickly wiped the tear away in anger.

"Ya know, this might sound completely odd but I do care about you and I worry. I mean, it's sort of odd how close we've become considering how you initially treated me-"

 _'how you still treat me.'_

"-And." She took a deep breath in, "-it's taken all that pain and torment to see how much you've changed. Since _this_ had happened, you completely changed…..but you snapped back again as soon as Amora came into the picture...I can tell that she's controlling you."

"Please…..Amora was trying to help. Hopefully in the not too distant future you will come to like her, maybe trust her." He replied, unconcerned.

Jay shook her head internally and with a heavy heart she responded to her brainwashed God, "Hmph, I guess time will tell." She looked back at the God, shrugging her shoulders.

There was no emotion visible, no smile or frown for her emotions were being hidden in an attempt to protect her body male or female from the inevitable torrent of punishment it would be taking at her hands, when Loki wasn't around.

"How is it that your female side makes me want to do things to you that would have me locked up in every realm where we would do it….how is it that I know you would willingly let me tie you up you so you could deliver a level of pleasure that no one else is capable of. How do you do it my pet?"

"Ha, err…..I-I don't know…uhm, haha….really it's all down to you and your magic." She cringed as she knew he was thinking about her body again rather than the importance of the subject Jay had been wanting to discuss, but it was no use because he was being blind to reason.

"That may be the case and I must say I am happy to hear of your admiration for my magic has taken hundreds of years to perfect. However," He smiled mischievously, "-I wasn't finished. Your male aspect makes me angry but a small part of me may see you as a brother and as a best friend and finally someone who would be my equal."

"Maybe it's just personalities…..I guess, I mean I never wanted to be in the spotlight, just wanted to be a part of a team." Jay rolled her eyes, how typical of Loki to take her last statement as a compliment rather than the sarcasm it was laced with.

"Oh but you're so much more than that now." He replied as he helped her up of the sinks whilst admiring his handy work, he had cracked each mirror with a simple touch and each sink was cracked with his weight too.

"How am I more than that? you've pretty much demoted me and made me her protector too…..you've made me the unwelcome third wheel, the useless spare cog, the crowd rather than the company."

"What?" Loki quizzed, confusion clear to see.

"Really? …..hahahah Two's company and three's a crowd." Jay's female side laughed the same laugh.

"I am sure she does not think of you in that light….my pet, she will come to like you in time." Jay cringed again at the term Loki had used, it was beginning to grate.

He grabbed Jay's expensive suit and shirt before re-robing his lover allowing her to fasten the garments before performing the simple transmutation spell. Her face was flushed and even as a male that colour would still remain for the next few hours at least. An afterglow, to tell most that he would meet that he had partaken in a marathon sex session.

Loki thought to himself, glad that Jay could not read his mind but inwardly the God was trying to restrain himself from taking her again and again. ' _Oh the Norns forgive me for I can't get enough of her even though she is with my child…..but why do I want to hurt the male part, if only there was a way to keep him female but strong too…._ '

Loki pried his eyes off her painfully, she did belong to him but he wouldn't treat her like a concubine for she was too important in her male form and yet the female form kept his child safe from harm, he just wished that he could reason with the male side of his protector.

 _'Her male aspect, of course'_ Loki thought and created a ball of green mist before blowing it in Jay's direction. The God was fully clothed before Jay could register what had happened but as soon as he noticed the God standing so close in the locked restroom his heart started to beat faster.

Even more so when Jay looked at the destroyed restroom, only one cubicle remained undamaged the rest looked like a tornado had passed through the room. Visible hand marks could be seen on each mirror complete with a mosaic of cracks running from each and then the sinks they were almost crumbling, the taps bent at odd angles.

There was another odd thing that plagued Jay's mind; Amora still had a hold on Loki, not once had the God called him by his own name during the last two hours, she had been called a 'pet…..an animal….something unworthy of opinion.' And even though Jay had warned the God to stop he had persisted in calling her the same name, almost like he couldn't remember what her actual name was...or maybe he didn't care.

Loki didn't do that anymore he hadn't done it for months, yet he was again and it took some serious mind strength to get Loki to apologise for slapping Jay across the face….that again was out of the ordinary…..a sign of things to come whilst she remained at his side.

Jay shuddered violently as a vision swam into his mind….she was laying on a rock covered floor inside a room of sorts but bleeding to death, his female side was begging and crying for release or simply to be left alone to die. Her eyes were pleading in desperation and Amora seemed to be staring on with a sickening smile as Loki destroyed him whilst under her spell.

 _'Oh god….futures can be changed, right?'_ Jay squeezed his eyes shut shaking the recurring nightmare from his head.

"Loki w-what are you doing here? Wait did we just, did you?" Jay rubbed his face speechless as to why his clothes were mostly undone and the God before him had a satisfied look on his face, a sparkle in his odd black eyes and a pink glow to his alabaster cheeks.

"Yes to both Jay and I thank you for a most pleasurable evening, it was difficult to turn you back but-" he paused and noted with disdain, the digital clock on the wall read 02:45, "-I keep to my word and uhm this place closes in fifteen minutes."

"Oh, and Jay, the correct title is 'My Lord'-" he said calmly, "-your female form calls me a whole wealth of different names, usually ranging from 'my god, my liege, my prince, your majesty, my king and so on."

Jay blushed and cringed at his female side's admission, he did know what he shouted out because his mind was still his own and each time they had done this bar that one time when he was enchanted, Jay still had an intact mind and he was more than capable of remembering every sordid detail as well as any names he had called out in the heat of the moment.

"You could have just listened to me…didn't have to stoop to this level ya know." Jay sighed. He knew full well that even if he had fought back as a female, the God would have enjoyed it more. He also knew that Amora had a part to play in that too. Loki had been changed somehow, he was more malevolent than usual; a trait he had thought long since gone since Iceland…and HYDRA.

Jay could see it clearly in Loki's eyes, his eyes held very little green, the pupils had dilated so much there was a fine ring of green but it was fading at an alarming rate. That was Amora and her hold over the current King of Asgard...the part of her that was making him hurt the one he was trying to protect…..the young prince known as Jay was in clear and present danger whilst Amora controlled the God.

"I don't need to listen. I already know you are going to insult _she_ who saved you from death….Amora is worthy of your gratitude and allegiance, you would do well to remember his."

"At what cost though? Huh…what bargaining chip did you give her, what payment for the past event and what new one for this?" Jay asked pointing to his aching back, knowing that was where he had hit the wall.

"I mean, I assume…..which I hate to say because we all know what assume means right? But anyway, she's chosen something as a payment and in your current brainwashed state she's probably manipulated you."

"My liege?" Jay tried using the title he hated using, "-you've gotta listen to me, she won't hurt you because she knows you. She trusts you, but me, well, she doesn't know me at all."

"She thinks I'm a mortal…a mutant! I mean, come on! Do I look like a mutant?" Jay hissed, "The green guy, uhm Hulk, mutant for sure, Deadpool yep dead cert. Any of Hydra's test subjects, again, certified mutants but me err nope not even on the same scale."

"Oh see, now you've lost your silver tongue! Strange because you wouldn't shut up a few minutes ago….I swear you like listening to your own voice sometimes."

"Please just at least think about what I'm saying my liege. I realise you've known her longer, but I serve _you_ now. I'm meant to protect _you_ and _you_ alone. I can't watch both of you and protect you as well as this." Jay said pointing to his stomach pleading to the God who was holding onto the mirror in quiet contemplation.

The God sighed, "I gave her what she wanted for a week and no more. If she hadn't performed the spell that saved you well you wouldn't be here now to hate me."

Jay recoiled slightly, "I-I don't hate you, I'm just angry and concerned at how blind you're being. It's like I can see it all unfolding before my eyes and there's nothing I can do to stop it without betraying you and suffering for it. Which, I should add is also unfair now because I'll imagine she'll be willing to dish out punishment when you're miraculously away on business."

"She won't hurt you…I won't allow it but do not push her so far next time."

He jumped down from the sink ignoring the crumbling concrete that followed and quickly fastened his shirt wiping his powdered fingers on his skin in an attempt rid himself of it. He felt nausea coming on fast, following by tightening feelings in his stomach.

"Ha don't make me...laugh, urgh...you really need to learn to control yourself…my liege." Jay bit his lip and replaced his cuff links. "You can't just take me when you want me….that's not how this works."

"Urgh what is all this white powder, whoa head rush what is that stuff it smells weird?" Jay said as he grabbed a pinch and sniffed it, recoiling at the smell as he started seeing stars almost immediately. He sat back on the sink again, his head spinning.

"It is a drug, Cocaine at a guess. Illicit and incredibly harmful because it is addictive-" Loki muttered under his cold breath, "-It alters the perceptions of each individual, can create powerful hallucinations and-" Loki paused, raising his eye brows and watching as Jay's eyes struggled to focus on anything, he looked ready to fall off the broken sink top.

The God was quick to steady him, seeing an ample amount of power on his exposed skin, his pores absorbing it quickly into his own bloodstream at an alarming rate. The God grabbed the same towel and quickly wiped Jay down.

"It stimulates the senses...ha, erm...removes inhibitions and so and so forth...Jay!..…..terrible for a growing child." He admonished and clicked his fingers rapidly ridding the surfaces of the offending white substance as well as from Jay's fingers and clothing and body.

"What! Why?" Jay laughed unexpectedly and then sneezed as the head rush disappeared.

"Because these places are often similar to the casino, men and women alike will often participate in illicit medicinal use to hide their true feelings of guilt and empty sinful lives." The God cocked his head at his young prince, and appeared to bite at his index finger.

"How old are you **JAY** …..are you really that naïve?" The God hissed his name out like it had been stuck at the back of his throat.

"I'm 24…..No I'm not naive as such just had a fairly sheltered life and then I was trained as a ninja, we weren't really taught about drugs as such and I was kinda home schooled; so again…..like I said sheltered NOT naive." He huffed defending his childhood despite Loki's sardonic laugh.

"Hmm, well this realm is actually pretty tame compared to that of Midgard…..but I'm sure you'll find out soon enough."

"What does that mean….are you keeping something from me or are we due to visit Midgard soon?"

"Spoilers Jay…Amora and myself have plans and you will accompany both of us after the wedding tomorrow…it is not a request…..it's an order."

"But you promised me a month off to finish up down here!"

"I did and you can still have that time but you still serve me boy and you will stick to our terms, you are there to protect the both of us now."

"Urgh…..then be it on your head my liege for if anything happens to me I'll blame you…and you alone."

"You worry too much Jay, she's harmless you just need time to get to know her better."

"Hmph, look this is great and all but do you think I could go back now?…I mean you've kept me in here quite a while." Jay felt like he was a parrot or that the record was duly stuck or perhaps the CD was scratched beyond all recognition...he was sick of of repeating himself, how many times did Jay have to say he didn't want to get to know her any better, he wanted nothing more to do with her.

Yeah of course he was grateful for her saving his life...twice now and he would undoubtedly have to pay her back at some point for the little fact that Loki had asked her to do it for some rather bizarre payment term...at a guess Amora wouldn't do anything for free either just like Loki and yet Loki was been secretive again...just like he had back on Midgard before Hydra took him from Kai's greedy grasp.

"Of course I have successfully assuaged you now, ridding your body of danger…..but yes you are free to enjoy the rest of your night…of which there are only a few minutes left." Loki laughed again, this one coming out as more of a cackle.

"Otherwise boy, you'll be locked in here overnight…..and that won't look good for your speech tomorrow will it?"

Jay felt vomit rising in his throat and turned towards the sink expelling the remains of his three course dinner into the oval shaped cracked bowl.

Loki just simply stared and frowned. "So how long has this been going on for?" He questioned but there was no concern just annoyance at finding out about his protector being ill.

"Don't act like you care my liege…..a few months….maybe four." Jay replied coldly with another heave.

"Are you managing to eat well?"

"Mhh hmm…..mostly….this just happens in the morning usually." Jay said as he wiped his mouth with a tissue.

"I don't sense anything sinister, just a side effect if you will….completely normal and…it will pass in time."

"The only thing sinister is you…."Jay hissed and heaved again into the bowl.

"I still remembered what you said my liege…you put her above me even though she thinks I'm replaceable…she thinks I'm a mortal and a mutant to boot and I know she's evil…why can't you see that?"

"Time for you to go Jay….." Loki smiled.

"Really no reply to that…thanks, I guess I got my answer then."

"I-I can't believe you did this again my liege…and in here too dammit….what you couldn't repair the damage?"

Loki smiled and clicked his fingers disappearing slowly.

"Oh God Loki please tell me you used a silent enchantment on the door? Loki?" Jay whispered and watched Loki shake his head in a silent no.

' _Oh the shame.'_

"Come on let us in, we're desperate out here….gonna burst."

Pale man appeared in front of Jay coming out of the only remaining cubicle before opening the door from the inside.

"Oh god…..did you see all that?"

The transparent man simply nodded and his gloved hand went up to his eyes where Jay could see him shaking his head in shock and disgust.

"Paleman…..gahh is that your real name even?"

He simply nodded again and did a rather crude action with his fingers depicting what he saw using his fingers as a circle and one filling the circle before creating what looked like horns at the side of his head.

"Oh god, please…please don't say anything Paleman dude….please."

The semi-transparent man just shrugged and appeared to laugh before running off out of sight leaving a flustered Jay standing in the same spot with his mouth hanging open in shock.

Jay walked around the small club feeling mortified, curtains were closed everywhere indicating some folks were enjoying private dances and there was still a small amount of men surrounding the pole dancer at the front of the stage.

"Where the fuck _are_ those guys?" Jay hissed to himself peeking cautiously around each curtain and duly apologising at disturbing what should have been something private.

"Time everyone!" A bell stirred everyone from their drunken stupor and Jay turned around squinting up at the clock seeing the time displayed in big red numbers.

' _03:00 dammit where has the time gone?'_ Jay thought to himself as he watched each curtain being opened by the security officers and bouncers.

He recognised no-one and then, he too was being shuffled out of the club along with the other stragglers who were refusing to leave.

He got outside and other than the few men he had been pushed out with he saw no-one around…at all. No cars out front and especially not his muddy Hummer which he was meant to be driving home.

Jay crossed the quiet main road and walked at a faster pace into the almost blackened car park cursing himself and Loki when all that remained was a leftover flowered lei in the place where his car should have been.

He put his tight fitting jacket back on, buttoning up to keep out the cold. He still looked damned hot despite the sheer amount of injuries he'd sustained today, his suit was spotless, the silk was shimmering slightly in the breeze and his crisp Egyptian cotton shirt was providing exceptional warmth at keeping the cold breeze away.

He walked around for a bit into what was the shady part of town but hardly surprising really considering the location of the strip club. It was hardly going to be in a well to do part of town, no, this area was as run down as the exterior of the club was. The car park he had just been in was as empty as his stomach and the taxis had been and gone leaving him on his own.

 _'Why can't I fight him, why do I let him do this? Gahh, this is all her fault!'_

Jay carried on walking into the darkness of the night feeling alive and stronger than ever, he was a little glum but considering the lot he'd been given, this predicament on any mortal would have sent him suicidal. First his best friend selling him to Hydra, the death of his parents, his best friend poisoning him followed by being told that he now to had to protect a woman he cared nothing for as well as his own responsibility as a protector and the fact he was hiding a growing child...yep so much piled on his plate, the young prince was strong though, Jay could do this and he would just to spite her.

' _Sure I'll protect you...make you turn the tables...until you show me the respect I'm due...and we'll see how this plays out._ '

Jay smirked and carried on walking into the dangerous part of Ninjago suburbs when the criminals usually lay in waiting for a sharp dressed man loaded with money to walk by.


	45. The morning after the night before pt1

Jay walked down what looked to be empty alleyways, the occasional working street light guiding him on his journey to find civilisation. He carried on walking aware of movement behind him….the all too familiar sound of someone trying to be stealthy but failing as each step was echoed noisily in the alley way. The person trailing him managed to step in most of the puddles that Jay was purposefully avoiding.

He looked casually over his shoulder seeing the odd bit of movement in his peripheral vision. The street lights were pretty good at showing the uneven surfaces and water logged ground puddles and he nimbly jumped over a few with a spring in his step.

"Yeah you got this Jay…you can do this and you can wipe that smug smile of her pathetic face….when I'm done with her she'll want nothing else."

He heard some noises shuffling behind him and he smiled in anticipation, he really wanted a fight, it didn't have to be fair one though. He paused, listening as the footsteps got closer until he felt the barrel of a gun being pressed into the painful ache in his lower back.

"Give me your money and wallet….now!" The male voice whispered, the threat visible in his tone was overshadowed by a hint of fear.

"And if I say no?…"Jay tested his metal by turning the tables and asking a question in response.

"I'll shoot you!" The voice threatened again.

" **No** … I tell you what…..I'll let you leave with your teeth intact if you lead me to your boss."

"What! Why you…oooof" The man hissed as Jay's fist made contact with his jaw, knocking his four main front teeth out, Jay grabbed the gun in the quick ensuing grapple for power. His moves were lightning fast and the man was soon overpowered as he raised his hands in surrender.

The man stumbled backwards and spat the resulting teeth to the side in shock. "What….how did you?" he mumbled with a newfound lisp, blood spilled from his mouth but looked more like crude oil in the dark night.

"I gave you a warning plain and simple so unless you want every bone breaking you better take me to him…NOW." Jay growled as he held the man's gun in his own hand. He looked it over in fascination before emptying the contents of the magazine into the earth next to him.

"Okay, okay….you a madman or something?" He shouted nervously.

"Yeah you could say that…"Jay nodded slowly pushing the man forward.

"I-it's just down here….but they'll kill ya….they're all armed to the teeth….."

" _Really,_ well, so am I" Jay replied, motioning the man to keep walking.

"Once you've shown me where your boss is, you can go." Jay whispered.

"How are ya armed to the teeth, you're wearing a suit, what are ya packing a mobile phone?" He chuckled in spite of himself as Jay narrowed his gaze and revealed a crooked grin, his perfectly white teeth reflected in the street light was casting a scary image the man couldn't remove his gaze from.

The man could only see the bright purple eyes and the crooked smile, the whole look was unnerving and intimidating, coupled with the suit and smart shoes. Yet the man thought that the smartly dressed man in front of him who wore the blue suit didn't look like he could hurt a fly…

"You don't think I can do it…do you?...You think I'm incapable just by looking at me and what I wear… _so judgemental_." He rubbed his face, looking down for a few seconds before lifting his gaze again. "Ha, believe me I can show you much more than this….but, you don't want to be here for that….right? unless you want to suffer the same fate." Jay widened his eyes gaining ground on the man who dared to question him.

Jay grabbed him by his throat feeling how much power he had running through his veins. He squeezed and felt the man having a mad scramble for his own life as his lips and face started to turn red verging on purple.

"I could snap it, ya know…..like a twig…..I could end your life right now…" Jay growled into the man's ear. "But,…" He paused squeezing tighter.

"I still need someone to deliver the message." Jay licked his teeth and snarled "And…you'll do just fine."

His hands shot up grabbing at Jay's fingers but it was no use, Jay's grip was too strong.

"Why are y-ya doing this?" the man wheezed and trembled as Jay stared him up and down with disgust. He laughed and opened his mouth in surprise as the criminal's eyes rolled back with his continued pressure on the man's neck.

"Because your kind makes me sick and,…there's only enough space in Ninjago for one crime ring." Jay smiled pausing again for dramatic effect.

"One is,….more manageable….." Jay hissed in response throwing him a few feet back before spinning into his tornado, he was fully armed and now a new weapon adorned his arsenal, at his belt was a beautiful set of obsidian handled solid silver nunchucks.

"Wh-who…you…..you're just a one man band you'll never survive." He laughed and backed away further keeping his eyes solely on the man in the now black armoured uniform.

"So quick to judge a book by its cover, no surprise there though; it was always the bane of my life." Jay laughed quietly and shook his head remembering how many times he had been judged before.

"Yeah, the kid from the desert, the loudmouth who hid behind his jokes, the inventor who kept his confidence hidden behind his inventions." Jay licked his lips before casting a quick sideways glance as the man began to back away further into the shadows from where he came.

"No and before you ask; I'm not planning on taking over the crime rings here." Jay grinned and shook his head laughing at how blind the man was being, or maybe he was unaware because he was so dim-witted.

"The crime ring….is the government here…you people are so blind, the mayor of this city is just as corrupt as your boss, he makes all this spin around, he is the cause of all this corruption and deception and once we've dealt with him, the realm will have been cleansed."

"Cleansed…..are ya kidding me, what world are you living in? when one ring falls another will take its place….idiot."

"Not if I or my brothers have any say in it…the more that rise the more we'll take out…..until you all fall or die whichever comes first." Jay looked at the gun again, a silver pistol with a mother of pearl stock tastefully decorated….a woman's gun and stolen judging by the inscription adorning the trigger pin.

"You're mad, you hear me…..mad, don't say I didn't warn ya…..you _psycho_." The man screeched and ran off in to the darkened alleyway splashing through various puddles in the process.

"Quite possibly….I think maybe I am." Jay smiled and aimed the gun at the man's head before throwing it as hard as he could. He laughed when he heard the all too familiar sound of metal hitting bone and the subsequent sound of an unconscious body hitting the wet floor underneath.

He walked down the dead end alley way until he came to a stop outside a heavily guarded run down brick building. The windows boarded up with bright light escaping from the sides and the odd circular holes indicating bullets had been fired previously.

' _Yeah this looks like the place. A couple of motorbikes and a few expensive cars, at a guess ten people all armed, but then I'm just sending a message. And what better way to get the mayors' attention than a little needless violence._ ' Jay thought to himself as his mouth turned into a huge grin, he grabbed his katana's in anticipation and quickly thought of a plan.

He crept around the side seeing two heavily armed men guarding the door, both had pistols and machine guns. He walked out slowly keeping low to the ground, his dark uniform blending in with the inky black sky and subsequent shadows the lamps were providing.

He stood slowly and they still couldn't see him, just the addition of a still new shadow was in their vision, his eyes were narrowed and his face was full of mischief. Both men looked in his general direction but struggled to get a good look at him even when they used their cell phone torch function. Jay had purposefully blended into his background, his stiff uniform remained perfectly still making him out to look like a statue.

The men looked at each in uncertainty but before either had a chance to respond Jay stabbed each one at the same time through their bullet proof Kevlar jacket. He re-sheathed his blades and electrocuted them until the sounds of life had all but vanished and smoke started to rise from their bodies.

' _Two down…_ ' Jay thought looking at the dead man's watch. ' _Fifteen minutes before I need to get Kai. Plenty of time to make a bold statement._ '

* * *

He pulled gently on the door and entered the building, he walked around in stealth and each room he entered he killed the occupants before they had a chance to shoot in defence…..only one had got through his defences but they had passed through and yet he was standing deep in dead bodies…..the bodies of criminals, he hated them almost as much as he hated Amora.

The boss of this small crime ring sat in front of him restrained to his chair by a rope of lightning Jay had conjured. He was amazed that he had learnt a new skill, having no idea he could bend lightning to his will. He stared in amazement as his coils of lightning wrapped around the crime lord, the lightning was fizzing and slowly electrocuting the man who was unable to move.

"Why a-are you doing this?" He gasped painfully.

"Because I need to leave them something to do when I'm gone….to keep them busy, if you will…..to take their mind of it…." Jay replied truthfully.

"So you're making yourself a hero by taking me down then are ya, by making a stand against someone higher…you'll never do it... _never_ , he'll kill them all and he'll kill you too.."

"No…..not a hero…..I'm doing a justice gahh it makes me feel sick to say that." Jay smiled again "I doubt it anyway, he won't know what hit him and like I said it gives them something to do…no come backs no evidence….just a society rid of most of its corruption…..a little can't be helped but a lot can be wiped out...just like a plague."

"It m-makes no s-sense….You'll put yourself in the firing line and them too." He threatened.

"I know what I'm doing little man….and, for what it's worth the only ones in the firing line will be the ones who brought this on themselves for allowing such corruption to begin….."

"Y-you're m-making a mistake." He hissed.

"No I'm making it right ….." Jay replied and increased his lightning beam until the man had stopped breathing, his body covered in burns from where the lightning had held him in place.

He quickly grabbed all the weapons one by one before melting them with a strong blast of his elemental lightning. "Where are ya now huh Loki?…..my liege…you don't care about me just about what you make me and it's all because of her…." Jay shouted into the burning pile of molten metal as the ammunitions exploded unfired shells around him.

He walked outside and pulled the two security men into the room before being careful to avoid leaving any prints, he cast another powerful blast of lightning into the building and laughed as the building erupted into purple flames before calming into the raging orange and reds normally associated with house fires.

He carefully touched the fire as it burned, the heat wasn't affecting him at all, the fire just gently crept into his open hand before changing into a small purple flame…..

* * *

'A _s one bond is cut metaphorically you will take a part of his element for yourself…even if he has no knowledge of this.' Sigyn spoke gently as she watched Jay staring in shock at the fire in his hands, her voice still soothed him; calming him so his expression relaxed enough for him to be able to string a valid sentence together._

 _'Are you saying that as each brother Amora ruins I get a part of their elemental ability?'_

 _'Yes…..but be cautious my prince for this will solidify your role as the bringer of…..No…I must not divulge…..'_

 _'The more you take, the more chance you have of doing this alone…don't let it consume you…'_

 _'It's what I've been told to do…how much do you know of her Sigyn…..how much do you know of Amora?'_

 _'She is…for want of a better word a heathen, a witch and master of dark magic…..she is remarkably deceptive….keep your distance my young prince.'_

 _'Yeah might not be able to do that…..she's somehow control's your husband…..ya know the one I'm meant to be protecting.'_

 _'Please be careful, I beseech you…she is dangerous and I fear this will not end well for one of you.'_

 _'I sense a part of you is trying to do the right thing….such noble deeds shouldn't go unnoticed but you are in the wrong company if you seek fortune for them.'_

 _'I'm not seeking fortune…..just wanted to give them something to focus on when I'm gone ya know because it's out of my hands now, she interferred…'_

 _'You do not need to explain this to me, I only give you advice when required.'_

 _'I know that…..Sigyn forgive me I didn't mean to shout.'_

 _'My young prince…..you mustn't be alone with her, she longs for revenge and she will stop at nothing to get it.'_

 _'But what does that have to do with me…..I don't know her.'_

 _'She was aggrieved by the hands of Thor and Loki….Jayson…..I-I must go…..'_

* * *

Jay stood away from the inferno as the flames reached up high erupting from the roof access, the heat was burning hot but he just found it warm and relaxing….his mischievous side ached for more bloodshed even if it was in the name of justice, it was a metaphorical double edged sword he was grasping tightly onto. Justice but on his terms, punishment but how he wanted it to happen not how it should happen.

' _….One down five to go_.' Jay smirked looking up to the sky above extinguishing the flame nestled in his hand. He reignited it between his finger and thumb before walking back in the direction he had been traversing in previously.

A spark of mischief was painted onto his face, his mouth still holding firm with the same crooked smile. For he had enjoyed it, the last few minutes had given him the power he had craved and wanted since Loki had been treating him like a lesser citizen; favouring the slut as better company.

He bent down and pulled the unconscious man away from the middle of the alleyway and dumped him on a disused mattress before wiping his hands on the man's clothing. He stood again straightening himself up, spinning back into his tight fitting suit. No holes were on this suit but the ones on his body were making themselves known.

' _All worth it though because hey ya know what? Fifteen scumbag lowlife criminals all dead, weapons burnt, ammo destroyed, drugs hmmm being consumed by fire and it was worth it._ ' Jay danced and jumped into the air fist pumping. He could feel the mischief lessen slightly…now he was away from such greed and controlling oppression.

"Why do I feel so bad…..I feel evil and yet kinda guilty for ending some douche bags but I feel bad like wicked for doing it….I mean who else was going to do it? That's right no-one because that task fell to me…..honestly those guys have been here for a month and they don't know about the crime rings cropping up here there and everywhere." Jay whispered to himself.

"Well, it'll give them something to focus on at least...eheheheheheheh."

He continued walking back towards the city which didn't look to be too far away, the sky scrapers were now only two blocks away even less if he took a detour through the local park, he took a deep breathe to calm himself further expelling any further mischief from his system.

One foot carefully placed on the lowest part of the supporting bar and one hand grasping the Fleur de Lis spikes, he pulled himself up and onto the top of the railings squinting his eyes, he grabbed the nearest branch to steady himself as he scaled the six foot metal railings easily without even ripping his cherished blue trousers. He gently landed on a flat even surface which he hoped was more grass than dog poo.

He felt with around with his foot pressing the floor in confusion, it was completely pitch black. 'Soft underfoot, bouncy…the kid's playground?'

If he had the stamina he would have summoned his dragon to fly back to Nya's apartment but he knew if he did that the rest of the early hours would undoubtedly be spent arguing and maybe involve lewd acts of sexual gratification because he knew she didn't want him just his body, she'd made it that obvious.

His thoughts quickly dragged into the present because he could hear a muffled voice the closer he got.

'Muffled' he thought 'but not pleading, muffled but not in pain…a humiliated muffle if that is even possible.'

Jay walked to where the sound was becoming louder, quite a difficult feat in the dark but he managed somehow.

He felt around his direct surroundings blindly but slowly heading to where he believed the sounds to be coming from. He walked and groped things in the dark speaking when he recognised them.

"A slide, swing set…round a bout,…frame,…..fuck ouch see saw…." he hissed stubbing his toes on it, he gingerly lifted his foot over it before straightening up again.

Then he felt the low railings separating the playground from the main park…'Is this a new park or has it been that long since I've been here?'

Jay felt the height of the railing checking them for spikes; grateful that none were present before he raised his long leg over and climbed the four foot low railings, landing softly onto a gravel path.

He had done well so far except for stubbing his toe but that was by the by and typically just as he was approaching the clearer sounding muffled groans, he walked into one solitary concrete bench in the inky blackness of the park and swore loudly in the process as he tumbled over it.

The muffled sounds now sounded more anxious, it was almost as if the person who was unable to talk could sense that he was no longer in the park alone. He was beginning to sound desperate and his muffled groans became louder guiding Jay in his direction.

Jay pushed himself up and back onto his feet noticing a lit lamp post up ahead, the base and girth of it looked wider and shinier than a regular park lamp post.

He then noticed someone attached to a lamp post with a large amount of cling film holding him in place. In the darkness the person remained mostly inconspicuous, the odd pointed section of hair was noticed as it cast an equally sharp shadow on the floor. His head appeared to flick nervously to each side as if terror had taken hold.

The person was still mostly unrecognisable until Jay got closer at which point he chuckled and outwardly laughed placing his hand gently on Kai's shoulder…..of course Kai almost jumped out of his skin until his eyes settled on the purple ones of his tired looking brother.

Kai would never get used to those eyes, so vastly different and imbued with Loki's evil enchantments….a spark of evil ever present because of that and the evil element Loki had gifted him with.

The cling film bound and gagged man who Jay recognised as Kai, was furious at being unable to move or shout out. Of course to add insult to injury someone had smashed a raw egg on his head in good fun apparently and there were a number of scattered polaroids by his bare feet.

Jay shook his head and apologised profusely whilst removing each layer of film followed by the fluffy ball that was wedged in his mouth.

"You okay bro…?" Jay asked quietly, unable to hide the amusement.

"Where have you been I've been stuck here for over twenty minutes." Kai hissed in a panicked voice, whispering quietly but spitting remnants of fluff onto the floor.

"You've been keeping count haven't you? I'm sorry Kai I was busy got held up." Jay smiled but kept the real truth away from Kai, it wasn't that far from the truth anyway. Both times literally he had been held up and thrown at a wall and then held up by a man who had a death wish…..both completely different and both with different outcomes.

"Nothing serious though…..you looked pretty out of it earlier?"

"Nothing I can't handle Kai….I'm fine…..let's get you outta here and back home…oh speaking of which where are you getting ready tomorrow err today uhm this morning I mean?" He lied but cut through the duct tape that Darreth had obviously used to secure said fire master to the lamppost by his clothes.

"How did Darreth even get you to stay put long enough to do this?" Jay quizzed as he firmly grabbed a long strip of duct tape that was attached to his brothers forearm pausing before he pulled at it, he needed the right moment to remove it.

"Haha well, Cole and Karloff grabbed my arms and Ash and Shade grabbed my legs, they're pretty strong ya know when they work together."

"Sorry Kai….I should have been there to help you…..forgive me?"

"For what?" Kai asked looking genuinely confused.

"For this….." Jay replied as he raised his scarred eyebrow and ripped the duct tape from Kai's forearm removing the hairs in the process.

"Arrgh….damn Jay…a little warning next time…ouch….mphh."

"Knowing that something painful is coming can make it worse ….I learnt that the hard way….trust me on that bro." Jay whispered removing the last of the cling film before scooping it all up and putting it in the nearest trash can stumbling over the same bench again and cursing in the process.

"You okay Jay…sorry bro, it's kinda a bit dark back there."

"Yeah I'm…..fine, just trying my hardest to rip the crap out of my best trousers….mmm fuck…..twice in one night….eheheheh…..oww." Jay whined and laughed again, just his luck, he was sitting on the wet ground in his expensive ruined suit. All he was trying to do was dispose of the damn stuff because apparently littering now carried a heavy fine thanks to the Mayor yet gambling, drug use and crime really didn't carry any fines at all.

Jay sat down grasping his wet knee, there was a huge rip in his suit trousers and he was angry that he had finally ruined his suit despite wearing it almost all day.

"Are you alright…I still can't see ya and these handcuffs are still on….urgh stress position."

"Kai it's a safety latch….they're not police issued ones you doofus…" Jay giggled and stood up holding his knee carefully as he made his way over blindly.

"Why are there no lights on in this part of the fricking park? Dangerous much!" Jay limped across to Kai and undid the handcuffs before bending down and grabbing Kai's jacket placing it over his shivering fire brother's shoulders. "I'm gonna put in a complaint to the lighting department….and health and safety." Jay laughed and removed the lipstick from Kai's face with his own embroidered handkerchief which alone cost over $100. The red lipstick smudged across it cleanly wiping it from Kai's face in the process.

"Now, before you moan….I didn't do it the motherly way either because that would be hugely inappropriate." Jay laughed as he knew Kai was thinking it.

"Better?...I hope I didn't scare you all back in the club, I'm truly sorry for that Kai…..really I am." Jay smiled and helped Kai put his aching arms into his own jacket.

"You scared us a little but Zane told us why and we gave you space although when those two people brought you in we thought you'd had too much to drink." Kai laughed off his nervousness.

"Yeah about that, Kai…..it was Loki and Amora they planned the whole thing…kinda interfered in a big way and I tried to stop them and suffered because of it but hey I'm still standing…well not really now but….you can blame the concrete bench for this." Jay said as he looked downwards to his kneecap.

"Urgh Jay…..that's hideous you want that looking at? I'm fairly sure it's not supposed to look like that."

"Kai, it'll heal I just need to sleep." Jay cringed at it but continued to hobble away arm in arm with Kai.

"So what were ya saying where are you planning on sleeping and getting ready for tomorrow?" Jay asked as he held his kneecap in place.

"Well I was gonna go back to Skylor's because she'll be expecting me…..urgh seriously Jay you're making me feel sick."

"I tell you what I'll let her know you'll be staying at Nya's tonight and err I'll pick up your clothes tomorrow….err I mean today…..Kai just stop staring at it if it makes you sick, you wuss." Jay laughed and dolefully ripped the trouser leg off before using it as a tight bandage.

"See all better now…..okay kneecap hidden right….sheesh." Jay shook his head, Kai was still squeamish even after all the blood and guts he had spilled on the battlefields of Vanaheim…yet the sight of a broken kneecap made him shudder.

"Thanks Jay but why can't I go back home tonight?"

"Because apparently it's bad luck to see the bride before the big day and none more so than the morning of the wedding."

"Hehe didn't know you knew so much about it." Kai teased.

"Hey I read up on it a bit…I had a bit of time on my journey to the dojo where Zane works…..speed reading though."

"I take it everything has been arranged for today? You've ordered flowers for her, got the rings, polished your shoes blah blah blah?"

"Yeah of course I have, Lloyd helped with me that."

"Jay I can't help but notice that you seem really quite happy now almost calm like you've had sex or something hahah."

"Yeah is that so….well I err I…uhm….let's just get you home." Jay blushed thankful for the darkness of the park.

"Where is everyone anyway, surely they didn't just leave you here?" Jay quizzed.

"No I don't think they had gone far just into the pub opposite in fact they might have a heart attack if they know I've gone."

"Doubt it Kai, I mean you all left without me….I was walking around the club looking for you all and you'd all gone."

"Well the police had been called after two people had destroyed the male restroom….apparently they'd been having sex in there but the room was trashed afterwards."

"Wow, r-really the police….wonder if they'll find any clues?"

"Don't think so dude, because the cubicles don't have cctv for obvious reasons but the main sink area does…they're trying to cut down on drug use so the manager said."

"Oh god….oh dear god." Jay mumbled incoherently looking up at the starry skies. 'They'll have a hard time trying to figure that one out….like how does a make become female and male in two hours.'

"C-Come on Kai h-home time me thinks….can you summon your dragon because I'm too tired? And I don't think I can drive or walk."

"Why you tired bro, you slept last night right?"

"No not at all…your sister wouldn't let me…and I'm worn out." Jay smiled.

Kai summoned his large elemental black dragon, the large beast was imbued with red hot lava running through it like veins providing blood, the claws were pure obsidian and the eyes were glass with an eternal flame behind them and the product of evil. The claws were typically cold set lava but terrifyingly sharp and deadly if used as a weapon.

Jay climbed on to the back with the assistance of Kai before asking his master of fire a serious question. "Kai did you have fun tonight?"

"Yeah it was awesome….I know some of it was sketchy but I loved it all…..thanks Jay….I love you bro."

"Any regrets?"

"No I don't think so but like I said there were sketchy bits, like hazy cloudy memories that I can't place and it was only at the club mind you Cole was the same he hardly remembered anything about the strip club but then I sorta found him in a compromising position with a stripper in her dressing room."

"I swear he does it to make himself out to be the stud or something but it gets tiring….it's a like a competition."

"A competition between who? What Lloyd….Zane. Come on dude you're getting married tomorrow….competition pffft yeah, trust me Kai he is and always will be the stud…at least until he grows up."

"Hehe yeah you're right…ya think he'll marry Seliel?"

"Maybe one day but he'll need to be quick because…well because she'll er….uhm age." Jay cringed at his own words, Skylor would too.

He quickly changed the direction of the conversation, "So err, what did the girl look like Kai, like any distinguishing features?"

"Well she came out of the rest room you were taken into, she was wearing a little green number, and she full on kissed him without him even giving her any money….he wouldn't leave her alone after that he was completely smitten with her…..urgh sickening really….I literally had to drag him away with help from Lloyd and Zane no less."

"Urgh great….she strikes again, so you still enjoyed it though?" Jay mumbled and held on tightly

"Yeah course I did, it was awesome Jay."

"Eheheh you're welcome come on let's get you back so you can sleep, you'll need to rest before you get married later."

Jay held on as Kai's impressive dragon lit up the ground below them before flapping it's wings raising them up and into the air with a few simple wide wing span thrust of its huge wings. The impressive wing span helped to propel the beast until it was clear of the roof tops at which point Kai told Jay to hold on tight.

Jay grasped onto the evenly spaced spinal sections, they proved to be exceptional handles, with a warm touch to them. He stroked the beast gently and watched as a purple glow settled across the area he had just stroked.

The beast seemed to enjoy it yet Kai was confused as to why his own dragon was making noises of contentment when he was controlling it. Jay smiled and grabbed on tightly as Kai soared higher into the troposphere, the perfect end to an emotional day, the sun was breaching the horizon the higher they flew.

The warmth of the dragon kept the biting cold away for at this height they would normally freeze to death within seconds but the dragon provided a blanket of warmth as both young men made a swift downwards detour to the busy bustling city beneath them…..a city that was starting to prepare for St Valentines day.

Jay grabbed on tightly again for he had no reigns so both hands grasped tightly onto any part of the dragon that would offer a good grip. His eyes quickly widened as the dragon's lava core began to change to purple fire, he quickly let go and grabbed Kai's middle instead. If Kai had seen his own dragon changing both men would have fallen from the sky in shock.

Jay removed one hand from Kai's middle feeling the fire master giggling at his brothers close proximity to his back. But Jay flicked his fingers away from Kai's vision and the same purple flame appeared…..

'I'm so sorry Kai….please forgive me….' Jay bit his lip extinguishing the flame, the wheels were well and truly rolling and there was nothing he could do about it.

It took less than twenty minutes to get back To Nya's apartment, Kai landed on her balcony and helped Jay to get down first before his dragon disappeared. Kai walked in to his sister's apartment beaming from ear to ear.

He took a second look when he saw his sister still awake at almost 5am complete with a green face pack on.

"Nya….good night I take it? Whats with the green face….you ill or something?" Kai laughed and kicked his shoes off.

"I got back early if you must know and I've been up for about ten minutes….busy day for me today." She replied and looked at Jay apologetically.

"Ya mind if I crash here until the wedding?...good I'll settle in the spare guest room then." Kai said as he walked off in search of the spare room.

Nya rolled her eyes and trailed after him in an effort to prevent him from knocking over her new vases. She helped him to his room in his slightly drunken state before helping Jay with removing his suit trousers, Nya covered him up and left a large glass of water next to the bed with two pain relievers for when he woke he would most likely have a hangover unless his element burned off alcohol.

She closed the door quietly before walking up to Jay noticing his bloodied arm and leg.

"What happened to you?"

"Uhm…..it's a long story." Jay smiled and shied away from her hand, he grabbed it as it hovered an inch from his skin.

"What are you doing Jay?" Nya closed the gap and pinned him up against the wall.

"Please Nya…..don't." Jay whispered and held her arm gently, stopping her from touching his face with her hand or lips, his gaze moved to the side avoiding eye contact, his breathing slow and steady.

She looked him over, everything about him she desired, she wanted him then and there but she knew he was still brooding about her slip what was now yesterday morning.

To Nya, he was certainly a sharp dressed man and even Jay knew it because even in the club the girls hadn't left him alone, but he had ignored them this time.

Jay was getting annoyed with the added attention being a prince brought, it was as if people could tell by the way he carried himself. Sure he'd had his fun and was now quite the experienced lover and of course he still occasionally enjoyed something new but he dreaded the day when he would need to resort to using violence to dominate as Loki did.

He knew that something that special should be enjoyed by both people, not just one person and even though he was incapable of falling in love it didn't stop him from trying to find that part in between…..To Jay, making love was more than just sex it was an expression of true feelings and included the closeness between two lovers and the intimacy it carried, the shared feelings of lust and desire, the heat of the moment exploring each other's bodies.

Loki enjoyed it though; the attention made him feel more powerful but he was evil with it. He turned the attention so that the women who showed interest were treated as his conquests each being treated with little to no respect. Some were bound and gagged, some whipped or gently flogged and others just humiliated and pushed past their limits…..pure evil on two legs.

"Jay…..I'm sorry…..please let me clean you up at least." She pleaded and smiled when Jay released her hand gently reluctantly avoiding eye contact.

She led him to the sofa and pushed him back gently before asking him to remove his trousers so she could clean the blood away. He raised an eyebrow but obliged as she went to retrieve a first aid kit and some ointment she had used on her own body during her time in Asgard.

Apparently being a female warrior gave her the addition of handmaidens and hers from her own bed chambers had given her ointments and potions which helped with any injuries she had sustained from Loki.

"Where did you get these Nya…..they're not from Ninjago are they?" Jay asked as he grabbed a small bottle.

Nya carefully unwrapped his attempt at self-bandaging and recoiled a little when she saw his kneecap fully exposed. She raised up onto her knees and retrieved the bottle from his tired grasp before dabbing it on his open wound.

"Asgard Jay, where else? Nothing down here really works now on severe injuries except these potions, ointments and healing stones and sadly we're flat out of those."

"Why what happened to all the healing stones you had loads right?"

"I gave them away to some of my friends."

"Oh….right, okay unexpected….I won't question you because I guess you had a reason!"

"New friends Jay, you'll meet some of them tomorrow." Nya looked at the wound pouring a few drops onto his skin.

"Male or female friends….no sorry I'm gonna do it…..why on Ninjago did you give away healing stones to them…..that's like a huge nono, it is forbidden to give away secrets from the Realm Eternal without consent from the Aesir. And what if they want more…where they gonna get them."

"From you at a guess" Nya replied shrugging her shoulders.

"Ha, err no that's not gonna happen, I kinda need the ones I have and typically Loki hasn't bought any with him on this visit. You obviously used my spares from my bag though." Jay sighed.

"You can get more though can't you….?"

Jay turned his head sideways thinking he had misheard her. "Not really Nya, sheesh if your friends are this needy maybe you need to rethink your friendships with them…doesn't sound healthy to me."

"Look it doesn't matter, they're not as needy as you think, I'm kind of painting a bad picture…and about this morning, well, I'm sorry Jay….I mean it….ya know about what I said this morning and I know I spoke out of turn and I was wrong I shouldn't have blamed you…..I was angry okay and I just sort of snapped."

"You snapped? Shit Nya I'd been trying to please you all night babe and then you shout his name."

"I'm sorry Jay, there's only so many times I can say the same thing, can I make it up to you in any way?"

"Yeah, you can let me sleep tonight without distractions…..that would be a start." He smirked removing his shirt so she could dress his only other wound. She bit her lip and smiled back in return.

"Deal, but you still promised me a dance tomorrow." Nya teased and dressed his arm where a hole was currently located, she wrapped it with a dressing followed by a bandage and secured again with tape. "This is a bullet wound Jay?..." Nya frowned.

"Yeah it is,...Actually what I remember saying was more along the lines of 'oh what fun we'll get up to.' There was no dancing involved…none at all but I can be swayed." Jay smiled and got up stiffly with help from Nya.

He hobbled to the bedroom and removed his socks before flaking out onto the impossibly large bed and pulling the feather filled quilt onto his tired and aching body.

"Mmm Nya…..pain relief wouldn't go amiss got a terrible back ache too."

"Okay be right there soon." She replied, walking off to find anything suitable, only the strongest pain relief would work now everything else wasn't strong enough and was always burnt out of their systems before having a chance to work.

"Tramadol, Tylenol or maximum strength codeine." She called.

"All of them….whichever." Jay replied and hissed as his injuries seen or hidden were beginning to catch up with him.

Nya reappeared at the door with all three packets offering a small handful to Jay hoping that some of them would help. He took the handful of tablets with a gulp of cold water before laying back carefully wincing when his back came into contact with the firm mattress.

Nya gently got into bed with him and pulled the quilt over her body, Jay had noticed he wasn't blind, he knew she was naked under the covers.

"I'm not doing it tonight Nya…I'm too tired and I-I need to sleep to h-heal." Jay yawned feeling her reach an arm around his warm waist.

"I promised you I'd leave you alone for this morning and I will." Nya smiled cheekily before she covered Jay up snugly watching as his eyes became heavy, his lids finally closing in exhaustion. She stroked his hair from his face before planting a kiss on his impossibly handsome face.

A thought came to her mind at the friends Jay would be meeting tomorrow for a few of them had shown jealous streaks when Nya had mentioned her boyfriend to them, she had foolishly mentioned he was a prince. She frowned and got back out of bed once Jay had settled into a peaceful sleep. She stared at the clock, she was due at Skylor's for the make-over, hair styling and general bridal party fun including the actual dressing part and she was needed in thirty minutes. Before she left she set the alarm for lunchtime and put Jay's clothes out in preparation on the nightstand, he was again favouring wearing his own black suit another ridiculously expensive one from Loki.

This one had large green emeralds as cuff links, the green stones alone had cost well over the value of the suit making his outfit which consisted of; trousers, shirt, cravat, waistcoat, jacket and cuff links to a staggering $250,000.00. His suit alone had cost more than most people would make in ten years. A quarter of a million dollars worth of clothing and accessories…only the best for the young prince.


	46. It is time

"What do you plan on doing Loki…..my liege" Amora asked lowering her head in respect to the King of Asgard, his evilness and current ruler...Loki the God of lies.

"As of yet! I am ever unsure so I will simply watch from afar. I made our plans perfectly clear and he has until the end of this day to comply. He will be taught a lesson of sorts and then yes, you can have him for your week of...hmm…" Loki put his index finger to his lips thinking carefully, calculating.

"What exactly are you planning to do with him anyway?" Loki finally asked as he turned his head to the side.

Amora raised her head slightly avoiding all eye contact "Why do you want to know?" she replied with a small blush painting her cheeks.

"Just curious my dear enchantress...you wouldn't be harbouring feelings for him?…..don't lie Amora, for you cannot deceive me."

"No, not at all. If anything, I want to get to know him…better." She replied and the God raised an eyebrow, he recognised a lie, he was the master of them…..after all.

"At midnight at the end of this dull day I will punish him for you have swayed my decisions. I will show him the error of his ways and what we both stand for…..the rest you can do for yourself….for I play no part...but you will return him to me unharmed and intact."

"How far are you willing to take this my liege? He is mortal is he not?"

"No my dear, he is not mortal, not…at…..all." Loki laughed rubbing his hands together as Amora's face changed from that of confusion to realisation.

"So he is immortal…..you changed him! For your own reasons at a guess, so he can fight? Can I test him with one of my minions?"

"Yes my dear of course…..but only after I have expanded his mind a little...I am sure you will be impressed when you see what he is capable of, I assure you he is an exceptional swordsman and protector, he even accosted Heimdall no less defeating him whilst on his own observatory post."

"Haven't you already done enough for the insolent child my liege, why expand his narrow mind?"

"No…..he continually tests me and my patience wears thin. He throws the choice card repeatedly like the unlucky shrunken heads of old. Whomsoever grasps it for too long feels the pain of the dead, or in his case he chooses to throw the word of 'choice' around so freely unaware at just how much choice he has been duly given whilst in my servitude."

"He is ungrateful my liege, you should let me take him from you….I can tame him…..please my liege." Amora snaked her hands down Loki's naked chest.

"No….I-I will not accept that proposal, your enchanted lips may have ensnared my body and some of my mind Amora but you will not take him for yourself." The God replied as he hungrily reciprocated her kiss, climbing on top of the naked enchantress pinning her beneath him.

* * *

Kai was the last to wake up, he grumbled and groaned from down the bottom end of the large apartment making as much noise as he could muster whilst simultaneously trying to be quiet and failing.

His room which was used rarely was actually a very large room, but very dark, the smallest tilted skylight letting through a sparse amount of sunlight. Anymore could be painful to his eyes. He groaned again, looking around himself trying to get his bearings and where he was.

He fell out of bed somehow; despite the bed being an overly large king size, and then attempted to get back into the warmth of it but stubbed his toe in the process. He stomped his foot down in anger and swore loudly before cringing unaware of the time.

Kai looked around the room and his eyes settled on his bedside cabinet where a covered glass of water had been left followed by a small selection of pain relief for migraine or hangovers. He turned around and grabbed the tablets following with the large glass of water someone had knowingly left for him.

The master of fire sighed and sat backwards on the bed, rubbing his toe before the smell of pancakes, waffles, bacon and eggs flooded his olfactory senses, henceforth known as the sense of smell. Kai's pain was all but forgotten because his new quest was…...food.

Luckily he hadn't been that inebriated despite drinking a few questionable cocktails in both the Copa Cabana nor the strip club otherwise the smell would have made him rush to the toilet in a hurry to expel the earlier contents of his stomach. But instead he happily walked into the large dark wood walnut kitchen seeking out the smell with his nose first and his drooling mouth secondly. He walked into the kitchen and saw a half dressed master of lightning cooking, Kai smirked at him...Jay was cooking up a feast wearing simply an apron over the top of his torn jogging bottoms, no top at all just bandages here and there.

His bandages were all still intact, one securely wrapped around his knee and another around his upper arm. Both had healed but he had forgotten to remove the dressings in his haste to get everything ready including the rather large and completely over the top breakfast he had prepared.

* * *

"Morning Kai, you ready for today huh? Oh I took the liberty of flying to Skylor's about an hour ago actually." Jay stated happily, scooping some fried eggs from the frying pan onto a large plate next to the hash browns and bacon, grabbing a rasher of bacon in the process.

"And I delivered her your gift…she gave me one to give to you to open before you meet at the altar…..uhm, I got your suit too and….shoes." Jay smirked and pointed to the door frame where his neatly pressed suit stood pride of place, his shoes on the chair polished and brand new ready to be worn.

"Also because it's just us two here for the moment….I grabbed our button holes too because these babies go quick at weddings so I'm told…." Jay mumbled through his partially food filled mouth. "Skylor said the ornate one is yours...err she said you'll know which one." Jay added with a smirk.

Kai smiled and grabbed a plate before loading up eagerly, feeling smug that Cole wasn't getting first dibs ."How much time have we got?"

"Well, Cole, Zane and Lloyd will be here any minute and err the wedding starts in two hours…..plenty of time."

"Jay how much sleep did you get?…..it must have taken you ages to prepare this feast."

"A few hours…..I don't know about four why?"

"Well because I still managed to get loads of sleep….fell asleep at just past 5am and the wedding is in two hours at 3pm…four hours Jay what are you a machine." Kai frowned but got up to answer the intercom, pressing the button allowing his brother's entry to Nya' apartment.

Cole walked into the grand entrance hall smiling at Kai who was still in his shorts, "Hey Kai…big day bro are you excited yet?"

"Yeah, nervous though but it's what we both want." Kai replied with a simple shrug.

"Hey Lloyd, Zane what time did you all get home last night?"

"Haha, well actually a few hours 4am give or take, once you'd been rescued from the park we retired from the pub….caught a taxi and crashed at Seliel's place."

"Wait, how do ya know I'd been rescued…..could have been Kai napped for all you guys knew…you just left me there."

"Aww Kai….I'm sure you could've fought off a Kai napper besides we were watching you….Well I was and Zane of course." Cole teased and walked towards the smell of cooking food.

Cole stared in concern when he saw Jay covered in two blood stained bandages. "Jay! Care to explain the new injuries?"

"Haha, uhm…..nothing to explain really" Jay blushed and scooped more eggs on to the platter.

"Look bullet wound." Jay pointed to his upper arm. "Broken knee cap." He pointed to his knee. "I'm fine and healthy…." He pointed to his face.

"I don't really need them on anymore I guess I forgot to take them off when I got up." Jay replied nonchalantly shrugging of Cole's concern.

"Look tuck in Cole, this food's gotta be eaten because we won't be eating until about five pm, wedding is at three and the photo's and stuff stretch it out until five or so."

Cole narrowed his eyes and grabbed a plate before loading it with bacon, waffles, eggs and pancakes, dousing the lot with maple syrup.

"You better not be up to no good Jay…you know what happened last time."

"Yeah I do…..my parents died…..thanks for bringing that up again." Jay huffed and walked out of the kitchen grabbing two pancakes before sitting on the sofa staring out onto the bright city skyline, watching as the odd advertisement biplane flew across the sky.

"Whoa, what's wrong with Jay?" Lloyd quizzed, joining Cole and Kai in the kitchen, each elemental master grabbing a selection of food.

"Nothing, I just said something…...out of turn." Cole sighed looking away guiltily.

The master of earth quickly picked up his plate and went to join the troubled master of dark lightning. His feet felt heavy the closer he got but the lack of recognition from Jay made Cole aware that he had overstepped the mark.

He sat down cautiously on the large scatter cushion covered grey sofa next to Jay and started to apologise. He put his plate down and rubbed his face, knuckles to his chin as he thought of the right thing to say.

"Dude…..Jay!...I-I'm sorry bro, I didn't mean to say that it slipped out."

"Yeah…..guess it did, no harm done though right?" Jay turned around slowly and got up leaving Cole to eat his breakfast alone, and he did with a sigh.

"I'm going to go freshen up,….please …eat." Jay said without emotion, he walked away with his empty plate and deposited it in the large kitchen where Kai, Lloyd and Zane were all eating and talking. The huge mountain of food was slowly going down in size but that was to be expected considering five young men were eating it.

Jay walked into Nya's bedroom removing his solitary torn jogging bottoms before unravelling his bandages. Both wounds had almost healed thanks to the ointment, however his knee was a sickly shade of purple.

' _Healing stones would have repaired it almost instantaneously_.' Jay thought as he walked to the shower switching it on whilst he admired his physique in the long length mirror.

 _'Nya what were you thinking...giving away healing stones, what possible use could they have for them?_ ' he thought and then realised he could have done with them last night, in fact all of yesterday.

Jay looked at himself in the mirror, something he didn't do very much as his injuries would sometimes be quite severe. But for once Jay did, he was still young in the eyes of Loki and Amora, yet here in his home realm he was in his early twenties now, and he had grown again since being away.

He was taller, his full height now apparent; he was only shorter than Loki by a few inches….three at most.

' _Damn, muscles well defined but lithe,_ ' he smiled lowering his arms and turned around. 'H _eh, long defined legs and a rather cute butt which Nya can't seem to stop grabbing eheheh._ '

Before turning back to the front and smirking….. ' _Seems longer too, how strange. Reached maturity at a guess or it could be what makes me so desirable ehehe._ '

Jay looked behind himself as the shower billowed out plume after plume of steam before opening the glass doors and stepping into it feeling the hot water wash over his naked skin.

Jay relaxed thoroughly feeling the large drops of water soaking him to the core, his auburn hair plastered to his forehead. ' _Mmm bet those twins would love my shower room._ ' He thought and grinned remembering them fondly a blush creeping onto his face. He quickly turned the temperature to a cold burst, he didn't have time for that now. He needed to wash and get dressed and once the cold shower had effectively rid his body of arousal he continued where he had left of.

' _What is it about showers that makes people so….so eager?_ ' he thought back to Nya whilst covering himself in soapy bubbles and shampooing his hair.

"Wedding starts in an hour can't be late for that…..the bride is meant to be late not the groom." Jay whispered to himself before rinsing off and turning the shower to the off position. He grabbed the large fluffy towel and wrapped it around himself before he hollered through to his brothers.

"Err hey guys, we really need to think about getting ready because we still need to get to the church."

"Choices...flying beasts or The old Bounty?"

"What are you thinking Lloyd…dragons?" Jay asked.

"Err yeah…great idea Jay…"

"Urgh why didn't I think of that…..eheheh oh that's right because Dragon's aren't exactly synonymous with weddings." He whispered to himself in response….astounded at Lloyd's odd choice.

"Fine Lloyd….dragons it is." Jay shouted to Lloyd who was only in the next room, he grabbed a smaller towel for his shoulder length hair before dabbing at it gently avoiding creating knots.

Meanwhile Kai was showering in the main bathroom, Cole was brushing his teeth and Zane was busy tidying the large kitchen, making himself feel useful. He did not need to shower nor brush his hair or teeth, he was pure titanium in effect he was almost self cleaning, he did occasionally polish himself though when no-one was looking...mostly his hair.

* * *

Durable and long standing, strong but gentle, Zane carefully pulled on his own outfit and fastened the scarlet red cummerbund around his waist before covering it with his black waist coat. His cravat was last and looked even better than the picture did, he secured it with a delicate diamond cravat pin and finished the look with small titanium cufflinks and his shining black shoes.

Kai was next once he had dried off, he chose certain boxer shorts for the wedding night, ones covered in hearts for the day was St Valentines after all. His suit another expensive one, he had bought all of his brothers suits as a gift to say 'thank you' because he felt he needed to after Hydra.

And because he now had the money meant he could afford to treat them.…..It was so different from his early days as the co-owner of a blacksmith shop; barely scraping by each month with hardly enough to survive on….but how times had changed….by a simple promise he was yet to keep and the heinous act of the handover of his brother.

Kai pulled his expensive suit on, followed by his white shirt and black waist coat, his cravat and cummerbund again was red like Zane's. He carefully placed the watch she had bought him as a Christmas present and he wore it with a sense of pride, the orange gold complimented his outfit but he was missing something.

He looked around for the gift she bought him, Jay had placed it carefully on his bedside table while he was sleeping, with a small note which he had written himself.

The note simply read ' **If you're missing something, look in the bag...from your blue Jay and, mostly from Skylor, it was her choice.** '

Kai gently grasped the white gift bag and undid the red ribbon bow before slipping his hand in. He felt around the bag and his eyes widened when his fingers grazed the top of a small but hard jewellery box.

He pulled it out gently and smiled as he opened it, his heart leaped into his throat as he saw inside, for the box held the most beautiful pair of ruby red cuff links in a heart shaped setting, masculine yet perfect for the occasion. He removed them carefully from the box and placed them on his shirt sleeves before applying his suit jacket. He was ready, ready to make an honest man of himself and ready to be the husband she knew he could be and of course the father to their as yet unborn child.

"Wow, Kai looking fly…..I make this suit look good…..I'm on fiyaaaa." Kai laughed and shook his head in shock, he was finally doing it, he was going to get married...today.

Jay walked in to Kai's room and looked his brother up and down giving a 'thumbs' up to his master of fire brother.

"Eheheh Kai you scrub up well bro, looking good."

"Hey guys I'm serious we've got less than forty minutes to get to the church….Lloyd dammit get dressed already." Jay shook his head in frustration.

"I am, _Jay_ but I could do with a little help with this thing." He said pointing to his cravat and the pin that was meant to hold it in place.

"Zane is pretty good at doing those, his attempt looks more professional than the tailors attempt." Jay replied with a childish chuckle, hurrying the master of energy on as he grabbed his speech notes, the wedding rings and the USB card which held some old photographs of Kai and his brothers before Loki came along.

Jay being the engineering and computer whizz he was had made a short but very touching spreadsheet of all their times together as a team, it was the least he could, he intended to enjoy the day, he didn't want it to end but he knew that he wanted to go out on a positive note. There were new photos too on the spreadsheet, mostly from last night and early this morning, Jay was luckily in a majority of photos when Loki had finally left him alone long enough to enjoy the remainder of the day's events.

"I'm ready." Called Cole as he walked onto the balcony, ready to summon his dragon, he looked just as good in a suit as he did in his ninja gi and the red cravat really bought out his tall dark handsome side as it reflected slightly in his earthy brown eyes.

"Damn Cole, are you trying to make us all look like school boys?" Lloyd whined as he looked up and down at the master of earth.

"What? It's my colour…..ya know black ninja, just got a touch of colour to it besides quit whining Lloyd you look like a blonde haired version of Loki."

"Ha yeah whatever, still I do like the black suit though, kinda reminds me of James Bond hahah…..who we waiting for now?" He asked as Kai and Zane walked out on to the balcony.

"Just me…..I guess." Jay spoke gently as he walked out of the doors gracefully with a spring in his step, even though he kept his prince side hidden, you could tell that the way he now carried himself that he was indeed royalty, he was calm with it and reserved with an air of refinery, he closed the doors behind him gently and motioned to his brothers that he was ready.

"We ready to get this show on the road? Can I get a Hel yeah?" Jay smiled and waited.

All ninja said the same thing simultaneously, Cole was the first to summon his dragon. A Black beast similar to that of Kai's own dragon appeared underneath the master of earth raising him off the floor with a few simple flaps of the monstrous wings. His dragon's eyes were pure blood diamond; the strongest yet most rare stone known to man mined ruthlessly from the earth at the cost of many lives...true evil by the hands of greedy men and that reflected in the dragon's eyes...a gift from Loki...his evil side.

Zane's dragon as usual since Loki's enchantment was black ice, the most lethal thing a motorist can come across….silver iced flecked veins and sharp dangerous titanium talons. The dragon blinked his clouded opal and diamond eyes in recognition of Zane as the master of ice stroked his dragon playfully, feeling it shudder as he did so.

Lloyd was next to conjure his green and black dragon, the sound of hard bejewelled feet tapping on the balcony caused Lloyd eyes to look up happily. He took one glance before carefully climbing onto his dragon. His dragon was typically as green as his energy, but so different from his previous dragon before Loki had tainted them all with his spells and potions. Lloyd's dragon was made of emeralds but in the centre of each emerald was a dark swirling black mist of uncertainty, the envious clouded judgement of people that drove them to kill. His dragon again imbued with pure evil undertones, the eyes were as black as space. Menacing as they were evil, cold and calculating just as Loki's magic was.

Next was Kai, his black and red dragon creating instant warmth again, the obsidian scales covered most of its fire filled lava core. So, Loki created it to represent the burning rage that everyone was capable of. His dragon, imbued with pure hatred so strong so it kept the dragons eyes alight with a flame akin to the eternal flame. The claws were solid but yet molten lava, soft looking but hard and capable of leaving a burn where ever they touched. He was quick to climb his beast and take off, aware that he was scorching his sister's balcony the longer he took.

Jay was last to conjure his dragon for he had been worrying about his dragon since being on Kai's in the early morning.

He did it anyway, his pure black dragon appeared beneath him avoiding the need for him to climb and rip his suit. His dragon almost looked the same as it had before he's been poisoned save for the eyes…..the eyes were still as purple as Jay's but now there was a definite flame in there too.

Jay knew his dragon all too well and it was in the processes of changing into that of another but thank fully the process was slow. His dragon was easily the most evil of all, it was pure fear caused by evil, loss caused by crime and death of the most violent type, the hollow smoky body of it left all who saw it to shiver in fear, for the rider who summoned it could be the bringer of death to some of the nine realms.

He pulled on the reigns and watched as purple mist appeared with each large flap of each wing, in perfect synchronisation the beast lifted up into the air leaving a fine mist of purple below.

* * *

"Lead the way Jay…you know where it is right?" Kai motioned staring in confusion at the beasts purple fiery eyes.

"Okay, keep up then….."Jay turned his head to the side and pulled the reigns hard, "We've got about fifteen minutes to get there and this is so much quicker."

The brothers all set off together with Jay leading at the front before swooping down to get a clearer view of the streets below as they flew clear of the city buildings and into the suburbs.

Skylor and Kai weren't getting married in the city they had both chosen a smaller location considering it was a small wedding, they had chosen a church and nearby hotel for the celebrations. The menu itself had helped to sway their decision as they both seemed to like the choices offered.

Jamanakai village was the location and judging by their speed was fast approaching, the snow topped mountains of impossible height were the first things that Jay saw as he dropped to a lower altitude removing some ice from his eyebrows due to the sheer cold.

"Almost here guys…..just enough time to redo our hair which looks frozen except for yours Zane." Jay said tongue in cheek.

"Okay so land quickly, drink and then we wait for the girls to arrive." Kai replied nervously, it was apparent that the nerves were beginning to kick in.

"Yep, that's the plan everyone okay with that…good." Jay finished and touched his dragon down on the floor before it disappeared from underneath him.

His brothers soon followed suit and one by one they all followed Kai into the nearest inn to get a warm hot toddy. Something to warm them up after the cold wintery flight they had just experienced after flying due north for twenty or so minutes.

The little mountainside village looked wonderful this time of year, everything was still covered in a thin layer of snow, the cherry tree's; although blossom buds were growing, showed a sharp contrast of dark wet wood with beautiful pure white snow atop...perfectly picturesque and against the blue sky and bright sunshine looked simply stunning.

"Good location Kai." Jay replied looking impressed with the surroundings, he patted Kai on the shoulder and followed.

The church was the highlight of the village, the cobbled path had been cleared of snow and dirt and a red carpet lay from the gate to the main large wooden doors. Jay and his brothers quickly walked in to the main entrance of the old stone building before looking at the steady number of guests arriving.

"We'll have to be quick, Cole get the drinks in but nothing too large, Kai and myself need to redo our hair and we'll meet back here in ten minutes no more." Jay whispered and quickly walked out of the double doors pulling Kai with him with a small white box in hand.

Cole opened the door to the inn and as directed ordered the said warmed drinks with a hint of alcohol to warm and relax as Kai and Jay rushed off to make themselves look more presentable.

"You ready for this Kai?" Jay asked excitedly brushing his shoulder length hair whilst looking in the mirror at Kai.

"Yeah, I'm excited…weddings are all a bit OTT though aren't they?"

"What do you mean?" Jay quizzed brushing his teeth with his hidden toothbrush and miniscule toothpaste.

"The wedding day, being a bride it's what girls dream of isn't it…..where as we dream of more heroic things, being the hero or villain, saving the day that sort of thing."

"Yeah, I sort of see where you're coming from….back in Asgard on the day I was made a prince, well, I was happy, honoured in fact but it was never something I had dreamt of, it was so far from my dreams but I still accepted it." Jay replied.

Kai was busy brushing the ice from his hair before applying a large amount of gel to his now floppy hair. The look was complimented quickly with a few quick points of his fingers as he drew his hair out to fine points making it look like he had just got out of bed…his signature look.

"Kai, you need one of these too." Jay said reaching into his inner pocket before pulling out the button hole white rose that he had collected earlier before pinning it onto Kai's black suit.

"And these too." Jay smiled pulling out the jewellery box which Kai noticeably face palmed at.

"Well I'm glad someone remembered…Thank you Jay….I owe you big time for this." Kai replied and hugged Jay tightly.

"And...uhm I wanted to..." Jay paused his voice almost breaking, he looked away momentarily and bit his lip as a tear escape his eyes, he wiped it away and coughed. Recomposing himself again before finishing what he was going to say. " I wanted to give you this...for your s-son or daughter." Jay hastily turned away knowing that he would likely never see Kai's child. He listened carefully as Kai opened the box.

"Jay it-it's beautiful." Kai marvelled at the baby trinket in his hands, it was so incredibly delicate, the inlaid stones were blue and no doubt chosen by a female, he knew Skylor would love it.

"It was left to me by my real father, my mother bought it as an heirloom when I was born and...I'm giving...I'm giving it to you." Jay breathed out a long overdue sigh.

"But why not save it for yourself?..." Kai asked and his face dropped when he saw Jay shake his head, the tears fell down his face and he cried, it suddenly dawned on him that Jay would likely never have children of his own, let alone get married and settle down. Loki had made it impossible it was not even on the cards for his protector...as far as Kai knew.

"Come on Kai, sure those drinks have arrived by now." He said clearing the air again while grabbing some tissues before wiping Kai's now wet face and gently pulling his master of fire with him, making sure he still had the jewellery box in his grasp.

The two young ninja warriors joined up with Cole, Lloyd and Zane who all looked incredibly smart in their respective black suits with matching red cravats, each man garnering attention from the meagre amount of female's in the vicinity.

Cole was quick to drink his coffee liquor as was Kai, Jay took his time careful not to spill one drop. He pushed the remainder away thankful for the warmth it had provided, he stood and straightened himself out. Lloyd being the young leader he was destined to be was constantly clock watching and Zane was starting to stand.

"It is time…the wedding is due to start in mere minutes we have to go…..are you ready Kai?" Zane asked in a calm voice, his face showing care and concern for his younger fire master and brother…Kai.

"Yes…I-I'm ready….I'm not nervous…..n-not at all." Kai replied with a slight shake to his voice, he eagerly and got up pulling Jay in the process.

"Come on Kai, I'll be right next to you, nothing to worry about…..we've got this okay, calm down." Jay said with a sympathetic but gentle touch to Kai's cheek.

All five ninja hastily made their way across the courtyard and back onto the carpeted floor which covered the cobbled icy pathway leading to the church. They walked into the church calmly and respectfully keeping their voices to a minimum as Lloyd, Cole and Zane took their respective places toward the front right of the altar. The smell of old wood filled their senses as did the sulphur of matches that had been used to light the many tea lights in their red holders toward the entrance.

The church looked to be very old. Shields hung on the wall proudly with a multitude of coat of arms displayed showing the names and families of all who had fought and died for this little village. It was quirky but it was still a beautiful church, sitting high up in Jamanakai village, the village in the mountains away from all and sundry and the bustle of city life, the perfect place for a little family to start and grow.

The altar and church was heavily decorated with white roses, apparently red roses were too cliché. Today was a wedding, a celebration of love and Skylor didn't want an abundance of red roses on the wedding day considering the over inflated prices they were charging for them on this one day. Adding an extra zero to the price wasn't even an option for her, she flat out refused and even though white roses were harder to get hold of on St Valentines day they were still cheaper than the red variety...money well spent.

The Father who was overseeing the ceremony quickly took Kai to the side and Kai handed over the rings, he appeared to be calming him down further with a sympathetic squeeze of his upper arm. Kai smiled nodded his head and came to stand on the left side of his best man.

The woodwind music playing was an instrumental version of four seasons by Vivaldi, gentle but relaxing and enough to keep the guests chattering quietly. It was a soothing melody but emotional none the less and hushed whispers could be heard as well as the sound of the main double doors being opened and closed.

A cold breeze flooded into the church and Kai started to shake, the hairs on his neck stood on end as the music died down but as usual his best man was there to help him, he stood closer and squeezed his hand as a show of solidarity.

The music gently faded out as people were urged to take their seats in preparation, for the bridal party had arrived. Kai was visibly shaking and Jay steadied him as he stood.

"Kai, I'm right here bro…breathe."

The Father took his place on the steps of the Altar and motioned to the organist to begin the bridal song, of course Skylor didn't want the traditional song, she hated it with a passion…..it was far too traditional and she was not a traditional girl in the slightest.

She had thought long and hard and she hadn't told Kai but secretly she knew he didn't like it either, however the song she had chosen was the song they had both been playing to their unborn child on a nightly basis. One they both had loved for the feelings it invoked.

She chose the song that got the emotions of everyone in the small church stirring and there wasn't a dry eye in the small but cosy church once it began playing. Everyone seated, turned around in awe when the doors opened, Cole smiled and lifted Lloyd's jaw up of the floor as she walked past Zane. All seemed to sigh in contentment as Skylor slowly walked past with Nya at her side.

The groom otherwise known as Kai had begun to secretly sniffle when he heard the music being played by the string quartet and organ above. He retrieved his handkerchief and unashamedly wiped at his face.

Jay lifted his gaze and wrapped his left arm around Kai tightly.

"You got this Kai…come on bro, make me proud," Jay whispered into his ear, placing a small but sincere kiss on his cheek.

Kai nodded putting his handkerchief away, a nervous smile appearing on his face.

Something remarkably similar to Pachelbel Canon in D major was playing as she walked down the aisle. Jay had swayed her with that music choice having been subjected to it on earth and she fell in love immediately.

Skylor was taking her sweet time enjoying it, because it's not every day a woman marries the man of her dreams. And to Skylor, Kai was the man of her dreams, he was her everything, she would gladly give up everything for him, heck she had given up her father and her adopted uncle Clouse to choose the right side…she chose Kai and he chose her.

* * *

 **Gahh I got teary writing this, marriage scenes when done properly always invoke a reaction due to the emotions you feel on the day and of course for poor Jay.**

 **Pachelbel Canon in D major...check it out, not as intimidating as Wagners' bridal march.**


	47. The joining of two elements

Jay discreetly turned his head around when the old dark wooden doors had opened, he saw Skylor enter and Nya following behind, they both looked gorgeous in his eyes, Nya even more so. The slim red dress she wore accentuated all of her petite curves. Jay gulped when she locked eyes with him and he turned back to face the front. Listening to the song she chose seemed to relax his nerves too despite the fact that he kept his nervousness largely hidden.

Jay tried his best to say something but all the moisture had left his mouth, his tongue had rolled up like a titanium sleeping bag. He mumbled almost incoherently,"Wow, Kai, sh-she is st-stunning. She's too good for you." Jay whispered teasing, tilting his head so his brother could hear him better as the music continued to play.

Kai smirked having heard Jay but he chose to keep his eyes forward, he wanted to see for himself when the time was right. When she was finally standing at his side as his intended.

Everyone in the church sat down in the old creaking dark wooden pews with their own order of service scrolls which had been handed out by the church ushers, with copious supplies of hymn books for those so inclined to sing. As per any ceremony in the church, the ordained Father required a modicum of silence and respect from the congregation in listening as each sermon was given…simply because he had taken the time to keep his congregation happy and engaged and he expected it being a man of the cloth.

The odd hushed whisper was heard…. _female,_ from what Jay could tell, he turned his head again and saw a group of no more than five girls around Nya's age waving at her and Skylor as they walked down the aisle. The bride and bridesmaid, respectively, both waved and giggled in excitement at seeing their new group of best friends dressed to the nines celebrating the day with them.

To Jay the small glimpse he got of the girls was nothing special, they all looked fake to him; artificial almost. Their hair unnaturally bright in a manner of different colours, from purple and pink to bright blonde. Fake breasts, too much make up and entirely inappropriate clothes for what was meant to be a wedding…..which was saying something! Considering he could only see the top halves of the girls because the pews sat quite high.

He could see enough though...mostly exposed cleavage and his amethyst eyes soon caught the attention from the gaggle of girls as they blew him a kiss, Jay blushed and faced the front again with his head down.

Silence eventually befell the congregation as the bridal party continued their journey up the aisle, Nya carried a hand tied posy of both pale pink and white roses where as Skylor carried a large hand tied posy of pure red roses, her bouquet was shaped into a heart and edged with some deep green leaves to give a sharp contrast…...the only red roses Skylor wanted were for her bouquet, the rest were either white or pink.

And, typically it worked well. The roses were easier to get hold of because who really wanted white roses on St Valentines, that was Skylor's thinking. Not that she was overly concerned with finances having been left 'Master Chen's Noodle House,' that alone had stood her in good stead, a strong foothold on the financial ladder, wealthy in her own right despite the fact her father's name had been sullied in the process.

But she wasn't nouveau riche, she had always been brought up with wealth, her father owned his own island and had many properties. Then of course was her husband to be who was somehow a millionaire…..she still wasn't sure how he had acquired the money yet as he never spoke about it and she didn't want to push the subject either, she was holding out for the day when he would divulge that fact comfortably.

Kai wasn't overly frivolous with his money either but did occasionally spoil his closest friends and brothers. He bought his only family member her own place to live and he bought it outright so she would only need to pay for the bills, yes he'd furnished it too, the whole thing cost him over half a million but Nya was and would always be worth it.

This however was a special occasion and Kai had spared no expense in trying to make his future wife as happy as she could be, making her dreams come true…..without divulging just how much he had spent.

* * *

The music finally ended and before Kai knew it, Skylor was at his side and he kept his eyes to the floor until it was the right time to look up at her….he wanted to wait but the suspense was killing him. The only people now standing were the bridal party namely; Jay, Nya and the bride and groom. The Father, who was the officiant of the ceremony, took his place a few steps above them at the lectern.

The Father had just previously been at the font, having blessed the rings in holy water whilst he waited for everyone to quieten down. He spoke clearly but quietly into the small discrete microphone. "Before we begin I'd like to ask you all to make sure your cell phones, beepers, handheld gaming devices, and Borgpads are all on silent."

Shuffles could be heard as well as the rapid switching off of all devices. The Father grabbed his red service book and gently pulled the golden ribbon which held his page. He opened the book and began to read the well versed passages, he didn't really need the book though it just looked more professional, completing the overall experience.

* * *

He cleared his throat with a delicate cough, which sounded more like a hiccup. Shuffling his robes around his neck a little, he began. "Love is a miraculous gift, and a wedding is a celebration of that magic, that is why we are here today." He spoke happily with a beaming smile on his face. "Let us begin." He said as he came down to stand near the couple before him.

"Dearly beloved," the Father spoke like he often had countless times before no doubt! The same line that got the attention of everyone, to make them feel more involved, except for funerals of course which would usually be started with something more sombre.

"We are gathered here today in the presence of friends and loved ones, to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, to give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, and to add our best wishes and blessings to the words which shall unite to witness the joining in marriage between the lives of Skylor and Kai."

The Father paused again to take in a deep breath, he looked sadly for the man who would be giving her away but saw no such person behind nor next to her.

"Should there be anyone who has due cause to why this couple should not be united in marriage, they must speak now or forever hold their peace." He mentioned and smiled waiting two seconds and no more as deathly silence filled the church.

In some movie's Skylor had watched in her teenage years; she had outwardly cringed when the service officiant had asked that question because some awful thing would happen…like a spurned lover turning up banging the doors open and shouting loudly, was a dirty secret being revealed by either of the wedding party or God forbid the groom running away. Time stood still in the two seconds, it seemed to slow down almost as each cog in the clock tower above her groaned with the movement until the second hand finally moved…..Skylor heard the Father speak again.

"Who is it, that brings this woman to this man?" He asked looking solemnly then sighed a breath of relief when Nya stepped forward and took the lead.

"I do, I give this woman." Nya replied and passed Skylor's left hand into Kai's left.

'This woman, like it's a label of dishonour.'

The smartly dressed master of fire turned to take in all of her beauty, he held her hand gently in his own, trembling slightly. Kai was shaking but his wife to be calmed him instantly with a simple wink of her eye and cheeky smirk.

Nya was so proud of her brother, her heart was melting at seeing how vulnerable he was at that moment but….he was stepping up to the plate, being the responsible man she knew him to be…..the perfect match for Skylor and he would undoubtedly be the best husband and father too.

Skylor was wearing a form fitting long length ivory gown; which was exceedingly delicate. The small chapel train was edged in diamante crystals and gave the appearance of a heart shaped silhouette. The diamante's were sewn onto a narrow ivory belt which sat just under the line of her breasts. The dress skimmed beautifully over her small but noticeable swollen stomach.

The diamante's were the only decoration on her dress, there was no embroidery, nor sequin, no ribbon nor shiny satin. Her dress was pure ivory silk and fitted at the last minute to accommodate her growing body.

The rest of her outfit included a fine ivory band around her neck….a diamond choker.

 _'Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a silver sixpence in your shoe.'_

She coupled it with a dainty golden bracelet which had a tiny blue sapphire stone encased. The bracelet hung effortlessly from her wrist and was her something old and something blue. Apparently she had found it in her father's bed chambers; the box being addressed to Skylor in a feminine style of hand writing.

Her father was intending on giving it to her at one point but never had the time as fate got in the way as well as an overarching feeling of having to be as powerful as he could.

The bracelet was a gift, an heirloom from none other than Skylor's own mother. Dainty yet beautiful and would have been the perfect gift for her prom night or graduation or for her finding her true potential or for joining her father. But he had been too focused on building his empire and subsequent hunger for power to even think about his only child. And, as such the gift remained hidden and eventually forgotten about…..until she found it when clearing out his bed chambers on his own island…..now of course, it was hanging pride of place on her wrist, where it should have been.

Skylor's shoulders were barely covered by simple lace capped short sleeves which were only revealed when she removed her ivory furred shrug.

Her something borrowed was a small but discreet hair slide, inexpensive as it was purely costume jewellery, the slide was covered in small shiny red and clear stones and Nya had lent it to her.

And the silver sixpence, well she had a tiny silver coin under the sole of her kitten heel wedding shoes. She didn't fancy the idea of teetering around on four inch heels all day considering the cobbled streets outside were mostly covered with snow and ice. Besides a two inch heel would be less likely to cause significant ankle damage as opposed to stiletto's.

* * *

Again the father spoke and Nya sat down to the sparse left where almost no one was sitting except Nya's new best friends.

"Would you please face each other and join hands." He said clearly.

"Kai **,** do you take Skylor to be your wife?" he paused and read his little red book again.

"Do you promise to love, honour, cherish and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only to her forevermore?"

Kai coughed recomposing himself, he replied clearly. "I do" before whispering so only she could hear "You look beautiful babe."

"And you Skylor, do you take Kai to be your Husband?" He asked again pausing for dramatic effect.

"Do you promise to love, honour, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only to him forevermore?"

Skylor sobbed, a tear fell from her eyes "I-I do."

Kai held onto her hand and bit his bottom lip, he just wanted to hold her tightly.

"Enfolded in joy, inhabited by hope and bathed in the infinite spectrum of light that is love, may you always be infused with it and beautifully illuminated by it." He soothed as he spoke, offering Kai a chance to recompose himself.

"May every desire you have for your love; be fulfilled, and may you be given the vision from God above with which to clearly behold one another." He paused again happy that his congregation were paying full attention.

"The listening with which to perceive one another most genuinely and the endless generosity of spirit with which to nourish one another's soul and sweetly keep the promises you make here today."

 _"Skylor and Kai_ , I remind you that marriage is a precious gift, a lifelong dedication to love and a daily challenge to love one another more fully and more freely…now please express your vows to one another." The Father advised and stood back a little as he placed the two golden rings into his open red book.

Kai removed a folded slip of paper from his smart black suit, straightening it out before coughing quietly.

"I, Kai, take thee Skylor to be my wife. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer." Kai took a deep breath in.

"And I promise my love to you forevermore." He added as he took the small golden ring from the Father before placing it gently on her ring finger sliding it on over the knuckle where it shone brightly.

"I, Skylor, take thee Kai to be my Husband. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, and I promise my love to you forevermore." She smiled holding both his hands whilst taking the larger ring and placing onto his ring finger.

"Kai and Skylor in so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in Matrimony, have promised your love for each other by these vows, the giving of these rings and the joining of your hands, I now declare you to be husband and wife."

The father continued the benediction of the service with a few speeches and a traditional hymn before finally wrapping the ceremony up.

"Congratulations, you may kiss your bride." He said with a small smile.

* * *

Kai lifted the small but delicate ivory veil up and over her styled hair before placing his hands either side of her face. He approached her slowly and winked at his brothers before placing a gentle yet teasingly deep kiss onto Skylor's lips…..a French kiss without the tongue…..that would be for later. "Hey baby mama," he said, so as only she could hear him, once the kiss was broken.

She smirked at him.

"I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Flamey." The Father said in a louder tone finally wrapping up the ceremony.

He escorted the newly married couple to sign the register so they could at least have a marriage certificate to take away with them, a token keepsake for some, a step on life's ladder for others.

"After the couple have exited, I will thank everyone for coming on the Bride and Groom's behalf and the reception….will be taking place after the photographs have been taken, the reception follows at the Jamanakai hotel, a short walk away."

Skylor when she had signed her name, turned to the Father and thanked him profusely for doing the wedding at such short notice, he took her hands into both of his and just simply said. "I did it for your father….my child, we were friends once before he let the darkness claim him. And, it was my pleasure to finally see you happy."

"Y-you knew my father?" she repeated his admission tear threatening to fall.

" _Once_ ….we went to school together, took the same classes. He found power where as I found the religion, the Lord and enlightenment." He smiled and shook her hand again before passing her the rolled up scroll of her marriage certificate.

"Take care Skylor, he will make a good husband and remember my child it takes time, commitment and forgiveness to make it work."

Skylor smiled and turned around to face the small congregation before linking her left arm through her husbands as he led her down the aisle to the wedding march.

As soon as they both got outside a few guests hurriedly shuffled past in preparation with boxes of confetti rose petals and dried rice in hand ready to throw over the newly married couple.

* * *

"I love you Skylor, I always will." Kai whispered and kissed her again on the lips as Lloyd cheekily poured the entire contents of his confetti box on top of Kai's head. The small paper shapes floated down in the slight breeze where-as most of them stayed put in his impressive spiky hair, some fell onto Skylor's hair too considering Kai had swooped her down into a sweeping deep hold before placing his lips onto hers.

His tongue intertwined with hers and she eagerly reciprocated as more confetti was thrown over them.

"Anymore of that Kai, and we'll need to do something about it." She said and bit her lip, a small blush visible on her chest and cheeks.

"You think you can wait? only got another….say ten hours!" He whispered into her ear and pulled her up gently pulling her close to his firm body in the process.

"You're making it very difficult….my gorgeous husband because you didn't come home last night." She replied with a squeeze of his butt, he smirked.

As usual photographs were duly taken which took up a substantial time. The opulent young photographer wanted to get some unique photos in and had even brought said props such as white parasols, ornate headdresses, impressive backdrops as if the back drop of Jamanakai village wasn't impressive enough.

"Did you miss me?" he asked teasingly as he walked arm in arm with her to where the photographer asked.

"Can the newly married couple kiss and make it look realistic, I want you to both put your left leg up behind you….a fairy tale sort of kiss, can you do that?"

"I think we can pull that off right Skylor?" Kai winked as he pulled her closer supporting her weight as he gently kissed her neck, feeling her moan into his ear. His lips gently getting closer to her mouth grazed over her jaw line with kisses dotted from her neck upwards.

The photographer was taking photos and seemed to be pleased with how realistic it looked but his voice was soon drowned out as Skylor hungrily took control, she lifted her husband's face up and kissed him and now it was his turn…..he groaned a deep throaty growl as her lips trailed his throat.

"B-babe…..err…..I-I think he got all…the photos he needs." Kai blushed but let his wife continue.

"You started it….." Skylor teased and bit her lip enticing him as she closed the gap sealing their lips together again.

"Perfect shot guys thank you, now for a full guest shot please." The photographer stated. Kai and Skylor unlocked lips, both had a fine flush on their faces.

* * *

Once those formalities were out of the way it was time to get to the reception venue which was across the village….literally a five minute walk but Skylor didn't walk to walk and she had hired a little horse and cart with a uniformed person to steer and control the two horses.

Kai walked arm in arm with his new wife down to the little wooden gates careful to stay on the red carpet avoiding the snowy areas at all costs because this area was typically difficult to get into and out of with any injuries and Kai didn't want his pregnant wife to fall on the lethal ice on her wedding day…..or any day for that matter.

The master of fire got in to the impressively quaint white carriage first but in doing so was able to pull his wife into the carriage with minimal effort. The journey as expected was short and sweet but neither Skylor or Kai noticed as both again were exploring each-others mouths hungrily with a newfound desire.

The carriage slowly made it's way across the small courtyard, bumping over cobbled streets and a small bridge which was built over a stream of water from the impossibly high waterfall nearby. The narrow road curved to the left and the carriage disappeared under the waterfall before coming out the other side to a rather new looking hotel which was built up against the mountain.

* * *

Jay stood by the bridge and watched as Cole, Lloyd and Zane carried on walking, they followed the carriage eagerly and the married couple inside. Tin cans had been attached to the carriage and made delicate clanging and clattering noises as they each tumbled over the raised cobbled parts of the road.

He sighed to himself, the time was only 5pm….. 'too fast though.' The stream flowed steadily under the hand built stone bridge he stood on, seeing where it had originated, he looked up as high as his eyes would let him. The top of the waterfall couldn't even be seen, its summit was obscured by a fine mist which could be considered as the only cloud in the sky. He gripped the bridge tightly whilst he craned his neck looking up impossibly high.

His hands trembled slightly on the rocky bridge edge he was leaning on before recoiling slightly when a sharp protruding rock came up from the ground, stopping barely short of cutting through his palms. He quickly let go of the rocky ledge and stepped back again as before. And again the same voice soothed him, letting him know what had happened.

' _When one brotherly bond is cut whether by your hand or hers you will obtain part of that element…..my liege, my prince.'_

 _'But…..I don't want it…I don't want any of it or Kai's…..it's wrong.'_

 _'It is beyond your control…..the more you take the more alone you will be.'_

 _'I haven't taken anything Sigyn…I took nothing and I said I wanted no part of that.'_

 _'How come you can talk to me telepathically yet you can't stop her from ruining my life? Huh! why is it that I'm gonna be the one who is the black sheep? I'll be cast out of my team faster than you can say first spinjitsu master now and it's all her fault.'_

Jay looked down into the water wiping his hands free of the crushed pebble dust with his monogrammed handkerchief. He hastily put it back inside his inside suit pocket and pulled his shirt and suit sleeves back down.

 _'Just enjoy the day you have been given and take it as it is intended…..a day of celebration, the joining of a man and woman is truly magical.'_

 _'And you? Why is Loki not with you? How do you take him now that he can't seem to keep away from Amora.'_

 _'We are….separated, he made it so a little over two days ago.'_

 _'I-I'm uhm I'm so sorry Sigyn…I-I had no idea….'_

 _'It was...to be e-expected, this is the way it is foretold, the beginning of the end…..how it always ends. I love him but he no longer reciprocates my love.'_

 _'Please….my young prince do not mourn, for my marriage was tumultuous from the start, we knew it would likely never stand the test of time…..for it simply never has…enjoy your day and spend it wisely.'_

* * *

Jay looked up feeling a warmth touch his hands and he smiled when he saw the sun's rays shining through a misty low lying cloud. The effect created a beautiful rainbow mist slowly drifting through the late winter air.

' _Ha, the reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water particles and droplets resulting in a broad spectrum of light…..a scientific fact that explains something so simple, the fact as magical as it is to some still makes people happy….for not everyone believes in science some still believe in magic._ '

He laughed to himself…..a small chuckle escaping his lips. The small handful of pebbles and stones he had picked up were crushed in his hand and dropped as dust into the stream below, each stone's dust revealed a slightly different colour when they dispersed into the water.

His mind was made up, the right frame of mind at least. He was determined to make the rest of the day with his brothers as good as he could…..because he knew as soon as midnight arrived things would be dark again.

But now he was ready, he had acquired more than one new element that neither Loki nor Amora were aware of…the elements of fire and earth were added to his arsenal of impressive powers.

He walked the remaining short distance catching up quickly, his long slim legs covering as much ground as he could whilst his shoes took the brunt of the uneven slippery surfaces he strode over. Jay got to the hotel just as the empty horse and carriage was being walked away, all the tin cans had been removed yet the carriage was still covered in petals and confetti.

From what he could see it would appear that everyone was inside the venue, except for a few stragglers were standing outside with flutes of champagne looking immaculately dressed. The closer he neared to the main entrance of the hotel the more he noticed, each individual appeared to be lining up to meet and greet the entire wedding party.

' _Whoops haha….I think I'm supposed to be in that line somewhere_.'

* * *

The guests were walking past the happy newly married couple congratulating them and giving a small token gift…..a black cat, bronze horse shoes, a four leaf clover and various other infinity symbols were bestowed by every guest as they passed on by. Shaking hands and hugging was expected and each guest did so heartilly …a fine flute of champagne awaited each person as the entered the reception room.

The blue ninja now known as the ninja of dark lightning henceforth known as the young prince as he was several thousands of years younger than Loki and Thor; he was cheekily getting into the line to congratulate the happy couple, he blended right in as the men he stood next to were all wearing suits.

He recognised a few of them from last night, his team mates and competitors from Chen's island, most of them celebrated yesterday at the bachelor party but thankfully for Jay Paleman could not be seen….

Bolobo was there too standing right next to him, his beard was scooped up into a rather strange bun likewise with his hair…..a man bun, but he still looked fine in his best suit and bow tie.

Where-as Jay wore his shoulder length hair proudly, it flicked outwards just as Loki's did, giving it the layered look without it actually being cut. He'd never really had the time to keep that part of his image in top shape and he had grown fond of it in a way. Except of course when he was transformed into the female form. In which case his hair would be even longer and oddly thicker too.

The line quickly dispersed and then it was Jay's turn to congratulate the happy couple, he stuck out his hand offering it to Kai first.

"My heartfelt congratulations to the happy couple." He said trying to keep a straight face. He knew that Kai recognised his voice and he looked up at him laughing.

"Jay! Jay?…you're supposed to be in the damn line…..on this side you doofus." Kai replied with a stern glare that lasted no more than a millisecond before he started laughing, pulling him close into brotherly hug whilst he still held his hand.

"Yeah….I-I know, sorry." Jay winked and picked up a flute of champagne, the last one on the tray taking a hearty gulp feeling the bubbles tickle his mouth and throat but enjoying the taste.

"Oooh nice place Kai, you choose this?"

"No….Skylor did, to be honest I didn't even know this village had a hotel but it fits the bill perfectly, it's got plenty of guest bedrooms, great views and a large reception room."

"How tall is this hotel….doesn't look that tall from the outside." He asked whilst taking another large sip of the champagne.

"Uhm…..it's four floors the rest is a painting, optical illusion, Jay!" Kai replied. "Cool right?"

"Yeah quite impressive." Jay replied, "How many rooms did you book?" he asked looked up at the impressive twisting spiral staircase as it travelled up wrapping around an old style elevator. He finished the rest of the champagne tipping the glass back as he stared upwards.

"A room for you, our bridal suite and err the room we'll be eating and partying in….which reminds me." Kai said as he linked his arm with that of his wife.

"Come on babe time to sit down…..got some serious speeches to do and listen to." He said and looked sideways at Jay with a cheeky grin "Come on Jay you too."

"On it...Kai, let's chop socky this wedding lemonade stand eheheh." Jay laughed and walked in behind Kai and his wife with his now empty champagne flute in hand.

"I'm glad to see you back to your self Jay, we've all missed this side of ya…..you know the normal jokey side….." Kai mumbled at his brother.

"Yeah….eheheh normal r-right, I kinda wish I was….life was so much easier."

"Was it? I mean you are more confident now…..around women mostly and Nya."

Kai smiled and lowered his eyebrows "No, what I mean is that you seem more laid back and relaxed, kinda noticed it earlier as well."

"Hmm, okay….normal jokey yet more confident around women, laid back and relaxed but not bumbling like I used to be….is that what you're aiming for?" Jay replied to Kai's strange but endearing sentiment even if it was an over exaggeration.

* * *

Was Jay more laid back now?…no far from it, it was a front he had put on, or a balm to hide the fact that he was breaking inside. So close to losing it before the ceremony had even begun. He had hidden the emotions well, choosing to hide them for fear of what lay ahead and he didn't want to taint or tarnish the day with his negativity so he put on a brave face…..and this was the result.

His normal geeky, almost insecure side came out, the side that hid behind jokes, but his behaviour around women had changed and Kai was right about that, but that was because of what Loki had done, Jay had no part in it himself…..

It was the bi-product of dark magic and it was meant to corrupt the females he slept with making them desperate for more, to give their lives freely for a lifetime of sexual slavery with the two princes who would never age nor tire.

The idea, once Loki had told Jay had duly made the young prince ill for he had never heard of such evil. The complete lack of respect made his stomach turn, he was still, at that time, desperately in love with Nya but he quickly realised that love was not tolerated and he was to act accordingly.

Punishments typically mounted the longer he resisted until he gave in…it only took those first few months with Loki for him to learn that the God he now served was to be taken seriously.

Finally the God destroyed the young prince's last human side and he decimated the basest sentimentality of love…all Jay had now was exactly what Loki had wanted him to have…an unhealthy lustful appetite, a burning desire for satisfaction and an odd fascination for blood lust….and, for some young men the earlier parts would be something to be happy about.


	48. Say it, speak it, feel it

Jay followed Kai and his new wife into the large bright room. He noted that the long burgundy curtains had been drawn for privacy, blocking out most of the evening sunset and local residents from peering in.

The room itself was clean and painted stark white which proved to be a blank canvas for the wedding party to work with. The décor chosen was typical for the time of year, it was dotted with heart shaped red and white helium balloons as the centre piece of each table. There was a dusting of red glitter hearts surrounding a tall elegant glass vase filled to the brim with more long stem white and pink roses and they stood proudly on each round table.

The golden chairs were covered in large and ornate bows that fastened at the back with a delicate name tag attached. The room although large consisted of only six tables; the main table was at the top and the rest were round and situated near the front of the main table.

A black and white checkered disco floor was to the right side and the left was a buffet for those who didn't want the three course meal. The cake being the masterpiece that it was; stood proudly on its own surrounded by the bridesmaids bouquet and Skylor's as she placed it down gently on the opposite side.

* * *

"Wow Babe, you like cake almost as much as Cole does hehe." Kai snickered teasing his wife, she had her back to him and he wrapped his arms around her resting on her lower stomach.

"Let me guess does he like chocolate cake too?" Skylor asked placing her hands on top of his warmer ones.

"Yes…" Kai whispered "It's his favourite."

"Well…..I did my homework….. _husband_ and I found out that he liked cake hahah I'm joking Kai, I knew he liked cake his room on my dad's island was matched to his wants and to his element so typically the master of earth had a strong room, bed made of rock and a never ending supply of Master Chen's full favourite menu items. His favourite being Mu shu Wu shu noodles and hmm cake, he kept re-ordering it."

"Oooh you sneaky thing." Kai said and gently lead his wife to her seat pulling it out as he did, and pushing it in when she sat down.

"Jay! Dude you sitting too?" Kai asked as he looked at his brother who seemed to be staring of into space again.

"Uhm yeah, s-sorry….." Jay replied and promptly took his seat on the other side of Skylor.

Truth be told, the top table was tiny, usually consisting both sets of parents neither of which Kai or Skylor had. Then of course was the best man and chief bridesmaid. So in total there were only four on the top table meaning only three speeches.

A laptop had been helpfully provided for those who wished to send overseas messages or who may want to keep in contact with Ninjago city considering how isolated Jamanakai was at this time of year. Jay however was going to use it to deliver his speech.

"Could I have your attention please." The hotel manager said as he tapped a teaspoon on a crystal glass, one that was strong enough to make a sound without shattering into millions of pieces.

"The speeches if I could have your attention, the groom will go first followed by the bridesmaid if she wishes then followed by the best man….they will begin momentarily…" The managed added before putting the glass down and backing away out of the room.

Kai grinned and stood up kissing his wife's hand as he did, before taking out a folded square that turned out to be an A4 sized piece of paper

"Ahem, he cleared his throat nervously "Hello everyone. On behalf of Skylor and myself, I want to thank you all for celebrating this special day with us."

He took a sip of water, feeling himself warm up under his collar but preserved as all eyes were now on him, including those of Cole and Lloyd who were pulling faces on purpose in trying to get him to slip up on his lines.

"I also want to thank my brothers namely the ones pulling faces at me and of course my sister Nya who helped make all this possible."

"Now, I don't want to drone on cos I realise how long these speeches can go on for but just wanted to say the following…bear with me and don't interrupt." Kai smirked.

"When I first met Skylor on Chen's Island, I felt something that I'd not felt before…" hushed giggles could be heard and Kai looked exasperated but continued regardless.

"She melted my heart from the moment I saw her, I wanted to be with her all the time, to wake up next to her, to look in her eyes every waking moment."

Skylor bit her lip and smiled as her new husband admitted his true feelings of love to everyone in the room, a side of Kai that he liked to keep hidden was now being revealed.

"At the time we were both unaware of our feelings for each other, because of what was happening on the island for the both of us, well, actually all of us…..I mean, we were fighting in the tournament of elements …..except for you girls at the back there." Kai added.

"Of course I had no idea that I would fall so completely head over heels for this woman, we were too focused on staying in the tournament to take notice in love but it became apparent that as it progressed we grew closer."

"Now I don't wanna go into gory details here as I'm fairly sure you all pretty much know what happened on the island, being pitted against each other in gladiator style tournaments and so on. I had no idea that back in the tournament, this person would become my wife one day."

He looked at her in a whole different light, feeling nothing but love and adoration

"But when the dust settled, we all went our separate ways and things happened as they do." Kai said and looked sorrowfully at Jay.

The master of lightning merely winked, and raised his thumb...prompting his brother to continue.

"We still kept in contact…Skylor and myself even after everything."

"I'll cut to the chase though and make it simple,…..this beautiful woman chose me."

"Now I should add before I wrap up this rather unintentional lengthy speech to say that….although the wedding process can be stressful for some guys - as can be asking someone to marry them on New Year's eve. And, praying that they'll say yes because you have all your hopes and dreams banking on their answer being those three golden letters that will seal your love."

"For what it's worth - I have always felt 100 percent secure in my decision. I am, however, still extremely glad that Skylor said yes and that she showed up today!...that in itself is testament to something right?"

Kai turned to face his wife before raising his glass which everyone else did in response.

"And to finish…..the path may not always be smooth, but that's just part of life. I know that we can handle all the bumps along the way as long as we always have each other…I love you Skylor….you complete me."

A loud round of applause was given following Kai's long but happy love filled speech, Skylor welcomed him back to her side and squeezed his hand gently leaning her head on his shoulder as he sat.

"That, was actually a pretty good speech Kai….I love you too fireboy."

"Hehe thanks, maybe I should have got some kids entertainment for Cole and Lloyd though, did ya see what they were doing?"

"Yes, it was funny and like I said you did well despite them trying to put you off." She kissed his neck gently and watched Nya get up with her specially written speech notes.

"Although, I don't understand why Seliel lets him get away with it, she keeps shaking her head at him."

"Babe, I guess it's the side of Cole we never really see….I mean that would normally be Jay being the dork….right?"

Skylor wrapped her arm around him and gave him his drink back, he leaned back and smiled at his sister, it was her turn to do a speech. She didn't have to do it though but to lengthen the speeches she chose to do a small one….kind of in place of what would potentially be the father of the bride but in this case it was the sister of the groom.

It could be considered as a very modern wedding simply because in the entire group of individuals not one person was over the age of twenty four. They were all young people, there were no parents as such on the top table….a sad but true fact, but it didn't stop them from having a good day it just made the speeches seem much more important…..usually that part of a reception would drag on and on, especially if the father of the bride droned on or if the best man had written a lengthy essay.

Nya got up and squeezed her brother's arm, "It's my turn…." She said.

"Wish me luck guys….I hate speaking in front of this many people…..I'm not a lecturer hehehe." Nya nervously stood up and gripped onto her chair with one hand with her speech in the other.

She shook her head at Cole who was blowing her a kiss from only one table away. Zane was frowning at him as usual trying to get the master of earth's attention by any means necessary except the use of violence but Seliel was sitting right next to him in effect blocking Zane from kicking him under the table.

"Hi! I want to thank all of you for letting me take a few minutes to toast my brother, Kai and his new wife, Skylor. Have you ever seen a more radiant bride? How about Kai, the handsome groom…is he looking good or what? I feel like I'm looking at a Bridal Magazine when I see this picture perfect couple."

Nya smiled looking at her brother, pulling her tongue out.

"My role of distinction today is that of sole and chief bridesmaid, and my name as most of you know is Nya…..yeah I'm Kai's long suffering sister."

"I remember the first time that Kai and Skylor kissed, in public that is! It was like my radar was up, because I knew something was going on." Nya laughed at how flustered Kai had been when Nya had seen them.

"When they kissed for the first time, it was in my new apartment…and I quickly smothered them with a hug and welcomed Skylor to the family as soon as Kai told me!...Yeah I guess I'm a suckler for true love because I've loved watching this romance bloom. Skylor is a great friend, she's funny and really easy to get along with…plus she's a great ninja too and an entrepreneur to boot."

"Anyway I look so forward to the future for these two. They are the perfect match for each other, and I know that they will remain not only lovers, but also friends, for all of their life. They just seem to have that certain something about them. A match made in heaven."

"Ahem…..Please raise your glasses while I propose a toast:

If ever you are to enjoy life…now is the time! Let today be the building block for all the years to come, and may your home be filled with your laughter and that of your children as well, for all the days of your lives.

I love you guys! Congratulations!" Nya finished and again raised her glass which everyone else did.

And finally Jay was last, Skylor chose not to give a speech because Kai had thanked everyone and she would simply be going over old ground in repeating what he had said word for word.

* * *

Jay got up and walked past Nya, he held her closely as she passed before placing a delicate kiss on her lips. "No pressure then…ehehe" Jay whispered into her ear when he broke off the small token kiss.

Jay approached the back of the main table and pulled down the projector screen behind the married couple, it was linked to smaller screens around the room so everyone could watch without the need to strain their necks or eyes.

He quickly walked to the laptop table and plugged his USB card into the relevant slot before opening the spreadsheet.

'Time Jay…..6pm, six hours to go…..focus….focus.' He shook his head fighting the urge to vomit, he stood up and retrieved his small discrete leather bound notebook taking a deep breath before he started.

"Before I start ladies and gentlemen, let us observe a few moments silence in memory of the 1,000 prawns, 30 chickens, 10 cows and countless roses who selflessly gave their lives to make this wedding celebration possible." Jay smiled again as all of the men and a few women in the room laughed loudly.

"Good evening, Ladies and Gentleman. We've now reached the point in the proceedings when we all get to see the groom shift uncomfortably in his seat and grip the tablecloth in nervous anticipation. That's right. I've been asked to give Kai the drinks bill! Hooo haha…might need ya cheque book bro."

"Kai and I have had some terrific nights out over the past five or so years. I have really enjoyed his company and sunk many beers as a result. I wouldn't say we drank to excess…we drank to anything. In all seriousness though, a friend like Kai is hard to find. This morning, for instance at like 4am, I had to look in three pubs and a wine bar."

"…..Only kidding he was in the park tied to a lamp post courtesy of Darreth!…Darreth I am surprised at you…..have you had practice with the duct tape….? Gail perhaps?" Jay laughed hard and Cole almost fell of his chair struggling to keep it together as well as the fit of giggles he and Lloyd were fighting with. Darreth simply smirked in response tilting his sunglasses down with Gail looking at him in disapproval.

"Anyway guys, as most of you know my name is Jay Walker-Gordon, I'm his brother and best friend. I've known Kai for over eight years and we trained together with Sensei Wu. Of course it wasn't just us two there is also Cole over there….the dashingly handsome guy with black hair….looks kinda emo, Lloyd with blonde hair the lovable dude and our resident green machine and our ever logical brother Zane, the mean machine, his energy knows no bounds just like my humour."

Jay opened a presentation package and let it play for itself, it revealed picture after picture of their younger days, taken from the perspective of Sensei Wu. Jay turned towards the laptop and wiped at an errant tear.

It was apparent that some photos had never been seen before by Kai or Cole because Jay had to source them out for himself with help from Lloyd early this morning….Jay had barely slept this morning…..one hour just until he heard Nya leave.

The collage of photos included a huge amount of group photos over the years…the first all dressed in black until Kai came along. Followed by all being given their true ninja colours with relevant elemental abilities. A photo depicted the ninja finding their golden weapons and the defeat of the serpentine.

Another photo after Lloyd's defeat of his evil father Lord Garmadon. A large group photo with Sensei's Garmadon and Wu respectively and Misako plus a picture of the reunited ninja team with their new titanium brother.

Pictures after the ghost ninja Morro; were more depressing though but included Cole becoming a ghost, Jay defeating Nadakhan and the group photo after everyone was back to normal once the sky pirates had been dealt with. Which led up to a few years later when Cole had visited Sensei Yang and had his ghostly powers revoked…again a final group photo.

The newest photo didn't include Jay though, he was painfully missing from the photo because this new one was taken when Loki had taken the lightning master for himself. This photo was taken when Cole, Zane, Lloyd, Nya and Kai had brought their own dojo using the money that Sensei Wu had left them…the Destiny's Bounty proudly standing in the background. The ninja in this photo were holding a framed certificate of ownership…..the deeds to the building.

"We are all brothers but not by blood, by something I like to think of as stronger." Jay spoke clearly watching the minute hands pass on the large clock….speeding up his fate.

"We grew up and trained together, defeating enemies, protecting various people in this realm yadda yadda yadda, basically we all shared a bond and it made us stronger together."

Jay paused and showed the paintballing collage of pictures, showing each team being victorious in their endeavours before revealing the photo of Kai being completely covered in paint.

"Yeah things happen, they always do we can't foresee them, Wu probably did though but that is beside the point. Anyway where was I? ahh yes I was asked to be the best man and yeah I was nervous, but I've gotta say I have thoroughly enjoyed it. The getting to grips with all things wedding etiquette, getting to know Skylor and of course to plan the bachelor party and this damned fine speech…that I think I'm nailing. Oh and Karloff seriously…I forgive you, you pack a mean punch though." Jay said with a smirk. "Anyway I've got more jokes, all I need is one of those one man band things and I'd be set up."

The pictures behind showed a group photo at the Copa Cobana nightclub, where all the men in the bachelor party were wearing Hawaiian shirts. Jay's face wasn't bruised at that point but he was still smiling…the anger didn't come until later. All the males on the photo had the flowered leis around their necks as well as a cheap but cheerful coconut drink with a typically paper umbrella in.

"I like to think I've always been there for Kai and Skylor. I was present when they met….I was kind of dangling from his balcony; I was also present when Kai introduced me to his fiancé you all know her as Skylor….Plus I'm present on their wedding day, obviously. Hopefully all these 'presents' will help soften the fact that I forgot to buy them a wedding gift…..ahh sorry my humour knows no bounds…want another one?"

"I would like to wrap this up now cos I think I've kept your attention for long enough so…there are some really important people whom I'm sure you will all meet throughout the remainder of the evening. Without them none of this would be possible…I raise a toast to the barkeepers…" Jay raised his champagne flute and everyone laughed in response.

"Hahah only joking guys hahah sorry You know I don't mean it! Now….will you all raise your glasses and toast to the happy couple, to Kai and Skylor…congratulations guys." Jay said raising his glass.

* * *

Jay quickly retrieved his USB card before retreating back to the table. The food was finally being served.

Hot food to those who had chosen it and cold food for the ones who wanted to sample the buffet food.

Jay chose a hot meal as did the majority of his brothers, the females opted for the cold foods, some of them just chose salads and fat free food stuffs.

He ate his meal with gusto, chattering to Skylor every so often. This was the most time she had spent with Jay since he was now a member of something much bigger. So she was as you would expect….she was fascinated with him and spent most of the evening talking to him in depths about the various places he had visited, the people he had met.

She asked about the great gatekeeper, Jay corrected her stating his name was Heimdall, but other than that he answered her questions all night. At one point Nya came over to join them and she sat on Jay's knee with an arm wrapped around his shoulders.

Nya had been to Asgard too and she spoke to Skylor about her perspective as a female warrior living their and how it was somewhat different to a male warrior. Handmaidens were expected to look after the female's who lived in the palace.

Jay listened to them both talking just answering when he needed to whilst his free hand stroked up and down Nya's back…..the other one holding his drink.

All the food had been cleared away and again all eyes were on the couple as they both approached the cake table. Kai and Skylor grasped the silver knife which was on a red cushion before cutting into the lowest tier of the three tiered cake.

Their hands still entwined removed the blade and Kai set it down safely before grabbing a small piece and feeding his new wife a sumptuous piece of chocolate cake.

The master of earth was drooling, he saw cake, that was all he saw, the photos were taken of the couple again before the hotel staff took the cake away and cut it into thin slices. The slices of cake were quickly handed out to each guest, Cole however was not impressed with his small offering. He waited for the cake to be bought back before he helped himself to the cake.

"It's okay Cole, I know you like cake, so we chose the biggest bit to be cut into….besides it'll only be thrown away."

"What why?"

"Only the chocolate cake….because it doesn't last as long as fruit cake does." She smiled and watched as the master of earth cut a fairly large slice of cake for himself and a smaller one for Seliel. He walked the short distance back to their table and sat down eagerly.

* * *

The master of earth satiated, he was eating his favourite food surrounded by his favourite people. Lloyd was talking to Zane on the subject of security and city patrols and Zane was seemingly enthralled by the chosen topic.

Kai and Skylor had been invited to partake in the first dance and had taken their places on the dance floor alone, for what would be their first dance. A song they had chosen would be forever remembered each and every time they heard it reminding them of this day and the day they married.

Kai and Skylor had chosen 'Can't take my eyes of you' by Lauren Hill, the remake sounded better than the original with a modern twist.

Everyone except Cole surrounded the happy couple, the master of earth was eating more cake even his girlfriend had left his side to watch the dance floor.

More people began to approach the chequered floor to watch the newly married couple dance their first dance together. Because of fate and situations beyond their control there were no parents so no father of the bride dance, no mother dancing embarrassingly with fathers….non dad dancing at all.

But Jay being the guy he was, he took the opportunity to dance with Skylor instead. Kai pointed at him to be gentle and Skylor simply smiled at him.

Typically another slow dance but Jay kept his distance respectfully, he held her gently and cautiously, sweeping her around the floor gently, avoiding her toes. He pulled her close after each spin and her small pregnant tummy brushed his stomach. And when the dance had finished; he twirled her around playfully winking at her before thanking her for the dance and giving her hand back to Kai.

Jay retired off the dance floor and headed for the bar, grabbing a bottle of water and some pure orange juice before gulping it down in one go. He noticed a certain bridesmaid sitting alone at the main table

"You wanna dance Nya?" Jay shouted across the loud music.

"Yeah sure." She replied.

Jay removed his jacket and cravat undoing quite a few buttons and walked backwards towards the dance floor with Nya holding both hands.

"It's an old song Bruce Springsteen 'dancing in the dark'…." Jay began singing the lyrics to her clicking his fingers and dancing around her to the beat yet in perfect synchronisation a perfect copy of Bruce Springsteen's iconic dancing style.

"Sorry, I chose it because my mum and dad played this…..a lot!" he smirked.

"I come home in the morning….I go to bed feeling the same way, I ain't nothing but tired." Jay danced around Nya, his moves again getting the unwanted attention from Nya's best friends. But Jay didn't notice them he was purely focused on the smile on her beautiful face.

"Hey there baby, I could use just a little help….You can't start a fire, You can't start a fire without a spark…..yeah, this gun's for hire even if we're just dancing in the dark."

"You can't start a fire sitting 'round crying over a broken heart…..cos this gun's for hire, even if we're just dancing in the dark." Jay sang and pulled Nya closer to him.

"You can't start a fire worrying about your little world falling apart, this gun's for hire….even if we're just dancing in the dark."

* * *

The time was almost midnight, well there were still thirty minutes to go but still Jay was having far too much fun to notice the time. Until Nya roughly hauled him out of the room and pushed him up against the wall of the now empty lobby. Her mouth hungrily nipping and kissing him on any exposed skin she could find. It was fair to say that Jay wasn't expecting this but he allowed her to take control for a few minutes at least.

The disco was still in full swing, drowning out the sounds of their wet kisses as Jay took her mouth with his tongue….."My room…NOW" he growled breaking off the kiss as he led her to the first floor bedrooms.

He put the key card into the door and the door opened easily, but before he could even get in the room she launched into a frenzied kissing attack, Jay fell backwards with her on top, he kicked the door closed from his prone position before hastily removing his trousers and shirt….their lips were still locked, both panting nasally in anticipation…it didn't take long for the clothes to be completely discarded.

Jay rolled her off easily and claimed her breasts one by one, taking her nipple into his mouth and squeezing the other, he watched her arch her back at his mere touch…..she whimpered as he caressed her gently before positioning himself at her entrance, he already knew she was ready for him but he still pushed in gently, groaning out in pleasure as her warmth covered him.

She moved her hips in time with him, the deep carpet felt like a luxurious sheepskin rug, cushioning yet soft and sumptuous surrounding them like they were laying on a bed of spongy soft emerald moss.

"Nya….it's too hot in here…..shower maybe?" Jay slowed down his energetic lovemaking to allow her to speak or allow her to think, to form a coherent sentence…..but it seemed she was temporarily incapable of stringing sentences together. The only sounds issuing were that of soft whimpers.

"Nya….!" Jay slowed and stopped…..smirking, her face was flushed as he imagined his face was too.

She simply nodded her head and waited for Jay to get up before she followed him through to the shower. He quickly put the shower on, setting it to warm not hot, both were too warm as it was. A hot shower was out of the question.

After mere seconds it was ready and Jay climbed in pulling Nya into the shower with him before continuing where they had left off, Jay sat on the shower chair and Nya straddled his hips before allowing him to continue.

At least the bathroom door could be closed giving an additional sound barrier which he was sure they needed considering the sounds Nya was making. Jay smirked, he was loving this just as much as she seemed to be. Her hair stuck to her face, the clean droplets of water removing the sweat as it appeared.

* * *

'My liege this feels voyeuristic…what are you planning?' Amora asked feeling insanely jealous and slightly turned on by how good he seemed to be.

'Nothing untoward…..I guarantee it…I don't usually like to interfere in such intimate moments but I feel this may befit them both.'

'Why bother…..is he not worthless of your attention?"

'Amora? my dear…I sense a hint of something in your tone….' Loki looked to his companion with his brows furrowed.

'You are mistaken for there is nothing to sense, you would be better to focus your magiks on him….my liege.' Amora said turning her head away in anger.

'And not me….I do not hide anything from you….'

Loki grinned sickeningly, his grin contorting his features into that of a madman…he simply clicked his fingers and both Asgardians disappeared.

* * *

After a few more minutes of Nya screaming Jay's name, he was obviously doing something right, her face and upper body was flushed and her head had rolled back…..the shower seemed to be heating up though.

Eventually, the shower made an odd noise like it was struggling with something come up the pipes and before the amorous couple noticed; a red liquid began to come out of the shower head….and it poured over them both, dribbling into their mouths.

They didn't notice….both lovers had their eyes closed for they were enjoying the moment too much. The red liquid poured into their open mouths and it took them a few minutes to realise it wasn't water anymore…..of course by then it was too late.

The overly strong red fluid was in fact a very strong red wine Asgardian to be exact. Loki wouldn't exactly waste his magical abilities on summoning a Midgardian wine when the ones from Asgard were so much better in comparison…..and stronger too.

The wine, as expected; was flooding their bodies with enough alcohol to drive them wild, it pushed them both over and past their limits and drove them on….it sank into their pores, their mouths and the most intimate areas before they both opened their eyes in shock.

"Wine? The fuck?" Jay hissed looking up at the drenching shower head as the red warmed liquid continued to pour.

"Red wine…pranks…..maybe Lloyd or Kai." Nya panted licking the wine of her lips before licking at the wine on her boyfriend's lips…..even the steam was infused with alcohol, they couldn't escape and neither had thought that in the throws of passion that it would be a good idea to retire to the bed.

They were absorbing the alcohol in heavy amounts, breathing the fumes of century old cellared wine…..that had been fermented in the grand cellars of Asgards royal wine and distillery.

Loki only used one barrel that wouldn't be missed, his father's special wine…..one left over from the birth of Thor and now Loki's protector and his lover were pushing each other over the limits, that their bodies could endure.

Neither were stopping despite the fact that both had reached multiple climaxes, the alcohol was like a infinite drunken fuel…..but it was dangerous in large amounts. Nya's eyes had dilated so much her brown orbs couldn't be seen. Jay's similarly had the smallest circle of purple surrounding large black pupils.

Jay just couldn't stop himself, her breasts were bouncing in front of him, red wine covered her body dribbling down the both of them, filling her mouth. It was fair to say they were both now completely drunk having consumed enough alcohol both through their skin, mouths and lungs…the air was almost toxic with wine.

He picked her up and pushed her front hard against the shower wall before tipping his head back and filling his mouth with more wine, letting it dribble onto his lips. He pushed in to her forcefully, hearing her whimper and call out his name in pleasure. He pulled her hair back and claimed her mouth even if her neck was now at an awkward position.

His thrusts became fast and powerful and the ground started to shake around him…..the earth was literally moving. His hands grasped her tightly, his fingers digging in to her hips leaving his finger prints….With his head back he growled, his hair was red with wine. Dripping from each soaked strand…..the final thrust did it.

Jay had released his bodily essence, and, in the process of his final orgasm he had destroyed the shower screens and floor. Jay fell backwards in the shower cubicle and Nya fell next to him…Neither had received an injury despite the shower chair and various shelves collapsing too…..the shower was still running.

It would appear that they had both blacked out from excessive alcohol consumption…..excessive in any realm….deadly however in Ninjago, Midgard and Vanaheim….foolish in Asgard.

The shower duly reverted back to a clean water supply, apparently it took the entire barrel to inebriate the both of them. But typically having been in the shower for over an hour the element had blown and now it was pouring gallon after gallon of freezing cold water direct from source.

The two lovers were both woken a few minutes later when the water had turned ice cold, their skin mostly rinsed of the alcohol, save for their hair and mouths which still reeked of fine wine.

"What the Hel happened?" Jay asked rubbing his extremely fuzzy head, he pushed the broken shower chair off Nya's cold body.

"I smell of wine!…why do I smell of wine?...Nya you alright?" Jay panicked when she didn't respond.


	49. Memories

Jay woke up freezing cold, chilled to the bone wracked with unending shivers. Reason being the warm water had all but gone and he was lying on the floor of the shower cubicle naked and next to Nya. He grabbed a towel for himself and switched the water off quickly stepping over the broken floor. The next urgent task was to retrieve his almost frozen to the bone girlfriend, he wrapped her quickly in the same style large bath towel. Jay carried her to the bed with ease and dried her off gently whilst all the time staring at her face in concerned…had he pushed her body too far?

He removed the wet towel from both of them and snuggled next to her for a few minutes aware that he was now running really late. He pulled the big thick quilt over the top of their bodies and attempted to heat her up.

Eventually…..well, after twenty minutes she murmured in her sleep and rolled onto her side, pushing her naked backside towards Jay again. He smirked and kissed her bare shoulder, she was rosy warm, a healthy glow on her face and an overpowering smell of wine in her hair. He stealthily climbed out of bed and she was still mumbling his name, like she was reliving their most recent encounter…..had she enjoyed it that much?

 _'Obviously a dream eheheh.'_ Jay shook his head biting his lip at hearing her speak his name even as she slept.

He picked her clothes up off the floor and placed them on the chair nearest the bed before picking his own up and putting them back on…piece by piece.

His white shirt first slipped on effortlessly even though his hair was now a distinct shade of red, his emerald cuff links were applied secondly. He pulled on his boxer shorts and black smart exquisitely tailored suit trousers followed by his socks. All items put on piece by piece…..he was aware of the time.

' _Time is 02:50…keep it together…'_ Jay sighed.

He pulled on his waist coat but kept the scarlet red cummerbund and cravat with Nya…, they were hired after all. The last part other than his shoes was his jacket which he slipped over his young tired shoulders fastening the few buttons before standing up to his full height.

He took one look at Nya and bent down to kiss her cheek. "Thank you Nya….." he whispered and stroked her stiffened wine soaked hair from her face.

Jay closed the door quietly behind him then left into the night, walking down the spiral staircase each step echoing as his foot made contact with it….but it didn't matter it was so late no one was up. The guests had left to go home on a short journey for some, the ones who had travelled further afield were staying nearby or in the hotel. And typically the ones in the hotel that Jay was about to leave were all silent and possibly fast asleep.

The room at the top wasn't though, that was the bridal suite, and the light was still on, but nothing could be heard. Thank god.

The disco and DJ had been packed away and the food quickly cleared up, the wedding cake boxed up and refrigerated, the mountain of gifts had been delivered to the bridal suite. All that remained to show that a wedding had occurred was the small smattering of confetti on the steps outside of the hotel. The large building was quiet at this ungodly hour as Jay walked out down the steps onto the empty winding village street.

He walked away from the hotel looking at it sadly, before it disappeared from view entirely as he strolled back under the water fall into an empty deserted courtyard. The waterfall sounded so pleasant.

 _'So relaxing just like a bed would be about now. Nice crisp clean sheets, soft pillows warm Nya….mmmm._ '

He walked out of the entrance gates to Jamanakai village, under the stone archway and away from any and all prying eyes that would be disturbed by the noises he knew would likely come.

He had been walking for a good few minutes down a steep winding road that lead down to a more reasonable ground level. Until he stopped at a halfway point….a flattened but new area, possibly used to let passing traffic the ability to pull in and allow the other side to pass. It was concrete, so different to the rocky floors he had just been traversing down.

* * *

"You're late." Came a sneering voice…

 _'Female…..._ ' Jay thought whipping his head around.

"And whose fault was that?...not mine." Jay snapped in response looking for the source of the venomous tone.

A hand grabbed his neck hard and fast, he had no time to react because he was lifted off his feet and slammed down hard into the concrete floor.

"Ungh…..the Hel was that for?" Jay wheezed and stood back up straightening his back as best as he could with the bruised ribs he now had.

"I said it wasn't my fault….I would have been out here at the right time…."

" **SILENCE** child, know your place." Came the same female voice with a harsh backwards push, Jay collided with the rock wall behind him.

"Ungh…..st-stop…..please." He put his hand out in defeat and unsteadily climbed to his feet, he failed and fell forwards landing on his hands and knees.

She was impressed with his strength, Loki was right…..he did have hidden maybe infinite strength, but his pleas were pathetic and very unbecoming….a weakness. Where exactly was the God now? She had kept him distracted long enough to set the court in her favour….to sow the seeds of doubt.

"Wh-Where's L-Loki…..Amora…?" Jay mumbled out without looking up.

"He is otherwise…occupied." She replied with a swift kick to his midsection, Jay grunted and clenched his jaw firm refusing to scream out in agony.

"Ya know h-he won't b-be happy about th-this…" Jay gasped as her foot made contact with his ribs again.

The young prince squeezed his eyes shut, despite the torrent of abuse she was delivering to the otherwise unarmed man of royalty, he was in agony…a few broken ribs and severely winded. One hand protectively wrapped around his middle.

Amora had stopped, Jay squinted his eyes opened but kept his gaze low to the ground avoiding her glare at all costs. He could see that she was limping, her foot seemed to be sore from what Jay could tell, possibly bruised. That made him smile but he kept it hidden.

"He….won't b-be happy ….A-Amora." Jay repeated again quietly.

"Well, what the King doesn't know won't hurt him….am I right?"

"You wont…..ungh…..g-get away w-with this…." He replied rolling onto his side, spitting out a mouthful of bile.

The female walked to his side, behind him, he heard her approach but remained still as his body tried to recover.

Amora the Enchantress held his hair tightly in her hands and gave him a small miniscule potion, but it wasn't delivered into his mouth, it was delivered by way of a deep knife wound…..to his side.

As expected, Jay shrieked out, vocalising his agony for all to hear.

"I will….I always do…" She smiled, removing her blood soaked blade before tossing it aside.

While he lay on his side grasping his stomach, she poured the potion into the wound and watched happily as all his physical injuries disappeared from the surface…..blood vanished from his clothes. The pain was still there it just wasn't visible anymore.

It wasn't a power binding potion nor a body changing one, it was a merely a potion to show weaknesses and, to Amora, it was the perfect ploy at showing his weaknesses which she wanted to exploit just to show Loki how weak his hold was…..hoping that this fact alone would make him cast his protector away…..the perfect opportunity for her to strike!

She walked a couple of meters away happy with what she could hear…the young prince wasn't crying; she had expected that at least.

After all the last person of royal blood she did this to she broke them and the prince had cried but not this one, he seemed reluctant to show emotions.

This young prince was just grunting, hissing with the odd angry groan thrown in here and there for good measure.….the sounds that her archaic educational regime and strength building was beginning to work.

The only annoying sound he kept making was his insistent pleading, that began to grate.

Amora walked up to him, picking him off the floor even as he begged her not to. She held him in the air before slamming him down into the concrete floor with an almighty crack. Jay hissed and simultaneously gasped when his body made contact with the unforgiving floor.

"…..St-stop…..Loki….my liege, help me pl-please.." Jay wheezed out unable to stand up.

All Amora wanted to do was set up a trap for both of them, to drive a wedge between them and she had a plan…two plans actually…both as evil as she was, considering she had concocted both of them. One plan involved blood and she already had Jay's, all she needed now was Loki's.

The other plan however, would take time, but in order for it to work would require the both of them to be her prisoners…..her castle in Vanaheim was already prepared for it she just needed the right time to strike and now was not the time…..it just required a little animosity to form between the two princes.

" **Thank you Amora** I've got this from here…"Loki's voice boomed onto the rocky surfaces of the flattened but semi sheltered area he had found them both in. The God had snapped at her for taking him down so ruthlessly.

Jay lay dazed, gasping for breath for a few minutes at having been grabbed and thrown to the floor like he was a rag doll. A sharp stabbing pain, a broken rib maybe…..or was it a dream?

'No, n-nothing i-is broken…..e-ego p-perhaps.' Jay thought trying to figure out what was happening to his body which showed no injury yet he could feel them…..many injuries.

When he looked around himself he noticed the concrete floor wasn't faring well as there was an almighty crack and rubble in its place outlining where something had collided with it forcefully.

"Oh, my liege I was just helping!" She replied somewhat guiltily, trying to look completely innocent.

"But it appears you don't need my help…..don't forget my payment terms….one week." She whispered and walked past the God before disappearing into thin air.

Loki watched after her until she vanished completely before biting his lip and shaking his head, he hadn't even mentioned it to Jay yet. And, truth be told he knew his protector would not be happy to know that he was the token of payment she had requested.

"You can't just run away…Jay…..urgh….I hate how that rhymes." Loki spat and licked his teeth reaching his hand out for Jay to accept after his swift takedown. He hadn't even been present for the previous assault his protector had just been subjected to, somehow otherwise preoccupied.

A ploy no less…..

Jay rubbed his dirtied suit down carefully as best he could even though rips were present on his arms and elbows. The God towered over him, he was wearing his horned helmet and working armour again which was odd for Jay to see.

"Why a-are you w-wearing that…m-my liege?" Jay asked trying to hide the pain he was feeling, his curiosity getting the better of him providing a welcome distraction.

"No reason…I'll change it to more suitable attire." Loki stated with an evil upturned smile.

His clothes changed into that of a complete black suit, he wouldn't have looked out of place at a funeral….Hel even his stick was black with a silver end to it. His four projections all looked the same, making Jay feel like he was at his own funeral….all five Loki's including the real one were wearing all black suits.

"Oh b-by the w-way cool p-party trick back there with th-the wine…" Jay said sarcastically. "Love waking up with hyperthermia..."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it….it was a punishment of course but you didn't seem at all bothered that you both now smell like a wine cellar."

"And,…..not to mention you stole a palace horse…..also a crime against Asgard."

"A crime a-against Asgard, y-you've done more crimes against Asgard than I ever c-could…that's the pot calling the kettle black." Jay laughed and shook his head….wincing in pain again, he kept his grimace away from Loki's face.

"I thought i-it was my horse, Hel y-you even let me name her, she's covered in my royal mark and c-colours."

"No, she belongs to the palace and the kingdom of Asgard and as such she is back where she belongs…..which brings me to your punishment." He summoned his army….of himself to surround him, he only needed a small handful no more than four.

All four projections grabbed Jay's arms pulling them wide open, the effect of this caused Jay to shriek out at the pain he felt in his side, the one that couldn't even be seen and strangely enough the one he couldn't remember getting. All he could feel was a burning hot pain in his side, his immortal body was trying to repair the damage that Amora had just caused even though there was no damage to be seen.

"So w-what way are you talking about because o-other than physical punishment you can't hurt me anymore and you're scared of hurting the thing that grows inside me." Jay huffed in defeat, he couldn't move in Loki's grasp.

"You remember what happened when you did this last time? No! well you were punished….severely. Alas you were not with child at the time and the punishment befit the crime. I was gentle with you…Odin would not have been so forgiving of treason."

"Treeeeaaaason…..th-that's a bit of a stretch!" Jay laughed at his own wit despite the ache he was beginning to feel while his arms were stretched out wide.

"I really wish you would refrain from using your fucking clones too…"

"The language…..is not called for, it shows a lack of intelligence, the loss of conversational direction or in your case a distraction." Loki said with obvious disappointment.

"And, they are not clones…they are merely conjured projections of my physical self…they cannot harm only, carry, hold and physically restrain." He said as his projections pulled Jay's arms open wide forcing him to his knees in agony.

"Whose….funeral….i-is it anyway?" Jay asked with uncertainty looking at the God in his pure black attire.

"Ya kinda look like an evil u-undertaker…s-smell like one too." Jay sniggered but received no response, the God just walked around his restrained form in circles.

"Urgh my l-liege you keep walking round me like that I'll be adding some colour to your outfit…mostly red wine,…..steak…..mmmm" Jay paused feeling an urge to vomit again.

"Potato, greens…plenty of colour to decorate your funeral clothes with….." Jay stopped talking and swallowed down the bile in his throat.

"You could just a-ask instead of forcing m-me to do this." Jay hissed as his shoulders fought the burn his muscles were now feeling…..the God didn't seem to be getting riled at all despite all the insults Jay was throwing in his direction.

"Where's the fun in that? "Loki said as he created a swirl of green mist in his hands before looking at Jay sideways, he manipulated the ball of mist lovingly like it was a pet whispering archaic words into it, nurturing it.

"I must say, you looked very smart in that suit Jay….dare I say it suits you!"

"Oh, that the best you got?…appalling…play on words! but here's the kick in the teeth, you bought the suit and you've ruined it too….and wh-why are you doing this?"

"A suit is the least of our concerns, it can be replaced a mind however cannot."

"Why am I doing this!…this?" Loki questioned as he pointed around himself, to his projections and finally his protector.

"Well because you said I gave you no choice in any of your journeys with me and I'm here to educate, no!….I'm here to expand your mind; if you will."

"But I don't want to expand my mind and I've had plenty of education including university so thank you,….but no."

"Well, I'm doing it anyway as it was an agreement with Amora, she thought me incapable. But for the sake of arguing we'll scrub this one from the journey you're about to take!…simply put,….your actions drove me to this."

"This aims to make you stronger in mind….something that is at present a weakness and one that needs urgent rectification."

"Wh-what are you doing Loki? I-I don't want any part of this….Loki…uhm my liege?"

"The mind Jay, if accessed by someone who is telepathic; becomes a door and that door can be opened either side." Loki bent down to Jay's height, the sweat poured of his protector's young face and his breath blew the dust across the floor.

"Please…don't."

The God put on his stern face and continued despite his protector being at his whim.

"I intend to make your mind your own but I want to reinforce it so it serves to protect you from those who would seek to destroy you of said mind….like the ghost, whom I destroyed….of course there are other's."

"Ungh…..No…..stoppp."

* * *

Loki stood and pushed the green ball of magic gently towards his young prince and watched as Jay stopped moving, his body jolted and trembled for a short time but that was all part of the process.

The initial spell would not be painful at all, if anything it would feel like a dreamless deep sleep and the resulting trembling was an after effect of his muscles shutting down in response.

The body had to relax sufficiently for the mind to be accessed, for the memories held revealed the choices that had been given.

"….You think I take pleasure in this….well, I don't…..not anymore." Loki said straightening up.

His astral projections all but gone, the God shouted into the sky and called forth for the Bifrost bridge.

* * *

The blackness surrounded Jay he couldn't feel any pain, nor see anything, but he could still hear. He guessed his eyes were closed and he could hear Loki's voice speaking to another well-spoken male….

A pulling feeling made itself known more than once as did the accompanying whooshing sounds that came with it, but other than that Jay was completely unaware of his surroundings it was as if a thick black warm blanket had been placed over him. It would have been comforting if Jay had been told what to expect but the fact he couldn't see a damn thing made him feel a sense of dread.

A beeping sound could be heard after what felt like an eternity as well as Loki's voice drifting into and out of his ears.

Eventually, the last thing he felt was something piercing his skin in one arm, the beeping soon matched his own heart beat…he could hear that clearly, the sound of a steady strong pulse soothing him back to sleep where his own voice and thoughts kept him company.

'Maybe it's just a bad dream…..maybe too much wine.'

* * *

 **Jay's pov**

I couldn't move at all, my hands and legs restrained but not by anything solid, no metal or vengestone. Magic of some sort was keeping me in a horizontal position. And, the worse part…I couldn't open my eyes so typically everything was black.

'Hello' my thoughts became my voice at least in my head…it echoed….odd!

It would appear that I had woken up in a darkened room so I stood cautiously but when I did I saw a mirror image of me….no a younger version of me. Why am I hanging from my wrists….in fact why am I not awake? My clothes are bright blue…..but….but that would mean?

'Hey I remember this, I'm still in my blue robes this must be before….before Loki But…why?'

As soon as I mutter his name his evil presence appears as if it came from within me. He literally walks right through me leaving a cold chill in the air.

I hear him ask me a series of questions oh God de ja vu….urgh my head is banging….what is happening to me? It's like being in the third person but yet you know what's gonna happen where-as the first person doesn't.

I open my eyes slowly again and I'm now restrained to the wall with a god awful pain in my side, why is this all so familiar and how is it that when I woke up I was over there and now I'm here?

"What do you want with me?, who are you" I shouted in pain.

"Well, you might have heard of me...in legend perhaps or my oaf of a brother mentioned my name...no!" he said as he walked slowly in front of me from side to side. "My name is Loki I'm a prince of Asgard...formerly the son of King Laufey...a frost giant if you must know".

"Look cut to the chase ok...I'm not exactly from this REALM either so just get on with whatever you going to do."

"Hmmm not from this realm you say, now that is interesting...maybe you'll be of some use to me after all…..say I have heard from sources that you can wield lightning...do you know what happens to lightning when it is controlled by a darker force?"

"No...I err haven't... what are you saying exactly?, are you planning on controlling me?"

'Urgh a huge sense of déjà vu ….what did I say?…..think Jay think!'

"Yes I am planning on controlling you, I have a plan you see and now it involves you." he said as he raised his sceptre up.

The sceptre was sparkling as if it was brand new and untarnished…like it had never had my blood on it. That damn sceptre didn't look the same now though and I'll bet Loki struggled to get all of my blood out of all the patterns, considering how many times he'd used it on me…..not anymore though because of course Thanos now had it. That in itself caused a huge issue, Thanos was and still is a titan…..I can't solely take down a titan!

I quickly thought in my state as his captive and asked him before he had a chance to anything else…the reason for this déjà vu was down to choice wasn't it?….sneaky well we can both play that game...a tactic!

"Do I have a choice in this…?" I asked the dark haired man who had introduced himself as Loki.

"Of course, _every_ decision has a choice." He smiled and his grin stretched across his face….like the Grinch.

"Make it the right one Jay." He hissed, he was testing me and this was new, not how I remembered the conversation.

"Then I choose **NO** …..I won't join you I would rather die."

"...And you will…...painfully, but not by my hands, by _theirs_." Loki pointed outside at the Chitauri soldiers who were taking aim at my body, why hadn't I seen them before.

"Such a waste of potential but so stubborn, come Hawkeye we still have a portal to maintain." Loki said walking off with the brain washed Avenger.

My eyes widened, I wasn't really expecting this but something far from it. I was kinda going for being beaten to a pulp and dumped somewhere…but again it would appear that Chitauri warriors didn't understand my way of thinking.

They surrounded me and took it in turns to prod and poke at me before I retaliated at which point a couple of them got spooked and two of them shot me in my middle, the beams went straight through and just like that everything was dark again.

"Are you still with me Jay….you felt that right?….mmm. I bet it still hurts now but your body heals it even if it happened over a year ago….alas your memory makes it real…"

"You n-never said it would hurt physically Loki….how much longer?"

"You'll see." Loki said as he applied an ointment to the new wounds on his protector wiping away the blood that appeared.

"It would appear that your body is fighting something….care to explain?" Loki asked, his voice sounded exasperated.

"I-I don't know what you m-mean, my liege." I spoke into complete darkness.

"The wounds disappear fast, that in itself should not happen…you really have no idea?"

"No…..it just hurts…..that's all." I replied truthfully. My mind again was opened and another door revealed another choice.

I was standing in relative wilderness and at a guess not too far away from civilisation, I could hear traffic nearby…city streets. "Where is Loki heading?" I heard a very firm authoritative voice behind me causing me to spin on my heels at where it was coming from.

I span around and saw Thor standing in front of me before I pointed to the sky in concern and worry for my team who were as far as I was aware, still on board.

I pointed above "the flying fortress, he intends to bring it down." I said breathlessly, aware that I had just fallen out of a tree and landed on a branch.

Oh god no….I can remember this too and I watched myself looking at Thor as he flew off in the direction of the ship. I saw myself sitting down to wait for my brothers and girlfriend to return.

And I knew from experience what was going to happen but my younger inexperienced side didn't know what was coming….I sat away and cried hiding my eyes from the horror of needless bloodshed that was about to happen. Loki walked out behind me walking through my future self as if it were merely smoke.

I saw myself looking up in shock at Loki and the smoking damaged helicarrier before being back in the first person again. Yep I was in my body and about to experience another life altering choice.

My first thoughts were of my team and then my survival instincts kicked in as I shuffled backwards. Loki had heard me talk to Thor and he looked mad. I subconsciously looked back up at the carrier with a sense of positivity, a smile on my face and the sun beaming down on me.

I hoped to God they had escaped but before I had a chance to say anything to him he had gained ground and he was now staring me in the eyes before the unthinkable happened. He hit me viciously on the side of my head with his sceptre and I felt blood pouring down my face as I collapsed to my knees and cried out.

"You foolish...insignificant ninja, you don't know how good an invitation this is, not many people are gifted with the chance to accept immortality but maybe as a punishment for you I can show you later, when you're desperate."

I could see myself slowly falling to the ground with blood seeping from my head and I willed myself to stand up, to get up…..to fight….anything but what I seemed to be currently doing which was falling….the beginning of the end.

But I remembered that the darkness and the force of the blow was quite a violent strike and typically as I'd expect, concussion and unconsciousness was gaining on me.

But now I wasn't the unconscious Jay anymore I was me again, cowering in fear at what was happening. I bit into my knuckle and looked away , the sound was almost as bad. I trembled and looked back in rage as I watched Loki push his sceptre into my younger mortal body.

"Get up please get up…..was this a choice?….was I supposed to choose against my brothers or yours? Answer me Loki?"

"Urgh my head….what did you do to me?"

"These are memories of what has already transpired over the course of time, the injuries had already happened…..however the addition of choice can make the alternate ones more realistic, so you punish yourself just by proving your stubbornness."

"I admit it is quite a story, an adventure if you will…the choices that define us…would you like to see what would have happened had you chosen to lie to Thor?...if you had at that time chosen to follow me rather than betray me….."

"Just watch this…you'll love it!"

I was standing again in the wilderness back in the moment I was in but a minute ago replaying the same thing in my head. Thor walked into my midst after knocking me out of the tree, I gratefully accept his hand even though I've broken a rib landing a on a branch.

"Where is Loki heading?"

"I-I-I err I don't know…." I looked down to the ground solemnly, the classic sign of a lie….But he bought it. Thor believed me but seemed disappointed at my lack of enthusiasm at wanting to help those who cannot fight for themselves.

He starts an entire angry tirade aimed at me for turning my back and I hear him muttering to me at how disappointed he is at hearing of my allegiance with his brother before a sudden shout causes me to raise my head up. Thor is shouting in anger as the Helicarrier explodes in mid-air above us scattering debris over everything.

The helicarrier is a huge flying ship kept up by four impressive rotars, sloped floors for ject aircraft, a few hundred staff aboard as well as the world famous Avengers…..well they would have been famous….!

The giant fireball, which was once the helicarrier; approaches the earth and we are immediately showered in shrapnel from exploding ammunitions. Thor tries to do the right thing and he protects me but I feel a huge sense of loss at having lied, my brothers were on that ship…..!

The Helicarrier crash lands and the whole place is burning, the heat is immense and there seem to be no survivors….I have solely destroyed earths mightiest heroes single handedly…..I've killed the Avengers and my brothers and Nya.

Thor stands up and pulls me up before he turns his back on me, I can feel his hatred toward me but yet he still protected me from the fireball.

I look aghast at the destruction and desolation around me, there are no survivors and if there were the heat alone would have killed them. Thor walks off to find help and unlikely survivors and he begins by lifting impossibly heavy objects….just like…Cole…oh my god Cole….m-my brothers.

"It was because of you, they all died because of you…Jay arggghhhh." Thor shouts at me angrily, the seething anger, the rage of the god of thunder.

Thor looks at me with eyes full of rage, his face contorted into that of anger and betrayal. The sheer loss of life had made him see red and he flies at me with a fire in his eyes. He beats me mercilessly, his blows relentless and eventually Loki stops him when his back is turned. A cheap shot but he subdued his brother effectively….but what of me?

My injuries of course, are extensive, I've just been beaten by a God and I'm a mere mortal, but Loki doesn't care, he has got what he wanted; a protector with nothing to hold him back.

Loki helps me up and my heart turns figuratively to stone, I close my remaining eye as I feel them burn around me. The God of evil and lies joins my side, holding me up and we watch the wreckage burning, he rests his foot on his brother's back before smiling and asks me to join him. I nod painfully and walk off with him but not before turning to see the ghosts of my ninja team mates standing looking at me feeling betrayed.

"What did you do….Loki?...how was that a choice…..I couldn't sacrifice them…..I never would, so technically I would have still chosen for Thor to protect them…..besides having Thor beat me almost to death felt more painful than having your sceptre stuck where it doesn't belong."

"Then we go back to our previous meeting…which you will feel soon enough…..hold on tight Jay."

Another door closed and transformed as the previous ones had, in that the previous ones travelled through all seemed to be dead bolted with impressive enchanted padlocks and re-enforced hinges.

I was in a darkened room again but this time I saw myself from the third person, I was laying on a bed the pillow and blanket felt wet and the feeling of such made me feel cold and clammy.

His feelings became my feelings, we were one and the same and I felt pity for him for what he was about to suffer.

My body as before joined with that of the person in the room as his feelings became my own again allowing me to live it and instantly I felt a throbbing pain in my head which was causing my vision to blur accompanied by a dull ache in my stomach.

I tried to move of the bed but felt immediate and serious pain resulting in me staggering to gain my footing again. I sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at the tiny window.

I could feel my body trying to calm my breathing and faster than usual heart rate so I didn't even notice when a tall dark haired man entered the room until he was sitting on my bed, he looked evil, green eyes, long black hair amazing clothing though...hang on enormous sense of deja vu here.

'Yeah….it's Loki again and I could see my younger self getting angry with him….he shouted through clenched teeth.'

"Ah well I'm glad to see you're awake now, that was some hit you took to the head...blunt force trauma can cause memory loss" he said with a smirk.

"But I come in peace, to offer you a choice, well actually it's not really a choice, you either say yes or I force you" he added.

"You see I had a rather good effective blue ninja who could wield the power of dark lightning, all I asked was that he be my bodyguard for the next say...2000 years...but he refused".

"And then he betrayed me...do you see where this conversation is heading? no...of course you don't maybe I hit you too hard".

"Anyway cut to the chase as they say on this dull planet...your name is Jay, you belong to me now physically and mentally and as a treat for you I will grant you immortality."

And then the memory goes back to black again before a new memory begins to start.

"And how exactly was that a choice Loki? You said it yourself right…I had no choice."

"Seems awfully contradictory to say that I have a choice when I obviously didn't."

"Yes a chink in my armour and the one mistake I made, well done for picking up on it."

"How much longer…not that I'm not enjoying this thoroughly riveting journey into my past….it's just, I'm not."

"Not much longer Jay but you can sleep afterwards…..ahh I must confess the sunsets here are absolutely wonderful to behold not quite as epic as Helheim but still.

"How many hours have I been out?"

"Hours….hahahaha dear young prince this has taken days…it takes as much of my dark magic and much of your strength to maintain this bond we are currently sharing."

"Your body in this state cannot sustain this type of magic over the space of a day because of the painful memories ….now hush Jay and pay attention."

A dark room again but this one is much larger and it is not me it is Loki this time, but where am I?

"I will find you Jay and you will join me" Loki said to no-one so at a guess he was talking to himself.

"Ahh, I've found you" Loki smiled and put his hands together "you thought you could escape hmmmm".

"Oh so that's how you did it…now I know your secrets Loki hahaha….you used your projections again….this is the door that opens both ways."

"Yes I digress…I may have used them a little unfairly to my advantage but still it worked out for the best."

"How did it? the guards knocked me out and from what I can remember that right uppercut hurt."

"But still this is one of the best parts Jay."

"I seriously doubt that part…..my liege." Inside my head I was rolling my eyes and duly giving him the finger, but hey he couldn't see me so I didn't really care.

Loki walked into my room, I was strapped to something against the wall and unable to move very far, there was no window and I assumed it was a very small office.

Loki didn't look at me but kept his focus on the floor and walls everywhere except me. I could sense distrust and rage behind his eyes and I was scared, my stomach dropped through the floor when he approached me at a speed.

He walked over to me and muttered under his breath in a language I wasn't familiar with, I watched with a scared anticipation as tendrils of green smoke came from his hands...I couldn't move the room was too small, the cuffs began digging into my hands and I tried to move away.

"Oh no….not this part…this was no choice either. You tried to kill me again."

The tendrils snaked around me like my spinjitsu tornado but these green clouds of smoke were edging ever closer. I held my breath to try and avoid letting it in to my system, I couldn't afford for this to get into my body...not now...I was so close to getting away from his control.

The spell Loki had used had weakened me, the pain relief gone and my legs gave way as I fell to the ground painfully…but what was this? the ground was warm, wet and sticky, but I could see no colour, the room was too dark.

My arms instinctively wrapped around my injured stomach as I hissed in pain. Loki walked away leaving me there and two strong looking soldiers helped me to my feet and dragged me to a large room, where I was given a seat.

"Sit Jay, I know you'll want to watch this" Loki said as the doors opened to reveal my brothers...my team and my beloved girlfriend were being brought into the base by some more of his soldiers. They all looked like they had been ambushed at some point, each one having minor injuries visible ranging from bruised faces to, bleeding noses.

"Jay, I'm going to give you a choice..., you can agree or you can watch them die".

"There is no in between...you've already burnt that bridge...as they say...so as you see, you really don't have a choice unless, that is, you don't care about your brothers or girlfriend."

"So Jay what will be your choice this time? Will you accept or not?"

"I-I will n-not accept it…No….never."

"Oh, I am so disappointed Jay alas not surprised,…..this will be painful not just for them but for you….you realise you're dying anyway? Have you seen your hands? Hahah ha they are covered in your own blood" he cackled.

I looked down at my hands and was disgusted to see and feel the cold sticky feeling of deep crimson blood congealing in my nails and skin.

"Hmm, what's the worst that could happen Jay? Shall we revisit it?"

I was back in the large room and my choice was just shouted out across the room, my brothers and Nya all seem relieved to hear it too….but then the unthinkable happens Loki shoots Nya in front of me and I watch as the life leaves her face.

Kai screams at him in a voice I've never heard before, his element consumes him completely. Cole uses his elemental abilities to get out of his bonds they all get out of their bonds eventually and the rage slowly consumes them…Kai becomes unstable and his moves and tornado quickly become a vortex sucking the air and flammable items into his tornado creating a massive out of control fireball.

The subsequent heat begins reaching kelvin and the resulting heat starts to melt the metal supports as the atmosphere is at risk of being destroyed…but it's too late….there is an almighty explosion.

My weakness only allows me to slump off the seat to take cover as Kai's rage heats up the room exponentially creating a tornado of creation consisting of pure heartbreak and burning hatred…a fire.

The momentum of his uncontrolled power explodes throwing everyone against the wall. Kai is nowhere to be seen, his power consumed him and his body, Cole isn't moving neither is Lloyd….their chests unoving, their eyes open but the life spark has gone. Zane is melting horrifically his one remaining pale lucid blue eye flickers off whilst looking at me before I too fall into the abyss of darkness.

'Please forgive me brothers I tried to make the right decision and you never wanted me to join him….well this is why I chose him over you…...'

There are no survivors…even Loki has fallen, all his soldiers are dead and everything is burning.

"Gahhhh make it stop please….oh god….no."

"I apologise…that was quite a horrific change of events. This one calls for a healing stone…" Loki pauses and I can hear some shuffling sounds and the now familiar sound of a stone being crushed gently over my new wound…..namely my head where I imaging something fell on me when the building fell down.

"Did you learn something too? Because from what I just saw you learnt the hard way too…you just died m-my liege….well either that or you got crushed so that plan backfired huh."

"Yes, I'll be the first to admit selflessly that plan did indeed backfire on me which is why we now share the injury that your decision chose, alas that was not fatal for me and my strength and skin thickness as an Asgardian God means I can heal very quickly….I cannot die Jay."

"What!...why not?"

"My name was removed from the book of Hel meaning I can never die…only be reborn repeatedly for all eternity."

"Do you change at all….get more evil with each rebirth?"

"No I like to believe the opposite actually…but King Loki is my ultimate future I have yet to reach that age though…..and that potential."

"King Loki…wow really? Uh is that after Ragnarok?"

"Yes…..yes it is, it is after and following the birth of our child."

"Evil can only be restrained for so long Jay…."

"I don't like the sound of that….at all."

"Why not? I mean it is who I am! I am the God of evil."

"Because I've been in your company during your evil reign…..your evil ness and….and…possession scares me."

"Hahah thank you Jay, my young prince that sounds like a new title just for me….but alas you have never seen me at my most evil, you would do well to either avoid me at all costs or follow my rule completely."

"This new memory worries me my young prince…tainted with blood…?" His vision pulled my mind to a door with a few blurred letters on it. An L and a J were clearly visible either side of it and blood appeared to be dripping. A small but noticeable crack was splintering down the middle forming into what simply looked like an A.

"I-I d-don't know my liege…c-can't remember what happened before you got to me."

"Shall we take a look….together? I don't recognise it as being a memory I have given you, but it reeks of magic….another being's magic no less."

I could tell by his voice that Loki was unsure, but I as typical had nothing to hide because he would always find out. He had a way of getting the truth from people and life was just easier, less aggravating if I just told him the truth.

The memory revealed was that of Kai and Skylor's wedding night, late when everyone had gone to bed. There was no-one around and I was walking down cobbled paths leading to a steep winding road on own away from civilisation to accept whatever fate had in store.

I saw myself, I was wearing my black suit which still looked good but I had stopped…..at a guess something or someone had stopped me and time seemed to slow down.

I was picked up and thrown to the floor but I got up, I couldn't see anyone. Yet I was talking to someone as my lips were moving.

"You don't remember this?"

"No." I replied truthfully.

My third person perspective came back and I watched as a hidden figure beat me senselessly.

I heard Loki gasp, for he was watching the same thing after all. It would seem that whatever I had said made the attacker angry because I was pushed against the rock wall…..pain exploded in my skull.

My legs couldn't hold me up, I fell onto my hands and knees, whatever the attacker was saying was in a deep distorted voice. The attacker couldn't be described by face or voice the memory had been tampered with.

It was like an action movie with real pain inflicted on the audience, the wounds even though hidden were still felt…..they had not healed at all.

Loki's breathing rate increased as he watched the attacker kick a defenceless protector, their foot making constant contact with his stomach.

"Jay why did you not mention this attack sooner?" Loki asked.

"I-I didn't remember i-it…I told you."

The attacker removed a weapon that Loki recognised as Asgardian in nature. But suddenly it was obscured and thrust in his protector's side as he cradled his broken ribs.

Jay was pleading for the person to stop and the assault did for a short while. The attacker removed a tiny bottle and even though the face was again hidden the bottle was not, the liquid poured into the wound that the knife had left.

Jay refused to shout out….he did eventually….he whispered the only name he could… 'Loki…..my –l-liege help m-me.'

The God had appeared mere seconds later to none other than Amora….who had just smashed Jay's body in to the concrete floor….again.

"It was…..it….it was A-Amora!" Loki gasped and sat back flicking his fingers so Jay could wake up for himself.


	50. Home truths

"It was…..it….it was A-Amora!" Loki gasped and sat back, he recoiled so quickly out of Jay's memory the sound of the slamming door reverberated in Jay's own head.

His pulse was racing with what felt like the thunderous drums of battle, repeatedly echoing in his mind, white hot pain replaced his previous thoughts….Jay grasped his head and groaned out in pain.

"I-I apologise…that must have hurt. Here let me sort that out for you, I believe a simple manouerve such as this…will help." Loki soothed and rubbed Jay's temples slowly in circular movements.

"I did not intend to do that, I was…..surprised, and as yet the art of surprise still invokes this odd feeling….but I can sympathise with you for I know how _this_ pain feels…..it was performed on myself many centuries ago of course…..it was my father's idea….. _Odin All Father_ deemed it best practice to perform this mind expanding trick on a mere Godling; a child...I was no older than ten."

"I had been telling the truth, however absurd that sounds though! and he; the all-powerful ignorant old fool did not believe me, no the All Father did not believe that the new born Godling could tell a truth, he believed me to be the mischief maker, the liar, teller of tall tales and corrupter of minds incapable of giving the truth. Alas my mother Frigga believed me, she helped my pain subside and did this exact thing for me."

"I built a bond with her, she taught me magic, how to control my own true heritage and how to build my strength from that. I'm not like Thor, I lack the physique, I don't want it either for he is and always will be a brute. So my strength lies in my magical abilities, mind altering spells…..I am also a very talented fighter but my physique allows for speed of movement."

* * *

Loki released Jay from the spell and allowed the young prince to open his eyes slowly, the light was dimmed and the blinds lowered to reduce the brightness of the room.

"You are such a young thing Jay….so completely unaware of just how cruel life can be, how fleeting and insignificant they all are….even the omnipotent perfectly arrogant and vile All Father!

"M'sorry…you're not making him out to be a very good father figure…..kinda sucks."

"My parents did they best they could with what they had, I-I was isolated, home schooled but I knew love, I was never in the shadow…..m'sorry again my liege, can't have been easy for you."

"It was my grudge to hold, my cross to bear as they say on this dull planet but I digress for I do not want to bore you with my life's woe's."

"You've never really discussed them in much detail so each time I kinda learn something new about you anyway…"

"Because I never have the time to discuss these menial things…"

"Well you kinda do now…..right?"

"I know right about now, that my childhood sounds much better than yours but in all hindsight it wasn't really. I was so alone at first and I had no friends until I met up with my sensei, I gained some brothers in the process, then Kai came along…..and his sister and then I had a bigger family. We shared many adventures and experiences together, heh I even invented a new fighting manouevre called cyclondo." Jay giggled.

"Then after everything big had happened and by way of a stupid wish; I found out that I was adopted and had inherited a fortune and my whole world crashed down….a hidden dirty secret, a filthy lie….what was so bad that they had to give me up?"

"I mean I found out my father was a millionaire, not that money is the be all and end all, he was a seasoned actor and had made a fortune. He was my idol in my younger years….so why in Ninjago did he give me up for adoption what the Hel happened to my mother? Gahh so many unanswered questions…."

Loki just stared at Jay, in sympathy mostly but in admiration for admitting how he felt. "We could find out at a later date…if you want to take a journey into your past, it would at least provide the answers to these questions you ask yourself every day."

"Really, you could do that? I mean that would be kinda awesome but maybe it's all linked ya know it wasn't just my mother it was Cole's mother too and both sets of parents for Kai and Nya."

"I'm sure that we can adapt the spell for all of them…we can call it a team bonding experience hahahah although the bonds aren't as strong now, the cohesion has almost diminished but that is our plan for another day."

* * *

Jay's face dropped again but Loki could not see it, he hated the fact that he had to cut all ties…..what was the point of all this. He just wanted them to be together as they were meant to be but his hopes and dreams were quickly diminishing day by day…too much had changed, he being one of them, too powerful for his own good, capable of destroying buildings decimating living creatures….he simply wasn't safe to be around.

Suddenly Loki began to talk again, he was still massaging the pain away from Jay's head. Talking and yet reminiscing about his earlier years many centuries ago.

"I was adopted as you already know but I was taken by Odin, he wanted to use me as a bargaining tool to bring peace…..How ironic! He stole me from the very race he was decimating and all in the name of bringing peace to Midgard…..ha the fool,...bringing peace to a realm who would never know it." He laughed sardonically.

"Then of course, I found out my true heritage but only by my own hand, Odin never told me himself I had to rip the memory from him before he fell into the Odinsleep. Obviously it was _far_ too emotional for him for tell me as a father to a son, no he fell asleep at such the inopportune time… _the stupid arrogant old fool_." Loki hissed under his breath letting out a deep sigh, the cold minty breath washing over the top of Jay's auburn hair.

"Alas, I was devastated when I found out, he told me that he had found me on a frozen rock in the royal temple cast out to die…..apparently!" Loki laughed.

"He had taken me to bring a future of peace…..of course he never told me who he had taken me from. I found that out later from Frigga….my father was the King of the frost giants making me the next in line to the throne of Jotunheim."

"Those pitiful humans told their children and their future children about the frost giants, they became the object of nightmares, feared and despised. And here was I living life's great lie…I was the monster, the monster that everyone feared and dared not speak my true name for fear of what would happen to them, as if the mere mention might conjure me or my kin…Valhalla forbid."

"The worst part, the thorn in my side and the salt in my wounds was that as soon as his beloved golden child Thor started an all-out war with Jotunheim; I just became insignificant….I became the relic, the one who would never ascend the throne…either of them, the forgotten element of a bygone age of monsters that would never reign."

"My liege…uhm Loki!...I'm sorry about…wh-what happened in your past."

"It cannot be changed and it will not affect the outcome in the slightest, it has however finalised my plans…" Loki smiled again, his smile stretching his face in to an evil grin of which Jay was unable to see…..thankfully.

"Hmmmmm, a discourse of thought, the interconnection in a sequence of previous ideas disrupted. Ah yes, where was I going with this? What was I going to say?" Loki tapped his chin with his index finger impatiently.

He cast a sideways glance at the mirror and watched as Jay was swinging his legs back and forth like a child who was waiting for something to do. He was still sitting upright on the bed with Loki delivering a head massage to eradicate the migraine headache he had just caused. Jay however was still waiting for his vision to come back fully before attempting to stand.

Jay turned his head noting the tonal difference. "My liege?"

"… I merely wanted to say that this experience has taught us both something new, and yes, whilst I do agree that not many of the choices I offered led to a satisfactory outcome there were still many other's I could have chosen." Loki reiterated his reasons again, with a rather relaxing head massage which as he had hoped had completely removed the tense headache that had wracked Jay's mind mere minutes ago.

"Fine, so you learnt something m-meaningful? Choices can't be changed into something that could be worse than the original, I would never have chosen you over them at that time…..I didn't even know who you were, I mean, other than a vengeful God !"

"No, you are right! They can't and they shouldn't be…..I admit I was tempted into this arcane method by the Enchantress and it must have been the start of my downfall." Loki stopped rubbing his fingers. "Better?"

"Mhmm….."

* * *

Jay in all fairness was not in the best mood for talking in depth to Loki for he had made him do this for his own reasons. He had been whisked away from Ninjago, from Kai and Skylor's wedding, from enjoying time with Cole, Lloyd and Zane. He had left Nya warm and naked in bed after their bizarre wine fuelled evening and all he wanted was to wake up next to her and look into her eyes just as Kai had mentioned about his own new wife two weeks ago…was it two weeks ago!

But Jay had learned something from Loki and he had felt comfortable enough in Loki's presence to regale his own earlier years, his upbringing and childhood in an attempt to assuage the God into talking about himself…his tactic had worked.

A part of his newly expanded and strengthened mind had a small area filled with real sentiment…..not from his brothers nor Nya, not from his own parents or his old sensei…..this small part of his mind was now glowing golden and bright, a glimmer of hope, a tight black and green urn cracked with gold seeping through…..it was Loki, A part of Loki's childhood had been revealed, truths never previously revealed to anyone else had been spoken aloud to Jay.

The former ninja had managed to crack the rough evil exterior of the God, he had eased out the truth by merely expressing his own childhood and all because they both had nothing else to do, it was the perfect opportunity and the perfect time to talk and they had, Jay hadn't said much he had just lit the touch paper and set Loki off on an angry tirade but he had found out many reasons for his moods, behaviours and ideologies.

It was all down to how he had been raised and how Thor had let it happen, Thor was meant to be his big brother, meant to look out for him when all that happened; was that Loki had been bullied and kept in the shadows…the prince's whipping boy was the better title for Loki in his younger years….he was blamed for everything.

The decisions, even the revisited ones had already been made, Jay had chosen life over death, he chose immortality to set his brothers free. Unaware that Loki would in turn change his brothers and girlfriend too just so as to increase his own protection…..to have his own army of warriors who he could learn to trust.

But in all fairness again, Jay really had no choice in many of the decisions he had made, this being one of them, it was chosen for him by none other than the woman he hated.

* * *

Now that the mind expanding spell had been performed with an alarming insight as to how each choice would have turned out for the worse. Both Jay and Loki had come out of it largely unscathed, the odd injury here and there had been healed with healing stones and ointments.

Jay's injuries disappeared too quickly for the God to administer anything warranting a very concerned glance and a guess that turned out to be correct…..magic from another had been at play. Neither prince was showing any visible injury or pain save for a migraine headache. And now, there was the horrid truth that Amora was up to no good behind Loki's back….only revealed because Jay allowed Loki to look into a memory that wasn't his own.

The spell that was performed required no potions, it was purely conjured dark magic that only a powerful sorcerer could wield for the duration. And it took much of Loki's dark power to conjure such memories, powerful enough for them to seem realistic for the seer to have the necessary mind power to choose accordingly.

And now, the God was tired and he needed rest! The act of maintaining the bond was draining, the additional parts of healing the both of them took it's strain too. The longer a God was away from Asgard the weaker they became, their magic linked to the realm eternal…..the only answer was Asgard.

"Too bright." Jay groaned again, squinting his eyes.

"Sorry…." Loki replied, he stood up and dimmed the lights in the equipped medical room, Jay had found himself in. "They will recover soon."

"Mhhmm…." Jay replied, he attempted to open his eyes again, stretching his arms out and wincing at the pain in his side. He wasn't happy, this was so annoying for the former blue ninja known as Jay, who wanted nothing more than to be back with his brothers...back in Ninjago enjoying his time off.

"Where am I?" Jay asked shading his sensitive eyes with his hands, feeling a heat from the wall he was leaning against.

"It matter's not, all that matters…..Jay is that you now have a stronger mind." He paused "And, we can now return to Asgard."

"What! No…I'm not going back there." He replied quickly, almost as quickly as the God who had just mentioned it.

"Not until I've had my month off." He finished with a hiss, his jaw clenched tightly as his side continued to sting.

"You…you are required to return there…it is not a request." Loki replied with his typical air of authority.

Jay squinted again, his eyes finding the rough outline of a sitting figure who appeared to be hunched over. "Why?" he turned to look for the location of Loki's voice, to hear for any other clues, such as shuffling, hesitance or breathing changes.

"You have to, it is an order…a necessity….the time for frivolity has ended." Loki said with a firm authoritative tone, turning his head away but yet daring Jay to test him.

"Frivolity….so ya think fun and joking for a couple of nights is a break! you think that is a long vacation?" Jay shook his head releasing a laugh tainted with sarcasm "Ha don't make me laugh…..give me a break!"

"I get,…. What? Maybe just under a week off and that's fair? Yet you give everyone else loads of time off."

"You know the reason for this, you know it very well!…I should add that this was _never_ a vacation but a way for you to start this journey." Loki took in a deep breath and breathed it out through his mouth slowly.

"You,…are meant to be by my side for all eternity….or did you forget that?"

Jay merely stared with an open mouth, he would have shouted if he had the energy to do so….but he was speechless. He couldn't think of a sarcastic comment, witty retort nor hate filled speech. He lacked the focus to back any of it up….literally!

"…Ahem, if I may,...It would make it less _aggravating_." He added minus the previous insulting tone, trying to clear the stale air and now awkward atmosphere.

"It would be easier if you accompanied me to the Realm Eternal…"

"Easier for who?" Jay replied curtly but never received a response.

The young prince stood up holding onto the wall for support, he sighed. "Is this anything to do with her?..." He asked quietly, hoping that the quick answer would be a resounding no.

He received no answer from Loki, the God sat quietly staring into the floor and what could have been the pits of Hel below his feet. Jay lowered his gaze, his breathing erratic and mouth dry….the new feelings of disgust and betrayal were making themselves known with the lack of answers he was getting.

He tried again with more insistence verging on anxiety, "Is it anything to do with…Amora?" His tone rose slightly when he vocalised her name signifying his slight fear of her and what she could possibly do to him.

Again the God did not speak he remained completely resolute in his decision to keep quiet not giving away any information, Jay seemed to be coming to the conclusion himself without any real prompting.

Jay lowered his head, "The payment." He paused, closing his eyes tightly.

"…The payment…for healing me in Asgard, it was me wasn't it?" he said looking to the floor in defeat.

"Well…was it?" Jay asked again after what felt like minutes in silence, waiting for Loki to speak, to say anything, to answer his own questions.

"Oh come on!…can you at least answer the questions…is it to do with her, with Amora?" Jay hissed in anger at being ignored for the third consecutive time. The feeling of being ignored and the lack of answers was stirring alarm bells in the former ninja who was not used to being ignored to this extent.

Yes he had been ignored in previous years but that was because he talked…..a lot! Nervousness begot jokes and mumbling as before and he learned to accept it…..he just simply got louder as time progressed, his brothers couldn't ignore him for long, he was just to geeky to ignore plus he was also incredibly smart so they did listen to him from time to time.

But this was different, Loki was smarter than most although he lacked basic electronic skills, he was still a master fighter, a wordsmith, a skilled and exceptional sorcerer, wielder of dark magic…and a God. Yet he still would not answer the questions Jay had asked of him.

Jay sighed again, no answer was forthcoming he knew it to be the truth but again he asked. "I was the payment, the bargaining chip…for her….wasn't I?"

After what felt like an eternity Loki finally spoke, he muttered quietly but clearly. "Aye…..it was that….yes."

"I _am_ sorry…however, I cannot go back on her terms for it was a binding magical contract…..a spell of such magnitude required it."

"That's just,….Great…..just great!…." Jay tried not to shout out in frustration or in fear. His mind kept on turning around, the cogs spinning into action again, he needed to find out more if he could.

"So what d-did you agree t-to?" Jay replied, his voice breaking ever so slightly. He cringed in response to what Loki had just admitted to.

"I am sorry …..I have no idea of her intentions."

"J-just tell m-me…..you owe me that m-much considering how much damage you've both done."

"I…..agreed to her timescale request, she owns you for a week no more and no less.…" Loki stated avoiding eye contact. "There were stipulations of course….no physical damage intact of mind and body."

"A…A WEEK!….a week? Are you kidding me? Even after what she did, you'll still allow her to do this?"

"It is a contract….no need for such sentimental outburst, look if it is any consolation, I'm sorry but I cannot undo her magic without causing you undue pain."

Jay simply stood against the door frame, his head rested gently on the wood before banging it gently on the wooden door over and over.

"Why, oh why, oh why…didn't you listen? " Jay whispered, each questioning word resonated with the banging of his head on the door.

"Stop being so melodramatic, I only had your best interests in mind." Loki reiterated. His decision to ask Amora for help was most possibly the worse decision he had made to date yet he seemed largely oblivious to her true intentions.

Jay span around angrily, his tongue literally in his cheek, a frown furrowing his brows. "Melodramatic!... are you kidding me, look if you keep throwing these insults around I'll just walk out of here."

"And I will merely drag you back where you belong…."

"Which is where? Below you…..below her….thanks but no…" Jay hissed turning his face to the side.

"I'm not your fucking personal play thing, I'm not your slave and I'm not something to be traded. I'm a person under all this, a person who had hopes and dreams…does that not matter anymore?"

"No…it….does….not…..matter….one….bit, none of it" Loki spat with just the same amount of hatred. "Those pathetic hopes and dreams can be treacherous and they ended, when you accepted immortality…gahh ingrate."

"Look, I would have hoped that you would have shown more gratitude for this most recent experience, were it not for the Enchantress you would be dead you stupid fool…." Loki paused lifting his clenched fist to his mouth, he shook his head for he did not want to fight.

"Ha, so you want me to be grateful that she showed me just exactly what I thought she would do….you want me to be happy that she hurt me? Gratitude huh! that you've also given me away freely like a traded object…ya know in most places that would be considered as slavery."

"Silence! Jay,… do you not know when to stop?"

"Another thing, _my liege_ if I'm a prince as you seem to say I am then why am I not given the same rights? In what kingdom would it be acceptable for a prince to be traded so easily to a no-one?"

"As I have already mentioned and will do this one last time, it was an agreement, she chose it I didn't question her."

"You question her now though…right?"

"No! simply no…..I admit I may have brought up the subject a few weeks prior but she swore nothing untoward will happen."

Jay furrowed his brows bringing his shaking hand to his face in an attempt to hide his fear from Loki, his voice betrayed him, it broke with each word even as he kept his face hidden away.

"Why? why do you s-still treat m-me like I'm an object!….a t-tool to be sharpened! traded!…a w-weapon!"

The former ninja and master of lightning recomposed himself, he angrily wiped away the tear before thinking of his next angry retort.

"What did she do to y-you? Cloud your mind so much that you lost the ability to think for yourself?"

"I'm no-ones plaything…..I belong to no-one…..to myself, does that mean **NOTHING** now?" he snapped and kicked the door, an outward sigh escaped his lips.

"For the moment no…..it means nothing."

Jay span around with what could almost be described as a flame in his now bright lucid eyes, an angry expression! He narrowed his flaming purple eyes and clenched his jaw so much that his teeth were threatening to crack under the pressure.

The horrid sound of teeth grinding made Loki frown but he kept his gaze away preferring to let his protector speak his mind for fear of him exploding into a raging inferno if he didn't.

"And…. **AND YOU** …..let it happen, you're supposed to protect me too….remember?" Jay snarled and towered over the God, he held his head in his hands…..no words coming from his silver tongue in response.

Jay turned around again ashamed at losing control of himself, he had been so close to electrocuting Loki and that in itself would have been catastrophic for the both of them. He backed away to the locked door and turned around again taking in a large chest full of oxygen. He ran his fingers through his tangled hair which seemed to be in dire need of a wash and finally sank down to his knees, all fight having left him.

"I don't know how to handle this….I-I don't know what you expect from me, how do you expect me to protect you when YOU can't even see the danger in what you're about to let her do?"

He waited for the response which like before was not forthcoming and that was the final nail in his slavery coffin.

"Really!…..nothing to say huh?…..fine." Jay bit his lip and pinched the bridge of his nose.

He accepted defeat but he would do so as the prince he now was, he would accept it as his own debt and would do the right thing or what was expected of him and he would do so without arguing with her and if needs be, he would drag Loki down with him.

"Just do it, send me back and I'll take it…..I'll give her what she wants." Jay whispered brokenly from his fallen position, his hands lay by his side as if he had just fallen in battle, exhausted from fighting. He was still facing the door but rather than standing he was now sitting on his feet with his head down….a similar position could be construed as a position of submission, his breathing was so slow and shallow it couldn't be heard.

Loki didn't want to admit and he would refuse to, at least verbally but he was concerned, now more than ever and that was exacerbated by Jay. He was sure something was going to happen, maybe not straight away but soon and the longer Amora remained the more likely something bad would transpire.

"I'll…I will do it." Jay mumbled quietly with his head down low.

"Obviously I had no foresight that she would do this and as yet I have no real inclination of her true intentions during her week with you but I don't for one minute think that would hurt you because it was part of the agreement and one that she cannot go back on."

"But she has already done it, she caused this, you saw the memory for yourself…my liege, please why can't you see it for yourself even after all this!" Jay whispered with some pleading in his voice.

"I did see it and I know now, there was and still is a reason she did it for which I am yet to discover, but she will not hurt you…"

Jay finally stood, his eyes almost back to their normal vision, he faced the door like before but turned his head to listen.

"Oh my god….she already has and on more than one occasion and here's the biggie…I warned you, I told you she would, it's like I could see it happening but you didn't believe me and you kept shrugging it off as if it was nothing…. **NOTHING**."

"It is nothing, that is all it will ever be….. **NOTHING** , she will not hurt you." Loki reiterated.

" **GAHHH STOP SAYING THAT** ….stop already." Jay's voiced boomed around the small room resonating on every surface whilst angry crackles of electricity bounced off his fingertips singing his trousers further damaging them beyond repair.

"You made me feel like a child trying to get your attention, this was important, relevant and you didn't care…..you still don't and to be honest…..I doubt you ever will which makes me feel so much better about our long future together."

"You dear boy, are over exaggerating…."

"Wha? What!" Jay looked up and down rubbed his face in exasperation and kicked the door with such a force he hissed in pain when his toe struck the end of his boot, stubbing his toe in the process.

The two princes had hit a stalemate in the heated conversation that was blowing hot and cold with the addition of new snippets, Jay was both angry and upset, the God could not be reasoned with he would not see sense yet he expected Jay to do that of which he was not capable of doing himself. He expected his protector to be happy with the arrangements to be grateful for still being alive.

"Jay…listen to me," Loki said loudly cutting through the silence again. Jay was still staring at the door, his hands placed either side of the frame as if holding on to some shred of sanity and hope. The young prince looked to be shaking, from what, Loki could not tell, although he knew it to be from a multitude of factors. Fear of the unknown certainly, disgust possibly, anger definitely, betrayal completely….he seemed to be coping with it though.

"I have been away from her for over two weeks, her magic enchantment only lasts for seven days. So in effect, I am free of her hold on me." Loki sighed. "When you told me of what you thought her capable of, she was, up to that point still controlling me, to a certain extent."

"My dark magic was tainted by her and only my strength remained, it was all I could do to stop myself from destroying you in your other form….I'm sorry." Loki said, standing up to reach out to Jay, placing his hand on Jay's shoulder.

"Why are you telling me this? Is there something I should be doing with that information cos it doesn't help in the slightest….yeah you don't think I didn't know you were being controlled…well I did."

The conversation was again blowing hot and cold, anger was being bounced off every wall, accusations flying left and right. Sarcasm laced every other word and humourless wit tainted everything else.

"Jay, a contract is a contract, a written or verbal agreement with stipulations and I'm sorry but it must still be done."

"Yeah, I know what a contract is….I'm not stupid: A contract, a business proposal between more than one party usually pertaining to another person, or in my case; a fitting end to an otherwise odd business relationship that typically involved pain from the outset…thanks for listening…..not."

"Jay, I assumed you didn't want to die at the hands of the ghost…so I agreed to her, we did it together…..her spells and magic…I called her, I chose her and I would have still done the same again."

* * *

The God again looked up in to Jay's eyes but he was avoiding eye contact. "In your realm and there only, the Enchantress clouded my vision so much I almost killed you that night!"

"Yeah…I know right? Twice in one night!…..I felt almost honoured and of course really appreciated it when that happened." Jay smiled sarcastically, raising his hands up all over the place to make a point.

"Yeah I love being the subject of near death experiences, it's almost exhilarating, I get a real buzz from it, electrifying to know that I'm so cared for and irreplaceable." Jay fumed pausing to think of any and all times he had suffered since being with Loki, the numbers mounting up steadily towards double figures.

'Shit just how many new functional armours have I gone through?' Jay thought to himself counting up each one on his hands, the number difficult to gauge.

"So twice in one night, yeah and then there was the other time in your mansion, then Kai twice no less, Hel even Hydra had a go of course, then Cole, the night of your wedding….let's not forget that, shit even Amora tried to do it before you arrived.…..fuck…..when will it all end?"

"Jay….. _please_ …civility."

"Gahhh no…." Jay replied, angry that he couldn't use the God's actual name without being physically hurt.

"I'm fine seriously, the longer we wait the worse it'll get so let's just get on with it… **AND** just so I'm clear on this, this is all _your_ fault my liege." Jay sneered but kept his head down low.

"Whatever happens just remember, I told you not to trust her." Jay lifted his gaze to watch whilst the God squirmed at what his own actions had agreed to.

He walked to the door holding onto either side of the frame, his back was turned and he listened as the God walked over to join him for the journey back to Amora in her current realm, she was typically in Asgard according to Heimdall; the gatekeeper of the Bifrost.

Of course the only downside to that aspect was that in Jay's own realm it was more than a week it was almost two whole months…..seven days in Asgard was seven weeks in Ninjago…..a ploy no doubt. The method to her madness, she wanted the longer everlasting days in Asgard to mean something.

Jay had already been absent from Ninjago for two earth weeks…..fourteen days equating to fourteen long weeks of absence but his presence hadn't been missed. His brothers didn't even know he had gone!

Both princes arrived back in Asgard, one under a dark cloud and one with a face like thunder, both looked angry and neither was talking to the other.

Out of the two princes, only Jay greeted the Gatekeeper of the Bifrost. It was just who he was, he'd always been taught to be inviting and talkative, and because of his parents and where he grew up in isolation, he'd always been eager to meet and greet people. Respect and manners was something he learned as a young man, and manners cost nothing.

"Hey big guy, only saw you a few days ago." Jay said scratching his head, he walked past with unease painted on his face.

"Welcome home my young prince." Heimdall bowed his head as Jay walked past.

"Thank you." Jay said solemnly but with a smile.

The palace horses were lined up outside the observatory and both Loki and Jay mounted their respective steeds in silence. Loki's horse was technically his son, from a time long since forgotten, an embarrassing but important lesson nonetheless which bequeathed him with a penchant for surprising his adoptive father Odin. For Loki had given the horse as a gift to Odin a fine steed for battle, one who was fast, strong and immortal as was he.

Jay's horse was called Wisp, she was as black as Jay's own elemental dragon with purple eyes. She was adorned with his own colours, dark blue and black leather here and there, silver embellished pieces and her name delicately written on the saddle as well as her own stable. He still treated her with respect and held the reigns firmly, his side still ached and twinged with pain each and every trot the horse below him made, the sheen of sweat came and went, he hid that too and the pain from the God….from Loki, he preferred to stay quiet and breathed slowly through the pain.

At least when he was semi sleeping with the mind expanding spell, he wasn't aware of the pain, only the new memories or altered choices caused pain but they subsided quickly because Loki was aware of them.

The journey to the royal palace of Asgard was quiet and awkward. Jay didn't utter a word, Loki had tried to talk but Jay was ignoring him on purpose. Staring at the horse he rode on as if it meant nothing now, just like how he believed his royal title was…..everything was meaningless, just mere empty words, promises that should not have been made.

…..

The Enchantress Amora had been allowed into the large golden throne room and she waited there patiently hiding behind one of the many large ornate support pillars. An Einherjar warrior had notified her that both the King and prince had arrived back in the Realm Eternal and both were travelling across the bridge by horse, their arrival would be imminent.

She saw them both arriving, Loki typically disguised as Odin made Amora shiver in fear momentarily; she would never become accustomed to the All Father she feared him almost as much as Hela herself.

Both members of the royal family walked through the double doors, the breeze wafting through the large drapes on each window…They were here. Amora walked out from behind a pillar and saw Jay walking through the doors a little behind Loki in his disguise, the young prince was still in his ripped suit wincing every few steps.

He looked like a vagabond, a homeless scruff whom Loki had just taken pity on, but she kept in her smirk for she had caused him to look like that. The pained look he was showing visibly, his bruised pallor and pale lips was all her own doing; even down to the ripped suit. She could tell by his complexion that he was in considerable pain, his immortal body was unable to fight the potion, it kept the wound bleeding inside slowly and painfully but it served its purpose for he was back in Asgard.

Amora took her time to greet them as they walked past through the throne room of the Royal palace of Asgard. Loki scorned at her, she knew he had found out about Jay's injuries it was a small but probable side effect of the mind expanding spell he had performed. Any part of the mind could be accessed if the holder of the memory wished them to be seen.

"Amora…you dare to show your face here after what you've done to the prince." Loki shouted loudly and even in his disguise as Odin, his voice boomed across the large golden hall, the Einherjar warriors and Jay simultaneously flinched at the tone.

"I have come for my payment….." She smiled clicking her thumb and fingers together watching with a sideways glance as the young prince struggled.

"You lied to me…Amora, how will I know you'll keep to your side of this term." Loki stared at her noticing she was using her magic to restrain Jay.

"Don't make it any more painful than it needs to be my liege…." Amora teased without answering his concerns. Her fingers twisting and undulating a green and black sparkling mist coming from them.

"Why do you have to do this…why the chains? He is no criminal." Loki stared crestfallen at Jay whose eyes were duly pointing down so far that it was hard to tell if his eyes were open or closed.

"I never insinuated that he was a criminal, he is merely mine for a week, in mind…..and body." She said pulling hard on the chains, smiling as the prince fell onto his knees. Jay scowled at her and pulled back in response, retaliating against her chosen form of control.

"Amora…please don't…" Loki put his hand to his mouth and watched painfully as Jay was treated like a criminal. Jay seemed to fight against her every step of the way refusing to stay down on the ground.

"Please…don't? this is new coming from you oh great All father, since when has royalty begged my liege?" Amora said pulling hard on the chains again. A shriek of pain could be heard coming from Jay, the colour disappeared from his face and he lay on his side, breathing erratically.

"The longer you keep me here the longer it will be before he is returned to you." She smiled holding the chains gently as if the struggling creature who was tossing and wriggling his hardest to break free was as weak as an infantile animal.

Loki looked down at Jay, his hands and neck had been bound and chained and the holder of the chains was Amora herself.

"You will not hurt him…Amora, I mean it…this contract is still binding you agreed to my terms."

"Yes I agreed to those terms of course… _I_ won't hurt him and he'll be set free after a week as I promised…."

" _If_ you hurt him…there will be no realm you'll be safe in, no barren moon, no crevice where I'll not find you. If you hurt him you'll beg for something as sweet as pain." Loki hissed at her and watched as she lifted Jay up by the back of his suit before placing him on his feet.

She simply turned her back and pulled the younger prince away quickly, a new chain around his neck silencing him, he couldn't even say goodbye not that he would have chosen to anyway…..niceties were out of the question. Jay was furious at being treated like this, for this was not respectful at all, he was being traded like a royal slave for some hideous plan that Amora had concocted.


	51. What you want

Nightfall befell the kingdom of Asgard. The people of which realm had either retired to their humble abodes or would be out feasting and drinking.

So, it came as a shock to some that despite this realm being doused in rich history as being a place of warriors and bloodthirsty gods, the realm eternal was a most friendly place when war wasn't threatening. And today, like most was no exception to celebrate that fact.

Amora walked out of the royal palace's vast throne room with some odd looks from the Einherjar warriors, who were stationed at various intersections of the palace. Some visibly tried to prevent her from taking the prince, but Loki disguised as Odin raised his hand to allow her free passage which received further concerned frowns from the same group of ten or so warriors that Jay had walked past.

For the warriors recognised the young prince at once even if he wasn't in his ceremonial robes or working armour, it was still him, still the young man they trained with. A royal crowned prince and the youngest royal in Asgard by at least 1000 years. The warriors had become accustomed to seeing him around more, they trained with him tirelessly to emulate his fighting skills as their own, even marched into battle with him at the helm and forefront yet here he was, being treated like a slave.

Had he committed a crime that was so bad it required a trade of some sort? To the warriors it looked like it was out of his hands, it was to a certain extent, it was an ill conceived agreement thought out and agreed in haste.

* * *

The guards just stared after her as she walked away leading and pulling him cruelly with chains abound, the young prince looked down miserably avoiding all eye contact. Some guards looked back at the King with confusion as to what was happening considering he was royalty and unless he was guilty of a crime there should be no reason for the chains.

Odin simply looked away and retreated back into the throne room avoiding all questions he knew would duly be coming from his royal personnel who oversaw the running of Asgard when he was away, word would certainly reach them by morning if not sooner and he would have to explain it however awkward that would seem.

The warriors had no choice but to allow the woman they knew to be Amora the Enchantress free passage as the King had motioned them to move aside before closing the door. The warriors saw the look of worry on the King's face but never questioned him, they did however escort Amora and namely the prince from the palace and out of the grounds as far as they could if only to keep an eye on her treatment of him.

* * *

"Thank you Einherjar, this will be sufficient from here." Amora said impatiently, turning to face the group of men who seemed concerned with her treatment of the young prince even in those short minutes, he had fallen a multitude of times. They had of course helped him to his feet each time as the dutiful warriors they were, after all they all knew the young prince like a close friend, even shared a few drinks and feasts together when they had all returned from battle or sparring.

It quickly became apparent to the warriors that Jay was more than capable of dealing with her, he winked at the warriors when they left him, lifting a shackled hand up to thank them all for accompanying him to the gates. He couldn't say anything though but his smile and gestures gave them all a small sense of relief as they watched him walk away from the large city of Asgard.

On what was considered a calm night, the warm cosmic winds blew onto the magical realm bathing it in a humid but comfortable breeze, and of course it would have felt truly magical if Jay wasn't being pulled along for the ride. He walked silently behind Amora unable to speak out but he rolled his eyes as she spoke, it was almost like he was listening to a female version of Loki.

She seemed to talk incessantly to clear the air, making conversation in an attempt to hear her own voice, to Jay it was obviously one sided because he couldn't speak, the chains saw to that little aspect. Of course if he could speak he would only insult her and shout angrily, she must have figured it out for herself because that was the first enchantment she used.

Amora was pulling Jay gently behind her, his chains strapped securely to one hand, she pulled on them a few times smirking as she knew he had fallen but being the ever patient person she was she allowed him time to get up before continuing the long walk out of the royal city.

This was a part of Asgard Jay had not ventured into, there wasn't much he could see at this time of night, there didn't seem to be any lights up like there would be nearer the palace, they seemed to have metal containers full of either hot oil or hay which were lit at night to guide the way to home or battle. The palace was lit by the vast rainbow bridge to the front, and the golden colour of it reflected the light from the nearby sun and stars.

This time of night it would have been easy to become lost in the vastness of this realm, which simply resembled a giant floating rock with a wide open sea trailing lazily over the edge of it to mask and hide Valhalla underneath.

After an hour of slow walking, the Norns Kingdom approached. And, Amora saw Jay's reluctance in leaving the outer boundaries of Asgard.

Jay was told where they were heading because he had looked confused at his surroundings. He seemed apprehensive to leave what was the realm he had grown used to, fearing what could happen to him as soon as he stepped onto the grassy trail ahead.

There was a stable up ahead of them and then that was it, further afield was literally what looked like more fields and a mountain range on the horizon the opposite end of the Realm Eternal. The Norns kingdom could be seen in the far distance on the brow of a hill lit up with beacons of fire which to Jay was odd in itself as beacons of fire usually meant an impending war was on the horizon, it usually signalled the need to gather warriors and he in this current predicament couldn't do a thing. Well, he probably could but it would mean fighting against a powerful Asgardian who wouldn't hold back because she had no idea of his only weakness. His strength was failing day by day.

To Jay, the Norns kingdom seemed smaller but grand and just the same if not remarkably similar to Asgard but instead of having Gods as the kings they merely had a self-appointed Queen known as Queen Karnilla. The castle rather than palace stood imposing on a hill the dark stones almost impossible to see if it wasn't for the vast system of stars, lighting it up.

Jay was told that Nornheim itself, consisted of infinitely powerful female beings who ruled the destinies of Gods and men. He shrugged it, as a joke, who could possibly believe in fortune telling?

* * *

Amora lived largely unnoticed from time to time in the Norns kingdom, mostly avoiding the wrath of Queen Karnilla; her former teacher and sorceress; she had been her apprentice once but was cast out as a disgrace.

She eventually got to the edges of the grand golden city. Finding with ease, where her horse was tethered before mounting it. She secured the chains to the bridle on her horse and began to trot at a slow pace, dragging Jay behind her.

He looked defeated and glum as his chains trailed pathetically behind her horse. At least she wasn't cantering. The straps set tightly onto the bridle securely and he walked feeling utterly betrayed, though he knew he'd done nothing wrong.

A part of him of course, was immensely thankful for the fact it was nightfall. Sure, there was no way in Hel he would have allowed her to do this during daytime, plus, he had a hard time believing that the many people of Asgard would allow it either. Hel, the Einherjar seemed to have difficulty in allowing it to happen full stop; and that was at nightfall, Gods forbid, had it been during daylight.

* * *

"How are you faring back there dear boy?" She asked, looking behind herself at her prize.

"Not much longer Jayson, I don't live in the Realm of Asgard, the city itself is too pompous for my liking."

All Amora got in response was mumbles, he could make some noise, he just wasn't able to verbalise through her enchantment. Loki had never done that to him, never silenced him in such a manner. The idea was barbaric and insulting. Jay was typically gasping for water, having had barely a bite to eat or drink for over two weeks and additionally being made to walk or face being dragged slowly on his front. So he chose to stay on his feet making long strides to avoid the chains pulling, they simply dragged on the floor beside him, he wasn't stupid he chose the easier option rather than walking too slowly.

' _Urgh how far can I possibly fall, this is so humiliating and for what? What exactly did I do to deserve this huh? Nothing that's right. So let me get this right, we're not staying in Asgard but yes we're still on the realm, just how big is this piece of rock?_ ' Jay thought to himself staring up at the starry sky above hearing the sounds of his chains being dragged on a stone covered track below his feet.

"You can rest in my bed, it is but a short journey of course we have already travelled a fair distance but you don't seem to complain or beg."

' _Great sounds electrifying, riveting almost, gahh, like do I get a choice in the matter? I mean she is stunning but what the Hel does she want with me?_ ' Jay thought rolling his eyes again, listening to her drone on was making him more tired than the overly long walk was.

"I should really mention that I hate it when you beg, I don't mind silence or pained groans, grunts, hisses, shouts but I really despise begging."

"I'm quite partial to cries of pain, because pain can come in many different guises."

"The form of pleasured cries, loss, suffering, death and desperation or release."

"I love the cries of release, they bring the sweetest cries, they bring the best emotions."

' _Wow, she likes the sound of her own voice almost as much as Loki, power hungry much._ ' Jay thought and smiled, he tried to control his breathing rate, the walk wasn't fast and he was exceptionally fit, he could have run if he wanted but there was still some pain in his side.

Her horse slowed down to a stop and she climbed off pulling it to the stable behind her large odd looking run down house. Jay was still chained to it, he was sweating and shaking but still standing.

"Ah yes, of course" Amora smiled and unclasped the chain from the bridle. "Come with me ' _your majesty_ ' for I have a perfect job just for you." She said pulling him behind her into her stone built single story house.

' _If I can't get Loki to disown him I'll do it the other way around, what better way that a little animosity between two young men….over little insignificant me._ '

* * *

Amora's blue eyes sparkled, she looked Jay up and down again at his size and build. She wasn't checking him for injuries she was looking for traits, hereditary problems.

"Tell me Jayson, were your family fit and well? Any diseases?" She asked looking him over like a specimen.

Jay frowned at her unsure of her questions and shrugged but shook his head, he wasn't sure how his father had actually died but it was potentially linked to an accident rather than disease. His mother, he again had no idea about but her death was more than likely attributed to battle, if she was dead at all.

' _I'm guessing that he would fight Loki if only to protect me if the situation called for it, but it would require a certain something special to happen, to ignite that spark._ ' Amora bit her lip and looked at Jay in a new light, he was looking around the rooms as he was pulled through the small but lengthy house.

"Do you have any siblings with any abnormalities, illnesses or disease?" She asked again.

Jay looked up at her, both eyes locked onto hers trying to figure out what she was getting at, his brows furrowed but he mouthed a silent no if just to stop her from asking anymore odd questions.

' _Ha the only abnormalities my brothers have got, is Cole's bad cooking, Zane's OCD cleaning up skills and Kai's ego. Lloyd is the only normal one of the lot._ '

She walked into her house by way of an old imposing black church style door, the stones around the door appeared to be crumbling around it. Jay was somewhat shocked that the house was still standing considering some parts of the outside could still be seen from inside the house, stones were missing completely.

"We're your parents strong Jayson?"

Jay stopped in his tracks and flopped his head to the side in annoyance, nodding a resounding yes, he could have sworn he saw her face light up with that information.

Amora dragged Jay to the back of the house, it was similar to a cave the floor seemed to slope downwards to a certain extent and the temperature dropped ever so slightly, a noticeable drop for Jay because he shivered. She completely bypassed the rest of the rooms before opening the door to her bedroom.

* * *

Jay just simply stood there shaking his head refusing to enter or even cross the threshold. The room was vast, not anywhere as big as his own room in the palace but it was big intimidating and quite girly with green and black drapes hanging from a large old four poster bed. The top of the bed was covered in animal fur of the wolf variety with bare stone floors and a wolf hide rug set in front of a large open roaring fire.

"You need sleep and you're in pain Jayson?" she suggested and pulled him again.

' _What you don't have a guest bedroom! shit how desperate are you?_ ' Jay raised an eyebrow, he still couldn't speak out loud.

Amora was adamant, she pulled him in to her room and smiled at his expression, he seemed to look uncomfortable.

"My, my, my cat got your tongue dear prince?"

The chains by way of magic were now snaking their way to her bed, at the furthest points across Jay was being pulled backwards towards her bed, all the while shaking his head in protest.

' _Really this is what you want huh, what's wrong Loki not enough for ya? No I guess not considering he's married, well he was._ ' Jay thought and then his face paled significantly.

The neck restraint was removed and Jay was able to talk again, the first thing he did was shout, then swear and then growl. He was pulled backwards onto the bed and then some. The chains continued to drag him further up the bed until his head was on the large rounded black bolsters.

The chains stopped moving backwards but rather moved outwards towards either end of the large bed frame. Now his arms were stuck in that position with his chest exposed, completely open and vulnerable. His arms open wide stretching across both sides of the bed meant that his muscles were now flexed to their breaking point, he panted in exertion at the burn he felt.

"First things first, healing for my previous potion, I did promise you after all." She said, tipping a drop of blue liquid onto his lips. He had refused to open his mouth.

"No more pain at least, that must feel better?"

"Answer me boy, you feel no pain anymore?"

"No, I don't feel any, uhm anything." Jay said in a sharp but panicked tone, quickly turning his face away. He couldn't even feel his hands even as he flexed his fingers. His body was completely numb, the burn from his muscles gone, it didn't even feel like his body anymore.

"Ah yes secondly, these will just simply have to go." Amora said looking at his ripped and dirtied suit.

"Ah yes much better, the natural state is much more preferred for siring any offspring." She cackled.

"I won't give you what you want.." Jay whispered turning his face away from her as her eyes trailed slowly over his body taking in every detail lingering on certain parts. Jay blushed knowing where her gaze was focused, he hated how she was making him feel.

' _Hmm a perfectly sinewy body, no fat anywhere, lean muscular build, good strong bone structure, not Asgardian but we can't all be perfect._ ' She thought.

"Not at the moment you won't." Amora said playing with her vast supply of concoctions.

"I realise since knowing you for only a short period of time; I understand that you won't succumb to temptation easily, you will need some simple persuasion by way of all of these." She said showing the entire shelf of horrid, vile swirling chemicals, some of which had body parts in notably eyeballs from some small creatures.

"I'll never do it, I won't open my mouth, I'd rather starve and die than do what you say or want."

"I see, a difficult captive audience, ah well, this might make it a little more fun." She replied, grabbing each bottle and one by one removing a large sample from each.

' _Yeah and I'll never be an easy captive audience, you can't break me so don't even try, you want the body then you can make it respond, cos I aint doing anything for ya_.'

Jay bit his tongue and stared a little at all the bottles she had grabbed. His stomach lurched at the sheer quantity of potions she was mixing. Even Loki had never dared to use that many on him before and God knows what that sheer amount would do to his body.

She carefully mixed them one by one under a crude flame. The mixtures all travelled through small thin pipes of what was appeared to be an archaic chemistry set but with incredibly feminine potion bottles. The extremes of heat made the congealing fluid turn from green to brown to purple until finally settling on a vile oily black substance as gloopy and viscous as glue. The liquid mixture let up an occasional bubble which popped and made a disgusting squelching noise when all the air left it.

"Now I expect you to drink all of this over the space of this week, once mouthful per day is all. Don't worry, it won't hurt you at all, it won't turn you evil against your will nor will it bind anything." Amora said, swirling the overly large medicine bottle in her hands. It seemed to coat the inside of the bottle with a thick black gloopy coating, Jay saw it before looking away in disgust.

"What exactly is it then? Because I'm not taking it if you're planning on controlling me or my elements."

"Just a simple draft like I said it doesn't bind, well technically it's not that simple due to the amount I needed to use, but being that I had no sleeping drafts I needed to make one and I did just for royalty."

' _Wow she made it just for me, eheheh a sleeping draft eh? Great this just gets better and better._ '

He turned his head as far away as he possibly could, pulling against the restraints on one wrist, he wanted to avoid falling asleep in her presence.

"Nnnnn, mmmmm." was all Jay said in response. His mouth closed firmly avoiding the bottle of disgusting black congealed substance. He had enough of potions, they were the sole reason for him being in Asgard, the main reason for him being Loki's captive and now protector.

"Oh now this isn't very nice, I've just made this for you." She replied in mock hurt.

Amora climbed onto her own large bed with the large black bottle, loving the fact that Jay felt helpless being in such close proximity to her, she saw him flinch as she neared his naked body.

She of course, needed no weapons, why would she when she had magical abilities besides she still had her exceptionally sharp nails and they were the perfect persuasion tool.

"You can't escape Jayson, you're here for the week my dear prince. Make it valiant won't you and by that I mean don't let the sides down, for I would hate to think what Asgard would say if they knew their young prince was incapable of siring children."

Jay merely looked at her with a perplexed look of confusion, would Asgard be that embarrassed if he couldn't perform up to standard to one of the kingdoms best known whores. Perhaps not, but he could try to avoid it, try to avoid her tricks by any means necessary.

' _Just what is she trying to accomplish other than the God awful fact she just admitted, she wanted a child, was she that lonely?_ '

He looked around the bedroom, she seemed to be the only one who lived here, it never looked like anyone else had, no sign of anyone except Amora. Jay noted how untidy parts of her bedroom were, bottles and spell books scattered messily on her vast potions desk. Some of the drapes even had holes in them, the floor boards were creating drafts meaning some stones were missing from the foundations, the window to the front was cracked in areas and cobwebs hung eerily from the highest ceiling recesses.

"Open wide." She taunted with a sick smile, she knew he wouldn't, she knew she would need to resort to using another tactic.

' _Had Loki made him too stubborn? Had the God changed him so much that he now expected a punishment for refusal'_ …Amora thought to herself.

"I won't do it!" Jay said with a clenched jaw, he pursed his lips again and turned his head away looking to the open bedroom door for something to focus on.

Evidently he had, Jay was reluctant to even look at her, let alone breathe around her. He had flat out stated he would rather starve than eat any of her poisoned food or drink but that idea although fun for later months might be a little far-fetched in her current scheme though.

She simply dug her fingernails under his chin and pulled his mouth open, the appearance of blood was insignificant as was the resulting curse word he muttered, he swore loudly just before the bottle was pushed in making it almost impossible for him to close his mouth without causing damage to his teeth.

The bottle held his tongue down which left him with either swallow or choke. He only choked for a few seconds before he swallowed the vile mixture. She poured the equivalent of a mouthful of the sleeping draft in, the thick viscous fluid sticking to his mouth and teeth, was as thick as molasses but tasteless, the sensation of saliva at trying to digest the fluid didn't come.

If the fluid was salty, sweet or soured the body would have undoubtedly made it easier to swallow by way of the taste buds releasing an ample supply of saliva to break it down. But this fluid was tasteless, like drinking thick vegetable oil and the body didn't recognise a flavour, no enzymes were released, no taste sense released, no pleasure.

"Hopefully." She said getting up off the bed. "Maybe you'll change that opinion in a few hours."

"Well maybe next time you can flavour it cos that was horrid, you really need to practice your bedside manner." Jay sneered at her attempts to be civil, his normally salt white teeth looked decidedly black because of the draft he'd just consumed.

"Of course for now you feel an overpowering desire to sleep, so we can begin this much later tonight." Amora stood ignoring his attempts to rile her.

Jay was pulling at his wrists, lying on his back trying to cough, hacking violently as the warmed thick gloopy texture slid down into his throat. It settled in his stomach making him feel a need for instant sleep, he tried to fight it.

"Oh speaking of hours, hours in this realm are days in your own realm! You think I didn't think this plan through! I knew how to take advantage of Loki, I saw through him." Amora smiled changing into a perfect doppelganger of Jay.

Jay just stared with an open mouth, no sound came from it just a silent scream. Pure outrage was all he felt at the moment especially as she was now dressed just like he should have been, she was wearing a perfect copy of his working armour but something was off.

"I just simply chose this realm as time seems to go so slowly here, it's almost like we don't age, we remain young whilst the realms around us age exponentially. That's why it's called the Realm Eternal."

"You have been gone from them for fourteen weeks yet they don't even care and do you know why? No! it's because I have been taking your place living your life as my own, taking everything you hold dear and changing it for the better, well better for me."

"Why?!" Jay asked with a subdued rage behind his now heavy eyes.

"Why not? It was and still is the perfect opportunity. Besides enough conversation for one night, I have some prior engagements to attend. Hmm a long weekend with Cole and Lloyd no less, wish me luck."

"You stay away from them, don't you dare lay a finger on my brothers!" Jay hissed, suppressing a yawn whilst struggling to keep his eyes open.

"I won't hurt them yet, I'll just be enjoying the experience of being someone else namely you."

"Well choose someone else then and not me or my brothers, choose the mailman he's always complaining or maybe some poor run down soul who's working all the hours God sends and leave me and my brothers out of your sick plans."

"No, this needs to be done for it leads to a better ending for all, well for me mostly, Loki too and of course you eventually."

"A better ending! That means what to me? Cut the cryptic shit and just tell me gahh damn restraints."

"See you later 'your majesty' here's hoping that your attitude would have improved somewhat by the time I get back otherwise I'll need to use something magical to get you do to do what I expect of you."

Jay simply watched after her, he was beyond furious, his eyebrow was twitching, he had an itch on his nose he couldn't scratch and he was fighting sleep, afraid of what might happen if he closed his eyes and succumbed to the darkness.

She didn't have to wait long the prince was asleep before she even left her humble abode, a forced sleep and snoring could be heard. She re-entered her bedroom and covered him up sufficiently so he wouldn't get cold, she knew from experience this room could get bitterly cold this time of year and she didn't want him becoming ill.

Amora smiled and walked off looking like an exact clone of Jay, she had emulated his working armour well, even the placement of weapons was accurate, the buckles were sloppy though and the hairstyle was off but other than that Amora in her new 'Jay disguise' looked almost as good as the real thing, save for the eyes and the scarred right eyebrow.

* * *

 **Meanwhile in the royal Palace of Asgard…**

Loki was in the furthest part of the kingdom, he was in the Observatory, the great gateway to the nine realms asking Heimdall to keep him updated of any and all details pertaining to Jay but Heimdall had duly angered the King for he stated none too gently that Jay could not be seen.

Amora had some form of magical enchantment over her abode, the type that gave privacy from prying eyes such as those from Heimdall or Karnilla, both of whom were more than capable of prying into others lives without being asked.

The second day came and went as usual and the King grew concerned, he asked Heimdall again where Amora lived but again the news was not forthcoming.

Heimdall for one, was uncertain to where Amora lived for she had more than one place, she liked to move around a lot, never being pinned down to one place for too long. Jay's approximate whereabouts as yet were still largely unknown and Loki felt extreme remorse for his actions at being so blasé about the terms he had agreed to.

The guardian of the Observatory known as Heimdall did however chastise the King sternly for allowing the trade to initially take place. Citing that Odin would have never stooped so low as to trade a person as a payment no matter how important or insignificant the person was and again stating that this should be a valuable lesson for the young King at how to not treat the other royal members of his own family. Slavery had never been allowed in Asgard. For it was a malevolent form of mistreatment and not becoming of royalty.

Another day had passed and Loki was becoming anxious though it didn't stretch to his face nor his tone, he was just angry as usual, his eyes being the window to his soul just revealed an empty green space alight with an angry green burning flame. He wanted the week to be over with already, having serious doubts as to her intentions and what might be happening to Jay as he sat on his throne watching over Asgard.

It had been four days with no signs of either Amora nor Jay, it was as if both had simply vanished and because Heimdall was unable to see either she could so easily just take him as her own and Loki would be helpless to stop her. The spell and binding magical contract would make it difficult for her though, she would feel the pain of it until she returned him as promised.

"Morning Heimdall, another fine day passes any news of the young prince?"

"Alas today the same as yesterday and the days before I have no new news, he is as far as I can tell not in the kingdom of Asgard."

Loki suddenly thought to himself, having had a few days to mull it over. "Can you remember the last time you saw him! Did you have a vision of him before he left here?"

"Yes I do recall a vision." Heimdall paused and thought about it.

"I was confused as to her intentions and also why he was in chains considering he had committed no recent crime worthy of such punishment."

"Save for stealing a palace horse and running away from his duties you mean!" Loki replied suggesting some possible punishments.

"No, it is his own horse you already know this my liege, please tell me you didn't punish him for that little misdemeanour?"

"I may have but it was a multitude of factors, look can we just go back to what you wanted to state, the vision Heimdall?"

"As you wish, he was with the Enchantress from the moment he left the palace and they walked for many a hard mile, the walk was slow, nothing untoward as such."

"The Einherjar seemed more concerned than you did, they escorted him to the boundaries of Asgard and then they were dismissed by the Enchantress herself. They seemed reluctant to leave him my liege fearing for his life in a way."

"I-it was a mistake, a foolish decision but a magical contract and binding nonetheless." Loki pointed out.

"The Enchantress whom you call Amora, climbed onto her steed and left the kingdom going to the north."

"And the prince?" Loki asked flustered.

"He was dragged behind."

"Dragged?" Loki raised his voice worriedly, his breathing rate hitched.

"On foot, I should add he came to no harm my liege, a little exercise is good for the soul." Heimdall smiled noting how uncomfortable the young King appeared, but it was meant to make him uncomfortable for Loki wasn't learning at all.

Too many times to count now, Heimdall was again gravelly concerned for Jay the young prince. He wasn't in imminent danger but his being in such close proximity to the Enchantress would only lead to catastrophe in the not too distant future. The great gatekeeper to the nine realms was unable to see into the future but he could see notable past events and all of which pointed to Loki leaving Jay in such dangerous precarious situations through his own selfishness.

"They walked far past the borders of Asgard, northerly from here for roughly five miles."

"The Norns kingdom." Loki replied knowingly, he had ventured there many a time with Odin and Thor to be guests of the Queen for her banquets and to keep up good bonds with the only other Kingdom on the realm Eternal.

"Yes my liege, and from there I cannot see him, her enchantment hides the both of them from my vision."

"They might not even be there, it could just be a front to fool you into leaving your post."

"They wouldn't dare to try anything for the throne of Asgard why would they need to?" Loki asked incredulously.

"Odin will waken soon enough and then what, I know he stirs I check on him all the time, even if they did try to steal the throne of Asgard I'm sure Odin All Father would decimate them on his awakening."

"Perhaps you are right my liege, if I see anything else I will notify you accordingly. However the Dark elves grow restless, they are planning something, be on your guard."

"Why what have you seen?" Loki asked perplexed.

"They are sending a warship here, just the one but it is fully armed with smaller Harrow vessels as before."

"What could they possibly want now, surely the convergence thwarted their plans for complete and utter darkness and domination!"

"Maybe an allegiance or perhaps an apology awaits!" Heimdall suggested positively, he held onto his golden sword looking outwards to the stars with his golden eyes. He could see everything except for the two people he needed to see.

"Wait…I, no! It can't be." Heimdall frowned.

"Heimdall?" Loki asked walking to his side looking at his troubled face.

"I saw someone that resembled Jay on his own realm, but it is not him, it isn't the prince. It appears to be an optical illusion, a masquerade of sorts."

"A glamour?" Loki asked with a knowing.

"Aye, you and your knowledge of dark magic never fails to astound me, young Loki."

"What are you up to Amora?" Loki asked looking out across the stars, speaking out loud so much that Heimdall noticed.

"Heimdall keep me updated of the new situation and the Enchantress, I believe this is her doing."

"Yes my liege." Heimdall replied.

Loki nodded and walked away back to the Royal palace of Asgard and back to the golden throne. It wasn't the same without Jay because together they remained busy, they always had something to do but now it was strangely quiet, unnervingly so but it didn't stay that way for long! Not with the dark elves enroute to discuss God knows what with the disguised King of Asgard.

* * *

Meanwhile in the Norns kingdom to the north, those same few days had passed with a similar thing happening as before, teasing, tormenting, mocking and name calling from both Jay and Amora, it was like a tennis match, neither gave up easily. Numerous and varied food and drinks breaks followed by hours of the same repetitive things. Jay almost begged for daybreak, as that would be the time she would leave him to sleep.

She knew when it would be coming around because he would get irrationally grumpy around the hours before sunrise, the scowls and insults would return tenfold but he now seemed to accept the black medicine gratefully as it meant he could fall asleep quickly without anger clouding his dreams.

She would be gone for hours on end during the day and before she left Jay she would always change into a perfect copy of him emulating his style as best as she could. He was usually sleeping when she left due to over exertion during the night, so the sleep was always required. His body still needed to be in peak fitness with energy to spare so she allowed the young prince to sleep and recharge his energy. She locked the door securely behind her and left for another four of so days on Jay's own realm.

Amora looked up when she left her house noticing an imposing elvish Arc Warship looming over the Royal Palace, it wasn't disguised as such but still cast a dark shadow on everything else because of its sheer size. She smirked and laughed out loud at just how vulnerable Loki would be without his protector, she was still laughing when she created her portal, and again when she walked through it into the hidden realm known as Ninjago.

* * *

A few hours had passed and Amora returned having had the equivalent of four days of sleep in his own realm, she in her disguise had spent most of it partying and socialising, getting to know each ninja as best as she could, the time difference made everything so much easier, mere hours in the realm eternal were days in some other realms.

"Good evening my prince, I take it you had a good rest my pet?" Amora asked as she made him a hot roast leg of lamb dinner, with a goblet of wine to accompany it. The candles lit when she opened the door revealing a brighter room and an energised Enchantress.

The smell of the herbs and the meat juices made his mouth water in anticipation, he hadn't eaten for many hours because he'd been asleep and she of course had eaten in his own realm.

The food in Ninjago seemed tasteless to Amora but she always made her own adjustments so that it became edible and nutritious. It was no wonder Cole always invited himself around, he loved the food that the fake Jay made too purely because it reminded him of the rich tasty food in Asgard.

"I've gotta say that even though I hate you more than I ever hated anything I've gotta admire your tenacity at achieving your sick evil goals." Jay whispered calmly, not wanting to annoy her. His hands shackled to her bed posts spread too wide for him to even edge up onto his elbows.

He was stuck on his back and now the sun was going down in the distance through the small window right into his entrancing amethyst eyes, he shied away from her gaze, he knew she was looking at him and his body again.

"Also, whilst this is kinda kinky I can escape these things…"

"I've heard but you haven't." Amora replied in a sultry voice.

"That's why they're enchanted, a glamour if you will, they may look like simple cuffs and chains but they aren't."

"It's almost like you want this, like you don't care about them or Loki so you don't fight me." She replied in a venomous insulting tone grasping at his body in various places eliciting an angry growl from Jay in the process.

"I'm not fighting because I can't with my hands tied, plus we've already been down that road and Loki stopped me from taking you down."

"Oh you'd love that wouldn't you? To say that you were stronger than me, that you could take a woman down, how awfully brave of you." Amora sneered leaving a look of puzzlement on Jay's face.

"If you still want that fight we could just continue where we left off but from what I remember you gave up, you begged for me to stop." Amora replied tracing the same bladed dagger down Jay's chest. She was in effect writing her own name on his skin.

"Mmppph stop." Jay panted and watched with panic as the blade scraped into his skin.

"I agreed with Loki that I wouldn't hurt you but what he doesn't know won't hurt him will it." Amora asked tracing the blade around on its tip.

"What makes you so special! Hmmm why did he choose you! Out of everyone why you?"

"I-I don't know…I mean other than my elements he never really s-said." Jay moved his face away from the blade.

"Well I guess I'll find out soon enough considering I've still got this little bottle." She said and waved a bottle of purple blood labelled with a golden 'J'.

"Can you remember all those months ago, the warning I gave you, No? I guess not! Ah well I took this from you before you were poisoned." She raised her eyebrows waiting for him to remember.

"That was, that was YOU?" Jay shouted out after swallowing a mouthful of food.

"And you could have stopped me then but you lacked the, uhm focus and strength of mind because she was all you were thinking about."

"She, you mean Nya!" Jay corrected and accepted another mouthful of food.

Amora was sitting next to him on the bed with a plate of hot food which she had prepared for him only an hour previous, she took a small forkful of food for herself but still played with the golden blade as it danced across his skin.

"Can you remember me saying that I had been utilised by none other than Odin All Father to remove all essence of love from his son?"

"Vaguely, i-it was a while ago." Jay groaned.

"And what he asked of me, I had to break the heart of Thor's love either that or kill her. I don't like to dirty my hands though so I sent Skurge to kill her. My protector died in his attempts the poor thing, but where he failed I succeeded, where is she now hahahah? Poor love struck Thor misses her greatly I imagine."

Amora lifted the blade from his skin and licked the blood of it.

"And you too my prince, will know loss at my hands, you know I can read minds too sort of predict the future. The ones you call friends will turn on you, but there is another isn't there? The one that haunts your own dreams."

She placed another loaded forkful of food into his mouth and continued regaling him of her past endeavours, she was sure she had already mentioned it but it was evident he had forgotten about their previous encounter on that fateful night when he had been poisoned.

Maybe she had used too much of her magiks on that night in keeping her true disguise hidden, it was the first time she had used her portal to travel so far across the cosmos and the same mist that surrounded her that night must have affected him too.

"You know the one I mean don't you! The one vision where you're failing miserably in an old stone room with Loki! Your cherished brother impaling you on something or other! The dream where you scream but no-one hears you! The dream where you are bleeding to death and the same dream where he finally loses control. That one pained dream where he snaps and you bear the brunt of his wrath. The torturous pained screams escaping your bloodied red lips, the blood loss is so immense I'm surprised you can bear it!"

"No! stop, stop please!" Jay cried out loudly, he was panting erratically and turned away from her evil glare, her eyes had narrowed and she saw the fear in his eyes, it wasn't just a dream it was a vision of his not too distant future.

Amora soothed him; a bittersweet move considering she had just invoked the horrible images from his own pained dreams. Her hand began stroking his face drawing him back towards her, pulling him into her warm embrace as she lay next to him. His scared amethyst eyes looked directly into her blue orbs and his breathing calmed a little.

The close proximity of their bodies gave him some comfort and he relaxed somewhat as she draped her leg over his and nuzzled into his neck. He groaned in frustration but couldn't exactly stop her from planting kisses all over his body, he moved his face again avoiding the possibility of her kissing his lips.

"It won't happen my pet, if you join me. If you stay with me I'll protect you from him and from his wrathful rage. He would not lay a finger on you nor a blade. If you give me your word I will keep him from you and we can protect each other in time."

"Why would I-I do that?" Jay winced as the blade came perilously close to his face keeping his vision staring at her determined to avoid the blade's sharpened edge.

"How many times has he hurt you since you have been in his service? How many severe beatings have you had? Let me hazard a guess, too many to count on your poor young hands and you never asked for this did you?"

' _How many times have you hurt me?_ ' Jay thought, listening to her smooth soft tones caress his mind again, he was starting to fall for her.

"You would have never chosen this chain of events had you known just how cruel life could be, you would have run so far away like a child, away from everything and anyone in a mad scramble for life."

"I wouldn't have run away, I was a ninja before all of this and as a team we never ran away, unless we were in mortal peril in which case we decided as a team, and for your information I never ran away except to keep a promise to Kai."

"You were scared were you not?" Amora teased.

"N-no not at all, no never. I-I accepted it because it made me stronger."

"Aww that must be the effects of the beatings you have suffered, how many Jayson, how many have you suffered?"

"My poor pet, I can make it all go away, the pain and torment, the bad dreams that keep you from a full and rested sleep every night."

Jay cringed at the words she kept using and the added fact that she kept referring to him as 'Jayson' rather than just 'Jay.' He was not anyone's pet, nor was he a boy or a fool.

"And how exactly d-do you p-propose that? C-considering you've hurt me each time we've met, how would you keep him away exactly?"

"A simple spell, the mind can be changed, swayed to see a different view! I'm not saying it would be easy at first but once Loki is out of the way then we could both live easily…"

' _I seriously doubt that, he is a power hungry evil God and she is a nymphomaniac with a lust for blood_.' Jay thought to himself but listened as she kept trying to get him to see her reasoning.

"If I have your word you would not need to worry of such things, however you may potentially need to fight him as he would undoubtedly try to kill me for taking you away from him. And of course, if I was carrying your child you wouldn't want him to kill me now, would you?" She asked with an eyebrow raised testing the young prince and watching for his reaction.

' _So that's your grand plan huh? You want me to give you a child and you want me to protect the both of you afterwards. You are absolutely despicable and here's me thinking that girls like that didn't exist anymore_.' He sighed slowly and bit his lip nervously, the pain keeping him focused.

* * *

Jay stalled and looked at her in confusion, a look of outraged deception was plastered onto his face as he took in what she had just said. His anger was kept under control for the moment because he didn't want to snap at her. This was beyond cruel, Loki had no idea that she had set all this up to ensnare him and tear them both apart….the partnership of Loki and his protector could come to a bloody end.

' _This is all your fault my liege and yours alone, if it comes to it I will protect her I'll have no choice if she's pregnant…_ ' Jay cringed and kept his fingers crossed that he would regret thinking that. He hoped that it would be an extreme turn of bad luck if she was pregnant. An unmarried female pregnant with the child of a prince would look incredibly bad for the house and palace of Odin, it would be considered disgraceful and shame would be brought upon the family.

Jay just knew that it would be frowned upon in this great realm where everyone with children seemed to be happily married and everyone else took relevant precautions to avoid siring offspring even so far as admitting to abstaining as some of his trained warriors had told him, citing that the females in any realm were too much of a distraction.


	52. What you get

"Amora, uhm, Enchantress! it's just uh, well it's kinda absurd."

"What is so absurd?"

"That you'd expect me to leave him with no repercussions. I mean, you know how powerful he is? Yeah okay, he'd try to kill you so you got that bit right." Jay paused, trying not to laugh at her invitation. She was insane, more so than Loki, but he didn't want to insult her because he didn't want her to unleash any punishment which he knew she was capable of.

"And you'd obviously want me to fight him in an attempt to protect you." Jay paused again thinking just how bloody that could turn out to be. Amora had no real cares, she was thinking purely of herself.

"It'd be a fight to the death cos ya know that Loki won't hold back. Haa, no...the word bloodbath springs to mind."

"Oooh a bloodbath haha, slight over exaggeration though. Battles to the death are usually quick, for survival and for honour." Amora's eyes lit up, her luscious red lips broke out into an evil cackle synonymous with witches from horror movies.

Jay shuddered at her sick attitude for blood lust.

"The best type of fights always are, a little bit bloody!" She smiled at Jay, stroking his arm as it stretched out beyond the limits of comfort across her bed.

"The difference here is that I wouldn't let you die, not like he will. All you need say is yes, my prince and it will be done." She said with conviction, for once she was telling the truth.

* * *

Amora straddled his hips pinning him to the spot beneath her, his arms still restrained. He was terrified and for good reason too, she was still holding the golden blade, the same one she had used to injure him a few weeks ago and what looked to be its twin blade judging by the fact they both looked identical in size and style.

"I'm sorry Amora, I-I can't accept your offer, n-no matter how good you've made it sound. I simply can't, s-surely?" He stumbled a little through nerves and uncertainty but listened for her response, keeping his gaze anywhere but on her face as she inched ever nearer to him.

His eyes were more focused on her weapons and her grip was still firm and unrelenting. He tried to think what Loki had mentioned other than casting his fears aside as being melodramatic, he simply told Jay that Amora wouldn't hurt him because it was a binding magical contract. Did that mean anything to her though, did she even care?

The golden blades she held in her hands were clenched tighter when he said 'no' she raised an eyebrow and cocked her head to the side.

Jay flinched watching her every move, the blades were at a guess eleven inches in length the blade itself was roughly seven inches leaving a four inch hilt finished off with a ruby red pommel. He was working out if he would survive both blades into his lungs at the same time, his heart and lungs would be a definite no, that would kill him unless his shield protected him. But even still he would be in a world of hurt and pain.

Amora leaned even closer to him, she could swear that he was emitting a strong sense of panic. He was completely helpless and foolish to not accept her offer considering his powerless vulnerable position. She had no choice of course, it was either this or something a little more macabre.

She quickly changed her grip on the blades into that of a dagger grasp with her thumbs secured on the top of the pommelled gemstone hilts. She raised the blades up high over her head in both hands and paused allowing him to watch the blades potential trajectory. Both blades were aiming straight for his chest and both would easily pass through given how long and sharp they were.

His eyes had widened in fear, it was almost as if he was expecting a great deal of pain to follow because of the answer he had just given her. He closed his eyes as the blades came crashing down, feeling two quick sharp pains, the sound of ripping fabric and her breath within an inch from his mouth.

Opening his eyes in confusion, the pain wasn't in his chest.

Taking a glance to his side, the blades had stabbed to within an inch of his face, either side, cutting some of his hair in the process. Oddly, no blood was visible, no bodily damage had been caused.

He had at least expected that.

Both blades were deeply embedded into the mattress, the sharpened edges not visible nor posing a risk. All that Jay could see were the odd few feathers floating around him.

There was an inability to free himself from this position. He couldn't move his head at all because whichever way he turned, the handles and hilts would impede him. He just stared in horror at her, at Amora who smiled and lowered her lips even closer.

"Wh-what are you..." he struggled with his words, she was perilously close now.

"You sound unsure my young prince." She replied quietly, a whisper into his ear. She could feel him trembling beneath her. A weakness she would have to deal with.

"Don't be scared prince Jayson, this won't hurt, at all." She said quietly feeling his heart rate quicken, his temperature rising.

Her lips grazed across his gently but teasingly, her tongue dipping onto his lips testing him to see if he would bite. She noted he was holding his breath, it was hitched at the proximity of her mouth to his.

But Jay knew her lips were enchanted with some form of control and so far he had avoided them, well he had up until then. A feeling of terror gripped him, this was unknown territory. No one had ever made him endure this treatment before.

Amora was too fast for him and she quickly planted a kiss onto his lips before he had a chance to do anything about it, not that he would have been able to avoid it anymore considering the hilts to either side of his face. Her lips remained in place, a few seconds was all it took before his pupils dilated and he reciprocated eagerly.

Her enchantment worked fast for most men and usually took no more than few minutes to work to its fullest. The power her lips held was simply an enchantment and one that she had done to herself in her younger years.

Her powers of seduction had always been the enhancement of her natural beauty and allure so that men, mortal or otherwise, were overwhelmed with desire for her. She had enchanted her lips so that a single kiss was sufficient to make virtually any man a slave to her will, he would become obedient to her every command, for almost a week and subsequent kisses would enable her to enthrall a man's will indefinitely. The stronger the kiss the more of a slave she would have.

It was another one of her ploys and it worked exceptionally well for her, mostly because Amora chose certain men to trap, those with such power that she could corrupt them, take their money and power and in some cases their magical abilities too. However it wasn't all good for it meant that whomever she kissed would potentially become obsessed with her, some men had become violent others had tried to kill her, so she utilised a protector for herself, he was known as Skurge. He was a protector who actually loved her but Amora never returned his affections, she had strung him along cruelly until he lost his life fighting for her honour.

The former blue ninja, known as Jay, had been ensnared by her kiss. It had taken her much longer than she had anticipated, she thought him weak, and foolishly believed he could be tamed within a few hours of bringing him home with her. But he was different!

The Enchantress also known as Amora was impressed with his strength of mind for it had taken five days out of the seven for her to finally get him to accept her kisses. Five days! Most men fell within one day but that in itself came with its own set of problems namely the men would still be obsessed with her for another six days…an undesirable effect.

* * *

Jay looked at Amora in confusion, his eyes widened in fear at what he had just done or more precisely what she had just dared to do. He began to feel a strange sudden warmth envelop him like a comfort blanket, a warm soft inviting blanket luring and pulling him in towards her. Her name rolled off his tongue like a velvety soft whisper, he beckoned her back towards him and his lips, his eyes begging for her. His body trying to get her attention in other ways, his hips involuntarily bucked upwards.

"Amora, I-I uhm please." He uttered gently, fluttering his eyes and biting his lip.

She softened her gaze, she knew what he wanted.

Amora smiled in response, this was adorable he was so completely different to any of the other men she had ensnared, for one, the other men became feral quite quickly. Mindless but animalistic. But Jay, he was, well, he was completely different. Not needy as the others had been but now he had a desire to prove himself.

Amora remained in her position and removed her clothes, she was still straddling his hips until she leaned forwards over his chest. Her nakedness rubbing against him teasing, yet enticing. Amora placed her lips atop of his and kissed him again removing the blades so the kiss could be deepened.

This time he reciprocated and it felt like Heven.

The blades fell off the bed clattering to the floor noisily but the two people on the bed didn't notice them.

He reciprocated with a lustful hunger and he closed his eyes, melting into it. A burning desire deep in his loins made itself known and before long they were in the throes of passion.

Amora, having lured him in by her kiss; trusted him enough to remove his shackles for the night, this allowed him to change position, his hips were still aching from her Asgardian weight which was considerably heavier than his for she was easily twice as heavy.

His hands started grasping her body gently, they wandered over her with a newfound interest, tracing, touching and delving. She arched her back in response and panted with each new sensation he was providing, her anticipation was building. He placed his lips on her neck sucking, nipping and biting but he was so gentle, not like the other men, even Loki was too dominant and occasionally cruel, some men had been too physically strong resulting in her being hurt.

But Jay was so gentle with her it was almost if he was scared of her or scared of breaking her body, even as his hips rocked gently with deep slow movements, he took his time. Amora felt it first, a feeling that she hadn't felt for such a long time, well, since Thor. Not even the God of lies had managed to make her feel like this, for his cruelty knew no bounds even during the act of love making, he seemed to get off on making his conquests cry and sob plus he wouldn't always care if they never reached their pleasured end.

A tightening coil in her core the longer Jay remained there, made her realise just what was happening. Her chest and cheeks quickly flushed and she finally gave in to her body. She vocalised it loudly as the pleasured feeling spilled from her lips, her hips moved in time with his to ride out the feeling. Her flushed and yet satisfied face looked up at the young prince, he smirked at her.

"Good?" He asked and she nodded in response.

He only wanted to please her, to give her these feelings that she was giving to him. "You feel..." his eyes were burning with passion as he picked up his pace. "So fucking good!" He growled a deep masculine sound, his movements increasing. Listening, as Amora the Enchantress gently moaned into his ear.

All the time she was encouraging him. Bringing him closer until he came undone in her embrace. His flushed cheeks told her all she needed to know, he too was satisfied and happy but now completely tired. He collapsed to the side of her onto her large bed and as soon as his head hit the bolster he fell asleep with the same smile on his face.

Amora allowed herself to stay in bed with him for tonight only, normally it would have taken much longer but her enchantment seemed to have worked better than she had expected. Forcing someone to do something against their will didn't wield the same results even though she had enjoyed what they had been doing for the best part of the week, Jay hadn't and he hadn't kept quiet about it. But her enchantment just changed everything, Jay had just made love to her like a husband would. She had only ever experienced something similar with Thor but that was so long ago she had almost forgotten.

She pulled the covers over the both of them and snuggled into the crook of his arm, wrapping her arm over his chest. She kept the shackles off him for the night allowing him to chance to move around freely giving his muscles the chance to recover. He did move eventually, the weight of her arm on his chest was too heavy for him so he turned to face her and placed his arm around her waist, his hand settled on her stomach gently.

* * *

A few hours later the sun started to rise again making an appearance through the tattered curtains, it woke Amora first and she quickly rose, getting out of bed with a stretch. She looked at Jay and smiled before leaving the room to prepare him a meal. She had made him a decently sized breakfast mostly consisting of meaty goodness and protein rich foods to build up his strength to allow his bones to mend. She delivered it to him before she was due to leave and although it now pained her to do it….as soon as he had eaten it she had to shackle him to the bed again as she knew he could still potentially try to escape.

The escape however, wouldn't necessarily be back to Loki no! It would be back to Amora for that was how strong the infatuation could be. The longer the duration apart the worse the feelings of desire became.

Of course Amora was still required to be in another realm so as not to worry Jay's brothers unduly. The part of Loki's plan that was purposefully kept a secret from Jay, the plan was a huge risk but it meant that if it worked correctly Cole, Lloyd, Zane and Kai wouldn't come looking for him.

The risk was that if it didn't work properly, if it backfired, Jay and Loki could be in danger, they would be seen as clones or infiltrators of their ninja team and if Cole had any say so they would more than likely be assaulted if left alone with him.

"Please consider my earlier proposal, it would really be in your best interests." Amora paused kissing his lips again just to be sure her enchantment was still holding strong, he didn't move his head away, a sure sign her control still held strong.

"How long will you be gone?"

"I'll be back later, please try and get some sleep."

"Amora, please don't go." He pleaded and sighed deeply, he knew she was still going.

"One more kiss." He looked up at her hoping for a token kiss, for how long she would be gone.

"One more." Amora gently stroked his chest tangling her fingers in his hair and kissed him goodbye for a few hours at least.

"Until later."

She quietly left the room again because she didn't want to upset nor anger him, typically another sunrise meant another change of attire, she left the young prince to ponder her question before leaving him to sleep.

* * *

Jay however just lay back on the bed, thinking potentially how different the prospect of serving Amora would be, more tiring at guess and even more so if she was with his child. He hoped to all of the Gods at that moment before he fell asleep that she would not be pregnant, that would be so incredibly bad for him despite how much he wanted her body, his mind was now truly conflicted.

"Gahh what the Hel happened to me last night, the Hel did she do? I can't believe she kissed me." Jay yawned again remembering that he had kissed her multiple times throughout the night, further increasing the strength of his infatuation.

"Shit this is not good at all, Loki, Sigyn anyone!" Jay struggled in the shackles and felt a burn when he pulled too hard. He flopped backwards again seeing a few feathers floating around at the harsh movements he just made. The mattress was slightly damaged because of the blades from last night.

Jay was quite surprised that he didn't shout out in anger when she had done that considering he was expecting to be sliced and diced, he remained remarkably calm even if his body told her otherwise, he had accepted whatever she was going to do. What had happened instead was a pleasant ending to the evening, although that too came with an unintended side effect. He only wanted her now and and he really wanted her NOW, well his body did.

He tried to remain positive before the lull of sleep called to him but he wasn't naïve. He wasn't a young boy anymore, he was well aware what the consequences of these sexual encounters could lead to. Jay knew that the longer he stayed with her, the more likely it would be to happen if it hadn't already.

But there were still the niggling consequences of leaving the lifetime servitude of the vengeful God and what Loki would try to do.

If Amora carried Jay's child he would do anything in his power to protect it and the mother despite how he had felt about her previously, the child of course, would never be to blame. He would have to fight Loki maybe even to the death which would a battle to end all battles, more bloodshed, with possible death or injury and if he failed, the woman and Jay's child could still die.

And then what about his brothers, would Amora ever let him see his brothers or would he be kept a prisoner similar to how Loki kept him? The truth is both were very similar both Asgardians only wanted him for their own personal reasons. Loki wanted Jay for the equivalent of a brother where as Amora wanted a lover and potential husband, she wanted security and a family.

And finally of course, Jay had his own secret that he kept from everyone, only Loki and the healers knew of. He in his female form carried the unborn offspring of a God, Loki's child and there would be no way in Hel that Loki would let Jay go without a fight.

Loki would without a doubt kill Amora, and Jay would have no choice but to fight him just to protect her child whilst putting his own life and that of their own unborn child on the line.

"It's not worth it, too much violence. I just want to be left alone." Jay sighed in defeat.

He slept on the decision but pined for her body regardless, his body began to ache for her and it betrayed him, his arousal was plain to see. Thankfully no-one could see it in the bright morning light for the curtained drapes did a good job of hiding the majority of light save for the always bright beam of light that was shining directly into his vision.

Jay could feel his eyes getting heavier by the second because of the potion he took every day. The hideous black potion had almost gone now and there was only one more dose left. All it made him feel was extreme tiredness plus it took away any pain he felt such as the broken bones he endured every other night after making love to an Asgardian female, it could almost be classed as a strong sedative.

He had been stuck on his back for six days now although he had a reprieve last night for over eight hours because he had woken up on his side with arm around Amora. He only noticed his change of position when he woke, he then realised his shackles weren't on, he had sat up and looked around himself noting she was sleeping next to him in all her naked glory. It was then that he had a chance to look at his own body because laying supine didn't allow him to look on his body easily.

He was shocked to say the least, his hips and thighs had a patchwork of bruises that never seemed to heal, yet he felt no pain just tiredness, mind numbing exhaustion or soul destroying fatigue. The bruises he knew to be caused by Amora and she too noticed new ones each morning which is why she was adamant he take the potion every day.

In all truth Amora was almost twice as heavy as he was but it was all skin and bone density; apparently Asgardian's bone and skin density was three times stronger than that of a human, that fact alone explained why Loki and Thor were both bullet proof, even after Loki had been shot in the face back on Midgard.

Amora of course didn't look heavy because she was exceptionally svelte in her beautiful naked form. She was too beautiful it wasn't fair for any other woman he had been with, she was stunning to look at because everything was in proportion except for the contents of her head, that was just filled with pure evil.

The only odd thing that created unease in Jay was that when he woke without shackles on he didn't remember them being removed, he was unsure as to why yet the strangest thing came to him…why didn't he try to escape? He wasn't sure, all he remembered was laying back down and making love to her all over again before falling asleep to be woken by the smell of a large breakfast platter a few hours later. The bacon had never smelled so good, her food must be laced with something too! He thought.

* * *

A moment of dread filled his calm thoughts and his breathing became erratic, he lay back feeling helpless. Jay thought of Loki or Sigyn or anyone that could offer moral or support or who could get him out of her clutches, he knew that if he thought it Sigyn could hear him and would often respond in time of pain or anxiousness. Similarly so with Loki he could sense pain in his protector due to their link, but not always especially if the God was otherwise distracted by something that interfered with a telepathic bond.

' _Sigyn please can you contact Loki, I think I've failed...mppphhh.'_ Jay screwed his eyes closed tightly feeling on overwhelming desire to just have Amora for himself, her enchantment was getting stronger, he was beginning to lose it, all possible reason flying out of the window.

 _'Loki please help me, please!'_

 _'He cannot come my prince. My, my, my, what has happened here?_ '

"Who is that? Who's in here?" Jay shouted out loud, looking around the room scared at the voice he could hear.

 _'It is me, you don't recognise my voice?_ ' the feminine voice replied in his head seemingly upset.

"I-I can't remember." Jay replied with a yawn forgetting that only he could hear the voice.

 _'What did she do to you?' C_ ame the same voice with a hint of concern.

"She kissed me, a few times actually eheheh." Jay closed his eyes feeling the lull of sleep calling to him, his week was almost at an end.

 _'NO! you've fallen under her spell.'_

"Sheesh, don't shout, m'so tired."

 _'My prince, I will of course make the King aware, but he remains busy with the Dark elves, a most unfortunate turn of events since you left.'_

"Why does the king need to know? Wh-who are you again? Urgh I'm so tired." Jay said incoherently, he smiled as all images disappeared from his mind. Names and people all being hidden, eventually the female voice vanished too leaving pure peace and quiet save for the birds singing. The pull of sleep came swiftly to him.

* * *

His dreams on that afternoon were mostly horror filled nightmares with the odd dirty dream thrown in for good measure, each dream was tainted with Amora and her magical control of his body. Her enchantment was now taking hold of him in his entirety, both mind and body. Did he hate her anymore? He did before the week had started, he was repulsed by her when she told him what she expected of him.

But now he thought differently, he saw no one else but her and he tried to shake it off concentrating on the colour black.

 _'Maybe a black haired version of her would suffice, shorter hair for sure….maybe shoulder length.'_ Jay groaned in frustration, he couldn't visualise anyone except for her, for Amora no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't even see Loki anymore his face had completely disappeared.

"What's happening to me?" Jay shouted out in a blind panic, he could only see Amora's face no-one else came into his mind, even his late parents were faceless, his brothers everyone except for her.

"Oh god no! Wh-what has she done, why can't I-I remember anything?"

' _Is this what he felt like back in the club? Back in that realm the night before my friend got married. Is that why he struggled to apologise, to remember my name. Urgh god no! What was his name? Shit, whose wedding was it? uhm. No, no, no please, what was my friends name? Help please, someone help me please!_ '

Jay panicked, tears streamed down his face angrily, his breathing became strained and out of control and he thrashed uncontrollably in his restraints damaging his wrists in the process and shouting out in desperation. He had somehow managed to free a wrist but he'd made a terrible mess of his limb in the ensuing struggle.

Hyperventilation soon caused him to black out and his thrashing around soon calmed as his breathing steadied back into a regular pace once he had regained a sense of consciousness. He had fallen back to sleep again. This was a side effect of her enchantment, a horrid terrifying side effect that manifested itself into each and every man she had ever ensnared, some men went mad, others possessive but then she hadn't tied any up to her bed before.

A dream of fighting a faceless God to the death woke him, he was drenched with sweat when he woke in fading sunlight, unable to move because one of his arms was still restrained. The fight ended as expected both princes died, Jay fell first and the unknown God followed afterwards, but the God appeared to be crying and the pain of seeing such heartbreak woke Jay up in a cold sweat.

The next dream was raising their child, the one he fathered with Amora. He was there when the baby was born, he watched it come into the world in a grand castle like a picture from a fairy tale, he was typically the only one to help her birth the child and, as was expected the first part of the dream was just like real life, relaxing and peaceful.

Amora had bore him a beautiful daughter with white blonde hair and startling dark blue eyes. The silence that ensued was short lived for every day in the dream he fought bravely to protect them both every waking moment.

The only positive aspect of that dream was the child he raised with Amora, a little girl who was as beautiful as Amora herself but just as bad. Her name was Seraphim the name chosen by both of them. She had her father wrapped around her finger and he loved her and her mother just as much. Not a bad dream per se but one that felt forced, one that his mind was trying to justify as a 'what if' scenario.

He eventually sacrificed himself giving himself freely just so they could have a life away from anymore violence. His last vision in his dream before he woke screaming up was the vision of being stabbed, in his dream he bled out slowly by none other than the same God from his previous dream. The nameless God who had cried over him was now ending his life, was that the only way?

Another dream sequence was one of being back in a forgotten realm but his apparent brothers didn't recognise him. Jay didn't seem to recognise them either anymore, they were completely unrecognisable with no facial features and one by one they beat him in an unprovoked attack. A mystical person who identified himself as Heimdall minus any facial recognition somehow appeared on a white unicorn and the Bifrost took him away from it all. An odd dream, but a fast paced dream nonetheless.

He woke up at dusk's last light, when she lit the candles alerting him of her entrance. His body was ready for her and she took no time in climbing onto him lowering herself gently and slowly lifting herself up at a steady pace. Jay moaned and thrust his bruised hips upwards feeling her heat covering him, his eyes rolled back at the feeling of her and he picked up his speed drawing his legs up bending them at the knees and using his feet to give him more momentum. Simple deep movements was all he could manage in his position but it was enough for the both of them were panting. He grasped his own chains with one hand whilst the other grasped her breast.

She smiled at his at his freed wrist, he had obviously struggled with her enchantment and the mess he had made was plain to see. Of course she had never had to tie any of her men up before, they were mind less slaves that just became more possessive during the space of the week.

She guessed that once they had finished she would need to dress his injury and hope that it would heal without further impeding his strength because she could tell on a day to day basis that he was weakening and she didn't know why. His body was failing him and she was at a loss, he refused any more of her potions except the hideous black one as it helped his wounds and bones to heal rapidly. Truth be told he didn't complain and he didn't let it slow him down he just slept more during the day.

The act of lovemaking didn't take as long this time but it was just to calm him down for her enchantment was so strong it elicited the strongest responses after such a long duration of being apart, in Jay's case she had been gone for ten hours.

Amora tried to reaffirm her control over him but he turned his head away and avoided her kiss he looked upset with her, she frowned and bit her lip. Surely it couldn't have worn off that quickly. Her enchantment usually lasted longer than this but the prince seemed different from any of the other men she had trapped even Cole the master of earth seemed different, neither as it would seem, were affected for more than a day where-as Asgardian's and Midgardian's alike took the enchantment into and sometimes past the two week mark.

She had successfully ensnared Loki for almost six days a record for him thanks to Jay subduing his evil untrusting side, where-as Thor had been trapped for a little longer than two weeks because he was considerably weaker of mind and he kept returning her kisses further ensnaring himself.

She climbed of her bed and left her sleeping quarters to grab some more clothes and a wash bowl, he hadn't long woken up from what she could tell, Jay was still half asleep when she had walked in initially. She had typically had a little bit of fun with him over the past hour and following that she had decided to freshen herself up following with a quick cleansing ritual of her lover. After the delicate ritual she left her room to prepare him a plentiful feast as it was time for him to eat and drink.

There was always a timescale since she was leading a double life and the Enchantress was typically due to leave at sunrise every morning tired or not for she knew that she would get plenty of sleep in the hidden realm.

Amora returned an hour or so later having prepared them both a hot meal with wine, the wash bowl and soaps stood nearby for after they had both eaten.

"S-six days in Asgard j-just keeping me stuck in h-here. What do you want from m-me again?" Jay asked yawning as he woke fully knowing full well what she wanted, but his answer was still the same having had more time to think about it, his answer was still 'no.'

"You already know this, I want you to join me, freely as my lover. more precisely I want you to be a protector for me and to be the father of a child I am yet to have." Amora said removing her clothes and robing herself in her sleepwear before delivering Jay his freshly cooked meaty feast, she cut up his food and began to feed him as he was unable to considering one of his hands was still bound and the other was now injured.

"I-I can't, I'm sorry I mean I thought about it honestly!" He grasped his damaged wrist cradling it as he sat with his back to Amora.

"I tried to picture it, I really did but it would be too painful for ME and at the end of the day it's me that you both seem to want, well I've gotta go with what feels best for me and I truly believe that I'd be better with Loki."

"Your reason?" Amora questioned, Jay could hear the annoyance in her voice.

"Because I gave him my word, he saved my life and I owe him." Jay muttered and used his free hand to hide his tears, the horror filled dreams had affected him.

"Disappointing, can't say I'm surprised though. I guess it must be so easy to run back to him?" She sneered.

"You want to give up without a fight, pathetic just as I thought!"

"What! I'm not giving up, I've chosen so why can't you just accept it." Jay said quietly.

"And, I'm not pathetic." He replied with restrained anger.

"Pathetic sentimentality, not really what I expect of a prince. Get your head in the game Jayson, time is insignificant BOY." She went to slap him but he caught her with his free hand before it struck him.

"Don't do it!" Jay warned her, his grasp tight and unforgiving, he held her open hand away from his face.

"You don't know how powerful that enchantment is do you, the dreams it makes, the nightmares it gives. They're not dreams are they, they are a glimpse into the future of what could actually happen if I say yes!"

"Oh did a little dream scare the poor prince senseless, I can show you true horror filled dreams with maggot filled corpses, people you hold so dearly to yourself could be extinguished so quickly." Amora threatened and ripped her wrist from his strong grip.

"You're out of your freaking mind, you don't care." Jay spat holding onto his injured wrist.

"I swear to God if you hurt them you'll pay with your life."

"Are you threatening me boy? I mean, I hate to tell you this but the last time you did that it didn't end so well for you."

"Well that's only because Loki stopped me from punching your lights out."

"We could fight now, if that's what you really want! I mean it is our last night after all."

"I'm shackled to the damn bed how is that fair?"

"Oh well if you state that Loki thought you capable of hurting me maybe it would be better for me, for you to have a small disadvantage, after all, he does state you are stronger than me which stands to reason that if you have a disadvantage it makes it fair for both of us."

"What?" Jay replied lifting his head worriedly pulling on the one remaining chain to check how long it was and if it was likely that he could move around the bed freely whilst dodging, parrying and thrusting.

"You only get to use one hand BOY." Amora laughed and picked up two long golden swords.

"I'll make it easy for you Jayson, if you don't fight, well, I'll kill your brothers tomorrow and bring back their severed heads just for you."

"GAHH, WHAT? You touch my brothers and I'll hunt you down you stupid bitch?"

"You are pathetic Amora, you try to get me to say yes all week and when I give you my well thought out answer, you turn psycho! And all these well laid out plans you've been setting up for so long are all failing, just you like you!"

"And the best bit, you would throw away all those weeks just because I said no yet you have the gall to say I'm pathetic, quit bitching and accept it."

"Is it a yes or no?" Amora asked throwing him a long golden blade similar in style to an Einherjar sword. She had completely ignored his angry rant and insults but now he was going to pay for it.

He quickly tried to free his spare hand, but ended up cutting himself, he gave up and steadied his grasp on it.

"Okay but if you hurt me doesn't this count as infliction of pain? Not really intact of mind and body!"

"No it will be mutual." Amora laughed out loudly, her evil cackle spreading fear into the heart of the young prince, Jay faltered slightly but his keen warrior ninja senses kicked in.

"After all we are both armed now." She said approaching him with her sword raised high the tips of the swords touching with a clang.

"This isn't fair, not at all, this wasn't what Loki meant." Jay pleaded with his sword raised high protecting himself, he held firm as his years of training had told him. The longer chain did have some give in it and if needs be he would be able to use it to wrap around her blade, if he was quick enough.

"Life isn't fair, you'll soon find out what your decision means."

"I made a choice, at least you gave me the option." He smiled and avoided her as she thrust her sword forwards.

"So tell me why you won't stay here with me!" She said cutting into his arm when the chain pulled to its limits.

He grunted in response swinging his blade wildly at her catching the top of her chest with the very tip of his blade.

"Your idea of love mainly, why would you think I would want that? I have uhm…" Jay ducked down low avoiding another unforgiving thrust that she was aiming right for his stomach. He paused trying to think of her name as her face finally came back to him.

"I have Nya." He rolled avoiding her blade again, she tried to pin him to the floor with a downwards thrust, but his fighting skills helped him to avoid being impaled by it.

He swiped a low blow and the sword sank into her thigh like butter , he removed it quickly feeling remorseful at hurting a female. Her thigh bled bright red blood and it poured heavily but it wasn't a fatal wound. She held it and growled at him, it was apparent to her that he was holding back because he didn't actually want to hurt her as much as she wanted to hurt him.

"Hahah yes of course, you have HER, but do you?" She said without eye contact.

She was visibly hurt by what Jay had just said so she chose to give as good as she got, she intended to hurt him as much as he just had. By the simple shunning of her ideas and wants he had just pretty much laughed at her without actually laughing. Her blade sunk deep into his thigh when he foolishly misjudged a parry stroke which turned out to be a thrust.

He hissed again and limped backwards grabbing the sheets from the bed in an attempt to staunch the flow.

"What! What do you mean?" Jay asked worriedly ripping her blanket in front of her as she rounded the bed again trying to skewer him on her blade until he gave up.

"You didn't have my permission to do that." She stated when she saw him rip the sheet in half, one half of it he wrapped around his leg, the other half around his waist to protect his manhood.

"What so you want me to bleed onto the floor then."

"Not my concern, I said I would take care of you if you leave Loki, you chose not to, so if you bleed you die." Amora said without emotion. She had suddenly turned so incredibly cold and calculating, she wasn't holding back at all.

"Besides I could grow used to the colour purple, it would look beautiful on my walls." Amora removed the blood from her sword and smeared it on her wall admiring the sheen.

Jay waited until she closed in again, he needed her to get closer before he could try to subdue her. The only downside was that she was as exceptional at fighting with a sword as Jay was, he was finding out the hard way because he had a fair few injuries already, mostly unnoticeable though save for his thigh.

She had a few too, all of which were bleeding, He had managed to cut her chest, arm and a deep gouge on her thigh, but some could be considered as play cuts. There was hardly any blood noticeable on her person, her thigh bled but she didn't seem to care for her strength was unmatched and her skin was thick, literally.

She approached him quicker than he anticipated but he used the chain as he had hoped, he lifted the chain quickly and used a whipping manourve creating a simple loop which happened to fit perfectly around her blade trapping it within. He pulled the chain back and the swift movement ripped the blade from her grasp, it landed in his other shackled hand and now he now had both blades.

She had lost hers and now he had the upper hand, he wrapped her own chains around her neck using his free hand and pulled her towards him so her back was against his chest and he stabbed the blade into the back of her thigh using his other hand. She cried out as he expected her to but then she wasn't playing fair so why should he.

Amora used her free hand to pull his blade out of her leg, she knew this hand was still shackled meaning he had very little movement from it so she removed it easily with little difficulty from him. Her blood made it increasingly difficult to for either of them to maintain a grip on it but she pulled it out feeling the warmth of Jay behind her.

* * *

His heart was racing, the fight or flight effect was subdued because he had to fight or his brothers would die she had made it that clear. Her crimson blood dripped down the hilt and now she had it but she didn't have the best grip, the sticky blood made it hard to grasp, but she still rammed it into his other thigh.

"Like for like, now you're two for two." She laughed as she allowed him time to pull the blade out.

"You forget I still have my own blade, bitch." He sneered and grabbed hold of the sharpened blade ripping it from his thigh even as she held it.

Amora pulled the sword from his clenched fist making a wide arc with it, more blood spilled because his hand was cut wide open. Her eyes wide with glee seeing it flying across the room. Splatters of it were decorating the walls and floor like a modern art installation.

"You're just pure evil with a death wish, not caring how much hurt you cause." He stared at his wounds.

She approached again with a lust for blood and Jay punched her away from him, she landed hard on the floor and Jay flicked the clenched fist out, cursing under his breath for he had actually felt that punch, it almost broke his wrist.

"You're weak, nothing but his plaything. I mean to make you stronger so you can take him on as an equal." Amora shouted and stood again grabbing her fallen sword before Jay could stop her.

"I am his equal and he knows it, I can take him on and I could take you on if you allowed me to have both hands free." Jay replied defiantly.

"His equal, don't make me laugh and both hands free, well that will never happen…BOY."

Amora stood in a position of attack ready to subdue and watched carefully as he used her own magical chains again, he was going to use the same manoeuvre and trap her sword but this time she would let him and then she would get him back.

He grabbed his chain and stared around himself worriedly for the floor was covered in an array of blood, not just his luckily. He felt no pain though just pure exhilaration and an endless amount of energy surging through him as her potion healed everything quickly, the blood loss was an issue though. The only downside was the tiredness that would soon follow.

She used some of her own fighting skills against him dodging to the side to avoid certain blows and then low again to avoid direct thrusts at her chest. He was exceptional at fighting with a sword and she was impressed. All these years fighting with his brothers had served to make him an exceptional fighter and that was why she wanted him for herself, he would be the perfect replacement.

"Oh you dare use my magic as a weapon against me." Amora smirked as Jay held his blade against her neck trailing it down between her breasts leaving a fine cut.

She whimpered teasingly allowing him to lose focus for just a second for that was all she needed, her magic coming back to her, the chain was hovering in the air just behind him as he looked at the fine cut he had just made down her chest.

He rotated the sword changing his grip so he could use the blunt end to knock her out but he didn't see the other chain attaching itself to his unbound wrist, only feeling it when he tried to subdue her with the hilt on his sword.

Alas he couldn't move his arms again. "This is not fair Amora, not fair at all." His arms again pulled back but now he was kneeling up on her bed and not lying down.

Amora retrieved her sword easily and took Jay's only sword off him, he was now defenceless and unable to protect himself. One of the blades she wiped across his chest leaving a fine line which bled immediately.

"You know what this line signifies….Jayson." She asked as she removed the blade from his chest allowing the blood to flow slowly.

He looked down in defeat. "Screw you, ya stupid bitch."

"It's called crossing that fine line and, you just did."

"You don't scare me, you never have and don't think that threatening will change it."

"I beg to differ." She lifted the blade up and licked his blood from it, before pushing it slowly into his chest.

He gasped and cried out. "SHIT…ughhhhh…stop….I'm sorry….please….I'm sorry." The blade went straight up to the hilt, his eyes rolled backwards.

"See now that shouldn't hurt, the hurt is contained, the magiks and potions do their job well. You don't feel it do you?" She asked whilst walking away to find relevant wrappings for her own wounds first. She wrapped her leg tightly in some form of infused cloth; the flow of blood was staunched and concealed quickly. She cast a quick glance at the prince who remained still, his breathing steady his fists clenched and his muscles flexed. His eyes were staring at her with a determined look. He wanted to kill her she could tell that much.

"No, I-I c-can't feel it, it's just not p-p-pleasant." Jay replied dryly, he stared in horror at the blade sticking out of his chest he was unable to remove it himself, she would need to do it when she could be bothered.

Amora dabbed ointment on her wounds carefully but slowly making sure to cover any and all before approaching the prince. The other golden sword she picked up and looked down the length of it checking for impurity whilst walking behind the prince.

"This is the good thing about staying with me, my potions work as intended! You would never need healing stones to repair your wounds." Amora whispered into his ear pausing for a brief minute. She lined up the second blade and pushed it through his back proving her point.

"No pain, amazing! I love my magical skills, they took many a year to perfect. Lots of worthwhile lives lost but now a draft strong enough to revive, repair and replenish even if you are only an inch from death, you can't even feel them can you?"

Jay just stared at both blades, he was speechless, horrified but speechless. But, it was true for he could feel neither blade nor wound. One blade had been pushed in from the front, the hilt rested up against his chest wall moving with him as he breathed in and out. It felt like it wasn't even there, the other blade however had been pushed in from the back and only the pointed end could be seen, the rest was deep in his chest and back having cut through muscle.

"Does Loki make potions just for you? Does he care enough about your safety or did he agree to this week without asking further questions? The simple answer NO! He doesn't care about you Jayson, you poor insignificant thing."

"All you are to him is a weapon and that's all you'll ever be, he will not change he never has and he never will." She stood back admiring her work.

"This is one of the other reasons, Amora," Jay said cocking his head to the side, his breathing failing slightly.

"How do you expect me to choose you when this is how you treat me? You want me to choose you, but I don't love you and I never will. Your spells can't keep me here for ever." Jay avoided looking down at the blades again, the odd glistening gold caught his steely stare but his eyes remained on hers. He was trying to work out her next plan considering both of the blades were in deep, meaning she now had no weapon to use unless she planned on removing one.

"Y-you're even worse than Loki is, ya know because he changed and he doesn't do this shit anymore."

"And, a-another thing how exactly is this intact of body I need all that stuff too." Jay smiled weakly staring at the floor and mattress he was kneeling upright on.

"I'm fairly sure that constitutes body, I can't live without it after all." Jay smirked at Amora seeing her emotionless face failing, she saw the blood loss too.

"You were armed and it was mutual." Amora replied nervously, her uncertainty was showing.

"But, I'm not armed anymore, b-both blades were by your doing a-and it's not mutual because of these." Jay motioned to the chains and smiled.


	53. Gatecrashers

**Author's note for any new comers to this fiction:**

 **Pronunciation guide:**

 **Aesir - ay ser**

 **Bifrost - Bee frost**

 **Asgard - Az guard**

 **Einherjar - In hair yar**

 **Heimdall - Haim dol**

 **Hel - Heyl**

 **Helheim - Hehl haim**

 **Jotunheim - Yo tuhn haim**

 **Loki - (as if this one needs explaining!) - Low key**

 **Midgard - Mid guard**

 **Mjolnir - Mee ohl near**

 **Norns- Norrnz**

 **Odin - Oh din**

 **Ragnarok - rag nuh rrawk**

 **Sleipnir - Slayp near**

 **Svartalfheim - S var talf haim**

* * *

"The contract…Loki said…was-" his dull and hollow eyes looked into hers, "-magically…binding….." Jay mumbled with a final smirk. He collapsed into his shackles, barely breathing. His head had rolled forward. He had nothing more to give. Now completely unconscious in that cruel semi upright kneeling position she had left him in.

Amora quickly got to work having a burning pain in her chest for his weakness was fast becoming hers. A dull ache an overwhelming desire to sleep took the both of them before she had a chance to remove the blades. The contract had been broken and her body was paying the price.

Her anger and resentment had blindsided her, she'd lashed out.

The same wounds she had just given to Jay constituted a massive contract breach, for he was unarmed and restrained but in her haste to gush about how good her magical abilities were she forgot the one golden rule of the contract….no physical harm intact of body and mind as agreed by the current ruler of Asgard for whom the contract had been agreed with.

The Enchantress in her newly pained state knew that Loki would be feeling the same pain too, the God would be furious or quite possibly seething with incandescent rage if he knew what she had just done…..that was if he didn't already.

* * *

 **Meanwhile in Asgard...a few minutes previous.**

Loki dressed in his father's Asgardian attire which always consisted of a golden suit of armour to show strength and his staff Gungnir, a most powerful weapon; as well as his intimidating long burgundy cloak, helmet and eye patch…as ever the strong God was putting on a brave and wise face for the fate of Asgard was at stake depending on the outcome of this meeting.

Loki the God of evil, mischief and lies was meeting with the dark elves or more specifically Malekith the Accursed's next in line; his younger predecessor. The God could tell that the new predecessor was still quite new to the position. It was painfully obvious to Loki that this young blood thirsty dark elf was thrust into leadership before he was ready…purely by each word he muttered.

The dark elf was adamant that Svartalfheim was far more civilised than Asgard. The monarchy they followed had obviously force fed the younglings with such drivel that they actually believed it to be true. Loki had to suppress a mocking laugh when he heard that come forth from the dark elves mouth, his face though was completely poker straight not revealing any true emotion at all…inside he was rolling around on the floor laughing like a mad man, tears streaming down his face.

' _Oh how lies have fed you, poor insignificant creature for if only you knew_.' Loki thought whilst biting his tongue not wanting speak out of turn.

The elf and his clan came across as being overly confident with stories passed down from centuries past, the great race of elves had been around since before Loki and Thor, It was said that the dark elves were older than the universe itself, they had been around before the big bang existing in the darkness.

The previous leader known as Malekith had made a weapon out of that darkness and it became known as the Aether. It was considered an infinity stone while the other relics were actual stones, the Aether however remained as a fluid ever changing.

All the elves wanted to do since the first and subsequent convergence was to plunge the nine realms back into obscurity and back into complete darkness and the Aether would have allowed this. It was a force of ancient and catastrophic power, the Aether had the potential to transform the entire universe back to how it had been before light had appeared….but it was safe for now locked in the vaults of the person simply known as the Collector, his actual name was Tanaleer Tivan…..not that anybody really cared.

The Aether was now locked away from the almost decimated race of dark elves courtesy of the warriors three and lady Sif, after Thor and Loki had helped to subdue a large amount of elves between them on their own realm of Svartalfheim.

Malekith's second in command was called Algrim who became known as Kurse once his body had been forcibly changed, he was to be the last of the Kursed race of impossibly strong warriors and he, well, Kurse had been killed by none other than Loki but the dark elves didn't know this because none of the elves who fought in that battle survived!

* * *

They were going over the terms of their new agreements for a peace treaty amongst the realms. The dark elves still believed they were vastly superior to Asgard. They had outwardly boasted the fact that they were better than all eight other realms, save for their own of course. And now, the elves wanted evidence to see for themselves if they were the superior race believing they could control and oversee just as well if not better than Asgard.

The God of lies smirked when the dark elves suggested a battle of strength for Asgard, Loki was not usually one to agree to such violent tactics for he was normally the one to sit on the side and watch both sides fight offering no help to either but striking none the less when both sides were down and injured staking his claim to the victory himself.

So to him the whole idea of such violence in the name of a peace treaty seemed contradictory and absurd but just to keep them quiet he might agree if only to get them away from Asgard. He could tell that their increased presence was making the Asgardian populace unsettled at seeing a large Elvish warship stationed outside the palace.

His royal aid had told him such as soon as the ship appeared, even Heimdall had frowned at the large vessel when it had appeared for they were known to be a strong force to be reckoned with, each large ship had a sentry of Harrows aboard and each Harrow ship was capable of complete destruction and loss of life just like before, incredibly fast and shaped like a sword, one had even decapitated a solid stone monument without so much as a scratch to the ship itself.

Yet the truth was that their home realm of Svartalfheim looked to be dying, there were no plants nor animals anymore, it was a mostly dry and barren land plagued by sand storms and hurricanes. The dark elves with their stark white masked faces and hollow black eyes avoided the brightness of the day and night by living underground in a vast empire hidden from the now non-existent surface dwellers.

Loki stared at the white masked faces of the dark elves, the dark eyes giving him a sense of unease because he was still unable to read them to tell if they were lying to him, something he was exceptional at, he could read people well because he was the God of lies but these creatures made him feel weak because their facial expressions were duly hidden behind a stiff white mask, he dreaded what might be behind them.

He rested his head in his thumb and finger, a usually bored position, but it was all he could do to stop himself from going over old ground he had been repeating himself multiple times over the past few days telling the elves that he would not transfer the rights of the nine realms to Svartalfheim.

A pain shook him from his thoughts, it took him by surprise. He didn't gasp out loudly but his hand shot quickly to his chest and his breathing became laboured.

Loki apologised for he couldn't focus clearly on what they were saying. He was in too much pain and he left the room for a short moment with his royal aide in tow who seemed more concerned with the King showing a physical weakness in front of such formidable opponents who had tried to destroy Asgard a few years prior.

* * *

The royal aide joined Loki's side noting he looked out of sorts, pained to be exact.

"If I may High One…." He approached the standing King, offering a drink of water which Loki gratefully accepted.

"I-I'm listening." Loki replied wincing as he swallowed feeling a sharp pain sinking into his chest, he leaned against the wall and took a large mouthful choking on it as the pain felt like it was coming out of his back. He coughed and spluttered wiping madly at his face all the time staring out of the large window facing the Norns kingdom to the north. A look of fear was apparent in the young Kings eyes as he stared at the blood red sky looming over the northernmost parts of the Norns as sunset was making itself known to the realm eternal.

"If the dark elves want a show of force then perhaps send the black, green and white warriors for they have no physical bonds to their realm as of yet…unlike the red one my liege." He gently suggested holding the same goblet of water.

"What is your thinking behind that?" Loki asked straightening himself up holding onto his chest in agony as the same pain assaulted him but now on the other side, his eyes closed for he could feel an impossibly sharp blade piercing his own skin from the back until he felt the pain protrude from the front. He gasped again and struggled to stand swatting away at the royal aid who tried to steady him.

"The Odin sleep?"

"No." Loki hissed, sensing the all too familiar taste of blood in his mouth. Something was seriously wrong but he was at a loss as to what it could be. To Loki the taste was similar to being poisoned yet the all-consuming pain was the same as being assaulted by an unknown enemy…an increase in weakness, his strength waning and impatience growing, the God snapped at his royal aide without meaning to.

"Just answer my question!, why send them, when the Einherjar could give a good show of strength." Loki hissed through clenched teeth.

"Simply?" The royal aide replied. He was noting that the king was on the verge of collapse. "Nothing holds them to the realm they live in, save for the red warrior for he has a good wife and impending family keeping him grounded and firm." The royal aide replied as gently as he could.

"Are you in pain…..something ailing you my liege?"

Loki shook his head and clutched his chest before collapsing to his knees, he pushed his aide away as he tried to assist him to stand again.

"Jay!…" He breathed out under his breath, he attempted to stand again not wanting to seem weak in front of the Asgardian royal personnel but the same feeling stopped him in his tracks, that same awful pain as if something like a blade or two was stuck in his chest. He had managed to stand albeit haphazardly for he was leaning heavily on the wall, his balance was off considerably.

"Mmmmphhh…ugh…I need to sit.." Loki mouthed and swatted his royal aid away yet again, he collapsed onto the floor with a pained grunt, his legs having given way underneath him.

"My liege?" The royal aide crouched low next to him aware that the dark elves were only in the next room waiting for an answer.

"Audunn, **I NEED TO SIT** ….leave me be!" He shouted in anger whilst white hot pain ripped through his body.

' _The contract…J-Jay_!' Loki squeezed his eyes closed.

"Send for Heimdall NOW and a strong group of Einherjar." Loki hissed reaching into his robes to soothe the fiery pains he felt.

The royal aide could see the King was visibly on edge. Now he was being troubled with the threat of war looming and so soon after the most recent destruction of Asgard and Midgard…..all at the same hands of the dark elves and their quest for eternal darkness. He believed the King who he saw as Odin, to be nearing the Odin sleep.

"The dark elves still want an answer, should we send them? They have no bonds and that alone will make for more effective warriors! " he suggested again gently aware that the king seemed to be in some form of pain.

Loki lifted his gaze up from the floor at his royal aide who seemed incredibly persistent in getting an answer sufficient enough to stall any impending war that the elves may be wanting. But his pain was making it difficult to think for the royal aide was being almost as repetitive as the elves had been for the best part of a day.

"Maybe you are r-right, a-at least whilst the young p-prince is otherwise occupied. It would seem the b-better alternative." Loki replied breathlessly.

"The young prince would be better suited f-for this th-though."

"You weren't honestly considering sending the young prince alone….surely?" the royal aide queried with just a hint of a belittling undertone.

"No….n-no not at all." Loki stammered nervously.

"In no uncertain terms should a member of this royal family be forced to do this unless it is war in which case it is expected for them to fight and die in protecting their people and kingdom from tyranny and oppression…..do not even consider sending him for a petulant show of strength….for he is too valuable my liege." The royal aide lowered his gaze as Loki shot him an angry glare.

"Aye, do not repeat yourself for I know all too well what is expected of a prince and king…..the whole reason for this is to prevent conflict….do not bore me with repetition for I have heard enough of it." He snapped at Audunn who duly flinched and stood back.

"Forgive me my liege, but I feel you do not understand the brevity of what you are making him do, you have no real concerns for his welfare?….is he so beneath you that would you rather he lose his life before he even has the chance to grow or show his potential?" The aide replied in a meek almost quiet tone that Loki could only just hear.

"Don't belittle me…the young prince should not be mollycoddled…he needs to learn discipline, analytics and battle strategy and the only way for him to learn is to be sent there with them…"

"That is a very risky choice my liege! Forgive me for I do not wish to sway your choices but I do think it foolish to risk it all on someone who should be considered as an asset to Asgard not a mere pawn…Our Einherjar have never known anyone other than Thor and the warriors three to be as energetic and so full of life as the young prince…So, would it not be a loss if he perished in battle?"

"It is your place to guide me yet not to sway. My choices are my own to make." Loki paused and clenched his jaw tightly.

"….Aye, I understand he is an asset, h-he works and trains with the Einherjar warriors and I-I myself have trained him tirelessly."

Loki paused to think, he was getting tired with the constant questioning, the pain he felt clouded all rational thinking.

"Aye, it would be a great loss to the Kingdom however….I have said all I'm going to on this matter, now j-just do what is required and summon Heimdall as I have requested! And the three warriors but give them fair warning…..if they want a show of superior strength then the d-dark elves will have one."

Loki pushed a harsh breath out between his salt white teeth, "And, a large selection of Einherjar to march into the Norns kingdom….I will be in my other bed chambers." He added, the royal aide nodded in recognition.

"As you requested my liege, I will summon him." Audunn bowed and left the king to sit in the throne with a look of pain etched onto his face.

* * *

Loki held tightly onto his chest staring up at the ceiling trying to ignore the pain that was threatening darkness for he could feel that same darkness closing in on him and he needed to leave the throne room before his true identity was revealed. To anyone else Loki resembled Odin All Father who was the rightful ruler of Asgard but to Jay, his brothers and of course Heimdall he was Loki; Odin's adopted son.

He stood up struggling to breathe and proceeded to stumble down the golden steps edging ever nearer to the wall for support. It was more luck than judgement that he had managed to stay upright considering the seventeen golden sweeping steps he had just traversed down without actually falling. There was some consolation in having his father's weaponed staff as a walking aid, of which it wasn't meant for but it did prevent him from falling.

The throne room was humongous and easily the biggest room in the palace, when a coronation took place the room was full of Asgardians, notable otherworldly creatures and the royal family and yet it still wouldn't be filled. The only time it had looked full was when an elven Harrow ship had flown into it knocking down a multitude of support pillars in the process.

That was the only time it had looked smaller; the addition of fallen broken marble coupled with a large amount of dead warriors both enemy and ally, and, a destroyed throne could make the throne room look small in comparison to how it was meant to look. That all happened the last time the dark elves had come to Asgard and Loki was ever dubious of their intents for he was eager to avoid war again especially so soon after the last.

The people of the realm eternal had banded together and helped to repair the grand kingdom, many lives had been lost including that of Frigga, and many of the noble Einherjar had perished in protecting the family and the realm they cherished.

Thor had been banished from Asgard by Loki who had disguised himself as Odin, he had mentioned this to Heimdall only for the God of Thunder was not aware he couldn't travel back having been so busy with the Avengers. And finally the old fool Odin All Father…well he was sleeping!...still after all this time for his loss had been the greatest.

Loki had only found out from his mother Frigga that the first Odin sleep could have claimed him, if the All Father had refused to rest after such emotional turmoil then there would be a chance he would never wake. A potential catastrophe for Asgard as the realm eternal would fall into a state of despair and the realm would fall from grace….leaving it open to potential hostility and oppression….the seat of power open to anyone evil…..such as Thanos the titan.

* * *

He walked out of the grand throne room slowly, dragging his foot every so many steps, it almost felt like he had been stabbed himself, having the same pain yet none of the blood loss. The God held onto the walls for support, leaning heavily on them as before. All he felt was a heavy feeling and growing weakness. The realm was now swathed in a blanket of darkness and the Elven warship still stood out of place in front of the Palace, blotting out much of the brightness from the stars.

Having finally arrived at his own bed chambers he shut the door behind him with a pained grunt, feeling an urgent need to vomit but it never came. He felt so incredibly weak and in a world of pain that he knew was somehow related to magic for it couldn't be anything else. No-one in Asgard would dare to poison the King.

Loki squeezed his eyes closed as another burst of pain made itself known, the God again fell to his knees with weakness mounting, he seemed unable to stand for long.

"Mmmmphh…what have you done to him…..woman?" Loki struggled to grasp the armoire, the ornaments fell from the top of the unsteady furniture as the God leaned on it heavily. Many ornaments looked irreplaceable as they fell and smashed to the floor whilst he struggled to find his footing on the ever moving floor.

The God eventually succumbed to crawling as pain wracked his chest, it was almost as bad as the pain he felt when his brothers Thor and Baldur had invited him to help tame the native creatures that seemed to be running rampant in Vanaheim.

' _A bit of fun'_ they had said for he had remembered all too well, it was anything but fun. He had been rammed by the big creature it broke many of his ribs and left him in the healing rooms for many a day. It was only after that, they; being his brothers and the warriors three, believed he wasn't strong enough for the battle fields which meant he had to prove his worthiness and dabbled into sorcery and mind games to help win battles.

Loki crawled on his hands and knees to his book shelf leaning back on it struggling to breathe, he seemed to be sweating profusely and he brushed his wet hair from his face as he looked for his scrolls from centuries past.

Scrolls with intricately written antidotes, the detailed ones were for potions his mother Frigga had made; typically all good potions too no evil ones were in her collection besides why would the Queen of Asgard waste her time on such evil doings when she could use her magic and sorcery for good. Frigga the queen had given them to Loki to help him understand any spell he cast or to explain any side effects of powerful enchantments he would potentially come across so if needs be he could reverse them or try to find possible antidotes.

He breathed through each pain as it wracked his body all the time trying to maintain his focus on finding the one he was looking for, the casket he searched through although ancient was also deep, some scrolls going far beyond Frigga's reign and into that of the blood line before her. ,

He found one eventually listing contracts using magic and the side effects of contractual clauses and the breaking of such contracts.

 ** _Thy magical contract hereunto betwixt two magical bodies should nay be entered into lightly forsooth is a binding contract and for whomsoever breaks the contractual clauses herein will be subject to the same misfortune, the subject of which the contract herein pertains to._**

 ** _If the contract involves and stipulates a certain clause such as nay hurt nor torture on the creature of slavery and thus pain was inflicted then the original contract shall forsooth make both contractual parties aware hereupon by way of the same malison of said slave therefore inflicting the same treatment on the aggressor as was inflicted on the slave._**

 ** _If thou slave dies as a result of the contract then thereunto effects the contractee will knowingly join the slave on their journey to their final resting place in eternal rest._**

"Damn you Amora, what have you done…..are you not learned in the arts of magic, foolish heathen…mmphh." Loki shook his head looking over the scroll again seeing the words 'slave' standing out as if it was standard practice once.

' _Slave!…no, I really need to alter some of these scrolls for that will never do, he is not my slave, his female side….however …No, now is not the time_.' Loki scolded himself and winced again, rolling the scroll up and casting it at his feet. It had not really given him much of an answer except for the fact that he still knew Jay was in pain, not dead and it wasn't by his doing. Amora had broken the simple clause which she had promised, it was her payment choice to choose him for the week but no harm was meant to come to him.

He crawled to his bed slowly for rest and recuperation mostly but also to try something new, well newish because he still hadn't truly mastered it himself yet. He had been trained in mind control from Thanos, having fallen through space when the first observatory and rainbow bridge had been obliterated. Loki had landed in what was known as Sanctuary or the dead space. For it was notably found between certain realms, and of course whilst there he was trained until he could wield the mind stone sceptre, making him strong in mind helped him to use the golden weapon.

Now however he was back in Asgard, the sceptre had been lost for Shield had it and he had furthered his mind reading powers from none other than his estranged wife….Sigyn.

Telepathy or a telepathic link could work for the original spell betwixt them made them close as protector and prince but it would only work if he could ignore the pain for long enough and if he had no distractions. The only downside was how exhausting it could be for both people who would share the link, Loki was lying in bed so for him it was the perfect place….Jay however, Loki wasn't sure of his location….he only hoped he was lying down on the floor or a bed if he was injured.

The God had performed this same mind link only a few weeks ago when Jay had been so ill he was almost dead, it had been easier to do it then because Jay was lying down incapable of moving. His body had died all that was left was his mind and that was the part Sigyn spoke to allowing Loki to do the same. His witty humour was still strong even though he was past deaths doors, he had at one point had both feet firmly in both Hel and Valhalla, technically he had died that day, but Loki had not divulged that much to him nor Cole.

He lay on his bed and closed his eyes grunting every so often as the waves of pain passed, he was also waiting for Heimdall to arrive but he knew that could take a few more minutes yet plenty of time for this.

* * *

' _Jay!…._.' Loki focused on the young prince unable to see him in person, his mind was being pushed through a vortex linking to his young protector, the effect was similar to a swirling green worm hole until it connected to Jay at which point it became purple verging on blue lightning.

' _Jay?….I need to know if you are alright….'_

 _'Loki…how are you doing th-this?_ ' Jay wheezed in response, even in his mind the voice sounded weak.

' _I sense…your pain?_ ' Loki replied gently with a soothing and coaxing tone.

' _Really, did you sense it when I told you how evil she was?_ ' came a sarcastic retort laced with venom aimed at none other than Loki.

' _Please don't do this now…why am I in pain?….'_

 _'Why is it always about you?'_ That sounded genuine but sarcastic according to Loki, a ploy to avoid answering the question, otherwise known as an indirect question rather than an answer which he was expecting.

' _Jayson?...'_

 _'It's Jay…actually! She calls me Jayson and it… gahhh never mind…wh-what do you want anyway?'_

 _'You're in pain?'_

 _'Sort of…'_

 _'Can you divulge so I can assist at all?'_

 _'No..'_

 _'What happened Jay?'_

 _'We fought..'_

 _'Was that it?'_

 _'Yeah.'_

 _'Anything else you wish to tell me?'_

 _'Nope!'_

 _'Could you perhaps give me more than one word answers?'_

 _'…..No.'_

 _'Please…..stop this petulance Jay I'm trying to help….'_

 _'Jay?'_

 _'I know this link will not last indefinitely as it requires both of us to maintain it…'_

 _'JAY!...'_

 _'WHAT?...I'm joking it's kinda what I do…..just lighten up and quit shouting.'_

 _'Still got that spark of wit, I see your time with her hasn't dampened your spirits at all?'_

 _'Nope, aint nothing gonna keep me down for long except these two blades that she stuck in my chest…..mmmmmphh I reckon you feel them too in sympathy eheheh….considering your fucking stupid contract…..'_

 _'They are still there?_ ' Loki asked sounding horrified that Jay was still able to communicate as well as he was.

' _What do you think?_ ' Jay replied in his mind with a huge amount of sarcasm that made Loki smirk as he lay and focused on maintaining the bond.

' _That isn't the problem though…..you're only contacting me cos you're hurting and weak right?'_

 _'Aye, to both._ ' Loki replied telepathically.

' _I'll answer you…..if that's what you want….you want me to open my eyes so you can see?'_

 _'Can you still do that?'_

 _'You doubt me?…..I'm not dead my liege.'_

 _'Look, she gave me a potion okay and she made it just for me….I'm so lucky!_ ' Jay replied maintaining the bond but weakening at the same time.

' _You drank it?'_

 _'Uhuh, everyday and it's vile._ ' Jay struggled to open his eyes and it seemed like a huge task to even lift his head but he did and in doing so he allowed Loki a brief glimpse into Amora's bed chambers.

The floor and walls were covered in a mixture of different shades of blood both old and new crimson red and purple. Loki was able to see through Jay's eyes, his gaze pulled Jays eyes down to two blades in his chest, the blood flowing slowly, until he moved his gaze to the bed where Amora was beginning to rouse from her pained sleep.

' _It's not all mine…..don't worry….but then I wasn't really expecting you to!_ ' Jay tried to keep his eyes open but couldn't and Loki was unable to see anymore from that perspective instead he chose to focus on the mind linking bond.

' _The dark elves came for an impromptu visit asserting their overarching dominance of the nine realms for they wish to take control as always, wanting to cover everything in a sheet of utter darkness and despair.'_

 _'My liege…I'm tired but I'll be fine….don't worry about me I'll be fine, only one more day right?'_

 _'Jay…..I'm sorry, I should not have been so quick to accept…'_

 _'Just do what you need to…._ ' Jay interrupted breathlessly cutting the link and leaving Loki to recover from his end. He could tell the God was now worried, because he had just flat out lied to him but he didn't want him to come here to see what she had actually been doing that would be far too embarrassing. Without the added fact that he was still bleeding out slowly and Amora still hadn't woken.

* * *

Loki was disturbed from his conversation by a loud knock on his bedroom doors, he straightened himself up and climbed off his bed, his malaise seemed to have eased of slightly, although he figured that Amora would be feeling the same pains if not worse considering she had undoubtedly broken the contract.

"Heimdall thank you for coming to see me, I sense a march into the Norns kingdom is called for."

"Would it be anything to do with the prince?" Heimdall asked quietly whilst standing in the doorway.

"Aye….he is quite possibly hurt, by Amora's doing." Loki looked at the gatekeeper.

"It was my fault for agreeing to her yet I was so quick to cast his worries aside as if he bore no importance." Loki replied looking everywhere except into the golden all seeing eyes of Heimdall

"I realise now that he is important alas my mind is incapable of seeing past the evil of my future self…..whom I become when all this dies, when all this becomes insignificant…..that part of me believes him to be a waste of space and time…I have to fight that part of myself each and every day."

"Troubling times lie ahead my liege for both you and he…..but you will both prevail."

"Prevail, is easy for you to say but at the cost of what? What would possibly have to happen for it to come to that, the troubling times is not what I want to hear."

"A lesson you will both have to learn…in time."

"Lessons are for children not Gods." Loki sneered.

"Everyone is capable of being taught; both the old and young! Don't be so quick to judge young Odinson….."

Loki's jaw clenched at the name Heimdall just muttered but he chose to ignore it. He lifted his gaze feeling somewhat soothed by the majority of wise words Heimdall had uttered. The great gatekeeper of the observatory and rainbow bridge was about to leave having received his orders but before he left he turned giving the King some final advice.

"And Loki, my King you would do well to cast aside these fears you hold onto so strongly." He stated looking at the young King.

"For the fear itself will manifest and the truth is; it will become a reality if you desire something as strongly."

"Before you go, someone needs to belay a message to the black, white and green warriors for I am in need of their services for a week and no more."

"I heard of your plans! The royal aid is making it so, for he plans on visiting in person within the next two days my liege. Once they are all fully equipped and briefed on the situation they will be free to fight."

"Accommodation might be a concern though, have the Elves stated where the warriors will be sleeping or eating whilst they are fighting on Svartalfheim or are they expected to find their own in the barren wasteland they call home?"

"It will be decided in due course for we have one more day to finalise the plans, a show of strength is just that, there will be no death and no torture although the potential for humiliation will be great and of course everything hangs in the balance."

"No pressure then for the three warriors you want to send?" Heimdall questioned with his eyebrow raised, it was partially obscured by his large omega shaped helmet.

"Four warriors Heimdall, I'll be sending Jay when he is recovered….think of it as his last battle with his brothers."

"I really do not think this tactic will work out for you." Heimdall replied.

"Why ever not? It will be a fitting end to their journey together as a team." Loki replied with a smile, being so sure of himself and his choice to rid his protector of said weakness. After all, three of them had tried to kill Jay in most recent months and what better way than to say their goodbye's in a show of strength against some formidable opponents.

"My liege, if he distances himself so much from them who will help you when he tires, when he is hurt?"

"I am not completely helpless Heimdall, I choose to have him around me for my protection, he is my body guard if you will and he accepted it."

"Actually from what I remember you gave him no real choice." Heimdall scolded.

"Know your place Heimdall…I did not ask for the tone nor sentimental retelling of a tale you saw just as I did."

"I meant to make him strong in mind and body and I have done so."

"But at what cost? He is but a weapon now what kind of life can he have with that knowledge?" Heimdall asked with a frown.

"No cost to him, he does what is requested and he will continue to do so, once we have achieved our potential he will be free to live his life here as a prince but until then he is under my control." Loki replied coldly.


	54. Amora Devile

Amora got to work as soon as she woke for she had to help him even if she was in considerably more pain. Her potion kept the pain from him but not from her as she hadn't made the potion for herself.

The potion didn't stop the blood loss though and that was something she could do nothing about, the potion would heal him effortlessly removing all traces of injury from his body but it wouldn't replenish his blood. Knowing that time was of the essence, she had to act quickly and before her humble abode could be sullied by Einjerjar warriors who would no doubt drag her back to Asgard once they found her and what she had done to Jay.

She approached the sleeping motionless prince, who was sweating almost as much as he was bleeding, he was notably drenched. It was apparent that his body was struggling with the foreign objects still embedded for he couldn't heal whilst they remained in place.

Jay was hanging limply in his restraints with his head forward, his longish auburn hair obscured his face and his closed eyes. His shoulders were taking the weight of his upper body as he remained in that same position he had collapsed in a few hours previous. Luckily the position he was in had stopped the blades from being dislodged and in a sick way the restraints had saved his life as he would have bled to death if one blade had been removed considering Amora had collapsed too.

He was kneeling in his unconscious position and typically where his knees were in contact with the mattress there were now pools of blood accumulating around his knees where it had nowhere else to go. Amora sighed she had much work to do before she could leave in the morning which was only mere hours away, the first of which was to help the prince survive, his health was a priority because if he died she would follow and then there was the room which had enough of both his and her own blood on the walls to redecorate and not forgetting her bed was also drenched in his blood.

The blades were removed carefully but with haste, she watched as his blood flowed freely from all the wounds, next were the shackles they had to go before she could even attempt to revive him. She was actually feeling his pain as her own as she had withdrawn the blades and she was scared of the unknown having overstepped the mark of a royal contract. She was unsure of what would happen if Loki sent all the Einherjar to kill her considering she had no one to protect her not since Skurge the executioner was destroyed.

Maybe he wouldn't go to those extremes but she had just stabbed the youngest in line to the throne of Asgard, a crime of treason carried severe punishment as decreed by the King and the punishment would be decided by the same. ..Loki wasn't exactly prime King material for he could be cruel.

Jay had flopped forwards onto the bed once the shackles had been removed so she could repair the wounds on his back, she had used the same black potion which removed pain and healed the wounds removing all traces that they had ever existed.

* * *

He couldn't remember much after that the odd conversation with Loki, except for what had transpired. She had tried to kill him yet even that memory was being forcibly removed like the rest which had transpired over the same evening, almost as if Amora was starting from scratch, erasing it if it were a bad error of judgement.

But just as soon as he remembered what had happened including his weird conversation with Loki everything had gone from his head including the fight and the image of those two golden blades.

He simply woke up a few hours later on the bed as the sun was rising, the Enchantress was sitting next to him holding a goblet of wine to his lips as he woke which in itself was odd, who gives wine at breakfast? Amora apparently!

The taste was too strong for Jay at this ungodly hour and he felt like he hadn't slept at all. The feeling took him back to his younger years for he felt like he had been out all night on a drinking binge with Cole and Kai just before this whole new change of circumstances had happened with Loki.

"It was just a dream Jayson, don't worry yourself." She lied hoping her magic would be enough to hide the sheer amount of blood he had lost, she tipped it into his mouth and his eyes widened as the strong wine coated his tongue again before warming his throat on its journey to his stomach.

She had cleaned the blood from the prince before he had woken, he was covered in it for it trailed from his chest down toward his knees where it had pooled and congealed….and all from the hours previous. Amora had been busy, she hadn't slept. She had made a great deal of effort to rid her room and bed of the sheer amount of said blood that had been sprayed across it from the bloody battle of which both had been injured as was expected for this was no play fight, this was a battle of willpower and determination and dirty tactics…Amora had won that battle, that round was hers.

But her emotions had gotten the better of her which made her snap and she used her magic against him giving him the distinct disadvantage, the evil in her didn't see how cruel she was being, because all she saw was red when he uttered those words.

When he had uttered the word 'No' she snapped and she struck him not once but twice. He couldn't defend himself or fight back he just simply hung there in his shackles as she drove both blades into him until she realised for herself what she had done. He _of course_ knew as soon as she took his blade from him what she was going to do because she had changed in an instant, she wanted to inflict pain and she had at a cost to herself and Jay was right…..he knew that this would happen sooner rather than later despite Loki being so blind to her true intentions.

* * *

"You realise this would have been over so much quicker in your own realm…..but I saw past his deception and chose this place….the one place other than Vanaheim that stretches the length of a day and a week into months and years respectively." Amora teased but Jay didn't respond again.

Jay closed his eyes and rolled onto his side groaning into the large round pillow for all he felt was extreme tiredness. He heard her approaching and took the bottle from her before she prompted him. He just wanted to get this last day over with and he wanted to go back to sleep so as to sleep the day away whilst she was gallivanting around as him.

The time was almost nearing for her to go again for hours on end. He took the last smaller sip wondering where it had gone considering there was more in the bottle yesterday, he passed the now empty bottle back before laying down again pulling the wolf skin fur over him. His hands weren't shackled at all both were free and undamaged having fine bandages covered where the shackles would have been meaning he could choose to move away from her.

"Oh I admit it would have been fun in your own realm but times flies too quickly and, you're enjoying this right?"

"After all, a week, is a week is a week wherever you go, it's just a case of bending the rules, to even the playing field as they say on Midgard." Amora taunted again feeling remorse at her actions the night before for Jay still hadn't responded, he seemed broken and incredibly weak.

But something had irked him, she said something that annoyed him and biting his tongue wouldn't cut it. Jay sat bolt upright spinning his head in her general direction locking his eyes onto her blue orbs.

"Bending the rules!….is this how you normally treat royalty? No Amora…I'm not enjoying it….I'm just doing it to get it out of the way because what you two both agreed without even telling me first…speaks volumes about respect." Jay growled and turned his back to her.

She saw how ill he looked, his eyes were dull and the edges were pale and almost lifeless. "Well, had you not ran away we would have told you that same day…but alas you were no-where to be found. Leaving Loki in my hands, I admit he was easy to corrupt without you nearby, but you were so selfish to even see that you left him vulnerable and that my dear is where I excelled…..I took him too on that night, physically and mentally."

"Well that explains the…change in persona then." Jay muttered under his breath turning slowly.

"The complete psycho's you both became." He mumbled again aware that she was frowning at him.

"So you admit, you changed him…..just to get at me?" He leaned against the headboard of the large old dark wood bed staring up with difficulty at the ceiling timbers which were largely hidden by her four poster bed and the various drapes hanging from it.

"Yes…..the perfect setup." Amora sneered at Jay and he could tell she was blaming him and him alone. He looked away because he had done exactly that, he had just left for his own reasons and Amora had used her magic on the King of Asgard without him even realising, she had wrapped him around her finger and all because Jay wasn't there to protect him.

"You left him." She added before digging the knife in metaphorically. "You shouldn't be with him because you obviously don't care about him."

"You don't deserve your title, you don't deserve the life you have been given or the one I have improved, you don't deserve the elements you possess and you don't deserve to live." She finished with a deep breath in looking at Jay as her words had cut deep.

* * *

The young prince just smiled and shook his head refusing to show how much she was hurting him, he could take taunting and friendly banter but this was more like high school bullying. Extreme and unnecessary torment and all because he said 'no' to staying with her, a decision he would make again and again.

Amora seemed annoyed that her jibes weren't having the desired effect. "Typically as I thought, since being with you, Loki is now just as vulnerable as you are….he used to be more difficult to sway though..."

She looked at him but he had a smile on his face, he was looking at her ceiling focussing on one spot taking in all the details of the type of wood, the knots on the beams, the wood worm holes everything he could focus on to distract him from her cruel words because he knew he had done wrong by leaving Asgard.

He was beside himself with guilt even more so because now she had confirmed that Loki had been altered by her and it was inevitably Jay's fault, in effect the whole wedding weekend had been his fault. Kai having sex with a complete stranger, Cole too, setting his brothers up for a few months of fighting crime…it was all his fault. It wouldn't have happened if he had just stayed in Asgard as he was ordered to but he had other plans. His pride and bravado had refused to tell Loki until he had been caught red handed by the God who he was meant to be protecting, he had to explain then and there that he had promised to be a best man.

Everything that had happened that weekend was mostly because of Amora, she had manipulated the God as Jay had first though but the God was blind to it. That whole weekend had been painful to say the least none more so than the experience of hitting a wall at the speed of a fast moving car or when she took him down on her own in an attempt to make the God see Jay as a weakling and not protector material.

"You need to sleep 'your majesty' for you look like death." Amora fought back a smirk but quickly got onto the bed and offered him the wine again.

"Drink, I don't like to think of the young prince starving…" she said tipping the goblet of wine to his mouth slowly allowing him to swallow it, quenching his thirst, he ripped it from her grasp annoyed at her treatment of him.

"Wouldn't water be better?" He asked with his eyebrow raised, he was outwardly questioning her trying to divert the conversation away from the previous demoralising tone.

She didn't answer him though and she recognised the diversion tactics he was using, her taunts were evidently having an effect even if Jay refused to admit it was his fault but he was being quiet…a sure sign!

Again she grasped hold of the goblet and offered it to him but he swatted it away careful to avoid spilling it on her bed. She, of course needed him to drink the entire goblet as it had replenishing potions in it, giving him energy and stamina, replacing much of his lost fluids from a few hours before and hopefully it would put more colour back in his face.

The prince was so pale now he was similar to Loki's natural hue of almost chalk white, his healthy glow had vanished completely even his lips and gums verging on pinky white, the whole look was aghast against his pure white teeth, Jay looked ghoulish similar to the dead as they passed over to Hel or Valhalla.

* * *

Loki would kill her for sure if he saw how much damage she had inflicted onto the prince, but now she needed a plan for the end of the day so Loki would not see him at least until he had recovered sufficiently.

"Wine? First thing in the morning…..celebration?" He mumbled between sips, she was persistent he had to give her that for she had taken the goblet of him again and made him drink a large gulp.

"A bit early don't ya think? Sheesh." he looked confused, normally wine came with dinner not breakfast. He quickly grabbed the goblet of her again before putting it down on the ornate tray next to him, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and started to detest the taste of wine. He was so close to throwing the goblet against the wall and redecorating her room with the colour of oak aged burgundy.

"You d-didn't a-answer m-my earlier question?" he said with difficulty after the wine had gone down sufficiently, he felt a little tipsy due to having no food before drinking alcohol.

"Which question? Boy! Pray do tell…seeing as you talk incessantly."

Jay frowned at her remark which he considered a huge insult and decidedly below the belt coming from the woman who loved the sound of her own voice almost as much as Loki.

"You spoke about Nya last night before I…..well I don't remember what happened." Jay shook his fuzzy head. "I said I didn't want you because I had her….."

"Ah yes, if memory serves me correctly I remember saying along the lines of 'DO YOU HAVE HER ANYMORE' was that about right?" she spoke louder making him cringe in response.

"What did you do?" Jay asked with trepidation, unsure he wanted to hear what she had been doing as his doppelganger, she had kept that part mostly secret from him but he knew she had been doing it as she had occasionally changed in front of him just to torment him further especially during the first few days. Jay was completely outmatched and unable to stop her from doing it on a day to day basis he just watched and shook his head; believing his brothers and girlfriend would notice soon enough.

"Well you have been gone for ooh how long now? Hmm let me think." Amora looked up to the ceiling stroking her cheek with her sharpened nails.

"I-I don't know…..b-but let me guess y-you're gonna g-get off on t-telling me just how l-long it's been…right?" Jay replied dryly leaning back on the bed allowing himself to freefall onto the bolsters.

"Now, now Jayson, patience is a virtue." Amora scolded before thinking carefully at just how long she had been living her double life as him, she stood up and busied herself as she thought.

Jay rolled his eyes hiding a smirk from her face, ' _she had the gall to say I speak incessantly….pffft bitch please….you love your voice more than anyone_.'

"So if memory serves me correctly, two weeks with Loki, the self-proclaimed leader and King of all….hahahah in his dreams the fool and, seven days with me so far, so in total I would say in your realm that equates to twenty one weeks. I guess a lot happens in that time….almost half a year if I'm not mistaken!"

"Fuck!….." Jay whispered to himself quietly for he was shocked at just how much time had passed. His anger was mostly subdued by his heavy eyes but he couldn't help but feel regret at giving in so easily on Kai's wedding night.

If he had only fought back he could have stopped her then and there and maybe none of this impersonating would have happened. His brothers would still be the same, his life back in Ninjago untarnished…..but yeah, there was still that wretched contract!...And of course if he hadn't ran away in the first instance none of this would have happened at all.

 _ **But….**_

Loki had still agreed to her terms though and that was his fault alone, being unable to read her and unable to see past her lies and deceit was an error of judgement on the God's part.

* * *

"Of course, it wasn't all bad, it seems that you are quite the popular warrior down there…..your brothers seemed to enjoy your company and her…..Nya was it?"

"What d-did you do t-to her?"

"Well…as you know I took your place, you have been missing after all so I simply took the form of you." Amora smiled staring at her impressive untarnished nails

"But you already know this…..don't you?"

"What else?" Jay replied calmly yet his eyes were burning with hatred around the edges giving him the appearance of a vampire in dire need of blood, which wasn't too far from the truth!

"You never told me that those friends of hers were so hungry to make your acquaintance, so jealous of her! Because of…you!" Amora smiled noting his pallor, he was now so weak he couldn't even fight back if he wanted to…..it was perfect, her plan was working and on the last day too.

"I never a-actually met th-them d-did I…..just a b-brief introduction a-at the wedding, h-how was I to know they f-felt that way?"

"She told them you were a prince so as you would imagine they wanted to get to know you better…guessing some women can be almost as shallow as me." She laughed loudly.

" …..I obliged of course, took it on myself as a burden for you. Of course she was heartbroken but what do you expect, she is of course on the warpath with you now, well with me I should add and maybe Kai too when he finds out what you've done…"

"What! B-burden? Warpath? Are you s-serious…..ugh god w-what did you do?" Jay rolled his eyes at just how despicable she was but kept his tone low, trying to maintain a level of calm.

"I simply took them one by one sometimes two or three at a time and pleasured them as that was all they wanted from you…..I take it you're not pleased?" Amora teased knowing full well that Jay was furious at finding out about it but he wasn't showing any emotions.

"When did this happen?..." He asked calmly, his stronger mind set was winning over her continued attempts at breaking him.

"Yesterday mostly, the day before that and the day before in fact the last five days in truth…so very tiring, keeping this body of yours working to peak performance and especially so in the presence of females."

"What about my brothers?" Jay asked without showing too much emotion for he didn't want her to know that he was actually disgusted with her admission. Of course, having thought about it for seven days; he now knew her to be worse than Loki, the Overlord and even Garmadon…To Jay, this woman was pure evil on two legs, she had no heart and possibly no soul. For the amount of personal destruction she was causing to Jay, Loki, Kai, Nya and Cole was simply inhuman….no wonder she was alone, she was destined to be like that with her attitude.

"Haha Yes hmm, the green one, he thanks you sincerely for introducing him to his new fiancé, apparently they plan to marry sometime next year….."

"The red one, his child is due to be born in the next few weeks. They both remain happily married despite what I had made him do on his last night. The black one hasn't changed really all that much but occasionally I do have my fun with him. And the metal man well, he is simply lonely…..nothing I need to do there…..you are now quite the popular one, it seems everyone wants to spend time with you…..save for Nya of course…because she hates you, as does her brother!"

"You're ruining my life,…..why are you doing this?" He replied as calmly as possibly seeing the anger in her face as her taunts and jibes were still failing to elicit an emotional reaction from him, he had for the moment locked away any and all emotions, he was just battling her word for word to see who would fall first.

"Am I ruining it? I see it as improving it tenfold, you are so much more valued now…..well I guess you won't be for long…..that is when the real you goes back there."

"They don't even know I've been gone…so in effect you're ruining my life cos when I get back they'll simply disown me…." Jay said without any emotion, looking around himself like he didn't care what she had just said or the conclusion he had come to himself.

"Yesterday you were more than willing to kill them if I didn't fight you, yet you still can't stay away from them." Jay licked his teeth ridding them of the strong taste of wine, his body was crying out for actual food now.

"But it worked…you fought for them." Amora looked at him with narrowed eyes, her unease growing because he wasn't retaliating verbally…..at all, he was doing the polar opposite, he was calm and collected, each response he gave was well thought out and free of any raised tones.

"Thanks…and yet you still won't leave them alone…" Jay said quietly because the rest was said in his head. The round of expletives that were circling his internal monologue were close to being verbalised as she turned into his doppelganger before his eyes, something she hadn't don't for five days or so.

"Ah disappointment all round right!…damn shame that you're expecting me to shout and flip out because of what you're doing now…hahahahah." Jay leaned back on the bed and played with a small ball of purple lightning now his hands were free.

Amora simply turned around and looked at him incredulously whilst he repeatedly singed her bed drapes with his lightning element, he was playing with the electrical sphere tossing it upwards like a rubber ball before catching it.

"Petulant imp…..I loved destroying your life and everything you held dear….." she sneered.

"Hmmmm and how did that work out for you? You never ruined it Amora, not even close…..I probably made you feel like that but it can be repaired, everything can! Hel I'm an inventor I could probably invent something to repair it hahaha." Jay ignored her anger and played it cool, he chuckled to himself and tossed the elemental ball up high enough that it singed her green drapes leaving a perfect hole.

"I'm sure I could find other ways….."

"Oooh I bet you could…." Jay replied dryly without looking at her. He could tell she was getting annoyed with him but the longer she stayed here the less damage she could do in his home world, so they carried on insulting each other.

"Even though my insults don't seem to work I still enjoy making you feel like this Jayson." Amora said, watching as Jay cringed at her using his full name again.

"Feeling like what…small? Ha like that would ever happen, for one I just know how cruel and evil you are and two I hope to God you aren't pregnant because you'd be a terrible mother."

"How's that for starters…..does it burn that all you want is a child yet your body betrays you…you're probably barren just like Jotunheim…" Jay replied and looked sideways at her watching her face drop.

"Don't be so quick to think _that,_ my young prince; for none of us know what the future holds." She said rubbing her stomach gently, the action of which made Jay feel sick.

"Anyway it is time for me to leave and as per the contract….. it expires upon my return, you are free to go at midnight and no sooner." She said closing the bedrrom door directly behind her back. She stood and stared at Jay who was still half sitting half lying on her bed aghast at seeing a duplicate of himself with his back to the bedroom door.

She created her portal in her own bedroom preferring to taunt him further, she wpuld be leaving him with no food or drink except for the wine she had left.

"And for now, I have a previous engagement to attend on your realm, I believe the metal man is expecting my help with something oh so important…..but likely incredibly droll."

"What you mean Zane! He has a name ya know." Jay replied "If you're gonna attempt to imitate me, at least do it properly…..what are you doing with him anyway?"

"Nothing…really, just sending him on a worthless mission…..on his own to find nothing, may take a few months for him to realise maybe less, regardless he won't be happy with you." Amora performed a rather over the top curtsy before she left. "See you later…..your majesty."

"WHATEVER…see ya then….." Jay hissed, getting the full impact of her venomous glare as he gave her the finger before she left through the portal.

* * *

Her form now resembled a near perfect copy of Jay, the only difference in him that would have been noticeable was his eyes; they were bright blue and his scar, being the exact mirror image but being on the other side. Everything else she emulated exceptionally well. The outfit and working armour matched perfectly yet the weapons were none existent just a glamour or hidden magic that would only be revealed if her true form was.

A portal of her own making was conjured at her bedroom door, a large green tinged circular hole with a perfect picture of Ninjago on the other side, she simply walked through it as it if were a realistic oil painting and that was as simple as it was.

He stared after her watching as she walked through the newly conjured portal, seeing the all too familiar colours of his home world on the other side. It looked so welcoming the sun was shining brightly and the trees were all covered in a beautiful array of fall colours, leaves were scattered on the floor some even blew into Amora's room whilst the portal was open.

She walked through it and closed the portal behind her leaving Jay to stare at her as she disappeared. For the young prince had chosen, he wanted no part of Amora's plan, she was cruel and manipulative more so than that of Loki, she was worse. He didn't give her what she wanted and sometime through the night he figured it had ended badly, for that would explain why he felt like he'd had a battle and lost.

Amora had forgotten to replace his shackles sometime during the early morning so Jay was technically free to roam the house that Amora lived in. Jay steadied himself and stood up at the side of the bed, he knelt down to pick up the leaves that had floated to the side of the bed. He grasped them and looked at the fall colours, he realised he had missed his birthday again that was twice now since being in Loki's servitude. He would have been about 26 now if he wasn't immortal but now he would remain 24 for ever, not a bad age per se but better than being a teenager for all eternity.

Jay stood again and spent a good amount of time looking around her room, staring at the potions again, none of which were labelled.

"Hahaha good job Zane's not here, he'd been labelling like mad….OCD much tinman." Jay smiled and put down the bottle he held carefully.

He left the bedroom and walked out into the stark bare walls of the hallway venturing further down towards the main unpainted front door but it was locked solid, he tried to pull it open by the solid black iron handle to see outside but the door wouldn't budge, he used his element and even that didn't touch it, the door had been enchanted it was almost as if Amora knew he might try to escape at some point.

A last ditch attempt he tried the front room window, the room only had a dark wooden rocking chair covered in a thick layer of dust and a worn red rug on the floor in front of a heavily sooted empty fireplace similar to the bedroom he'd been held prisoner in for a whole week.

"Really don't think this place is suitable for a baby, Amora." Jay said to himself chuckling at the building which was falling apart rock by rock, even the floor was missing in some parts of the room making the journey from one side to another slightly treacherous.

Jay carefully walked across the creaky wooden floor avoiding the cracked floorboards before approaching the window frame. He pulled the faded red drapes across, again careful not to rip them considering the age and state of the material. A musty smell caught his nose, these curtained drapes seemed to be that old that they were stiff with dust and mildew but Jay wanted to feel the breeze on his face; to feel fresh air however all he could smell was mould and a hideous musty smell along with a mass of dust and cobwebs now floating through the air. His element needed to be free not locked away in a house made of rocks, of course if it were Cole he would have enjoyed it to a certain extent maybe not the potions or the fight but everything in between.

"No TV, no games console or radio, Hel there's not even cards to play with….gahh what does she do here for all this time?" he shouted out loud and continued to look around the room careful to avoid the missing sections of floor.

Jay was getting desperate, the windows were again solid, the window levers which looked incredibly simple to use were as solid as the door. No give, in them at all even as strong as Jay was he couldn't open the window….none of them would open. He slinked down the wall and sat on the floor in defeat, he had to wait for her to get back but that could be anything up to fourteen hours away depending upon the sunset in Asgard.

Hunger pangs eventually got him standing again as he went on a search for food, he hadn't even been in the kitchen since being here because he'd been kept in her room. But gurgling stomach noises moved him on in his quest for food, he walked down the narrow and winding hallway opening each internal door as he passed it.

So far he had only found the one bedroom, the front room, a study of sorts again with a thick layer of dust, a potions mixing room, a small spell casting room with a spell book on a raised pedestal; the candles were still lit which was eerie and then finally a well-used door.

Typically the last door he came across led into the kitchen and once in there he was able to grab some bread, a cooked leg of some flightless bird and some milk refusing point blank to drink anymore wine. He walked back into the bedroom and ate quietly, noting how warm the room felt, it seemed to be mid-afternoon, lunchtime to be exact a time when Jay was usually sleeping but he wasn't overly tired at the moment, all that wine he had drunk this morning was keeping him awake which in itself was peculiar as alcohol usually had the opposite effect for everyone else and him included.

"So she slipped me a potion again…..figures." Jay fumed picking up the goblet of half-finished wine, even the colour looked too dark for wine, it was purple mostly not the usual burgundy associated with fermented red grapes, he poured the remaining half onto the floor and watched as it sank through the floor boards to the dark terra firma below.

It would appear that Jay was becoming a wine connoisseur since being with Asgard for it was expected of the young prince to join in with relevant celebrations when he wasn't out decimating those unsuspecting realms. Occasionally he was given a flagon of wine as a gift or token of appreciation from the wives of the Einherjar for bringing them home safely.

And he had also enjoyed a hearty amount back in Loki's palace before they had to leave abruptly because of the dangers that Hydra were posing. Wine was served at most of the meals except for breakfast, it was meant to be reviving for the blood and none more so than Asgardian wine.

But as Jay sat on the bed he thought about his brothers and frowned for she was right, Amora had ruined his life and they had accepted her as him. To make matters worse he had been away for over five months and they hadn't even noticed that it wasn't him. Was he really that forgettable, had they not noticed at all, had Nya?

Fear gripped at him for he felt alone again, there she was living his life for him and he didn't ask her to and all in the name of weakness, all because she desired a child and protector, he had been treated like her slave for the whole week, a well fed slave but still a slave…..royalty should never have to put up with such humiliation and degradation, such baseline treatment of a person would be frowned upon but a prince would be a considered heinous and Jay had now had enough with both Loki and Amora.

And he cried, he lay on his side and sobbed loudly for no one could hear him. His wishes had been ignored by both the God Loki and the Enchantress Amora, they both chose this plan, they interfered and tested him both mentally and physically over three Asgardian weeks. His pain intensified and the tears weren't helping, the same feeling was coming back and that pain was one he knew all too well….it was his hidden element wanting release because of pent up anger, sadness and betrayal.

Jay realised now that after Amora had so kindly told him that he was a weapon; pure and simple he was a tool for complete chaos and destruction on a catastrophic scale but he was a weapon with a title, he was also an Asgardian prince because Loki wanted him to have purpose to make him feel more important.

Looking at his now purple fingers he willed the day to pass, he prayed to the Gods; all of them that he believed in and others that he didn't for the day to hurry as he lay and cradled his stomach, breathing the throbbing pain away but it was no good the colour had already spread to his hands.

Of course there wasn't much he could do because he was locked in but he would try to keep it in until later when he could leave, holding on to the hope she would let him go as agreed because if she didn't keep to her agreement there would be no house anymore and potentially no surrounding houses either, potentially no castle on the furthest hill dependant on how powerful the weapon would be.

He closed his eyes and tried to focus on sleeping and it took a while to calm down but sleep did eventually come, the colour transformation slowed down and remained on his hands for Jay had fallen into a deep dream filled sleep.

Dreams of being back in Ninjago, partying with his brothers, spending time with Nya, enjoying each other's company…..the normal everyday things he was missing out on but the things he used to enjoy which had been a huge part of his formative years was now nothing but a distant dream.

* * *

 **Amora's diary of care**

I didn't even have to use potions or spells on the prince to get him to do my bidding, but I would for our last night if I needed to, besides it has been such a fun filled week. Lots of discoveries have been made and alas tonight is our last night, despite our little fight earlier I think it is going well. He was injured of course but he will heal. After all Loki says he is immortal, his position hampers his recovery but I will not let him free until he has calmed.

Because he is royalty the best practice is to make sure he is fed and watered as often as he needed, cleansing rituals are all important too, the prince needs to remain clean and well rested…he weakens though despite my care of him….his body seems to be struggling with something.

I know Loki had somehow mentioned my enchantments to him but I soon bypassed that little issue last night and I must say I was remarkably impressed with him. The prince has skills, I would go so far as to say a little too much of Loki's input here.

 **Day one** , I managed to get him to take my potion, a simple draft meant to repair, replenish and allow for sleep to come quickly. I noticed he was extremely reluctant on our first night together but that was to be expected, he called me many names, I found it sweet and endearing…..he still fought because he was angry at being unable to fight back. The insults didn't aggrieve me at all they are somewhat childish though…maybe I will get used to them or tire…we'll see.

 **Day two** , The second night was the same as the one before, with the incessant name calling and petulant behaviour but we still made love.

 **Day three** , The third night was a little different, the shouting was none existent, it was like he had accepted what was happening was out of his control and just….simply rolled with it but seemed disgusted with himself afterwards, which was to be expected considering his body failed him and responded to me only…..he does taste good though, his essence is so young.

 **Day four** , The fourth was different again, he started to take more control it would seem he interacts with me when he is nervous. I found out much about him and his previous life with the fake king in his life. This prince wasn't destined for anything except a life of pain, under the direction of a task master whom he referred to as a sensei, now it is apparent he is still destined for the same future but under the influence of Loki.

 **Day five** , The fifth night was becoming better, he had actually chosen to return my kisses avoiding my lips again. Until I scared him with my blades bestowed to me by my sister Lorelei, I trapped the poor prince and he had no escape plan this time, I kissed him and he loved it….so much so that I felt his bodily responses. And we actually made love twice, he is quite the gentle man, not overly confident though and not as cruel as Loki. My heart still reaches for Thor but he no longer responds to my letters for his earth bound love keeps him close….perhaps I will be with child and then the loneliness will subside.

 **Day six** , The prince and I made love before I left again, but he would not return my kiss it was almost as if my enchantment had run its course. Most perplexing I must admit but alas I should have strengthened them just for him. I vaguely remember Cole being similar, he was only smitten for a day, he did not attempt to seek me out the following day, nor the day after.

I asked Jayson of his decision, he could join me or stay with Loki but he chose against me. I was shocked but not surprised alas I was hurt by his words and we fought. It was a fitting final battle between two lovers, much blood was spilt, both mine and his and he apologised to me as I plunged both blades into him.

I may have broken the Asgardian royal contract, the magical bind is greatest for the current ruler and I now feel the pain, it is an intense burning pain, I momentarily forgot but he is recovering now. His blood loss was great, but he appears otherwise fine in person, albeit considerably paler.

The pain slows me down even my magiks are faltering slightly but this is a mere side effect and they will improve as he improves…as long as he drinks the wine he should recover much quicker and Loki will be none the wiser, he isn't that wise anyway….the arrogant fool.

 **Day seven** , I cleansed his wounds, the bed and my bed chambers, the blood seemed to stray far from the bed.

He of course woke up eventually alas he is almost unrecognisable to me but I know he is still in there somewhere for he remains feisty at all times and fights my words with his own. Yet it is apparent that Loki has strengthened his mind and my methods do not rile him nay more. I don't seem to tire of him as I thought I would which troubles me for I seek to ruin them both if I'm not with child but now I doubt my own mind for I fear it betrays me.


	55. Thanks for the opportunity Ninjago pt1

The portal allowed her to teleport to the realm known as Ninjago where the time was mid-afternoon. She clicked her fingers allowing the portal to collapse before she carried on with her days plans, her first plan of the new day was to visit the metal man known as Zane.

She had a plan for him, one for the man who seemed to have no weakness, save for extremes of heat, but he was evidently too smart for that plus Amora knew him to be able to utilise his element if he ever got into difficulties.

As soon as Amora had stepped foot onto the hidden realm of Ninjago she ran into trouble almost immediately, some thugs were running in her direction one ran straight past her where-as the other barrelled into her carrying what looked to be a handgun. She got knocked over and angrily got up brushing herself down, apparently her body had been shot but the bullet had bounced of leaving nothing but a hole visible on her ninja gi clothing directly in the area of her collar bone.

A green and red dressed ninja seemed to be in hot pursuit of said thugs. 'Lloyd and Kai at a guess.' Amora smiled in Jay's form and held one of the thugs up tossing him at their feet where he landed a good ten feet away.

"Whoa Jay!…..when did you become so strong dude…"Kai greeted with a confused face puzzled as to why Jay was standing in the bushes.

"Why are you in the bushes dude? Odd place to skulk out don't ya think?" Lloyd quizzed patting Jay on the back.

"You alright, did the bullet graze you at all?"

"No, I'm fine seriously eheheh who are these douchebags anyway?"

"One of a number of crime rings cropping up around here and Ninjago city, quite annoying really." Lloyd said as he tied them both up with help from Kai.

"Where ya off to anyway?" Kai asked hearing Lloyd whisper to him making Kai frown in response.

"I was going to see Z-Zane actually and then later I'm off to see Cole and Seliel! Why is there an open invite going on or something?"

"What about Nya, she's been asking for ya?" Kai asked watching to see Jay's response.

"Oh really! Well if I've got the time I might pop along and see her maybe go for a meal or something I'm sure she'll like that." Jay shrugged his shoulders uncaring.

"What is going on with you two anyway?" Kai asked again narrowing his gaze further.

"Nothing why, what have ya heard?" Jay replied in a cocky tone, raising the wrong scarred eyebrow waiting for Kai to reply. He was testing him, his body language was painfully obvious even his head was lowered but his strange blue eyes remained on Kai mocking him, making the master of fire extremely uncomfortable, he instantly regretted prying.

"Erm, well." Kai started and then backed off a little feeling intimidated by Jay's stance.

Jay smirked and lifted his head poking at the new hole in his clothing, Lloyd saw it and Jay quickly hid it from view, noting that Lloyd seemed to be showing signs of uncertainty around Jay. It was plain to see he wanted to leave because he whispered into Kai's ear again making him nod in agreement.

"Rude to whisper about someone, you realise I'm right in front of you." Amora replied using Jay's voice.

"Sorry Jay" Kai replied and backtracked again.

"Right well we're off to deliver these two missing inmates to the city police headquarters to await trial and then we might see ya later on in the week. Although can't say for certain, we seem to be patrolling a lot more now." Lloyd stated and patted Jay on the back again.

"Yeah okay, see you later then." Jay waved and watched as they both left with their respective criminals in tow.

Amora waited until they had both completely disappeared from view, before she retrieved the bullet from inside Jay's clothes, the bullet was still red hot, but it was flattened like it had hit a lead panel when actually it had just hit her skin and bounced off leaving no hole, blood or bruise just a perfect circular hole in her Jay's working armour.

Jay only walked a short distance to the new school for the portal had opened quite close to the dojo but on the outskirts of the village where the power signal could not be easily traced. The 'fake' Jay who was Amora in disguise knocked gently on the deep red doors of the dojo school she knew Zane to be working at. The pure white walls looked to be freshly painted for the stench of it was carried in the breeze settling in her nose.

As before the security system of the school noticed a visitor standing outside the gates and the receptionist questioned the visitor as to their intentions. This had already been practiced many times as Amora had visited many times over the last five months.

"I'm here to see Zane, it's me Jay Walker-Gordon, I'm his brother."

"One moment please, Mr Zane isn't teaching today."

Jay raised his eyebrow and waited patiently for Zane behind the red gates, she had already been in the dojo countless times but being properly disguised and not to be given away required a modicum of respect to be treated as Jay was. Jay even though Amora hadn't known him for long was still exceptionally bright, well-mannered and respectful and that part of him she carried with her when she communicated, she didn't want her disguise to slip.

She didn't have to wait long for the large red doors to be opened, she could hear the electronic lock releasing the catches one by one. Almost as if the school was protecting a rare expensive diamond not some pathetic feral children. She saw Zane once the doors had opened enough to reveal the titanium ninja standing there, he was smiling as usual. Zane opened the door enough to allow Jay to enter into the secure playground.

"Good afternoon Zane, having fun?" Jay asked enthusiastically with a giggle.

"Yes actually sometimes I think teaching is more my forte the children listen and watch, their parents seem pleased with the results. I must say I really do see myself as perhaps the head teacher of this school or maybe a bigger one in the future."

"Yeah, well why not, I mean we can't fight all the time can we!" Jay paused and smiled grasping Zane's shoulder with a firm grip.

"We all need to find that one thing that keeps us striving for more and if you find it then you've accomplished one of life's great goals."

"Ah yes, of course a step in the right direction perhaps that would suit me maybe set my sights a little higher as they say."

"Exactly to strive for it you gotta put your best foot forward and just do it."

Amora shook her head, she knew the metal man to be too literal most of the time even if her brain was working faster than his was. She quickly corrected herself before he spoke.

"A figure of speech Zane, I just mean that to achieve your goals you have to do all that you can to get there, make yourself known, be the best you can be, be the best you, yeah?"

"Of course, wise words as always Jay." Zane smiled back in response to the pep talk.

"You have got to look at it this way, you need to work hard so that success will make you famous, I mean you won't need to introduce yourself anymore, because everyone will know ya."

* * *

Jay simply continued to pat Zane on the back, hoping the metal man would at least take notice and stop doubting himself so much.

"Jay, come on brother, tell me what you've found. Is it our next mission?" Zane greeted and pressed the electronic security device allowing the door to close and lock from the inside as they both made their way inside the large dojo.

The disguised Amora walked with Zane, his arm draped over Zane's shoulders through to the school dojo building.

The enchantress knew that Loki had changed Jay to be more like him so she emulated that as well, and she changed his persona for and molded it into something she could work with herself. She made him out to be the energetic womaniser, party animal and all round cool guy to be around. And it was working, Jay was indeed popular with his brothers, not so much with Nya anymore but very popular with her friends.

Amora again in her disguise had visited many places in Ninjago; Nya's apartment too many times to count. Nya's bed rarely, no matter how many times the dark haired woman pleaded and begged. Amora had even been invited to Cole and Seliel's apartment on the coast for a long weekend every month to be precise, enjoying barbeque's and night's out with just Cole.

She was undoubtedly leading a double life, keeping the real Jay a prisoner in her own bed whilst living his life as his evil yet partying laid back doppelganger.

But this afternoon she had at least eight hours until complete sunset in Asgard giving her enough time to spend time with Zane, Cole, Kai and Lloyd. Technically it worked out to be almost four days in Ninjago. Jay had the equivalent of six hours sleep whilst she was gone, six hours to recharge before she was due back.

Kai and Skylor too had taken time to invite the fake Jay into their new house showing him around the newly decorated abode, inviting him to their second scan and Skylor's baby shower. They had both chosen to stay in Jamanakai village, the village built onto the Mountain of impossible height, the same village they got married in because the views were breath taking and not forgetting that the village was quiet, the villagers close knit and the school was small and inviting.

Skylor was technically on maternity leave and her baby was due any day now so it wasn't like she was going to fly around on her dragon to run her famous and still popular noodle shop which she had renamed as 'Chen's Noodle house.'

Kai being the ever overprotective person never really left her side and didn't dare travel too far away in case she called him, his cell phone was always on his person, the battery always fully charged.

He always tried to finish early and Lloyd being his new best friend would let him go. This day was no different, once they had both delivered the thugs to New Ninjago PD Kai and Lloyd left to go their own separate ways but not before Lloyd phoned Zane to check in on him.

* * *

"Can I go? I really need to check in on Skylor."

"Sheesh Kai, I know she's pregnant and that she's overdue but seriously she will ring if she needs you, just hold fire a second will you."

"Sure, so what exactly are you doing then?" Kai asked impatiently checking his phone for messages or missed calls, breathing a small sigh of relief when he saw none except a message stating simply 'Love you FB still no signs yet xx.'

"I need to check in on Zane, I'm really concerned about something that I've been noticing more and more."

"Vague! Lloyd how long is this gonna take?" Kai whined and tapped his heels on the steps of New Ninjago PD waiting to leave the bustling dusty city.

"I'll speaker phone it so you can hear too okay, because it in involves all of us." Lloyd finished as he dialled in Zane's phone number.

* * *

 **Meanwhile at the Ninja's school dojo**

Zane smiled again and led the unknown 'fake Jay' through to his own sleeping quarters consisting of his bedroom, study, living area and bathroom.

Jay followed Zane through to his own private rooms being respectful and not saying anything untoward about the small but immaculate accommodations he was walking through.

The metal man that Amora had come to know as Zane looked like he slept in the small accommodations. Although to be fair the stark white small but tidy accommodation seemed to suit the metal man well for he seemed to be quite the neat tidy person she was growing to know.

Zane had amassed some framed certificates on the walls and his bed and electronic devices took pride of place everywhere else. Shelves adorned one of the walls, looking to be in perfect symmetry with his diamond shurikens encased in a frame of their own. He had only used them a handful of times because they were lethal in comparison to his regular metal ones.

The diamond shurikens were resistant to any and all elements, unbreakable and incredibly strong, the last time he used them in Ninjago the shuriken hit the person and passed through their body effortlessly killing the person instantly. Since them Zane had them cleaned and preserved in secure frames.

They were completely over the top for the simple criminals here in Ninjago and as such they were treated as the gift that they initially were. After all they were given to Zane by none other than Loki when he changed all of the ninja for a rescue mission. Changing not only their weapons but the ninja too, making them impossibly strong and somewhat immortal.

Loki didn't believe their ninja clothing nor metal weapons would survive a battle against Hydra, considering the soldiers there were wielding automatic rifles and handguns as well as protective body armour.

* * *

Everything else in Zane's room was neat and tidy, labelled alphabetically and stacked without anything being out of place. His bed was perfectly made with no creases and there was not a speck of dust anywhere, the metal man was more than a little obsessed with cleanliness from what the disguised Amora could tell.

' _They call themselves brothers but yet not by blood and now my plan to separate the one with no weaknesses….the metal man seems almost infallible_.'

Amora thought of a quick plan a solitary one whereby only the master of ice could travel, a journey so treacherous that only he would accept it to save the journey from his brothers who were all seemingly in long term relationships.

"Zane, I heard from one of the bookbinders of Ninjago that either the Glacier barrens or Birchwood forest may hold some secrets to being able to find a clue to defeating ultimate evil." Amora pulled him in using Jay's best voice.

Trying her best to get his attention she put more information out for him to become interested in the subject like a fish being pulled along on a lure until it finally takes the bait, being caught in a fight for survival as it nears the surface.

"I know it's really sketchy and a long shot but it comes from quite high up, like from the cloud kingdom." Amora said, noting that snippet got Zane's attention enough to warrant his gaze as it trailed up from his small electronic device up to her disguised face.

"Okay, I am listening, please continue." Zane replied and put down his prototype.

"Years ago around the time that the first spinjitsu master founded spinjitsu, well they say he found a large collection of scrolls most of which he was able to carry and decipher." Jay took a sip of the tea that Zane had made.

"Right, I understand so far I mean I know he would have written his own after reading these so that the people of this realm could understand them better."

"He did? I don't know! But anyway the scrolls mostly listed the elemental abilities that people like you and the others could wield, the interesting thing though was that when he came back to get the rest they had all gone, they were lost somehow and he never found them again. Now it is possible that he dropped some on his journey of enlightenment or they just vanished but I believe he lost some. The sea of sand too was also another possible destination."

"How could they just vanish, surely the weather would have foretold him that a heavy snowfall would have covered them sufficiently. It was much colder in the era of the first spinjitsu master therefore hoar frost would have typically covered the previous layers."

"Yeah, so in Birchwood forest and the Glacial Barrens." Jay continued.

"It could be a possibility that they would have been destroyed but the Sea of sand not so much because there are just dunes there." Jay replied not interested in the why's and wherefores, but her plan was working because Zane was now interested.

"Okay I agree with that reasoning, so Sea of Sand too hmm."

"Yeah I know right." Jay enthused and clapped his hands excitedly as he carried on selling the ploy to Zane.

"Like you said, some of the scrolls could have been trapped under weeks or months of snowfall at a guess but I know that if he possessed the power of fire he could have melted the snow down a little." Jay stated.

"Ah yes true Jay, however you are forgetting a simple but important part: the scrolls are and have always been made of parchment paper, water being detrimental to it especially when written with ink."

"Hmm, of course, so no fire then?"

"No it would have been safer to keep it blanketed under layers of snow, to preserve the scrolls but if he never found them they could just be mulch by now. After all the accumulation of **snow** that serves to protect and water underlying vegetation will melt gradually over time and each layer will move down."

"Maybe!" Jay replied dryly with a hint of boredom as Zane droned on about the snow.

"But, wouldn't it be cool to find them and see what they hold? They might hold the key to defeating evil in this realm or the other 15 linked to this." Amora had been researching well, but in Jay's docile state he had been more than willing to give up this information freely especially if it meant she would let him sleep.

"It is firn snow meaning the layers are vast and deep, some of it may even be glacial but I guess it would not hurt to look if this is what you want me to do."

"Could you do it though I mean on your own?" Jay asked again with a look of concern and mock sympathy in testing the metal man to see if he would fall for the ploy.

"Of course I can I do not see how anyone else could do it besides I can sense materials that should not be in that environment, call it an extra sensory perception. Paper for example should be fairly easy to distinguish in snow, ice however is different because it is solid material. Yes of course I can do it." He reiterated with conviction, the sureness and confidence was bounding of him by the bucket load.

"Jay, are you sure you want to take this path considering how ruthless Loki has been before in punishing you?"

"Yeah, I'm fairly sure, I mean what he doesn't know right won't hurt him, plus we would be free to live our lives as we want not how he chooses."

"Your reason for this rather long journey? That you are expecting me to take alone, I mean you know I have a job too, a responsibility here." Zane questioned with an eyebrow raised waiting for a decent reason to warrant him having to leave his post for an unknown duration.

"We might just be able to stop Loki and prevent Ragnarok! Please Zane, can you help me?" Amora pleaded in Jay's most pathetic tone of voice the one she had heard him use on Kai's wedding night as she repeatedly kicked his ribs.

"How do you expect to stop something as big as Ragnarok, it is the end of the multiverse as we know it, the end of everything, for all we know this very realm may be in danger too."

"I'm basing some faith in these scrolls, I really think they'll hold a clue, please Zane."

"Look, I know it's a big ask but the coldness is more your thing. I'll be searching the sea of sand this afternoon, I mean the heat doesn't bother me much I grew up there right?" It was more of a question than an answer, and one that almost blew her cover. The rise of tone at the end of the sentence made it sound all wrong but Zane didn't seem to notice.

"Okay, I will do it if only to stop you from pleading. So when do you expect me to undertake this daring journey?"

"Oh, uhm as soon as possible. Evil doesn't sleep bro so there's no time like the present eh?" Amora replied with Jay's own smirk as her own and further smiled when Zane nodded and shook her hand in the process.

"I will hand my notice in or maybe take a few month's vacation instead but it will be done. Once I am adequately packed I will journey as you request besides this may be the end of this journey but I believe my destiny lies somewhere greater than this small school." Zane said as Jay stood up patting his back.

"Let me take this call and I will see you out Jay." Zane asked as he gave Jay a drink of tea and walked out of the room with his iPhone attached to his ear noting it was his brother in green phoning.

* * *

" _Hey Zane, can you talk?"_

"Yes Lloyd, but please make it quick for I have company, Jay is here _._ " Zane stated.

 _"Good because this will hopefully be a quick call."_

"Any more news on the crime rings? Are we any closer to finding the next target?"

 _"Actually no, but we could do with Cole tomorrow, some of them have some serious weaponry, I'm telling you we need Kevlar or similar."_

"Maybe the police force can help with that, but they will make your uniforms more cumbersome however I believe it may be in our best interests, besides we can still be hit by bullets."

"Although you do heal much faster now where-as my titanium exoskeleton receives no damage at all."

"Hmm cumbersome versus death, I'd rather go for my life over cumbersome any day Zane." Lloyd paused.

"I'll speak to them tomorrow and get us kitted out in new vests." Lloyd paused and sighed down the phone.

"Lloyd is something bothering you, I sense you want to discuss a matter with me that is not related to crime rings."

"Look Zane I'm really concerned about, well, about Jay." Lloyd paused again groaning down the phone.

"He's not been acting right for ages actually. I've been wanting to say something for ages but kept my mouth shut in case I was wrong, but…but today something just wasn't right ." Lloyd replied and Zane could tell he had been holding on to this information for a while, it had obviously been eating away at him.

"How long exactly are you thinking any particular time period?" Zane paused with a small smile.

"Jay is not what I deem normal anyway, it is what makes him so, quirky." He added, yet not understanding what Lloyd was getting at.

"No Zane you don't understand. This isn't his behaviour at all, he has changed massively! And this has been a recent thing."

"How recent?"

"Well, don't shout at me but kind of since the wedding, he seems like a whole new Jay, completely different almost."

"Hmm, odd that you say that for I too have noticed distinct changes in him but I thought it to be the normal processes a human male goes through upon maturation."

"But where's Loki, there's no way he would let Jay stay down here for so long or us, this was only supposed to be a month vacation yet here we still are five months later." Lloyd stated.

"You are right of course for I have seen no visible signs of Loki, the God has not graced us with his presence for some time." Zane replied but checked through his memory banks just to be sure. Frowning when his search brought up no search results, no matches on any of Ninjago's security camera's which all had facial recognition on and Loki's face was easy to distinguish.

The last known image was Jamanakai village the morning after Kai's wedding but Zane had never seen the video footage until now. He just stared in horror at what he was seeing as Jay in his suit was beaten and attacked by some unseen female.

"What does Cole think or Kai, have you liased with Nya?" Zane asked as he stared in shock at the sound less video footage of Jay taking a beating from an impossibly strong woman.

"Jay won't even talk to Nya, but he cheated on her with all of her friends a few months ago. That was tame considering what he's been doing recently."

"I'm worried about him Zane. Today when we bumped into him he was coming out of the bushes."

"Coming out of the bushes is not odd, Lloyd." Zane replied and shuddered at seeing those images for that was the last time Loki had been in Ninjago.

"Let me finish Zane!" Lloyd sounded flustered like he was out of breath.

"He apprehended both thugs we were chasing having just been shot, but the bullet hit his skin and bounced off, it didn't even leave a wound."

"Okay now that is strange, only Asgardian's possess that ability." He thought looking at the female again noting her strength and speed and finally her magical ability.

"And…" Lloyd continued.

"He picked one up and threw him ten feet in the air towards us."

Zane frowned as the video ended, he wasn't sure what to do with that set of images, Jay had been seriously injured but Loki removed him from the realm and as far as he knew Jay had returned the following day as if nothing had happened.

If Jay had taken that severe beating the day after the wedding immortal or not he would be feeling the effects of it for a few days at least but the more Zane thought back the more he realised that the day after the wedding Jay was out partying with Cole and Lloyd, spending time on the beach, sunning himself playing beach ball and flirting with the girls.

Zane stared wide eyed looking sideways at his brother who was sat in his room looking disinterested playing carelessly with Zane's prototypes.

"We have a huge problem Lloyd." Zane paused and moved away from his accommodation so Jay couldn't hear. "That is not Jay…"

" **WHAT?** " Lloyd shouted down the phone so loudly that Zane held the phone away from his auditory two way speakers he could also hear Kai shout the same thing so correctly assumed that he was on speakerphone at their end.

 **"HOW IN NINJAGO DO YOU KNOW THAT?"** Both Lloyd and Kai shouted simultaneously jinxing themselves.

"I-I have just scanned him and, I regret to tell you that it is…uhm Amora." Zane replied in a low tone signalling his failure.

" **WAIT! WHAT?** Who the fuck is Amora?" Lloyd shouted just as loudly even Kai was shouting.

"She is Asgardian." Zane held the phone away and hid the loud shouts and curses that came from the other receiver, masking it so the imposter could not hear.

"Oh God this is not good at all, what the Hel happened where the fuck is Jay and why is she impersonating him?" Kai asked in a blind panic.

"Kai, all three questions I cannot answer." He replied and sighed, something he rarely did but the situation now warranted a sharp exhale of breath for the nindroid was lost for ideas, he had no idea what had happened to Jay or the reason she was impersonating him and the worst thing was that he couldn't even console nor reason with Lloyd or Kai for he knew as little as they did.

"I-I cannot believe I did not notice sooner, I thought I would have recognised him if something was amiss." Zane replied his tone dropped so much so that Lloyd picked up on it.

"Zane, don't you dare do that to yourself, none of us knew, I only put two and two together and came up with five."

"Lloyd's right, Zane, you can't blame yourself. If anyone is to blame it should be us as a whole team. We're all to blame and I can't believe we haven't noticed." Kai whispered down the phone aware that Zane had mentioned the imposter was there with Zane.

"I mean he looks exactly the same right?" He finished but with uncertainty, he was asking a question and Zane raised an eyebrow at it making sure to do a quick glance at Jay who was busy going through his alphabetized boxes.

Zane squeezed his liquid crystal blue eyes closed and shook his head as realisation came crashing down. He could see it now for the eyes were blue, not amethyst even his scar was above the wrong eye. His hand covered his mouth in disbelief as he soon realised that this imposter was an almost perfect copy of Jay except for those small bits that no-one else had recognised.

"No!…" Zane paused, his voice was straining slightly at his failure to notice the small things that made Jay look like Jay.

"Tell us then..." Kai and Lloyd said at the same time.

"His eyes…are blue." Zane whispered.

"Yeah but his eyes are blue anyway right?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?" Zane said sternly but it came out as more of a growl than a calm and collected tone that Kai was used to.

"No they are not blue since Loki changed him, they should be purple like his element."

"Oh God no, shit! That's almost six months now because I can remember the few days after the wedding his eyes were blue." Lloyd whispered, his words slightly muffled as his hand was in front of his mouth.

Kai had now stopped talking he was at a complete loss for words, speechless at not being able to recognise that his best friend had been missing for so long. He had come to accept that Jay had completely changed thinking it was Loki's doing, a little bit of evil and so on.

Zane had a feeling that they were all feeling the same, they simply hadn't noticed having been too busy to take due care to look at him as they knew he was strong enough to be a God's protector and in all truthfulness strong enough to care for himself now.

"His scar is above the wrong eye too." Zane cringed and again held the phone away from his ear as Lloyd screeched angrily down it, he gave him time to recompose himself.

"Look Lloyd I do not have much time! **_He_** , no sorry, **_she_** has sent me on a mission, alone for some odd reason. A ploy I believe to separate all of us so be on your guard. Hmm, we will of course need to get a message to Cole and of course Nya."

" ** _WHAT?_** Zane just make it look real pack everything you would normally but when she leaves you come straight here, headquarters!"

"Why is she trying to separate all of us unless she's done something bad to Jay." Kai asked and instantly began hyperventilating.

"Lloyd calm him down please, simply put; we do not have all the details yet so I feel it unwise to worry needlessly with rumours and here-say." Zane took a deep breath in aware that he had left the imposter in his own room.

"I will be with you in an hour or so but I need to wait for her to leave."

"Okay Zane, oh and be careful…please!" Lloyd said ending the call with a sigh that could be heard from Zane's end.

His face fell, he needed to get out of the dojo as quickly as he could he needed to get help as quickly as possible. But first things first he needed to play along so the fake Jay, the imposter didn't know any different, more precisely that she didn't know her cover had been blown.

So he went back into his room and acknowledged Jay as usual, being courteous and removing his cherished prototypes from Jay's careless grasp before placing them back on his shelf.

"Safe journey's Zane, keep in touch and take the falcon, keep me posted bro." Jay said as he left his room.

He left the metal man who was now packing a large rucksack with essentials consisting of power supplies, tracking devices and a comms device amongst other things. Zane looked behind him as the fake Jay left, his metal face looked crestfallen considering how much time had passed since Jay had been missing now presumed dead after all why would she impersonate him if not to hide something so heinous that warranted such strange behaviour.

Jay swiftly left the dojo closing the door securely behind him. Once he was clear of the metal man being able to pick up his disguised form, he teleported to Cole and Seliel's house off the coast for he was due to spend the weekend there.


	56. Thanks for the opportunity Ninjago pt 2

The strong brooding earth ninja was, as usual, in his gymnasium working on his muscles. He was doing what Amora could only describe as muscle toning. Stretching in all sorts of odd positions whilst maintaining pure focus as he balanced.

There was something remotely exotic about his positioning and stances whilst he focused so completely on his workout, blocking out all other distractions. He seemed to be in a world of his own in the silence of his; sea grass floored, stone walled, glass fronted man cave, whilst he focused entirely on his core muscle groups.

His girlfriend Seliel, with her insane pink and blue hair was cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Amora the enchantress couldn't see that, she could only smell it with her keen Asgardian senses, the smells of a savoury dish being cooked certainly made her mouth water in anticipation.

 _'Well someone has to cook in this house, and it certainly isn't his forte, well from my experience. Even my stupid sister Lorelei can cook better than he can and she poisoned me….the bitch.'_ Amora shook her head and laughed internally. Lorelei was a pure kindred spirit and Amora was as evil as the titan, Thanos himself.

She could see him clearly however, she knew he could not see her which was just how she preferred it. She took this opportunity to change into Jay's form again, revealing her true self for the shortest amount of time possible, she took a deep breath in and focused her own strength on herself again. Her magical ability would always weaken the longer she was away from her home realm as was the case for any and all Asgardians.

* * *

 _ **Amora's brief flashback**_

 _Cole had cooked her boiled egg on toast but the toast was burnt heavily on one side and the egg was barely cooked, but she still ate it regardless because it was a new experience, the breakfast soon made a reappearance a few minutes afterwards. Which then reminded her of Lorelei who had cooked her a small delicious meal but it had been tainted with a poisoned draft, not a deadly one luckily._

* * *

She re adjusted her male physique a little and changed her outfit again into that of a more appropriate style suited for an evening sitting in deck chairs drinking and eating grilled foods stuffs. She even created a glamour in the style of a overnight bag but it was just a mere optical illusion

Amora stood by the front door and pushed the bell only once before taking a step back as a sign of respect. She waited in her disguise for the door to be opened whilst standing taking in the warm coastal breezes.

Cole always as ever the gracious host opened the door with a smile, he brushed his sweaty raven hair from his face before offering the other to Jay to shake.

"Heh Jay, good timing as usual bro. Oooh Seliel he bought some wine this time hehehe and some beers too." Cole whispered the last part taking the cans and bottle from the disguised Amora, he held the door open for Jay to enter the beach fronted house.

Jay smiled with enthusiasm as he walked on in, past the master of earth, wiping his thonged feet on the welcome door mat.

Amora walked in through the hallway, she had been quite a few times now, and she knew the house better than the real Jay who had as yet never been, he had only met Seliel briefly a few years beforehand and he had fought her all his brothers had until she revealed her true self as the phantom ninja.

But now Jay had only met Seliel the grand total of twice, once before Kai's wedding and the day of the wedding itself.

The walls in the hallway were painted pale blue and had various items of driftwood hanging, from an ornate picture frame with a collage of pictures of the young couple, to a large driftwood decorated heart shaped mirror. There were a multitude of what looked like old style frosted glass bottles battered by the salty sea water and sand, they were just hanging, clustered together by twine.

Amora smiled as she walked down the long hallway, she knew the house décor to be a homely side of Seliel, purely because the earth master favoured harsh shaped objects and darker colours, as seen in his man cave, that he was immensely proud of.

* * *

She stopped in front of the mirror to check her appearance was still on track. She was now wearing a pair of tight beige Bermuda shorts leaving nothing to the imagination as his lunchbox bulged out awkwardly, she adjusted herself without Cole noticing, pulling her tight fitting white tank down a little more. The top seemed to show off Jay's lithe but well defined shoulders and his developing tan. The whole look was finished off with a fedora tilted to one side revealing his shorter haircut.

' _Oh the truth will sting when it comes out…..'_ She thought absentmindedly whilst looking at the photos and watching as Cole. He was making his way to the kitchen to help Seliel get the dinner ready.

Amora stayed back in the hallway for mere seconds, she slowly turned back to face the large driftwood mirror, checking her disguise was still intact and it was, as usual, imperceptible. She took a lugubrious look into it but it only served to make her think of him and what was soon to be her last evening with the prince. Her disguise as him made her want him all the more, but she took no pleasure from giving the females of this realm what they wanted in this form. If anything she reveled in the fact she was making them so needy, the attention that her disguise got her made her tingle but it brought no pleasure.

She wanted it from the real thing but he was still so hard to sway despite her taunts, enchantments and potions….Jay was stronger than she had anticipated, He, if anything; hated her just as much now as he did before the whole week had begun, he had even physically hurt her last night, well they had hurt each other both physically and mentally, both their blood was spilled temporarily mixing together but then curdling as the colours were distinct from one another as were the components of near human blood and that of an Asgardian…Blood.

A small but noticeable upturned smile crept on to her face, she had found it….a chink in the armour.

 _'It is BLOOD…that is all I need to tear them apart make them thirsty for it.'_

Her smile spread again but she pursed her lips hiding her odd smile as she remained standing at the mirror brushing her fingers through her now auburn hair.

Blood bending would have to wait because she still needed Loki's blood for that to work properly and as yet the God was never more so untrusting of her since hurting Jay. There was no possible way that he would allow her something so important as his own life essences. Even his royal court, personnel and royal aid would shun her requests unless it was a matter of life or death and that was only if the healers could do no more magically than the Enchantress could.

Amora would just have to wait for the opportunity to strike but that would have to wait a while, she knew Loki wanted him back because each time she was back in her little home she saw the same elven warship stationed nearby and she had heard hearsay from her nearest neighbours that Asgard were planning on sending some warriors to the realm known as Svartalfheim, the home world of the dark elves.

Meaning her time on this little realm would soon be coming to an end unless she decided to stay and rule it as herself or perhaps create a league of evil warriors who could destroy and decimate the population, but no that would be far too terrible for this little but unsuspecting non important realm.

She looked around herself again and took in a deep breath, her nose filled with the smells of herbs and spices indicating a large amount of savoury foodstuff was being prepared. It was so different to her own cooking skills in the Norns kingdom where she lived on her own.

Amora in her disguise walked through to the kitchen greeting Seliel as was expected, to always greet the hosts of the abode you visit was a necessity even Amora knew that, bringing a gift was also a nice touch.

The kitchen at the back of the house was similarly decorated with driftwood ornaments hanging from each white washed Shaker cupboard door. Stainless steel appliances against the clean but delicate lines of Shaker made the kitchen look like it should have been in a show home of sorts, it felt a little out of place in such a quaint beach house which was much more modern inside.

The double patio doors from the kitchen led out to a large back porch where the sea could be seen as clear as day. It could be heard before it could be seen, particularly the sounds of the waves crashing and breaking onto the shore line, unfurling onto the wet sand. Even the sound of the popping bubbles from the foam could be heard easily.

It was however, serenity to both Cole and Seliel and the perfect relaxation tool for the stressful lives they both led.

Amora casually looked to the side of her and stood on her tiptoes slightly to peer outside through the large clear glass doors where there were multitudes of what looked like old style frosted glass jars battered by years and years of the salty sea water, sand and shells eroding the shiny surface. These ones were hanging by a variety of metal fishing hooks and each bottle seemed to have a candle inside providing further relaxation in the form of delicate lighting.

The female Asgardian knew Seliel, although not as well as she would like. She had found out that Seliel's father was a Syndic, he was still the Mayor of Nom, the little town Seliel had live in. And for his gratutude and because Seliel was 'daddy's little girl,' he had brought her this place too. He wanted to make it up to her for putting her own life in fate's hands as she solely took on Cryptor's nindroids night after night before the nindroids came to assist.

* * *

Amora walked through in her Jay disguise and closed the gap, she offered a kiss to Seliel, on her cheek. A quick but friendly hello and a hug before he went to join Cole on the front deck.

"Had a good week Jay? You've been busy again bro kind of difficult to get hold of."

"Yeah sorry Cole."

"Where have you been?"

"Here there, mostly in Asgard ya know the norm." Amora replied truthfully, in Jay's higher pitched voice.

"I hear ya." Cole said and they clinked their can's of beer together. "Cheers." He mumbled, sitting back enjoying the last warmth of the evening sun.

"It's hard work being popular ya know, got people to see, places to go, things to see and so on. Kinda busy life being a protector and prince it sorta keeps me on my toes." Amora replied lifting her can of beer and drinking it in steady gulps matching Cole like for like.

"I feel that I've grown closer to you these last few months, you seem more laid back now, less reckless, more responsible you know?"

Amora smirked "Yeah, thanks Cole. That's an old part of me now, long since gone."

"Gahh that part of you I hated, you drove me mad so many times, I was so close to punching your lights out. Please don't ever go back to that."

"How long has it been Cole now, since we've been doing this?" Amora asked leaning back as the sun warmed her disguised skin choosing to ignore his previous statement but inwardly laughing at the threat and tone.

 _'Well if Cole ever tries to hit me in this form he would soon regret it, his bones would break in an instant. Of course if Jay ever accepts my offer then Cole would never be able to hurt him nor Loki but the stubborn wayward fool will not be swayed.'_

* * *

The wedge she had driven into the heart of Jay was working its magic, for Cole alone had turned his back on the old him or more precisely the old Jay; without realising he was being impersonated by Amora.

The impersonation of their brother was pure witchcraft, it was dark magic for want of a better word. The amazing yet sinister impersonation that Amora was pulling off easily was creating a divide in their old views of the former blue ninja. They had preferred her interpretation of how he should be and they loved the new Jay. It was as if he'd grown up and accepted more responsibility whilst holding onto a small part of his playboy side…a new thing since the wedding.

If and when the real Jay would come back he would be turned on as an impostor, that was her hope anyway.

"I think, maybe almost six months we've been doing this right babe?" Cole called gently into the kitchen.

"Yep sure is, ooh hey guys got some chilli con carne for tonight, salad garlic bread and so on. Uhm Cole can you set the table?"

"On it babe." Cole said getting up quickly grabbing the shabby chic cutlery bucket and setting the table quickly one handed whilst the other held steadfast onto his can of beer.

"Anything ya want me to do?" Jay asked with a upturned grin.

"Open the bottle of wine you bought, red wine too, perfect with red meat dishes." Seliel replied with a smile, handing Jay a corkscrew.

Jay thanked her and winked in response. She in her disguised form had to be careful not to crush the bottle as she held onto the delicate neck of the glass with one hand and the other remained on the corkscrew. She pushed the corkscrew in with ease and it sank into the cork like melting butter. She grasped the bottle neck gently and tugged it with her finger and thumb as if doing a simple sewing manoeuvre.

The cork came out rather easily as he pulled at it with vim and vigour but a little too much strength was pulled forth. The corkscrew and attached cork flew a few hundred yards away settling somewhere on the beach. Jay, feigned ignorance as he placed the opened bottle on the table, looking over his shoulder as the shiny corkscrew lay half buried in the sand.

Jay quickly poured the red liquid into the three glasses, sitting back with his own, of which he took a large mouthful of. His wine glass never seemed to empty despite how much wine he guzzled, but then why would it? In her natural state, she was magical after all, more than capable of withstanding alcohol both in this realm and Asgard.

Cole set the table then rejoined Jay watching as another sunset lit up their faces with a warming red and orange light.

* * *

"Your plans for this week? You're not planning on exercising too much are ya. There's more important things ya know than looking buff all the time, it's not a competition bro heheh."

"Actually Jay you could probably tag along if ya like, there seems to be a huge issue with new crime rings rising to power, kinda since Kai's wedding actually."

"Really was something televised? I-I might have missed it." Jay smiled and edged nearer to Cole who picked up his phone to scroll for the news footage.

"It was televised, because it was quite brutal, a few top names in the criminal underground were brought to justice by a lone vigilante who left one solitary member of the gang to deliver the message."

"Ooh intrigue, let's see the what the report says then cos that could keep us busy for months." He piped up happy that another plan was coming into fruition, a way to keep the black and green ninja's busy.

The video clip wasn't too lengthy but it did show the fire which appeared purple at first, it was caught by many cameras because of its colour.

Next was an interview with a man, who was dirtied up with a fair amount of mud on his face. He looked like he had fallen over forwards into some muddy puddles judging by the state of his attire. He tried his best to describe a lone shadowed man he had seen. He mentioned that the only recognisable parts that were seen were his bizarre purple eyes. Everything else he stated was too dark to differentiate in the poor street light that and the fact that the interviewer had difficulty understanding what he was saying whilst the wind whistled through his missing teeth.

The news reporter opened the door of the burnt shell of a house to reveal the molten pile of metal on the floor which she stated was the remains of the illegally owned firearms and amunitions as well as copious amounts of illegal drugs.

It was apparent that the coroners and forensics teams had already been and removed the bodies from view so there really was nothing left to see save for the macabre message written on the wall in blood, the end of the message was accentuated with a burnt and charred hand as a full stop. It had been nailed to the wall but now it was just skeletal as the fire had pretty much charred it to a crisp, it was fairly obvious the blood that the message was written in had been used from the hand that once belonged to one of the now dead criminal victims.

"Urgh that's macabre!" Amora stated in Jay's voice.

"I know, pretty gruesome mercenary we could be dealing with, might have to take him down too, but hey it's what we do."

"Maybe or maybe he was simply diverting us to the bigger picture." Amora stated pausing the picture directly on the blood message written on the wall which the camera man and reporter had completely missed.

"Whoa, what the fuck is that?" Cole hissed and zoomed in reading it with a look of horror at the charred skeletal remains of a hand that simply hung.

"It's a message." Amora replied nonchalantly in Jay's voice.

"Meant to incite fear in the community, in the criminal underworld, it will have stirred many emotions for sure."

"Which means what? An uprising?" Cole asked, his eyes widened as he tried to decipher the burnt message.

"A surge, a hive of criminal activity is just waiting for the right time to strike and we're all the city has. We're the first line of defence, the police here are just as corrupt."

"Really? Wow how do you know so much about them?"

"Research mostly, got some nifty security cameras up thanks to the metal uhm Zane." Jay quickly corrected.

Amora recognised the handiwork immediately she knew it was Jay by the fire colour. The whole incident was overshadowed by evil, typically her doing as she had pushed him over the edge that night, however a hint of good was in there somewhere just by the simple act of killing some particularly nasty criminals all on his own.

"Plus I know what the message says, I just read it hehehe"

"Wha? Okay what does it say Jay, cos I can barely see a thing, it's mostly burned onto an already sooted and blackened wall."

"It's a warning it simply says 'starts with them and ends with you,' meaning there are others higher up, which is a given."

"Lightning quick reflexes there Jay, I wonder if the forensics department know about it?"

"Doubt it…" Jay replied derisively.

"Odd message though, couldn't he have thought of something better to say?"

"Eh, I don't know maybe time was a deciding factor. Perhaps the fire burnt off the entire essay..." Jay replied sarcastically.

* * *

The commentary began and both ninja sat in silence as they listened to the interview. Cole had already heard it so he simply leaned back and looked onto the horizon as the sun finally disappeared. He quickly stood and lit the patio heaters which immediately illuminated the now darkened deck with a warmth which came from two tall gas heaters. He lit a few candles too and switched on the insect zapper to make sure that they were free of bug bites at least whilst they remained outside.

The news reporter appeared to be interviewing a man who looked a tad dishevelled, his clothes were covered in dried on mud and his mouth was heavily bruised, making his speech sounds difficult to understand.

 _"The man was wearing a suit but then he h-he wasn't it w-was l-like magic, his clothes were replaced wiv like protective stuff…he was mad." The man with four missing front teeth managed to mumble out, he hid his face behind a cap and scarf._

 _ **"As you can see this was a strong message delivered to someone high up, maybe the citizens of this area have had enough and it took the actions of one lone vigilante to set the court in his favour."** The news reporter stated._

 ** _"Various news reports have stated that the mayor of New Ninjago city is declining to comment on this attack, the spokesman for the mayor offered no explanation but offered to give out fines for disturbing the peace."_**

 ** _"The political team and Mayor himself are refusing to believe that there might actually be a huge issue here that needs the urgent resolution before the local residents riot….This area used to be filled with young families, professional young people starting out on the career ladder and now the residents are drug dealers, gang members and people of ill repute."_**

 ** _"So far this is the first we knew about crime rings operating in the area and we ask ourselves…where are the heroes of Ninjago, they haven't been seen in Ninjago for over 12 months. Was this extended disappearance due to threats from crime lords, a new uprising…..or our we truly on our own now?"_**

* * *

Cole smiled and played another clip for Jay to watch.

"Jay there's more….this one was me and Lloyd heheh, we got all five. Still don't know who took all those guys down in the first one though cos he was lucky to leave with his life. I mean, he took on over fifteen guys and even torched the place afterwards without anything flammable. At first we thought it was Kai but he flat out denied it."

 ** _"This is Sara Star reporting on location from a well-known suburb of Ninjago city where again we have reports of another crime ring that has been taken down, this one not as brutal as the first but it would appear that the people of this city and surrounding towns are making a stand against both the mayor and the depression subsiding in the areas nearby namely the casino and the various clubs aimed at men."_**

 ** _"The mayor of the city refuses to admit there is a problem, however it has come to light that up until recently he was receiving undisclosed sums of money from none other than New Ninjago's newest casino….His team has again officially refused to comment."_**

She was sure that Odin would be both disturbed and pleased that Jay had managed to take down such a ruthless gang of thugs for reasons unknown except to improve the local neighbourhood and keep crime of the streets so close to schools. It was very noble and brave of a prince to do that at a personal cost because she knew he had been wounded whilst covering his tracks.

"So what do you say tomorrow we get on the case? Get some of these organisations taken care of, I mean we're all immortal now so it's not like we can be hurt, well we can obviously but we'll heal faster right?"

"Yeah sure we can but are you gonna sort it with Seliel then? I'm sure she'd like to be kept updated."

"Yeah, hey babe! you okay with me, Jay and Lloyd going into New Ninjago tomorrow to get to grips with the new crime rings?"

"Mhmm, but be careful k? don't want it bringing to our door and I'm sure Lloyd is the same so cover your faces like ya normally do."

"Yeah that kinda comes with the territory, always wear a mask and carry at least two spares just in case." Cole replied dryly.

"Seliel I know what I'm doing I was leading this team of boys long before I met you, I'm fairly confident we can do it with little bloodshed and certainly no identity issues, so quit worrying."

"Boys, yeah right?" Amora replied looking at her tired hands, her nails making a temporary appearance signalling just how tired she was.

Seliel the best cook in the house bought out a big pot with steam billowing from the top of it. She placed it gently on the table in front of the two men before walking back in to fetch the bowl of salad and garlic bread to accompany it.

Cole got up and grabbed the additional nachos, sour cream, salsa and guacamole placing them on the remaining space on the table as the sun disappeared on the horizon. He quickly lit the patio heaters and bug lights to repel the coastal bugs from attacking them whilst they ate.

"Mmm this food is great" Cole said incoherently with a mouthful of food. Amora laughed at him but ate her food slowly sprinkling an unnoticeable amount of power atop of it to coat it in Asgardian herb and spice.

"It certainly is, wow what wine is this? So strong?" Seliel questioned and coughed.

"Asgardian…..it has a certain palette heheh, yeah it is quite strong." Amora replied taking a hearty gulp of her own.

"So can partners come tomorrow or is it just you guys now?"

"No babe, because as far as I know you're not bullet proof and these guys are packing an impressive array of firearms, they don't fight fair. But hey if you wanna help you could give us a supply of those little purple smoke pellets you use." Cole winked at Seliel who narrowed her eyes at him.

"Ha yeah right, I'll give you a couple no more besides how many ya gonna take down in one day before the police come after you?"

"A few, we don't wanna rouse suspicion, just maybe two tomorrow and then we'll see how much attention that gets before we choose the next targets." Cole replied, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Just promise me, you'll be careful, please." Seliel bit her lip and looked at Jay as she spoke.

"We promise, right Jay?"

"Yeah of course I promise I'll be careful." Amora said and carried on eating the feast that had been prepared. She was certainly full of food and was now in need of rest. Using so much magic up was tiring her mind and body, the amount of magic to emulate Jay in mind and body was becoming too tiring for her so she decided to call it a night.

After an hour of eating and talking about the new crime rings and Asgard, everyone seemed to be more relaxed. The wine didn't seem to have gone down by much because Seliel thought it too strong, whereas Jay and Cole seemed to be taking their time. Amora topped her glass back up and caught a glimpse of the time, she topped Cole's up and noted Seliel looked tired.

The time was just coming up to 11pm, so Jay helped Cole to clear the table removing all pots and plates; being the ever grateful guest, he even washed the dishes which wasn't needed but accepted gratefully by Seliel who was too drunk to do it herself.

Jay sat next to Cole on the sofa, Seliel had somehow curled up between them with her head on Cole's shoulder, she seemed to be relaxing and at the stage where sleep was about to come but she was fighting it.

"It's really about time I left you two for the night otherwise I'll have out stayed my welcome." Amora stated and stood up slowly.

"It was another great meal and the best company as always." She said in Jay's sleepy voice and kissed Seliel's hand making Cole shake his head.

"Ooi dude get your own…..this one's mine." Cole said indignantly as Seliel blushed with the contact of Jay's warm lips on her skin.

Amora merely snorted with laughter and let Seliel's hand fall into Cole's

"It's been a pleasure guys but now it's time for bed…..spare room upstairs to the right?"

"Yup, it's all ready for you." Cole whispered.

"See you tomorrow morning then…..and not too early." Amora replied and put the scatter cushion back on the sofa.

"Night bro, get some sleep, ya look tired Jay." Cole whispered again and turned to face Seliel, turning his mobile phone off as it had bleeping at him all afternoon. Messages from Lloyd, Kai and Zane would have to wait until tomorrow.

* * *

Amora in Jay's form crept up the stairs finding her room easily, she walked in to the room and closed the door behind her, locking it securely. She removed her clothes, which wasn't difficult as the body she was impersonating was just wearing shorts, underpants and a tight fitting top. She stood in front of the mirror and stared at herself in the mirror liking what she saw. Amora turned away and climbed into the soft sumptuous bed, all that was on her mind was Jayson the young prince who was still tied to her bed back in the realm Eternal. She thought of him whilst she stroked his body, treating it as her own feeling the pleasure she was delivering to herself with each long stroke.

 _'Jay, I...I need you to want me in return, I-I know I could make you...happy.'_ Amora panted out as she increased the speed, impressed at the feeling. All she was envisioning was Jay as he took her like he had a little over 24 hours ago. He was so gentle and yet so thorough, completely in control, he had made her climax more than once. She let go of her disguised body and sighed, rolling onto her side. Her dreams would certainly be of Jay as they had been for the best part of the last few days.

She woke a few hours later feeling refreshed and her magical energy replenished. She quickly washed and dressed and chose to wear Jay's functional armour before leaving the spare room. The smell of a fully cooked breakfast was calling to her and she went downstairs to see what feast Seliel had laid out.

Cole was helping out, watching the bacon and eggs, whilst Seliel was in charge of the hash browns and waffles.

"Mmmm smells great, didn't realise how good charred mammal flesh smells this early in the morning…" Amora said in Jay's voice, as she stretched and yawned.

"Take a seat bro, I'll bring it right over." Cole said with a chuckle, motioning Jay to sit down at the breakfast bar.

"Looks like it'll just be us two going today, can't seem to get hold of Lloyd, he won't return my calls."

"His loss, give him his day of being childish for once, he grew up too fast right?"

"Yeah he did, sometimes think that trauma might affect him in the future, you know what they say about traumatic childhoods?"

"No? What do they say?" Amora asked feeling genuinely confused.

"It can lead to all out evil, cruel manipulative people in the future."

"Like Loki?"

"Yeah exactly like Loki, traumatic childhood too then?"

"Yeah the worst! He was abandoned and used as a bargaining chip and then forgotten about." Amora sighed, she had often felt sorry for Loki when he briefly mentioned finding out about it.

"Damn…explains a lot really!"

Amora disguised as Jay scooped another mouthful of waffle into his mouth before dabbing at the rest of the maple syrup. He watched as Cole ate his fast, whilst Amora got up taking all the pots again and washing them as a thank you to both Seliel and Cole who had cooked it.

"Honestly Cole sometimes I think Lloyd's really trying to prove it to ya. He really wants to lead."

"Yeah and he can, just being childish isn't really showing good leadership qualities though is it?"

"Gotta get a thicker skin and put others before yourself, listening to them and their ideas to see if they would work. If time isn't a priority and we're not in imminent danger then I would go through their ideas as I did with many of yours, remember. But as a leader my ideas kept us all alive."

"Yeah, of course, thicker skin." Jay replied hoping that Cole wouldn't call forth any of those previous ideas that Jay had suggested.

"You remember when you got the nunchucks right?"

"Uhm yeah…s-sorta" Amora squeaked unintentionally. She was completely stumped as the real Jay had never divulged how he had found his elemental weapons, it wasn't exactly an exciting subject for her, even if it was a journey of discovery for Jay and his brothers.

"What! really? Did Loki affect you memory that bad?" Cole soothed and joined Amora's side kneeling next to who he believed was his brother Jay.

Jay had his gaze to the floor, making Cole feel concern at Jay's lapse in memory at what was a huge discovery for him because once he had found his elemental weapons it magnified his power exponentially.

"Here I'll help then….." Cole soothed and pulled his chair in front of Jay, grabbing his coffee in one hand.

"Right the nunchucks of lightning you remember them right?" Cole said waiting for Jay to nod but he did…..an unsure nod.

"Okay, right well…., The nunchucks of lightning were found in the Floating Ruins, which was an ancient abandoned city. It was one of the stranger golden weapons to locate because we all had to climb a very long chain straight up into the storm clouds… hehehe we were surrounded by an endless electrical storm, I swear Kai's hair was even worse when we got up there…the static sheesh."

"Well anyway, the Skeletons followed us up the chain too, they had the same idea remember?" Cole frowned at Jay's memory again but continued.

"Well, they were trying to get the weapons for Garmadon but so far we had beaten them, but when they climbed up the chain we had used we soon realised we had no way of getting down. And there were too many of them and only four of us."

"Don't you remember that?" Cole asked incredulously.

"No…." Came the simple but truthful reply, Amora was sure the real Jay would remember it without a doubt but this forgetful side seemed to serve her disguise well for Cole seemed to be more brotherly now than he had been before.

"You suggested we use your previous inventions to get down, you persuaded us to try it and I must admit I, along with Kai, well we were both apprehensive but what choice did we have? Anyway somehow you managed to invent a set of gliders for each of us and we got down to the forest of tranquillity without a cut or scratch…you saved us all bro."

Cole said with a sincere smile and a sympathetic squeeze of Jay's hand.

"I've got your back Jay, even if you can't remember I sure can!"

The master of earth sighed and stood up, walking off his food he walked in the direction of the back porch staring out at the coast line hearing the waves crashing down again, stretching every muscle group he could as he had done every morning.

He span quickly into his armoured robes the same as Jay had before belching loudly. His armoured robes were still pure jet black, he looked like a samurai with the amount of extra protection he had but they couldn't risk it, not today.

Jay and Cole made the short trip to the seedy part of ninjago, using Cole's own black metallic jeep, the perfect car for the beach front house he lived in. He pulled up in the same car park from months ago, the one opposite the strip club, far enough out of town to not arouse suspicion.

Amora in her disguise hopped out of the car and looked around a smile came to her face when she saw the broken wall from a few months ago that still hadn't been repaired.

Jay had been thrown into it with such a force Amora was surprised he was alive after that, he should have died, immortal or not, that throw was horrific. Even she winced when Loki did it, scolding him and telling him he had gone too far.

To Jay it only happened three weeks ago but here in Ninjago it was twenty one weeks and lots of things had happened in that time.

He quickly joined Cole's side and waited for Cole to choose where to go, before suggesting a taxi to make the rest of the journey safer. He didn't want to mention anything else such as the elemental dragon he had heard of.

Apparently in her haste, she had forgotten to ask Jay about that little snippet, she was unable to conjure a dragon, at least one that she could ride on whilst still being in Jay's form for that would take much of her energy and magic and she would be revealed for the impostor she was.

"Cole, they live in safe houses and these crime lords are heavily protected now by the Mayor himself, he's like the fat cat, the one who is keeping everything running, he keeps them all wrapped around his finger." Amora replied in a soothing tone, she remembered what Jay had told her about the increase in violent crime in those few short weeks they had been back.

"Nya is still in place but she won't safe for long if they find out that she's working as a double agent."

"Well, then we need to strike and we need to strike now." Amora replied and gave him a solid pat on the back.

* * *

 _ **In New Ninjago city hall**_

This wasn't their fault after all, their disappearance was due to being in Asgard and other realms, fighting battles and crushing people's right to living in freedom. But they had no inkling that their own realm was suffering with its own form of tyranny and oppression from none other than the newly sworn in mayor.

The citizens of New Ninjago city were in uproar and demanded a re vote citing that the new mayor should be cast out considering nothing was known about him and he looked decidedly shifty. Although looking shifty wasn't a bad thing; for a mayor needed to be thick skinned too to take on the politicians, but there was something about this mayor who sparked that deep feeling of unease in his people and peers.

No-one seemed to question him because he kept with him at all times a heavy group of security men.

The young mayor always seemed impeccably dressed, he was wearing the finest suits and shoes, his golden livery chain of office bore the insignia of New Ninjago city. His dutiful allegiance to uphold the rights of the great city; rumours say that he snatched it from the previous owner before his heart had stopped beating.

Now the normal process of becoming an elected mayor in Ninjago city should have been voted in by a series of local parliamentary votes by political parties and then finally votes from the citizens of said city. It was how it had been for years previously, but recently following the bizarre and as yet unexplained death of the beloved elderly mayor; the new one had been sworn in….in secrecy and in haste, to hide the as yet unsolved murder case that had been swept under the carpet at New Ninjago police department…more corruption and more backhanders.

"Mr Mayor, the press would like to speak to you regarding the most recent news reports by a Miss Star….." The mayoral advocate spoke clearly.

"Hmmm, is that right, well I've nothing to say."

"Your stance on the vigilante activity."

"Deal with them, set up security patrols we need to flush out these trouble makers…..teach them a lesson." The young mayor replied signing a rather large cheque to a new casino which had now been given planning permission. He handed the cheque to his Mayoral pro tem who was the next in line to the mayoral position if he was to step down.

"I'll expect due notification shortly from the owners of the new casino, they will have one week to respond and no more."

"Does your stance remain the same? Because I think that's all she wants to know."

"My stance on the non-existent crime indeed remains the same, there is no problem, this city is now booming because of me and it will continue to do so."

"The new ground plans Mr Mayor." The advocate smiled and placed the small scale model of a new casino on his leather bound desk, he switched the green glass lamp on and allowed the young mayor to readjust the lamp's light beam.

The mayor looked it over a few times before moving some things around carefully and then he nodded slowly and smiled and signed the forms allowing the building to commence.

"The new owners will be here tomorrow to go over the new proposal, estimated takings that sort of thing…." The pro tem added.

"Excellent work, keep me up to date please I feel we'll be hearing more about the crime but for the moment we'll just ignore it at least until we have more to go on…" The mayor spoke with a clear voice.

"Besides NNPD, BORG industries and a few pharmaceuticals are all on our side now, so who-ever it is won't be able to hide, for long." He finished with a spark of evil in his brown eyes, he looked every bit a mobster, all he was missing was a zoot suit, sub machine gun and a fedora.

"And those who attempt to overthrow us, well, we can control them with just a little simple water tampering." He smiled again. and gave his dark haired office junior a pile of paperwork to hand to the secretary to type up.

"Thank you sir." She said clearly keeping her brown eyes downwards, her shoulder length dark hair obscuring most of her face.


	57. Last supper

The political corruption in Ninjago had taken hold so quickly that the ninja were completely overwhelmed at the sheer spread of the problem. They were busy, now even more so than when the serpentine were wreaking havoc.

Even when the preeminent had fallen from the sky and the ghosts had come, the team of ninja were still able to defeat them and win the fight. But now it was different. For all the ninja who remained and who were aware of what was happening, they found the whole concept evil, worrisome and hopeless. This new threat was unlike any they had ever experienced because it wasn't just anyone they were going up against. They would be going up against the corrupt government of Ninjago making the total headcount far exceed any of their previous enemies combined...and it had been Jay who had uncovered it on Kai's bachelor party.

How exactly do you go around and tell people that you've just killed fifteen people just on a hunch? Whilst explaining that they were the living breathing filth of the suburbs without sounding like a madman yourself? Easy answer; you don't unless you want to be locked up faster than an Einherjar whose just been caught looking at Goddess pornography whilst sitting naked on Odin's throne.

Valhalla forbid, that was Jay's thinking anyway, one of Jay's reasons for not mentioning it was the fact that he wouldn't be believed. The other reason being, it was Loki and Amora's doing. Jay had simply snapped because of being pushed to his limits physically at first and then mentally.

He thought that this new development might just keep his ninja brethren busy enough whilst he had to leave his home realm to return to Asgard and Loki's side. He didn't however realise that the problem might just be too big for the ninja as a team of five. At the time, Jay knew how much corruption was running rife in Ninjago because working so close to Loki allowed him the insight to see evil all around him. Call it a gift from the God of evil himself.

The government officials notably the young mayor and his entire office of politicians were corrupting the entire government for illegitimate private gain, by the simple act of trading in influence. This once moderately peaceful realm had certainly known turmoil in its past; namely serpentine wars, a creature known simply as the Overlord, then there was Lord Garmadon and his cronies or stone army warriors as was there correct title. Next was an army of undead skeletons and a equally disturbing army of robots collectively called nindroids. All set on taking over the entire realm of Ninjago but as yet none had been successful because the ninja team and their ancestors before them had been effective at ridding their small realm of such trouble.

But this problem was so much bigger than that, how exactly does a ninja team or an army of ninja go up against an army of police officers and heavily armed thugs employed by none other than the mayor himself, someone who has the army and police force at his whim?

Sadly only six of the ninja are immortal, and they include Jay, Cole, Kai, Lloyd, Zane and Nya. Six out of a group of more than twenty, meaning that it would be too risky for the other ones to even attempt a takedown. The safest bet was to just make sure the other elemental master stay clear of the potential fallout and subsequent smoke out which would no doubt follow when any amount of civil unrest was apparent and the ninja were the easiest targets to blame and hold accountable.

 **Back to the corruption in Ninjago**

The corruption was out of control and included bribery amongst others as well as the big one that kept the whole of Ninjago spinning….embezzlement!

Yep throw money into the mix and you get desperation and poverty, the interest rates increased on loans, people started to lose their homes and the neighbourhoods slowly began to collapse. The problem was spreading, spiralling out of control.

Then and more recently as Kai and Lloyd had found out, New Ninjago police department (NNPD) was also at the whim of the corrupt city hall, having both been subject to a little police brutality after just dropping off a couple of thugs with Lloyd a week ago.

The NNPD had attacked both Lloyd and Kai but luckily their ninja training and skills of fighting hand to hand had managed to avoid the flurry of baton swipes they got. Their improved strength and immortality did help to protect them but similar to Jay if they were shot or stabbed it would still hurt if only for a shortened duration until they healed fully.

This however put them at risk too, because now they were wanted just as much as the criminals they had bought in. Their posters were proudly displayed around New Ninjago city, with an ominous caption that had most likely been coined by the Mayor himself or one of his cronies.

' **Wanted for questioning, rewards offered for the capture of the team identified as the ninja.'**

Loki would have been in his element if he was down here, but it seemed he was far too busy to meddle in some small insignificant realm, he simply preferred to stay in the Realm Eternal to oversee everything from there. That and the fact he could keep a close eye on his own protector namely Jay as he trained by his side completely unawares as to how badly his home realm was faring.

But Jay wasn't by his side yet and he hadn't been for the entire week for Loki had loaned him out to Amora on behalf of payment for a lifesaving spell she had performed. Of course Jay was the payment.

Only in Loki's mind would he sell out his protector for a week without question, although he had stipulated that no harm was to become him; mind or body, but Amora hadn't listened….She had broken the royal contract and bragged about her powers as she drove both blades into Jay's chest.

A full day had passed since she too felt the same pain, the contract had stated. **'If you break the contractual clause you too will befit the same pain as inflicted on the slave.'** She knew this because she signed it with her own blood as did Loki, binding them to it until the contract was due to end.

Amora at the time, had done all in her power to make him better. She had spent the remainder of her time cleaning her cobwebbed, dusty, mould ridden room to hide what she had actually been doing, not just from the visitors she would soon be expecting but also from Jay.

The witch had indeed been busy cleaning her room from top to bottom, using magic as her cheat, to hide the torment that Jay had endured on a daily basis. The only remains of violence were the stab marks in her mattress and the exceptionally pale prince still in her custody, at least until midnight when the contract would end.

She also knew the Einherjar would be coming because of the damned contract being broken, she was fully expecting it but she couldn't have them finding out about how much trouble she had caused. So she had tidied her home and purposefully altered his mind too, only so he wouldn't remember much of it, and it had worked. Jay just woke up tired and confused with a goblet of wine in his hands.

But that was all a few days ago now, water under the rainbow bridge.

In Ninjago time seemed to go quickly, four days could pass, in as little as ten Asgardian hours. This allowed her the chance to send Zane off on a mission of sorts and spend the last few nights with Cole, all the while thinking about Jay and his slow recovery. She had no idea that Zane had figured her out, and rather than leaving the security of Ninjago city, he had gone to stay with Lloyd, Amora was none the wiser.

She had finally gone back to her home realm to replenish her magic and strength as all wayward Asgardians would, for none could stay away indefinitely without it weakening them, reducing their magic and strength therefore leaving them as vulnerable as the non-magical citizens of Asgard...not a good thing for a magical being.

Her portal had opened on the threshold and she walked through with a heavy heart before opening her front door to the sounds of a sleeping young man. Snoring was the sound he was currently making mixed in with the odd laugh, he was dreaming she was certain of it.

She had arrived on the realm of Asgard but the northernmost part of the realm known as the Norns for that is where her humble abode stood. A lowly crumbling ramshackle of a house, with a solitary large cottage window to the front and an imposing black fronted church style door.

She had arrived in good time just as the sun had gone down and she was planning on spending her last evening with Jay. As soon as she walked in she knew he had been wandering around her home but she didn't really care all that much, she knew he couldn't escape because she had enchanted the doors and windows.

' _If he was that desperate he could have dug his way out, but I guess he's not that smart.'_

She quickly prepared him a final feast, a literal last supper before she would let him go as per the contract. She checked the time once the meal had been cooked and noted it was almost 10pm, she had been busy and she could hear that he had woken up and was typically strolling around her bedroom mumbling to himself.

In all facts Jay was sitting in front of the flame less fire shivering in the cold with a blanket draped over his naked body, wrapped around him tightly. He was putting a solitary log onto the hearth from the now sparse log basket and then used the element of fire to light it.

' _S-so cold, damned empty log basket a-and now she's back to do wh-whatever.'_

He sighed, he could hear her, she was back for their last night. His neck hairs standing on end for how she might react to him or what she might do or say. He pulled one of the wolf furs of the floor and draped it around his shoulders cringing at the musty smell coming from it.

"Gross, typical animal fur, and now I smell like a damp dog." He mumbled in frustration at being so cold.

He stared down and his breathing slowed further until his calmness returned, yes he was scared of her but he had only gone ahead with this week to keep Loki satiated and Amora too. He had even proven Loki wrong but at the expense of his health and now he knew the God was angry with Amora for breaking said stupid contract.

He grasped the poker but his newfound weakness made him shiver uncontrollably and he shook as he held onto the charred fire tool, cussing himself as he threw it to the side in anger. "Shit, come on, focus..."

Jay took one look at the cracked face of his broken watch. He had it set to the realm of Asgard so he could keep an eye on the hours, wiling them away, watching with optimism as the hours dwindled into single digits. Had this whole week happened in Ninjago he would have at least had more time to rest during the day, as another summer had come to an end without him being there to celebrate it.

"...Just one more hour to go."

In Ninjago it was mid autumn around September time from what he had been told, exacerbated by the fact that Amora often came back with a warm coat on and bits of brown leaf in her hair. One day she had obviously been caught in a storm because she resembled some woodland nymph complete with twigs and leaves stuck to her head, in the style of a crude crown.

* * *

Jay looked at the watch he held ever so gently in his hand. It had been broken during the bloody fight he had with Amora a few nights ago. It was his first ever gift from Loki after he was made his protector. The watch was strong and still worked but the delicate chainmail strap had broken clean in half. The watch slid off his wrist and simply smashed on the floor, he was too busy to notice because he was fighting for his life at the time.

He had only found it this morning when Amora had left and he had been having a good look around her house. Typically none of the other rooms he had been in warranted much more than a simple glance. There really was nothing of any great importance unless he fancied burning her spell book; and he had really thought about doing that, but stopped himself at the last minute. After all he didn't want to be decapitated on his last night with her.

Another shiver wracked his body and he cautiously picked up the poker, stabbing angrily at the log. Stoking and prodding at it until he could hear the fire spitting and hissing in return.. The flames eventually coated the entire log, creating a warm orange glow allowing him the chance to extend his arms out and reach for the comforting heat it gave. A clattering sound from the kitchen made him draw his arms back in defence but he soon relaxed again, he could smell something cooking, typically a meaty dish no doubt. Amora always cooked Jay a protein rich meal to replenish and rejuvenate his muscles.

Jay didn't mind the things she cooked. He had actually admitted to her that he liked the food she prepared and had after a while, he'd let her feed him, considering he couldn't do it himself for the first few days. "Oh the God's, that smells good." He mumbled under his breath.

The bedroom door creaked open and Jay gulped, he had his back to the door but kept his pale lifeless face at the fire in an attempt to feel warmth or at least to bring colour to his face.

 _11pm, shit this must be some final feast haa, let's hope it's not poisoned eh?_ ' He thought and looked around at Amora as she walked through the door, his eyes widened when he saw how much food she had made and his mouth began to water in anticipation.

' _Cole bet you would've loved this bit….maybe not the other bits though, well maybe some of it.'_ Jay thought glad that Amora couldn't read his mind, he smirked to himself and kept his face low.

He had only turned to the side but had kept hold of the blankets as he couldn't seem to stay warm anymore. He was still two feet from the open flame thanks to the large imposing spiked hearth that kept the embers and logs in but didn't allow anything else to rest there which included body parts. He still kept his feet as close as he could feeling the warmth with his bare toes exposed allowing the flames to warm his feet that still felt like icicles. This was one of the downsides to having no clothes at all in what was winter in the realm eternal, at least she had blankets and wolf skins to keep some warmth even if they stank like an old smelly backpack.

Amora had wheeled a large wooden rickety trolley through to her bedroom with a selection of silver food domes covering a large amount of hidden dishes which would explain the time she had taken in preparing them all considering she had been back for four hours already and she hadn't even been in to torment Jay in that time. She had spent all evening in her kitchen preparing him a feast, secretly hoping he would change his mind and rethink her choice.

"Good evening, your majesty." She bowed before him which was met with some odd expressions from Jay, he hid his smile behind his shivering hand and his slightly untidy chestnut auburn hair which obscured his amethyst eyes somewhat.

"Hello, uhm Amora." Jay turned and kept his eyes on the fire. "Good day?" He mumbled but received no response.

"I've prepared you a final feast, something fitting for your last supper with me." She added with a gentle yet evil tone and Jay's blood turned even colder at her choice of words.

'Last... _supper…..what?'_

He visibly shuddered at her and looked back at the fire nervously, trying his best to hide his fear as it began to surface again. His hands started to tremble and he did all in his power to stop himself from crying. He took a deep breath in and faced her, his voice close to breaking.

"Th-thank you A-Amora, very kind o-of you."

"We only have one hour left my prince, will you let me feed you like before or…" Amora replied and looked at his almost pale and lifeless face, his freckles had now all but gone leaving just the one distinguishing mark on the young prince, his scarred eyebrow had risen and was staying elevated.

He literally looked like a shell of his former self after his long arduous week with the blonde haired beauty known as Amora the Enchantress, the last 48 hours had been the worst, the most emotional for Jay, Amora and Loki simply because the contract was between Amora and Loki and typically the royal contract had been broken meaning both members of original pact had felt the pain that Jay had suffered.

Now it was only a matter of time before the Einherjar would turn up on her doorstep, demanding an answer as to why the prince had been so ruthlessly injured all in the name of her proving her magical abilities had far surpassed that of the fake king Loki.

"No, I can d-do it myself, both hands free…see." Jay replied quickly showing his hands and his ability to do it himself. He stood wearily, not wanting to get too close to her or leave the comfort of the fire.

He grasped his covers tightly and walked over to the trolley, watching as Amora revealed each dish. His mouth watered at the amount of delicious looking food she had prepared and typical fashion most of it was meat, a half leg of lamb, sausages of some strange creature, a white meat, deep succulent red meats and a selection of weird Asgardian root vegetables, with the obligatory large silver jug of mead. "You've been busy." He mumbled somewhat enthusiastically as he eyed the platter of food with a voracious hunger.

She held his plate for him and waited for him to point to the foods he wanted, typically one of everything as well as something to take the pain away and provide him with warmth, he had a large goblet of mead, filled to the top which he quickly drank, allowing her to fill it up again.

' _At least it will alleviate his hydration issues.'_ She thought, pouring him a second goblet and passing the silver goblet back into his cold shaking hands.

"Th-thanks Amora." Jay said backing away from her but keeping his gaze on her as he walked backwards. His straw coloured mead sloshed around in his goblet as he walked back to the warm hearth and the wolf skin on the floor in front of the warm fire.

"Won't you at least think about my offer before you go?" She asked and came to sit with him watching as he eagerly ate chunk after chunk of meaty goodness, his eyes were rolling back in pleasure, she knew he was enjoying her food his moans told her that much.

"I promise I would look after you better, this week was just a formality, a misunderstanding, I'm sure that if we reset the clock we could come to some agreement."

"Jayson please, won't you talk to me, I only want to help you. To show you that there is another way for you to escape from him."

"I-I can't, Amora."

"Nothing but death will come from it, from your working relationship with the God of lies, you know this."

Jay simply refused to answer her, he just kept shoving the food into his mouth hoping to get some much needed energy from it and warmth at least before the pile of food went cold.

"You will only know suffering and pain at his hands and….mine if you stay with him. I have seen it, the same visions that you have."

Jay bit his lip and stopped eating for a second, he swallowed the food in his mouth but didn't look at her. "I-I can't Amora, I-I'm sorry…."

"Why ever not, why would you put yourself at such risk? Your young life will be cut short before you have a chance to achieve this greatness that you are due."

"It's complicated, Amora. Y-you make it sound so easy but it isn't, at all." Jay sobbed and looked away from her.

"Then tell me, please Jayson tell me what hurts you so. Tell me why you would turn down my offer for an eternity of pain and suffering with Loki." Amora soothed and stroked his smooth toned forearm stroking up to his shoulder and down his back removing the covers as she caressed his skin for the last time.

"When you kissed me I-I saw a dream, well it was a dream w-with you and a child…" Jay shivered again and cried, he felt her lips caressing his skin and he wiped his face unashamedly just wishing that he could leave already.

"It's either kill or be killed and I-I..." He paused and recomposed himself. "I-I can't live like that anymore, I just want to go home, I don't want to be a ninja or a prince or a warrior, I just, just want to go h-home." He turned away from her shielding his face from the possible teasing she would subject him to, but it didn't come.

"It was just a dream Jayson, nothing more than that. A potential choice would make it real and that choice wouldn't be the one you think." She replied albeit cryptically and wrapped her arms around him, feeling him loosen into her embrace as she carefully unwound his arms from his body for her own reasons.

"It wasn't just a dream, y-you had a girl and I saw her being born, Hel I helped you give birth I was right there but, but the happiness didn't last long."

Jay took a deep breath in and continued. "Someone would send warriors each day to test me and…..and I had to fight every-day to protect the both of you."

"I-I can't live like that forever."

"The only way the dream ended was for me to give myself up and I did. I felt the blades as they cut into me, it felt so-so real." He tensed up and flinched at her touch, the mere memory of the dream had left a lingering pain.

"It was just a dream Jayson nothing more, a side effect of the enchantment I'm sure of it."

Jay looked at her with his head cocked to the side, "No, it-it wasn't _just a dream_. I-I couldn't heal because they left the blades in, felt pretty damned real to me."

"Dreams can feel very real…"

 _Hmm I know right, and hey guess what else happened? Yeah, that's right I died but the pain was still there when I woke, so ya still think it was a dream, yaa right._

She pushed him backwards and kissed him without him having a chance to fight back.

He'd momentarily forgotten. It was as if he didn't care anymore, yet this time he didn't reciprocate the kiss. Jay simply lay on his back and allowed it. His empty amethyst eyes were so full of pain, so conflicted with the choices he had been given. 'To kill or be killed' and to fight every damned day to protect Amora and their child.

Her hands continued their slow caress of his body. Long strokes on his manhood was all she did as her mouth assaulted his neck. He felt so cold to her even as he groaned along with her movements. Normally any man would have been a good warm temperature by now, but he was so cold it was no wonder he was shivering.

A quick silent spell later and he was toasty warm and literally glowing but he didn't notice the colour of his skin as she was making love to him, a final parting gift in front of the now roaring log fire.

He was free to use his body as he saw fit, not chained to the bed anymore, it was quite the romantic scene until it ended a few minutes later.

"Thanks Amora," he winced, sitting upright and stretching out his back. Making love on a stone floor was far more painful than he realised. "But, my answer is still no." Jay said calmly as she got up off his hips, he wiped his mouth and pulled the covers back over his now exposed glowing body. Standing wobbly, he wiped his own essence from his legs to hide the evidence of their fervent love making and turned his back on her shamefully.

 _I don't care anymore, I've had enough of all of this I just want to...leave._

"So that's it then? I take it you enjoyed this week with me?" Amora said sarcastically waiting for his high pitched response as she re-robed herself again, the time was now just past midnight all seven days had finally ended meaning the partially broken contract had come to an end.

"What, you think I enjoyed this week? You think that tormenting me for seven days and stabbing me was my idea of Valhalla, well it wasn't." Jay replied in a tone so high it sounded like he had taken a huge suck on a helium balloon.

Amora wasn't disappointed in the slightest, his tone had indeed risen. She stood and met his height with her own but this time Jay stood his ground. The effect of hearing his voice rise made her laugh and she did which further insulted and angered Jay as he remained in his defensive stance, his eyebrows narrowed at her response and his fists clenched in response.

"You bitch, you planned this from day one since, well since the bar in Ninjago."

"And whatever else you've got planned you can keep me and Loki out of it because we're not playing your games anymore." Jay said giving Amora a firm shove, she hadn't moved she was still rooted to the spot.

"Is that so?" Amora replied and quickly punched Jay across his face sending him flying into the wall. He grunted in response but stood again refusing to stay down, he wiped at his mouth and smiled.

"You realise your time is up? Seven days have passed meaning I can keep you here as my prisoner or slave."

"Wrong again, you haven't let me go yet." Jay replied and aimed a well-timed kick to her midsection sending her flying to the side.

She got up and thrust a bolt of green lightning at him, full of magical qualities meant to inflict great pain but Jay saw it coming and used his own shield as protection. Her blast just rebounded right off the top as he crouched down low. The blast had set fire to an ornate looking tapestry which disintegrated within a matter of seconds.

Jay smirked, he had no idea how old the tapestry was but judging by the state of Amora's homestead, there was a high chance that the now smouldering tapestry was largely irreplaceable and likely thousands of years old, just like she was.

Amora's eyes had widened at the colour of Jay's shield, awed by the ultimate strength coming from within it, she approached cautiously.

She smirked "So this is the power Loki tells me off, the power of life or death dependent on how you use it! Yet you use it as a comfort blanket, you know I could teach you how you use it better." She said as she thrust her hands into the large human sized ball of glowing purple which had completely enveloped Jay.

He looked at her in horror as her hands came through the shield. Not knowing what was about to happen, but dreading it none the less.

Her hands were attempting to soak up the power but it was too untempered, uncontrolled. Eventually, the shield made a low hum and instantaneously as she attempted to draw her hands from it as a failed attempt, the whole shield exploded. The action of which had sent both Jay and Amora into the opposite walls, knocking each out with the force of the blast.

Luckily for the occupants, the house was still standing. The cobwebs had gone though, as had most of the dust for it was now lying on the floor and settling on both unconscious occupants of Amora's humble abode. The mattress and hefty bed had toppled over, the fire had gone out and the trolley with leftover food was lying on the bare wooden floor.

An hour and no more had passed before they roused and had recovered from their brief fist fight and the subsequent explosion. Jay had woken up to be face to face with Amora both stood wearily with neither looking away. They both rose of the floor slowly in a defensive stance and at a visible standoff, her hands sparkling with vicious magic ready to inflict harm on him and he too ready with his own elements.

"Let me go Amora, I said _**no**_ and I mean it." Jay backed up, nearing the door.

"I only want to take care of you." Amora pleaded, her hands pulsing as the mist undulated in her palms. "To stay with you."

Jay backed up again watching her for her next move. "Please, Amora, I'm begging you just-just let me go…." He shakily raised his hands giving up first, yet knowing he couldn't win against her in his state. He was too beat, too tired, all he wanted was to sleep.

Getting onto his knees was a task in itself, but he did so with a grunt. Staring at her pleadingly, hoping she would just follow through on her promise. Until he saw her expression turn into that of disgust.

"Begging, it is weak and unbecoming, I expect more of you, Jayson." Amora said, turning her nose up as she sent a painful burst of lightning straight at his chest.

Jay stood with more difficulty, a concerted effort as he held onto the wall. _She obviously doesn't understand the whole I give up speech then?_ ' He thought and watched as another burst of beautiful green magic spiralled from her hands.

"Now you will know how your decisions, affect others…" She replied with a choked sob and hit him again with as much anger as she could summon from her magic. She hated his pleas and begs to stop and she had warned him before about the fact that princes do not beg. "Let this be a lesson to you Jayson, I always get what I want, I always have."

Once the pain in her heart had subsided from his decision of turning her down, she stopped her hexes upon his body and sent him on his way. Not really caring that he could hardly breathe nor stand. He would come back to her eventually, they always did. And before they parted ways, Amora, in her most sickeningly sweet voice thanked him for spending the week with her and then for the fact that he had potentially sired her too.

Jay, slackjawed just stood shakily, grasping at his chest. The pain, all consuming was taking up any remaining energy he had. All he wanted to do was sleep but anywhere was preferable to here. And, to make matters worse, Jay's heart felt like it had shattered into millions of pieces, if that was even possible, it was excruciating.

* * *

As per the contract, she had finally let him go free, returning him almost intact of body and mind. Of course she didn't let him go completely free, she had dressed him and sent him through a portal of her own design and dumped in in NNPD in a sparse amount of his working armoured clothing.

She had attached and sewn an amulet into the material that was undetectable by any and all, save for her. It simply meant that she could keep an eye on him at all times but he would be invisible to Heimdall and Loki even if they were staring right at him.

* * *

 **Character Profile: Loki**

 **Name:** Loki Laufeyson

 **Height:** 6'3 (6'10 with my helmet)

 **Birthplace and where he grew up:** Jotunheim rescued by Odin and brought to Asgard, raised as a prince (I was a prince anyway, next in line, no less!)

 **Hair colour, length, style:** Black, just past shoulder length, loose wavy and I'm worth it...

 **Appearance:** Lithe, tall, broad shoulders. A magical being which Midgardians refer to as a God. I have pure white alabaster skin, dazzling emerald eyes, I would say I'm un-naturally handsome. My frost giant side can also turn completely blue with red eyes but that is my party trick.

 **Race:** Frost giant/Asgardian hybrid

 **Accent:** Incredibly well spoken wordsmith, English but an archaic form. (Can speak any and all languages, from all nine realms)

 **Marital status:** Separated (Estranged from Sigyn, it's complicated)

 **Children:** Six - Sleipnir, Fenris, Jormungandrr, Hel, (Vali and Narvi - deceased, past life)

 **Style and colour of clothes:** modern medieval, Black, green and gold

 **Relationship with parents:** strained, I killed my biological father and I put Odin into an eternal sleep.

 **Memories about childhood:** Traumatic, ignored by Odin, treated as an inferior son whilst Thor got all the credit. I lived in the shadows of Thor and our so called friends.

 **Siblings:** Two, Baldur (deceased and living at Chez Helheim, well he was…), Thor (sadly still living)

 **Educational background:** Formal, I read extensively (grimoires, spell books, evil manuscripts.) Well-practiced with extensive training in the dark arts of sorcery and mind control.

 **Occupation:** God of evil, formerly God of mischief and lies.

 **Personality** **traits:** Domineering, wants to rule all, death and destruction is just a small thing that needs to be done in order for me to succeed.

 **Ambitions:** Ragnarok, to watch Midgard and other such realms burn.

At the moment, "Well, I am pacing the throne room waiting for my Einherjar warriors to return with two very important people. One of whom I occasionally see as more of a weapon, the other I see as a traitorous whore who I want to torture for committing treason."

* * *

 **Name:** Jay Walker-Gordon

 **Height:** 6' (blame magic for that, I was originally shorter than Cole ya know)

 **Birthplace and where he grew up:** Ninjago and the Sea of Sand (I miss them terribly)

 **Hair colour, length, style:** Auburn, just above the shoulder, loose straight (I cut it often when time allows.)

 **Appearance:** Lithe, tall, broad shoulders, fair skin with a few freckles on my cheeks and nose, amethyst eyes. Exceptionally good looking and I know it.

 **Accent:** English (Ninjago).

 **Marital status:** Single and happy (Eligible prince, for all those girls that meet my requirements)

 **Children:** None but some on the way….maybe, but no one knows except Loki.

 **Style and colour of clothes:** Modern medieval, black, blue, silver and indigo.

 **Relationship with parents:** Normal (well until Clouse killed them), found out I was adopted (unexpected.)

 **Memories about childhood:** Happy and sheltered to a certain extent.

 **Educational background:** Home schooled until I went to college and University. Was an inventor, has a degree in electrical and chemical engineering.

 **Occupation:** _Was the blue ninja of lightning_ , now I'm the eternal protector of Loki.

 **Personality** **traits** : Submissive occasionally, I try to fight for acceptance. Will offer my own life for those of my friends if the occasion calls for it and it kinda did.

 **Ambitions:** Originally, to rid Ninjago of evil, to protect those that can't protect themselves and to stand up for what is right, to marry the girl of my dreams…

"Now my ambitions are to stay alive, to be considered as an equal to Loki, to be recognised as more than just a weapon. To kill, kill, kill oh and to kill."

* * *

 **Name:** Cole Brookstone

 **Height:** 5'11

 **Birthplace and where he grew up:** Ninjago and the city suburbs.

 **Hair colour, length, style:** Black, below the ears, loose shaggy (it's not EMO.)

 **Appearance:** Muscular, but not overly so, broad shoulders with tanned olive skin and brown eyes. Exceptionally handsome and I know it. (Hey I work out, cut a guy some slack.)

 **Accent:** English (Ninjago).

 **Marital status:** Single and happy (living with Seliel)

 **Children:** None yet

 **Style and colour of clothes:** Modern medieval, black when I'm in Loki's servitude. Casual black for the rest of the time when I'm at home.

 **Relationship with parents:** Strained at first, because of who my father wanted me to be. I finally admitted who I was and Lou (my father)finally accepted it.

 **Memories about childhood:** Happyish, I don't mention much of it anymore.

 **Educational background:** Regular public schooling, my father put my name down for 'the Marty Oppenheimer school for performing arts.' I went to college and studied sports coaching, leadership and motivational speaking.

 **Occupation:** The elemental master of earth, the black ninja.

 **Personality** **traits** : Domineering, very focused on achieving my goals, determined and uhm, I'm good with the ladies.

 **Ambitions: "** The same as before, to rid Ninjago of evil, to protect those that can't protect themselves and to stand up for what is right."

"And maybe just maybe in a few years I might like to be a sensei, to have my own dojo and group of students to train."

* * *

 **Name:** Kai Flamey

 **Height:** 5'10

 **Birthplace and where he grew up:** Ninjago and Ignacia

 **Hair colour, length, style:** Brown, short, exceptionally spiky, dangerous if one gets in the eyes.

 **Appearance:** Broad shoulders, tanned skin, small scar on my face from my battle with Cryptor. I have amber eyes that sometimes reflect fire. I'm damn cute and good looking.

 **Accent:** English (Ninjago).

 **Marital status:** Married to Skylor

 **Children:** One on the way.

 **Style and colour of clothes:** Modern medieval. Mostly black and red.

 **Relationship with parents:** Was normal but they both passed away when we were still young

 **Memories about childhood:** Happy until our parents died, I don't really talk about it anymore.

 **Educational background:** Local school until our parents died, then I dropped out of high school to maintain the family business.

 **Occupation:** The elemental master of fire.

 **Personality** **traits** : Domineering or tries to be, I can be a little too eager. I guess I am easier to corrupt with the temptations of power. Is a complete narcissist (really who wrote this?), he loves himself and has often got carried away with his looks and posting about himself on social media. (WHAT?!)

 **Ambitions: "** To rid Ninjago of evil, to protect those that can't protect themselves and to stand up for what is right….unless a large amount of money and a threat from Hydra had been issued."

"My final ambition is to settle down with Skylor and raise our, as yet unborn child."

* * *

 **Name:** Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon.

 **Height:** 6'

 **Birthplace:** Ninjago

 **Hair colour, length, style:** Platinum blonde, just above the shoulder, loose wavy and thick.

 **Appearance:** Lithe, broad shoulders, fair skin, green eyes.

 **Accent:** English (Ninjago).

 **Marital status:** living with my girlfriend

 **Children:** None yet!

 **Style and colour of clothes:** Modern medieval, black, green and gold (same as Loki).

 **Relationship with parents:** None existent until I had to face off against my father and then my mother came back on the scene, ( _trying to be all that with her feeble excuses as to why she left me there to rot.)_

 **Memories about childhood:** Traumatic, abandoned by my mother to live in a boarding school meant for bad boys. ( _Thanks mom, appreciate the sentiment.)_

 **Educational background:** Darklys boarding school and then Sensei Wu's Ninja academy.

 **Occupation:** The elemental master of energy, the green ninja.(And the ultimate spinjitzu master...duh!)

 **Personality** **traits** : Easy going, friendly open to anything. I will one day make an exceptional sensei if Loki doesn't taint me first.

 **Ambitions: "** Originally, to rid Ninjago of evil, to protect those that can't protect themselves and to stand up for what is right. To settle down with Camille, my new girlfriend."


	58. Judge, jury and executioner pt1

Amora the long blonde haired beauty, had sent Jay off on his way home. In a sick and twisted way she had left him to fend for himself. But he was in his home realm at least, and safe from Loki. The only downside to her plan was that she had sent him there with very little clothing, no weapons and no way to contact his brothers.

She sat and mused over his situation, her slender fingers intertwined in front of her calculating face. _'They, will never know where you are, and they would never willingly give themselves up for you either.'_

And she knew this because she had spent enough time getting to know each of his brethren better. Amora knew Jay would be taken care of because he looked nothing like the pictures she had seen of him. Thinking that the images must have been an old publicity shot before they were wanted criminals.

And besides, the images burned into her mind of what he looked like as she had taken him against his will night after night, also, looked nothing like the pictures on his home realm. Some of which she purposefully left scattered around, just for him to find if he ever escaped the cells.

Looking at her upturned bed, the sturdy walnut bed was difficult to shift back on to its great legs, the feather filled mattress was considerably heavy and rather cumbersome to move. Even with her magical skills as powerful as they were, it was still a tiring task, her magical abilities were not suited for shifting things around, that was the trick of mage's, not really becoming of a sorceress.

' _Maybe I should just wait and the palace guards will help me…'_ She smirked and heaved it with all of her Asgardian strength. The bedframe gave an almighty creak and groan, eventually standing on all four legs again. It did look slightly worse for wear as the silken drapes had all but been singed and ripped. The mattress was easier, it slid on effortlessly and once she had finished she threw herself on it with an exhausted sigh of relief.

Her thoughts were drifting to the young prince again, she knew exactly where to find him even if Loki didn't. The God, in _her eyes_ was still clueless and relied far too heavily on Heimdall for all of his answers.

' _If you used your powers of mind you could find him but you will not allow yourself to because you know the consequences as do I._

The enchantress Amora, ate the last of the food she had prepared before finally cleaning her room.

"I know how to turn you, Loki, I have been watching you, I know what makes you tick." She mumbled, scrubbing the floor where the food had landed. It had left an unsightly stain that seemed to spread like dried blood. Occasionally she looked up and took a wistful gaze out of her broken casement cottage window, she stared at the imposing warship still stationed at the pompous golden kingdom where she knew Loki to be waiting patiently for a prince that wouldn't be coming back any time soon.

"Your cup will run empty soon my prince, you will have your hands too full to even think about him. This is for the best after all…..at least for him and me." She whispered, closing her eyes.

* * *

Jay had quickly found himself on the steps on NNPD just before lunchtime. It would have been slightly less conspicuous had she sent him in shorts and a t-shirt, or a full on clown outfit with a red nose…but no, she chose to send him in a slightly altered ninja gi minus his top.

In typical fashion, as soon as the police force had finished their hotdogs and cheeseburgers he was recognised, apprehended and then thrown in to the overnight cells, to join the multitude of other small time crooks and dodgy characters.

Being dumped on the steps of NNPD in broad daylight, coupled with a lack of decent clothing got him behind bars faster than he could say 'First Spinjitzu Master.' It didn't help that his face and those of his brothers were considered public enemies, wanted for questioning.

They were all wanted by the corrupt government, due to the vigilante activity. Apparently a few witnesses had seen all of the ninja, bar Nya committing the simple kind acts of crime control because the police were powerless to stop it themselves, as usual.

But Amora only had a few hours to gloat about the whole thing having seen it unfold. She was disturbed from her slumber by the sound of clattering metal and many male voices.

At sunrise, a large number of warriors had appeared outside of her house. Apparently they had been walking for a fair few days, knocking on the nearby abodes from here to Asgard, to gain a better understanding of the owners and occupants in each homestead. They had to check thoroughly as the King had told them that she was capable of shape shifting. The process of elimination was long and tiresome but at last they were approaching.

So, each local resident of this sparse arable land in the Norns kingdom had given their own information to the cause, indicating that just over a week ago they saw her pulling a lone young man behind her. All clues pointed to a solitary homestead, not far from here.

It didn't take long to find a run down house that resembled what some had referred to as a 'shack'.

"*Knock* *knock* Amora the Enchantress we know you are in there." The forever twenty five year old Einherji warrior named Gustav, called out clearly. His Germanic accent was as strong as he was.

Undeterred by her silence, he persisted and rapped the door again, this time with the pommel of his golden broadsword. ""You cannot hide in there any longer for we know you brought the prince here." He said, eyeing the crumbling place with a look of disdain for the occupants.

"We have proof that he is here with you… _or was_." He mumbled as he looked at the broken crumbling columns holding the door frame in place.

"Gott verdammt, just open the door….NOW." He boomed and unsheathed his golden sword, ready to break the door down with his impressive team of warriors at hand.

The door slowly opened, like it hadn't been locked at all. Enough to allow them access, as each warrior entered cautiously.

Eerie candles were lit with an ominous green flame. There were additional candles attached the wall like sconces leaning at an angle, each one attached by the power of their own melted wax. The hot liquid wax never spilled over, the candle remained lit and never ending.

The candle glow was gradually dimming with the multitude of Einherjar who were ploughing through the small home, obscuring the candle light with each additional warrior. The lead warrior motioned a handful to check out each room and to be silent, discreet and careful. They followed the orders implicitly, leaving him and his small team to check out the front room.

Each team of five walked into each empty space in the cold quiet house. Single file filtering out with their backs to the walls in defence in an attempt to find the witch Amora or more importantly to find Jay, the young prince, hoping to at least find him alive.

"We have come to retrieve the prince as requested by the King of Asgard." One young Einherji yelled down the darkened hallway.

Everyone was on their guard for the owner of the crumbling house had not made an appearance yet and yet the Einherjar palace guards knew her to be an expert in the magical arts, just like queen Frigga before her and Loki her adopted son.

All they had been told was that Jay was wounded and needed to be brought back to the Royal Palace for treatment. The King had spent all morning liaising with the royal aid and Queen Karnilla to advise her that this was not a ploy to invade her castle, lands or to start a war, it was just a simple recovery mission that needed to be dealt with without due cause or concern.

"I was waiting for your arrival, I figured it would be imminent yet I was expecting you a few days ago." Amora said as she sat in her rocking chair looking out of the cracked windows of the front room.

He looked at her, a vision in green, a beautiful yet evil woman. "The prince and his location?" Gustav questioned and waited for her answer, "Is he here?" He asked with more conviction, leaning over her seated frame, ignoring her beauty.

He stared her up and down and saw that she was bruised somewhat and quite possibly dazed, yet the blood wasn't her own for she appeared to have no visible injuries just injured knuckles.

"Not here anymore, he was a few days ago." She replied and smiled licking her fingernails staring up at the tall young man before her. Gustav was almost six feet tall with platinum blonde hair that was always exceptionally short, he styled it on Dolph Lundgren one of his favourite modern Swedish actors, emulating his style as his own.

"Where did you send him, witch?" He asked narrowing his blue eyes further at her odd behaviour, his first thoughts were of Jay and how he might be fairing.

Amora looked up at him and smiled, "Well I can tell you where I didn't send him…" She replied.

He stood back straightening up, "Where is he, is he wounded?" Receiving no response grated on him but he wouldn't snap, he would be patient as his palace guard training had taught him. If he snapped his warriors would likely join in and before long there would be no home left to search and likely no Asgardian whore to take back to the King for questioning.

The lead palace Einherji was getting bored with the fact that no answers were particularly forthcoming and he soon stepped forwards. He side stepped the younger Einherji, "Will you come willingly? The King requests it so." He asked with his eyebrow raised.

Her blue eyes teased him, she smiled up at him, "Oh well if the King requests it so then it must simply be done." Amora replied sarcastically, she stood and offered her wrists freely to the heavily scarred man who stood in front of her. Heavy with apprehension he took hold of her wrists and clamped the restraints in place before she had a chance to argue.

The Einherjar, three of them, quickly grasped her none too gently. They had known her to be difficult in previous years and the King had mentioned she was a 'slippery thing who could escape easily.' That meant they would take no chances with her escaping again and they wrapped the chains around her neck too.

The lead Einherjar slapped her face. "Where is the prince Amora? If you tell me then the King might go easy on you and likely let you off with only 100 years in the dungeons." He stated.

She brushed the stray long blonde hair from her face, "Can I ask what I have done to warrant this treatment?"

"Like you don't know." One Einherji said sarcastically and fixed her with a stare that simply said 'don't try me.'

"You are required to answer before the King, he has furnished us with no more than that." Gustav replied and noted the dark ominous shadow under the bed. He bent down to investigate, his golden armour clattering and making contact with the wooden floorboards as he knelt down to look.

His eyes settled on a large patch of drying blood, he squeezed his eyes shut wishing the King had given a little more information. "The prince, I assume he was _unharmed_ whilst he was in your care." He asked knowing full well that the King had mentioned he was wounded but didn't disclose how badly, just that it was important he was brought back quickly.

"Was zur Hölle?" He muttered as he stared under the bed seeing a pool of congealed blood which he recognised as purple now verging on black. It had largely sank in to the floor boards leaving what could only be described as a purple shiny pancake or a large blob of lantern oil suspiciously under the bed.

Her vocal pattern changed, "He was happy and healthy when I let him go." She lied and her eyes flitted around the room, sinking to the floor.

* * *

Once the seven days had passed, he was healthy-ish but at one minute past midnight she had unleashed literal Hel on him and he was lucky to get away from her in one piece. Jay had used his elemental shield as an act of self-preservation but she had penetrated it to Jay's horror and the explosion had sent them both flying into the nearest stone walls. Stonewalling how ironic!

She had been left on the floor when he left at that late hour but she was not injured just broken hearted at the fact he had turned her down.

"And where is he now?" Gustav replied as he pulled her roughly from her home into the starlit sky.

Amora grunted in exertion at being pulled so ruthlessly, "I have sent him I know not where." She replied cryptically.

"Fine, then you can do all of your talking in front of the All Father. I hear, he is in an _exceptionally_ bad mood today." He emphasised it to his advantage as he had been at the sharp end of the Kings wrath just recently.

"Yah, sent a few warriors into the dungeons for having too much fun in the banquet hall yesterday, but oh well it's not like I didn't give you a chance to redeem yourself before you speak to him." He laughed and swung open the door to the barred carriage that was to be her transport back to the Kingdom of Asgard.

"Come your carriage awaits." He sneered and winked to his warriors whilst they roughly hauled her up. Not many of his warriors knew the Germanic language because they didn't have that much time to chat about such small things.

Most of the time the 10,000 strong Einherjar were training in preparation for Ragnarok and when they weren't training they were regenerating following their daily battles to the death as the undead warriors of Odin they were recruited to be.

They had after all been slain in battle over the centuries, and the ones that were lucky enough to be chosen by Odin himself, had then been saved by the fabled Valkyries and brought to Valhalla as the golden gateway to Asgard.

Jay when he was still the blue ninja, had also known Valhalla but only briefly, for he had died in battle almost three years ago. He had died saving his brothers back on that fateful day when the spring solstice had ended, signifying what Loki had simply called 'Ostara' it meant the beginning of the summer equinox. The death of spring was to be his death too, the same day that he gave his own life to save them.

He had died a true hero, and, it helped that his endeavours were being watched by a Valkyrie too. Just before he breathed his last breath he had the grace to ask that his team were allowed free passage home without harm, it was his saving grace and the mark of a person who bore such compassion for others above himself.

Jay was more concerned for the fallen soldiers around his feet and his team of ninja warriors than he was for himself and to ensure their safety he accepted Loki's proposal so that everyone else would live.

A decision born out of love and compassion for others, a decision from his bonds of friendship and finally a decision that was so heart breaking to say but one that he knew was the right choice to make.

Loki however had other plans, he stopped the Valkyrie from taking Jay as her own. He killed the sacred creature of Valhalla without remorse and retrieved Jay's body before completing the enchantment that would bind them forever more therefore turning Jay in to the weapon he was now.

The only reason his brothers and girlfriend didn't see that was down to the fact that only the Gods and the dead warriors of Valhalla could see the Valkyries, no living creature would ever see one unless they too were dying and were one of the lucky chosen ones.

* * *

At the moment Jay was the only one of his brothers who had died yet no-one knew it not even Jay, Loki hadn't told him and it was doubtful he ever would because he couldn't be sure how Jay would handle the fact that he had died. Even if it was for a few brief seconds, before being bought back rapidly at the expense of a large portion of Loki's most powerful magic.

The God had been visibly drained after using such a vast amount of sorcery on one small weak minded individual, yet he persevered because Jay could be tempered, trained and because he knew what Jay was capable of even if he didn't.

Hel, even when Loki had turned Jay's brothers, they were at least still living, if they bled it would still be red, pure crimson blood. Nya too she had suffered the same fate as Kay but Loki only brought her back to taunt Jay, to make him realise how cruel love could be.

Jay even though he had died he was no longer human or near human, he was a whole different species now, his blood was unlike anything ever seen before. The blood and his darkened elemental abilities were one and the same, they were the bi-products of pure untapped evil. Hot or cold, he could kill or give life, he just needed the right frame of mind and a good teacher to show him how to control them.

* * *

"I'm not afraid of him." Amora sneered and pulled against his grip, but him and his troop of five other warriors all had an exceptionally tight grip on the Enchantress as they loaded her into the back of a carriage fit for a criminal.

"Haa you look like you belong in there Enchantress, well it looks better than this homestead any day."

"Even Hel is more preferable to this sty." An older Einherjar joked and laughed heartily before slapping the rears of the two black horses to get them moving at a faster pace.

The carriage was a small cage big enough for four at a squeeze if they stood, so plenty of space for one solitary Asgardian wench. The floor of the barred carriage was littered with straw to make the occupant feel like a caged animal but it didn't seem to bother Amora at all.

The more the large group of warriors walked the more they taunted and teased Amora, but no matter what they said she didn't seem to bite back nor retaliate, she didn't want to waste her energy as she was saving it all for Loki for she knew that once he had her behind closed doors he would rid himself of the old Odin disguise and beat her black and blue if he needed to.

"Ya a real piece a work ya know, why did ya have to hurt im of everyone why im?" One incredibly young warrior asked.

He only looked to be a teenager with the deepest shade of red hair with a tuft of tartan attached to his armour as a reminder of his ancestors. He, like his comrades had died in battle but he had the pleasure of knowing Jay personally. He had after all, been training with him since he had arrived in the palace all those three years ago.

Technically he was older than Jay in death even though his earth years made him younger than most, making him Jay's favoured young warrior because he treated him like a younger sibling.

"I have my own reasons, and hopefully they will come to fruition sooner rather than later." She replied and looked away, noticing her knuckles were still bruised from the last beating she had given him before she let him leave.

"How young are you exactly, bit young to be one of Odin's all powerful Einherjar, only just off the breast by the looks of you." She teased.

"I'm seventeen but I died in battle 102 years ago. It was deemed a worthy death according to Odin All Father. So I got into de army forged my birth certificate to get drafted to join my mates on the battle field, took a round to the chest to stop three of them from taking a chest full of lead." He replied in a broad highland accent.

He was undeterred by her and didn't care for the fact that she thought him grossly incapable of being a guard based on his age alone. He simply shrugged his shoulders, he had nothing to hide after all, he had been fighting and dying every single day since he had been here. But he waited for the snarky response she was sure to give, his young face smirking.

"Seventeen hahaa, how sweet, Odin the great All Father thinks it acceptable to recruit such young blood, one whom still clings to his mothers' leg like a comforter." She sneered down her nose but saw him laughing at her. She scowled and looked away.

"Halt die klappe….Amora please just stop." Gustav replied and bit his tongue for shouting in front of his team knowing Jay would openly laugh at him.

"Just save your hate filled speech for the King, I'm sure he'd love to hear what you have to say about where the prince is at this very moment."

"As you wish….Gustav, and for what it is worth I do not appreciate the tone nor the insults you cast at me." She said and turned her head wishing the journey would just end but she knew it had only just begun.

She had made this journey before maybe a few times in her younger years and just recently whilst pulling a prince from the royal house of Odin to spend a week being tortured and beaten.

Loki of course had no idea just how cruel she had been, the potion hid the horrific injuries from all, even from Jay, he just woke as usual feeling refreshed unaware of just how brutal she had been those few hours previous.

* * *

But she had enjoyed her time with him even if he had said 'no' she would still have him for herself and she would turn him against Loki whether the stupid King wanted it or not. He would lose his own protector and he would be the sole cause, she knew all of this because she had seen it.

Loki would lose it all, he would lose his clear and calm mind and his natural leadership qualities, she would make him thirst for blood loss as she did. All to make way for his evil side to come back, that same evil side she had seen once before. The side of Loki that decimated everything and everyone just to become the King of all the nine realms was her plan.

Amora knew that Jay would not stand a chance against Loki if he was in his most evil form, Thor hadn't survived _in fact_ none of the Aesir had survived. The only survivors were those deemed worthy enough by Loki himself. The ones _he thought worthy_ were left to scavenge the nine dying realms until the worlds eventually collided resulting in catastrophic cosmic destruction leaving only the realms inhabited by the race of giants to survive and thrive.

She knew that Jay had never experienced Loki's most evil side because even when he was on Midgard he was somewhat tamed by the mind stone. Thanos the titan, had managed to strengthen Loki's mind during his time in Sanctuary and as such his evil side remained subdued, he had been in partial control of the God of lies.

Amora just smiled to herself and let her plans come together of their own volition, she could see it all happening in her mind, it was just a matter of time, she was just waiting for that perfect opportunity to reveal itself and then she would strike, both princes would be put through the fight of their lives, pitted against each other.

She knew who would win which made it all the more sweeter, obviously she was rooting for Loki, then she would poison the God against Jay and he would leave him to die. The perfect plan, always needed some betrayal and just a hint of brutality for it to work.

Looking out the side of the barred carriage, Amora the enchantress saw the golden topped buildings shimmering. Yet part of the beauty of Asgard was hidden by a huge Elven warship which was casting a humongous shadow across the palace.

She secretly hoped that the God was feeling the pressure of all the citizens of this realm in making the right decision. Would he go to war with them or would he pander to their requests? She really had no idea why they were still there, having been stationed outside the palace floating in mid-air for the best part of a week.

"The ship, why is it there?" Amora asked the Germanic sounding Einherjar who was walking by the side of the carriage.

He turned to face her, his golden helmet obscuring much of his face. "I'm sure you'll find out sooner or later." He replied dryly.

His sword rapped on the bars to get her full attention, "Don't worry Amora, it isn't war, A battle yes but not war. Unsere Machtlosigkeit gegenüber der Gewalt und dem Blutvergießen ist offensichtlich."

"What he means is that we are of course powerless to stop violence and bloodshed, the King however had largely avoided it by agreeing to their terms." The older Einherjar stated clearly.

"However Amora, that same sentiment does not apply to a criminal who has purposefully hurt a member of the royal family, knowingly so whilst in her care." He added. "For the Gods unknown reasons why he was in your care to begin with." He mumbled and rolled his eyes.

The King and royal aid had not told him or his band of fifty Einherjar the actual reason why Jay had been taken in the first place. It was true that he had committed no crime against Asgard, Jay was completely, totally and utterly innocent of any wrong doing in the eyes of Asgard, Heimdall, the sleeping Odin, and the rest of the Royal personnel. The heart breaking truth was that the whole thing had been decided for him in haste by the foolish King and the witch who had stood by his side spurring him on.

Amora shifted uncomfortably on the straw. "What of my crimes, my punishment?"

"You will be tried for treason against the realm of Asgard and the great and almighty Odin All Father as the Judge and executioner of said crimes. You injured a member of royalty so some punishment is to be expected." He admonished and walked on the opposite side of Gustav who was looking for some positive news after the search of Amora's home had revealed nothing except for blood.

The carriage wheels finally rolled onto the familiar smooth paths of Asgard as the carriage made its way toward the palace. Once in Asgard the group of Einherjar all mounted their steeds, grateful to be sitting on something rather than walking with their heavy armour and weaponry.

"Onwards Einherjar, to the palace….To Odin All Father, to victory." Gustav cheered and climbed onto one of the carriage horses. He grabbed the reigns of both carriage horses and slapped the hind quarters. As you would expect the carriage soon sped up and before long he was pulling the reins with a firm downwards tug to slow them down a to a trot.

* * *

The secure giant golden gates to the livery stables opened to reveal a large amount of stable hands and of course the King. Loki in all his fathers' armoured finery was waiting for her, he was waiting for Amora, but more importantly he was waiting for Jay to appear.

Having missed his presence over the past week, Loki sauntered over to the palace guard who got down and bowed his head in respect. "Well, where is he? Where is the prince?" He asked and looked at the rest of the guards not seeing a familiar face at all. None of these men had auburn hair, nor the uniform he was expecting to see.

"H-he, the prince was not there, my liege." He replied and kept his head down in respect.

Loki squeezed his fathers' staff, his knuckles going white in anger. "Did she say where he _is_." His tone was rising, signifying how irate he was getting with the lack of information coming his way and the new fact that Amora had betrayed his express command.

The guard raised his face to look at the King, "I'm sorry my liege, she did not say. We asked her but she was as ever vague, the heathen knows more than she is letting on."

Loki let out a long overdue sigh, "Bring her to the throne room, secure her in the glamour restraints, lest to bind her in-case she uses her skills of sorcery."

The palace Einherji nodded "As you wish, it shall be done."


	59. Judge, jury and executioner pt2

Again Loki had to send a royal messenger to the Queen in the kingdom to the north, if only to warn of Einherjar involvement or possible interference. He had to do everything in his power to avoid war considering he wanted Asgard to be a peaceful realm.

War was not preferable without at least having an adequate army to hand, most of the trained warriors were out searching for their young prince and comrade. This left the realm of Asgard down by 300 men, the rest of the Einherjar all 9700 dead warriors were in Valhalla, fighting and relaxing waiting for their comrades to return day after day.

Loki was completely alone, he could not look into the well of wisdom, nor could he speak to Mimir, nor the Norns for they would surely see him for who he really was, they would see through his glamour, through his mist of sorcery, his deceit and lies would reveal the full horrid truth.

"Heimdall, any news? Sightings anything at all?" Loki asked as the gatekeeper stood in his midst. He was taking a small leave of absence from his usual position of power to join the king in the room where a largescale model of the world tree could be seen. Loki however was looking out of one of the long sweeping windows.

Heimdall looked up at the tree focusing on Midgard, He saw Thor basking in his usual greatness. "Alas, nothing. I see everyone but he cannot be seen anymore. The only people I cannot see are the dead."

Loki rolled his eyes yet again, "He is _not_ dead, Heimdall, cast that from your mind." Shaking his head, his fingers rested firmly on the bridge of his nose. Loki stared out into the starry sky, planets could be seen off in the distance as clear as day. "What about his home realm, she may have sent him there."

Heimdall shook his head, his golden eyes narrowing. "I can _see_ his brothers as clear as day on their home realm. Jayson however….is not visible, he is not there." He sighed and drew a deep breath in.

"Forgive me for changing the subject but the Dark elves my lord, the battle draws near. When should the warriors be called to service?" He noted the realm inhabited by the dwarves was growing restless.

The God pinched the bridge of his nose, "Give them another day then send the aid to round them up for service, they are required here with or without Jay."

"Heimdall, we cannot forgo the battle. If we do they will want a war for the seat of Asgard, the seat of power. Besides you heard how blood thirsty they are, all they want is revenge for the convergence, for Malekith and for Kurse. This, this is the only way!" He replied pursing his lips somewhat.

"It is imperative we find him, our plan depends on it. They cannot do it alone, the dark elves are too calculating and ruthless, Jay needs to be the one to see what they are planning, to bide his time, watching and waiting to take them down."

"Even if he is captured too?" Heimdall questioned with mild apprehension.

Loki nodded, with a subtle one shouldered shrug. "Yes, in a way I am expecting it. He will be captured and expected to fight but in doing so he can gain the upper hand as it were. That alone should guarantee our strength and fortitude, once they realise he is a warrior of Asgard along with the elements of his brothers they will not threaten again, at least I hope they won't."

"You are placing a large burden on his young shoulders my lord. Are you sure it is safe to do this, have you sought out counsel? What if he is injured?"

"Aye to all three. Yes it will indeed be a risky manoeuvre and there are certainly things that can go wrong but I believe his brothers and himself will be strong enough to quell the dark elves and their insatiable appetite for darkness, they will all be sent with healing stones except for the automaton."

Heimdall frowned, "He has a _name_ my lord and a consciousness too, he isn't a mere machine as the Destroyer is, that is what sets him apart, this one actually cares and he is called Zane!"

"Zane, yes of course I meant Zane, he is the exception to the rule, he is the smart one, he will be able to identify any weaknesses, learn their vocal patterns, fighting styles."

Heimdall bowed before him and cast a look of concern but at the same time a look that simply said _'I told you this would happen but you didn't believe me and the worst thing, you didn't believe him.'_

Loki dismissed the gatekeeper, so he could continue his role on the Bifrost bridge, his firm upper lip setting in place as he confidently strode out of the old room that housed the intricate model of the world tree.

* * *

The God of lies had been questioning her in his own way for the past hour, his patience running thin. "Enchantress, will you tell me where he is or do I need to be more _**forceful?**_ "

"Look at you, look at what you have become… _PATHETIC_." He hissed, circling her like a python, cutting off her chances of escape. He became angry, palpable to a level of seething rage unlike any she had ever seen, the wrath of Loki was issuing from his mouth like Mount Vesuvius.

"ENCHANTRESS, WHERE IS HE? WHAT DID YOU DO?" His angered voice, snarling in nature ricocheted around the throne room, echoing further down into the depths.

It was a miracle that the Einherjar didn't realise how familiar the snarls sounded in relation to Fenris wolf, they would have taken a second glimpse at the King thinking he had been turned if it weren't for the pained sobs of the woman cowering at his feet.

Amora had been successfully apprehended by the palace Einherjar and she was now at his and everyone else's feet. She stared at the grand sweeping golden steps leading up to who she knew to be the fake king but she didn't look at all remorseful for her actions, she was however, eager to see how it would play out, to see how low he would stoop to get the truth. She noted a few guards to either side of her, but the shackles on her wrists, she couldn't even get a spark of magic.

 _'I cannot use my magiks here, he has bound me, it is sacrilege to bind another magical being.'_

Loki walked down the golden steps and crouched in front of her, sitting on the third step from the bottom. He simply smiled at her as she was pushed to the floor at the foot of the golden sweeping steps, less than a metre away from his armour plated boots, but it wasn't a pleasant smile, his expressions never seemed to portray happiness since his own exile.

"Your orders my lord?" A lone Einherji queried, he stood a small distance from the bound witch.

"Firstly, have Tyr look for her kin, Lorelei, I believe. It'll give him something to focus on." He noted her look of contempt as he mentioned her sister, the one he had bedded on many an occasion.

He looked at the witch and then back at his warriors, "Secondly, the rest of you will find the prince and bring him back." He said with a lazy flick of his fingers as the remaining guards filed out of the room and left him.

"Yes my lord, great All Father it will be done." He bowed and backed away motioning a group of guards to join him.

He nodded to the remaining palace guards, they restrained her hands, feet and neck with chains. "Hmm familiarity breeds contempt, you like the chains I assume, after all you were so quick to use them on Jayson more than once."

"This is a new _low_ for you Amora…" A sly chuckle escaping his curled up mouth. "Yes…I fear that this type of punishment will not make you anymore willing to divulge….so maybe something a little more your style would be better suited…perhaps!"

The only two strong guards that remained held firm to the grey metal chains, whilst she simply glowered at Loki from more of a distance. "I-I won't tell you…I-I won't."

Cocking his head, Loki stared at her. Her impudence was annoying him more than he cared to admit. Yet he saw an opening, a hint of weakness. He saw her hands outstretched in front of her kneeling stoop, they were less than a metre away from his armoured feet almost reaching out for her own salvation as if to touch a God to gain some form of divine wisdom. He would have laughed under any other circumstance.

Raising himself and his father's overly large gait to his feet, he spoke quietly so that only she could hear. "You'll find I can be very…...very _**persuasive.**_ " He immediately and without a care in the nine realms, slammed Gungnir down on her outstretched hand. As soon as the staff made contact she screamed, he could feel the bones crunching, sending vibrations up the shaft. Her pained screams begging for him to stop eventually breaking through the haze of pleasure he was experiencing.

 _'Ah the sound is sweet music to my ears, the sound of pain, suffering, despair….'_

The God, happy with her position of subjugation and now intense level of pain backed away. Dishing out said pain had actually given him a sick sense of pleasure, an outer body experience. Loki had almost vocalised it, like a filthy climactic end to a lust filled evening. It was now apparent that this was something he had missed for too long and oh how he craved it again.

A part of the God wanted to see her scream for release, or for the end. Her anguished cries made him want it all the more. Slowly and luckily unnoticed by the nearby Einjerjar, Loki's eyes had rolled back as his evil side was trying to emerge.

His father's disguise meant that only one eye could be seen, and again, it was lucky because of the distance that the said guards did not notice the colour change from a rich vivid blue of Odin's all seeing eye to that of purest evil black. That would have taken some explaining!

He quickly squeezed his eyes closed as he walked away from her. A swift flick of his head was akin to a nervous tic, yet that simple movement seemed to hold off the transformation, whilst he merely looked like he was trying to dislodge a flea from his ear, the actual truth was that he was trying to avoid changing into his most evil form in front of the Einherjar.

He looked back at the chained blonde female. _'She is eliciting this reaction from me. A ruse to make me reveal my true self. Not the smartest move Amora, perhaps one born from desperation to have something she cannot. Freedom comes at a price, maybe she still harbours feelings for the Thundering oaf or quite possibly Jay but why?'_

He glanced down at his hands as they held steadfast to the staff, something else Gungnir could be used for and it would be certain to get her attention. "Maybe some _light_ entertainment for the evening is called for." Came his rather cryptic message, a play on words that only he thought humorous.

 _'She is smart, I will allow her one small triumph alas I hold the power here and the court as ever is in my favour. I am the judge the jury and the executioner and she will be punished for her crimes against Asgard and against me.'_

Loki stood proudly, he made his purposeful walk back to the ultimate seat of power, the overseeing place whereby to watch all nine realms. He sat somewhat lazily on the golden throne, sullying it by slouching with a leg draped over the arm whilst leaning back. The throne wasn't particularly comfortable as the seat was quite unforgiving. It was after all solid gold and without padding, simply put; it was terrible for the posture.

Looking behind himself at the two giant imposing golden doors, something that he often took for granted hid something so powerful yet not often seen. "Maybe you would like to _see_ an old face! His _gaze_ might be a little unforgiving though, I hear he blows _hot_ and cold!, Mostly _hot_ though!"

He slammed his father's staff down on the marble floor and watched with a crooked grin as both large golden doors opened behind him. Once the doors had opened, the golden light behind dimmed to reveal none other than a conscious-less entity.

An emotionless, speechless, order-driven, metal automaton made by Asgardian magic. It stood forward of its own volition, side stepping the throne and the current controller of the metal giant. The beast stood in an attack stance directly in front of a slightly petrified Amora. He stood waiting, just waiting for his order to strike.

The face of the destroyer opened where the eyes would normally be to reveal nothing but a large never ending flame, a face full of said element directed solely at _she,_ who still refused to speak.

Loki smiled again, revealing both sets of salt white teeth, but this wasn't a joyous smile, this one was pure malice full of evil intent. "The Destroyer would make short work of you but what good would that do me? Alas it would leave a terrible mess on the floor and then my poor retainers would have to clean it up…and why pray tell should they have to clean up after you!" His words quiet and aimed at her, the Einherjar were oblivious to the wordplay he was using.

Amora stared up at the 20 foot high automaton, the empty suit of armour controlled by the current ruler. The Destroyer, whose sole purpose was to protect the realm of Asgard and the palace from certain invasion. She cowered in fear before it. "I-I don't know where he is…pl-please."

"The Destroyer does not just incinerate, you realise he is quite adept at pummelling, ripping people limb from limb at my order or just simply…he can flatten you." He said with his hand outstretched in front of him, seemingly grasping at nothing. The destroyer however took the order and lifted her clean off the floor in the exact movement that Loki had just performed on thin air.

She shrieked in terror as the flamed face grew closer, the searing heat making her perspire, her cheeks reddening with the intense heated stare. "Pl-please…"

Loki flicked his wrist as if to pause the Destroyer from taking any further action, namely burning her to a crisp or crushing her in his vice like grip. "I don't want you incinerating my dear, you know this mind less brute is more than capable of doing just that." He laughed and watched as the destroyer set her down again, she shakily collapsed back to her knees.

"You remember it though don't you as if it were yesterday? _I_ sent the Destroyer after Thor when he was on Midgard, with that _woman_ he claims to love."

Amora snarled at Loki, she knew of the woman he was mentioning, a love rival for the heart of Thor. "I _remember_..." She whispered under her breath, hiding some of the feelings she still held for him.

He slammed the staff down again and the Destroyer stepped back into the two huge intricately decorated double doors that had remained open. "Ah yes good times. I guess brute strength isn't your thing is it, so maybe a change of scenery is required! I'm sure we'll find something that will pique your interest and summon your loquacious side."

"You know this Amora but I will reiterate it just for you, I am more than capable of getting the truth from you. How much pain I have to inflict all depends on how long you want to play this little game for."

* * *

Less than two hours had passed in Asgard and the God, as usual, was remaining ever hopeful. He was enjoying the continual breaking of Amora, piece by piece. The witch was slowly crumbling under his intense forms of interrogation. She was eventually taken to the dungeons, marched down there and thrown into a cell on her own.

If she thought he could sink no lower, she thought wrong. In these few minutes of solitary, Loki surpassed all of her expectations. He had her locked in a dungeon cell and after questioning her, he allowed a male prisoner to join her. 'keeping her company' as he called it.

The prisoner had other things on his mind and he took her forcefully, she couldn't fight back, she was weapon-less, her metal nails having little to no effect on Asgardian skin.

Loki just sat and watched it happen, mocking and jeering in the background.

"Your reluctance to divulge will lead to your execution if you fail to tell me where he is."

"This realm is on the brink of war and the people of Asgard need continuity. They need to see punishment that will befit the crime of slaying a prince as young, noble and as enthusiastic as he was. You struck down a prince of Asgard and the people want to see your blood, but it is because of me that you are still alive." A sneer of derision, he hated saying it because he wanted to see her bleed, he wanted her dead.

 _"Cat got your tongue?" He teased._

" _You could make it easier on yourself heathen…."_

 _"If you just told me where he was, this could all stop."_

 _"I have heard from sources that you do like many men, having been the whore of Asgard for over 2000 years." He had said._

 _"Is this what you desire Amora? Is this what you have become? How low must you stoop to try and usurp me."_

Amora had crawled away from the male prisoner, she sobbed in the corner refusing to be beaten mentally and physically. Internally she was doing quite well, keeping it all in, tallying up just how low he was going, all so she could exact her revenge in due course.

He narrowed his eyes, a look of pain. "You tormented him so much that he snapped. Furthermore, you gave him no choice, no way of defending himself. All so you could attack him, and, in doing so, you abused the trust I had in you. Committing treason carries the punishment of execution….Amora!"

All Loki could see was image after image of Jay restrained with chains attached to each wrist, held up in a relaxed crucifix position. Left on his knees bleeding out slowly with blades stuck in his chest, unable to summon help from anyone, he clenched his hands ridding the images from his head. "So now you know the seriousness of your crimes, will you yield and tell me where you sent him?"

She spoke almost immediately. "I'll never t-tell you Loki, I would rather die than tell you anything." Came the reply, the pain evident on her face but that same venomous sneer, with a devilish smirk was testing him.

"I like your ambition Amora but I don't think that killing you would bring me much entertainment, I much rather enjoy seeing suffering and pain. Death, after all, just brings closure and why pray tell should I offer you that, the people of this realm might enjoy it though."

He span on his heels, turning his back to her, he shouted loudly at the doors to his side. "Guards, keep watch on her and notify me when she is ready to talk."

"Yes my lord." The older palace guard replied and bowed his head in response. Loki walked past typically disguised as Odin.

* * *

He got to the golden throne and sat. The two purest black ravens soon joined him, cawing at him whilst preening themselves. The God felt like they were scrutinizing him too, Odin's ravens, Huginn and Muninn were squawking at each other incessantly. Finally after hearing another loud screech he shooed them off with a flick of his wrist, thinking the birds obviously needed a task.

"Go find me news on Midgard or something. A message to Thor perhaps, Odin states how disappointed he is with his last remaining son and he hopes that the Midgardians are keeping him…well, now leave me be." He snapped and watched as both ravens flew out of the window back to the great tree Yggdrasil far beyond the horizon.

 _'I wouldn't exactly want the witless oaf to be the knight in shining armour, to swoop in and save the day, like last time. How typically boorish of you Thor, to attempt to save mother by starting an all-out war with the dark elves. Yes, foresight is always a good thing to have, but alas you have left a race of elves now wanting revenge and I have a prince who has simply vanished into the literal aether.'_

He shook that thought from his mind, it hadn't been that long ago that someone had indeed vanished into the aether, they had actually vanished into the liquefied infinity stone known as the aether to be found four hours later filled with the red fluid. The power of it had almost consumed them and threatened to consume the entire nine realms too. Luckily Loki had a plan, he had to sacrifice one of his astral projections to do it but it was realistic and the witless oaf had again fallen for his trickery thinking Loki to be dead.

That one move gave him the throne of Asgard, well, that and a cauldron full of magic and a gullible old fool called Odin.

"Guards fetch me sustenance and…..mead." His voice boomed, this was not the time for pleasantries anymore, Amora had overstepped the mark and he needed something to subdue his evil persona that was threatening to reveal itself at any given moment.

He watched as two guards left the large room, many remained in the room as was standard protocol. The King no matter who he was would always need ample protection, the princes of the kingdom not so much.

Amora was shackled in Loki's weapons room, the very same room that Jay had been dragged to when he committed his act of 'insubordination' almost two years ago.

Loki had arrived back at his weapons vault, feeling refreshed, he was pleased to see the same guards on duty, looking as refreshed as he did. "Any news on the prince?" Was all he asked, with a slight tremor in his voice. It had been over a week since he had last seen Jay, his elemental protector.

The last day he saw him he had nary uttered a word, even the journey back from Midgard had been in uncomfortable silence as Jay had come to terms with what had been agreed. Harsh words had been spoken, but Jay had shown incredible strength in the face of adversity.

The older guard stood to attention., "No my lord, no signs of him or his body."

Loki cocked his head slightly, titling to the left, "His body! Why would…..why would you say that?" He stood back and frowned at the Einherji guard. His guards had never once doubted his direction before, he had mentioned to them that the prince was injured he was sure of it. But the new information about Jay's last few hours was causing some uncomfortable feelings to surface.

"Initially, we found a large amount of blood in her room." A younger warrior replied, standing forward on the cold sand coloured marble floor his spear clanging on the ground by his feet as he stood to attention. "Upon our second voyage, the neighbours never saw him leave. When we looked in her homestead he was no-where to be found." He added.

Loki narrowed his eyes, "But you knew him to be injured I advised you so. He is wounded, there is bound to be bloodletting."

The Einherji looked down again and muttered in a clear but quiet voice. "The neighbour my lord, they heard, well they heard _wailing_ a few days before our arrival." He looked forlorn as he spoke.

Loki looked up worriedly and met the gaze of one of Jay' closest Einherjar friends, he could see the pain for himself, even the warrior thought him to be dead. It was only Loki who thought the opposite. "I see." He looked back at the young Einherji, "Gustav is it?" The man nodded in response.

He took a deep breath, speaking harsh words, "I do not believe for one moment that he has passed, so dispel that from your mind before you spout nonsense. Furthermore, call it intuition if you must, but I know he is alive." The reply although precise in context was belittling and quite venomous in tone, the young Einherji flinched, standing upright and clutching his spear to his breast.

"My apologies High One, forgive me." He simply said, keeping his head low to avoid further eye contact from who he knew to be the King. "Can we be excused?"

The God nodded and quickly changed the subject. "I aim to make her speak, so she is to remain here until I say she can be released, your services will be required soon thereafter."

"Yes, my lord." The young guard walked off with his head down. "As you wish." He said and closed the doors behind the King as he entered the weapons vault.

Loki took that as his cue to change into his most feared form, the ones from nightmares and stories told to the children of men. There he was in his birth-rite standing in the room in his natural blue state complete with royal frost giant markings in the shape of Ymir's crown, his eyes a terrifying blood red.

"Now a weapon meant for the rightful king of the frost giants, my birth-rite." He imagined a small dagger made of serrated ice and looked down to his fist as his open hand solidified into a weapon of choice.

He walked across to Amora and raised his fist seeing her whimper as he neared her. He stroked the serrated blade down her leg feeling her trembling against her touch, the heat passing through his frozen hand. "Asgardians have thicker skin so I'm led to believe, would you personally like to test that theory against say…..a frost giant's offspring?" His eyebrow raised, looking up to her scared blue eyes waiting for her response.

She of course didn't answer him she just looked at him and began to memorise everything he was doing to her for she would do it tenfold to him, sooner than he would like to think.

His blade grew in length and he impaled her. He pushed it through her chest slowly, letting the ice burn and cauterise. She screamed for him to stop and he did, momentarily. "His whereabouts?"

"I-I can't tell, y-you." She wheezed out, her voice cracking.

He shook his head and pushed the blade into her again feeling her shudder with each inch until his wrist was settling against her chest.

"St-stop pl-please….Loki." She paused and looked him in the eye. "I-I k-killed him." She whispered quietly, her tears of betrayal flowing from her deceitful face. She tensed her restrained hands as he withdrew his iced blade.

"You-you're lying…" Loki simply stared transfixed on her face, looking for the slightest hint of a lie.

Her tear soaked eyes met his blood red ones, the tears fell freely. "Pl-please forgive me….Loki."

Loki stared at her, crestfallen. He stood back and collapsed to his knees, feeling nothing but desolation and despair at the words she had just uttered. His world slowly crumbling around him, her words had hit him like a literal ton of Jotun ice blocks.

He stood and glared at her, "You, you lie, you would never…you would not dare…to…" Loki hid his face. Afraid that his countenance might divulge his true feelings for Jay and the secret he held within. "No, it cannot be, I-I refuse to believe it, until y-you tell me where he is, or where his slain body rests."

She didn't answer, she looked to the floor, her eyes darting around the room. Loki recomposed himself, his breathing was now calm, less erratic. Her lies had almost caused him to reveal his emotions.

At that moment, he knew she was hiding something, he was after all, the master of deception, the harbinger of death and destruction, the prince of shadows, the trickster and the sly one, He was the god of evil and lies.

Loki walked to the door but didn't utter a word to the woman. He walked off and slammed the doors behind him. Two guards were beckoned and then stationed at the entrance as before.

"No one enters, she stays in there." He uttered quietly, his voice slightly broken but firm.

"Yes, my lord." The Einherjar palace guards nodded in response and remained standing guard after their king had left the room both exchanging worried glances between themselves.

He was still none the wiser, Loki had promised her a person, an actual person in payment for a spell. But Jay was no ordinary person, he was the only one that Loki could trust, he had given his old life to stay by his side and this was how Loki had repaid that gesture.

The words that the old fated Norns had uttered before he had left for Midgard to rule over them had spoken in riddles as per the norm. The three misty faced women had spoken albeit quietly, none of the riddles in any particular order but some had a far deeper and worrying meaning.

' _Remorse….for what you will do, that you cannot control…'_

' _Guilt for what you will both do…to him…. .'_

' _Betrayal of the one who holds you in high esteem…'_

' _Rage….from the one you least expect…'_

' _Resentment….yet to come…..but not from you..'_

' _Compassion….will still remain…even after he loses his battle…'_

He held his head in his hands, sitting in his own bed chambers, thinking back to the day he had foolishly agreed to choose Amora over any other sorceress in the nine realms. Yet the feeling that something was not quite right had made itself known to him.

' _My liege the neighbours, they heard wailing….'_ Came the last thought of the Einherjar palace guard.

' _They said they saw a man being brought back but he never left…'_

' _I-I killed him Loki, I'm sorry…..please, please forgive me, I-I just snapped and lost control…'_ Was all Amora had said before Loki sliced into her skin like butter, giving her the same injuries she had given Jay.

"Where are you? Where did she send you?"

* * *

In Ninjago city, sat a police officer with a donut in his mouth. The icing and decorative sprinkles were sticking in his moustache, giving him the appearance of a grizzly bear who had been face deep in a birthday cake.

He was sitting in a dark imposing interview room with a two way mirror. In front of him was a large formica table and three formed plastic chairs, only one of which was fixed to the floor. There was a high transom window letting in the smallest draft, although the draft was welcoming to all in the stuffy room it was of no use to the one who was chained to the floor. The transom was barred, the safety glass reinforced with metal mesh.

One officer remained armed nearest the door and the other two sat around the table, but this time they threw the folder and enclosed photos at the seated prisoner.

A tall muscular young officer twiddled his brown moustache whilst transcribing the details of what was being asked. The other officer, whose stature was short and stout; was questioning without a break. The one who remained rooted to the spot nearest the door, held firm onto his baton, ready to use it if the moment called for it.

Opposite the two seated officers sat a half dressed man. He wore a simple grey blanket and he clung to it tightly. The exposed skin they could see for themselves was as white a freshly laundered sheet, his veins were almost transparent save for one arm. The one arm he tried his hardest to cover up was hiding a marbled effect of sickly green veins up to his exposed neck. The sickly looking man had eyes that seemed deep in melancholy and grief, his eyes were the palest lilac. The two officers thought he was wearing some type of comedy contact lenses, but didn't ask him to remove them in case they were actual prescription ones in which case he would need them to look at the mugshots. Finally they noticed his lips bore no colour either, he looked deathly pale, that would explain the reason for the fainting episodes he seemed to have on a daily basis.

His jaw aching from all the yawns of exhaustion, "Look I've told you all that I know, I'm not going to say anything else without a lawyer present….and I want my phone call." He fumed, struggling in jest against the handcuffs they had placed.

A plain clothed officer leaned over the desk, his rank coffee breath hitting Jay in the face. "New rules sunshine, no Miranda rights, no phone call, guilty until proven innocent, now talk otherwise you'll be here for the long haul."

Jay lips remained pursed, he looked back at the mug shots they had given him, he even recognised his own picture but he didn't show any facial movement.

A few photos were pushed back towards him, "Can you tell me who these people are and their current locations?"

' _Yeah I know all of em, that one is me heh, good photo too, Cole, Kai, Lloyd and Zane.'_

He leaned in over the photos, narrowing his eyes and trying to look at least interested as he did the last few days. "Sorry never seen em before, ever…Why am I in here again?"

"You look like one of them, that's why you're in here…"

"Wow, so just because I look like someone familiar you've blamed me for something that I've got nothing to do with?"

The musclular officer leaned forwards but no one touched the restrained occupant. "We have reason to believe that you know more than you're letting on and for that reason you aint going anywhere unless you talk…"

Jay simply leaned back and pursed his lips further, the pictures were pushed across the table. "I'm not talking without a phone call and a lawyer, I know my rights and this isn't fair."

"Fair! Nothing is fair anymore." The officer at the door grinned smugly, his baton hitting his open palm, his eyes trained on Jay.

"Since when has it been standard practice to incarcerate without a fair trial, you guys have no proof that I am who you think I am, and furthermore you don't even care that these guys you're trying to frame are actually doing your job for you, whilst likely risking their own lives and livelihoods in the process."

The atmosphere in the room was palpable, Jay was right of course, but as he expected there was no answer from any of the officers.

The officer with the baton was about to strike just because he wanted something to hit but he wasn't allowed. Jay had merely been vocalising his anger at being kept in a police cell for so long without actually being charged for anything.

The officer stopped the tape recorder, his pen placed in his shirt pocket, just underneath his leather chest holster. The paperwork was duly shuffled and filed along with the mugshots, a quick nod to the other officers and he left the room, still none the wiser, yet feeling like he was cracking the strong psyche of the unknown ninja who bore a weak resemblance to the blue ninja.

Jay was finally released from his restraints by the two remaining officers, they were wearing their uniforms and must have been given the task of being prisoner escort.

Despite their overly harsh way of dealing with the new skurge of criminals on the streets of Ninjago, they were actually quite gently with him. He was hoisted up onto the shoulders of each officer and led carefully to the cell.

Once there, they placed him back on the empty bed. His eyes already closed in exhaustion, there was some concern on the officers faces but they shrugged it off. He did look incredibly ill, yet when he spoke he didn't wheeze in pain or grimace. They noted that when interviewed for the fourth consecutive day that he didn't seem out of breath and other than not eating much he seemed quite normal to them if a little mysterious, like he was hiding something.


	60. Casa del NNPD pt1

It only took a half day of solitude for Amora to break, although standing in shackles being attached to the wall and spread-eagled didn't help either. Loki noted her to be exceptionally stubborn, _annoyingly so_ , even more than Jay had been, to begin with. It was like she was enjoying this, to see how far he would take it.

The witch, despite her sorry state, was giving nothing away like before, but this time she didn't even look at him when she answered his questions, save for the last one.

He stood in front of her, not so much that she could spit at him, but close enough to be able to read her body language.

The God of evil stood forward. He made his appearance and gait look weary and aged as Odin should have looked. Using the Gungnir staff to his advantage, he leaned on it. His greying beard was almost sparkling in the rising sunlight.

"Where is he, where did you send him?" He queried, walking around her. He saw it first, quick indiscreet movements most noticeably for him was the lowering of her head followed by her eyes.

 _'You would dare to lie to me, in Asgard, in the throne room?'_ His eyes narrowed in anticipation of what he knew was going to be pure lies spilling from her lips.

"….I-I don't know, he just left. I know not where," she shook her head, shifting uncomfortably under his scrutiny, but offered him a sickly smile in return when she realised he was still looking at her.

A single laugh escaped from the curled up mouth of the disguised Loki. " ** _You lie_**!"

Silence, pure and eerie, not even the royal personnel spoke. The Einherjar stood to attention as did any of the Aesir who were still presently watching the sentencing with anticipation. All that could be heard was the sounds of the curtained drapes brushing across the polished marble floors, _until the God spoke again_.

"Even now, you still think it acceptable to lie before the High One, the _All Father?_ "

She didn't speak to him and his self-righteous talk of authority, she could see clearly through all of his lies even if his gullible Einherjar warriors and the sparse amount of Aesir Gods couldn't. She wasn't blind to his deception as they were.

* * *

Loki had not foreseen that he had been played by her, until an hour ago.

The fact that neither Heimdall or himself had been able to sense Jay was likely because she had used some form of enchantment or portal disruption spell upon sending him away. A mere thought in passing coming from none other than the gatekeeper himself and the annoying narcissist Vanir; Freya. It hadn't been completely ruled out that Amora might have done, just that.

Never had Loki had the need to use anything of the sort, indeed, he had heard of such things during his time of learning the divine art of sorcery but he never needed to keep an eye on his subjects or even know where they were at all times. His subjects, as a prince were mostly loyal, his servants and retainers would always return to him, it was expected because they were employed by the palace and Loki _was_ a prince. _Still thought of as fallen_.

Whereas Amora's subjects, they were mere slaves to her. They certainly weren't loyal, not remotely.

That was one of the reasons why she lived alone in Vanaheim. She lived in a vast castle with an old wizened hag who cooked all of her food and kept home. Her slaves had all died, through old age, torture or neglect. Truth be told, none wanted to live with her because she was extremely possessive and excelled in breaking the will of men.

The staff clasped tightly to his breast, Loki strode behind her and watched her posture as he spoke quietly. "You were _lying_ about his death and you are **_still_** lying now. Your sick depravity knows no bounds Enchantress. I fear your _insanity_ and _reluctance_ to tell the truth will warrant you a longer duration in the dungeons."

He cleared his throat, raising his voice so his royal aid and personnel could hear his ultimatum. His sentencing was due for the witch who stood in front of him, he was going to enjoy this.

"Enchantress, you pose a significant threat to this peaceful realm and your _blatant_ disregard for the rules shows a heinous lack of respect for the realm eternal and the Aesir, under which you are bound to _serve_."

"The people of Asgard want to see _punishment_ for your actions, _retribution_ for your callous act against one unarmed man." He took a deep breath, a pause. He could still feel some remnant of pain. "Sadly for you, he wasn't just any man, he was the youngest member of the royal Palace of Odin All Father."

"Amora the Enchantress, you struck a prince of Asgard against royal decree. You will pay for your crimes." He couldn't risk saying any more as to what exactly had transpired without sounding like he had orchestrated the whole thing himself, because in truth he had. He was partly to blame for Jay's disappearance and the remorse was building exponentially.

He slowly released her shackles and hushed whispered could be heard, notably from the Aesir and royal personnel who shuffled uncomfortably.

The chains fell to the floor around her, gathering at her feet as she stepped out of them and to the side.

Loki walked to the front and whispered into her ear. "Enchantress, if Jayson is not on this realm by dusk today, I _will_ order your **immediate** execution. It shall be a public affair, in front of the entire Kingdom of Asgard." He paused giving her time to take in his proposal.

"Your family name will be forever sullied, as of course will your _sister_." Loki smirked slightly. "She shall be forced to watch your demise before the guards dispatch her too. A public event, like I said. Maybe a good flogging or perhaps the blood eagle? We have not had one of those for a good few hundred or so years."

He could feel the effect his words were having, she blanched at them, her eyes downcast. The last threat was only usually reserved for enemies who were to be publicly humiliated or Gods who had expressly broken the commands of the High One, the All Father.

"Mark my words Amora, you return him to me or you will die, as will she," Loki stated, giving her his final ultimatum. He walked back to the front of her with a smile.

"I intend to carry through with my order, Tyr is looking for her as we speak…"

 _'Although Tyr is a better fighter than a tracker, even if he only has one hand._

He could see she was shaken by his threats, her smile had gone, replaced by malice and an evil glare of the likes he had never seen before. He shrugged it off and walked up the steps, approaching the golden throne of power. A nod of the head and a discreet hand gesture to the guards, Loki signalled them to move back, to give her space and they complied without question.

"Dusk, Amora. I have already sent warriors with Tyr." Loki teased and sat on the throne, watching and waiting for the God of war to return with what would be his bargaining chip in the event of Amora betraying him again.

Amora was escorted from the throne room by the Einherjar. It wasn't the first time that she had been threatened with execution but it still terrified her. The threats left a bitter taste in her mouth, The God of evil had threatened her sister Lorelei, yet she was innocent of any wrongdoings.

She thought about how Lorelei would likely be woken from her slumber on Midgard, by none other than an angry one handed God of war. Maybe Lorelei would be marched back to Asgard in broad daylight, to watch Amora take her final breath. She shuddered fearfully, knowing what had to be done. If it was done in plenty of time then her sister would be spared humiliation.

Likely thinking that Tyr wouldn't be able to find her. Hel, if Amora couldn't find her own sister, what chance did the God of war have?

"You heard what he said Amora, I hope you know where he is otherwise you'll both be dead before the week is though." The blonde haired Einherji walked with her a short duration. "He means business, dumme frau!" Gustav stated as he motioned her from the palace doors with a smirk on his face.

Amora nodded at the solitary warrior but refused to answer him. She walked away only a short distance and looked down at her clothing, she shook her head.

Gustav remained watching her for cues, to at least have something to go back and tell the king, but she revealed nothing of relevance.

* * *

Her magic had returned sufficiently for her to replace her torn and bloodied clothing, and she did so whilst tidying up her general blood stained appearance. Her green pointed helm matched the fringing on her short dress and, her leggings had all but been replaced. The holes were no more, now had been replaced with jet black knee high boots and those same infinity print latex leggings. Her favourite colour and her best attire, she simply loved the colour green.

With her mind focused, she thought of the young prince she had sent away. She thought of him and his brothers and the time she had spent manipulating them all.

 _'I tried to get him to see my way, to show him this would have been better for all, I tried to get him to stay with me but he chose the God. A decision he will come to regret.'_

A sly smile crept onto her face as she created an inter-dimensional portal, one that connected Asgard to Jay's own realm. She waited for the small sparkling circle of green to open fully before stepping into the cold autumn evening, her black hooded cloak was held tight in an attempt to hide her wounds and to keep the bitterly cold winds away.

* * *

 _ **New Ninjago Police Department (NNPD)**_

"Oh come on, you've gotta be kidding me, really!" Came a high pitched whine followed by a huff as a plastic filled cup was passed into his pale hands.

He took it gratefully and looked around himself. He noted about thirteen other men in the cell with him, they looked like normal everyday people, businessmen, shop owners, parents, street artists. Not one of them looked dubious or like they should even be in here. _'_

 _I guess looks can be deceiving.'_ He thought, casting his eyes to the floor to avoid attention.

"This isn't right ya know, I demand a lawyer or a phone call." Jay whined again, sitting down in his crowded cell and drinking the offered water.

He stood momentarily and pulled his grey police issued blanket around his bare shoulders and held it firm sitting down again feeling utterly bored and somewhat confused as to why Loki hadn't even been to visit in person or astral form.

He had also noticed that most of the men in the same cell as he, all had some form of decent clothing on. It was obvious they would be dressed well considering winter was almost upon them where as Jay was wracked with never ending shivers because he was wearing thin cotton trousers, his ninja gi. He squinted his eyes and saw a group photo above the police desk that stood directly opposite the cell he was locked in. A full colour publicity poster with a 'WANTED' stamp right over front and centre. It was obvious it was a regular poster once but now it seemed that some overzealous police chief had gone around and stamped everything with the ninja on with a 'wanted' label.

 _'So, they're fugitives huh? Guess I'm not getting out of here for the foreseeable then!'_

* * *

Stuck in the prison cell for just over a week with no phone call, more than six days of interviews and the same mugshots on a day to day basis that depicted his brothers committing what they termed as vigilantism, was now slowly beginning to grate on him. He still hadn't lost his cool though, he had bitten his tongue numerous times almost to the point of drawing blood, then rolled his eyes that much that he gave himself a headache.

"You ain't goin anyway pretty boy, not till you spill the truth on what you know about these vigilantes." A police officer mocked.

"What? I-I've already told you, I don't know anything about them. Please, you've got to believe me, haven't I suffered enough?" Jay whined in a higher pitched voice than usual but it was no use. His brothers were un-contactable and playing the part of fugitives exceptionally well, Richard Kimble would have been so proud...

The thought of it took him back to his time with the sky pirates and Nadakhan. They had been on the run then, keeping a low profile, struggling to survive, no place to go for fear of being spotted, the Bounty had been impounded, leaving them homeless until they too were incarcerated courtesy of Chez Kryptarium aka Kryptarium Prison, the biggest correctional facility in all of Ninjago.

A cold breeze passed through him, he had hated the whole experience and the crew. But he didn't break under the intense pressure he was subjected to. No matter how many times he had played scrap and tap or how many times he had been forced to scrub the poop deck and hull, he still held strong that his brothers would be coming for him, and they did, eventually saving the day and the city...again!

But now and for the last few days, there were the interviews, the ever tiring same old interviews. Each subsequent one he had been forced to take had ultimately wielded the same results. Jay had kept tight lipped about everything and anything. The pictures, even more so because he _knew_ that the ninja were all wanted for questioning, besides, the stupid officers had left wanted posters everywhere.

Now there was no way. Jay knew _this_ wasn't going to be a rescue mission like it had been before. His brothers, his team had no idea that he was even _in_ the police cells. He knew that if he was given that all important 'phone call' he would be putting them at risk too, the police could tap the lines or follow him home.

The police officer rapped the bars with his baton, startling Jay in the process. "Pyjamas too, because I've heard that you ninja can hide weapons _everywhere_ and I mean EVERYWHERE, hahaha." The overly rotund police officer laughed, it would appear that his entire frame wobbled too, kind of like a blob of jelly that continued to move, long after the original momentum had ended.

Jay stared after the man who was laughing at him, noting his belly wobbling as much as his non-existent neck. At that moment, he was sorely tempted to rename the officer as such but just kept that to himself. He bit his tongue and hid his smirk, he was trying his hardest not to laugh yet feeling some humiliation at now having to remove his only item of clothing.

His new nickname in Jay's own mind was now ' _officer donut_ ,' based on the amount he had seen the officer guzzle whilst Jay had been incarcerated and his larger than life belly that was being held back in difficulty by small plastic buttons.

"You're enjoying this aren't ya? Ya know in my defence I was just dumped here, with no bladed weapons and no mask…how many ninja do ya know who go around in their uniforms without blades whilst showing their faces? Huh that's right…none."

He removed his trousers awkwardly, making sure to keep his blanket tightly wrapped around him. He felt like he was on the beach trying to strip off his wet clothes whilst trying to avoid showing any flesh. Eventually they came away, but he had to sit to take them off as he was about to topple over. Jay, with reluctance, passed them through the bars and into the officers waiting plastic tray.

Grabbing on to his blanket again, now more so than ever; being that he was also trouser less. Not that the police cell was cold or anything, he was just vaguely aware that a few of the men were fixing him stares that to Jay made him feel like they were interested in him in more than one way. He was now as naked as the day he was born. Typically, Amora hadn't thought to reacquaint him with his underwear, after all it restricted her for her own reasons and she had destroyed all of his clothes on his first night.

"This isn't fair ya know, everyone else has clothes, how come you're not asking them to remove all their stuff?"

"They don't look like ninja material to us, you however…..do! So we're taking no chances with you, you ninja have been known to be slippery bastards."

Jay resented the remark, but shrugged in agreement. Being 'a slippery bastard' was better than being a dead one he had thought. "How much is my bail set at? Ya know I could pay it myself."

"$5000, and no, the bail bonds are to be paid for by a guardian who can vouch for you, make sure you turn up for your court appearance and sentencing."

Jay stared open mouthed, "Sentencing for what? I've done nothing wrong." His facial expression just bore shock and disgust at how he was being treated. Once, a while ago, Jay and his brothers were considered as this city's heroes, having saved it on many occasion. Now, he was a hardened criminal, in the eyes of the government.

The officer smiled at him and shoved the last piece of donut in. "Not for me to say, detectives have to compile all the evidence."

"Enjoy….!" He grumbled in response, slightly embarrassed at being left with nothing but a blanket. He looked at the officer who took his only other form of clothing, his other hand sticky with icing residue. Jay stared at the donut, now wanting that more than his clothes.

 _'Torture by food, Cole would have been crying by now!'_ Jay thought as he spooned more unappealing slop into his mouth. He looked around himself, the other inmates seemed to lap it up eagerly. Holding onto their plastic tray like their life depended on it, army rules almost where the food stayed on the tray for mere seconds before each tray was quickly finished.

Yet, all Jay wanted was to feast in the great banquet hall in Asgard or Gladsheim and maybe even Skylor's restaurant 'Chen's noodle house.' He wasn't too fussy either way but the food in this cell was rank and tasteless and had the look that made it seem like it wasn't fit for human consumption.

"That's called gloating, and all we get is barely edible." A male voiced moaned, he mentioned what Jay had just been thinking.

A loud clattering noise from further down the corridor made itself known. This was followed by some 'oohs' and 'ahhs.' The two police officers responsible for the cell of fourteen or so men, had found something of importance. "Oi blue ninja, what's ya name again?" He hollered into the cell.

Jay put his plastic tray down, the food barely touched. "Jay…..son." He corrected, realising that if he gave his full name he would likely never get out of here. His mouth snapped shut, Kryptarium would be the next stop if they found out who he was and he wouldn't last long in there.

"Is that your first and last name?" Came a confused response, the police officer frowned at him.

"N-no, my first name is Jayson…" He mumbled and sat down quickly as his legs again began to buckle under his weight.

"Well, Jason can you tell us what this little thing is." The officer stated and lifted up the hand sewn patch and the thin black gem that looked like a long ornate amulet meant to be worn around the neck. "We found it stitched into your fancy ninja pyjamas."

Jay stared at it for a few seconds and then at the remains of his trousers. His first and only thought was Amora. "Uhm, actually and I know this sounds really stupid and completely unbelievable but I honestly, truthfully have no idea where that came from. Did you place it in there to frame me, to make me look bad haa or uhm maybe you switched them n-no?" Jay joked, laughed and then stopped abruptly as the police officer looked at him again and back at the wanted pictures littered all over the office.

" _We_ didn't plant it, ya throw accusations around like that and you'll be in for the long run." The officer narrowed his gaze.

Jay squeezed the bars tightly. "S-sorry, I was uhm, joking look it isn't mine, heck I can't even sew, never went to scouts. Look, I have no idea how it got in there, you believe me right?" His voice pleading.

The officer stared him up and down seeing only slight similarities between the full colour picture and the young man in front of him who appeared younger and very much paler in contrast. The picture showed Jay at least following Nadakhan's reign of terror, looking every bit the hero with Nya at his side. The only difference now was that his freckles had all gone, the scarred eyebrow still remained but the eye colour was different. The officer did a second look, and frowned again, quickly and efficiently writing down notes as he stood a meter away from the caged men.

"Hmm if you say so, I'll be back in a moment I need to clarify something with the superintendent."

 _'Absurd who takes a break and leaves a group of criminals unsupervised?'_ Jay thought, watching as police 'officer donut' walked away with his dark blue pants in a tray. Leaving him literally in a long grey blanket, in a cell full of men who happened to have _all_ their clothes on.

"Don't I get a phone call? Or Miranda rights either considering you haven't charged me…..with anything!" Jay shouted through the small bars pushing aside the slightly smaller man next to him.

"Do you mind?" He grumbled, falling to the floor with a thump. He was wearing some strange outfit which Jay assumed was the reason he was behind bars.

The man was wearing so much fluorescent clothing, it hurt Jay's eyes to look at him. He even had bright green leg warmers and a yellow head band to match his yellow spandex leggings. A reject from the 80's stuck in a time vortex destroying Jay's eyes with his vivid vomit inducing colour scheme.

 _'Arghh my eyes, a crime against fashion that's what that is! Maybe he was on his way home from an 80's club and it was neon night.'_

"Ugh, s-sorry, been here a while and still don't know why." Jay replied and helped him to stand but as soon as the man looked at Jay's face he recoiled in terror like he had seen a literal ghost or vampire.

"What?" Jay smiled and looked at the man with some confusion at his odd reaction, if anything Jay should have thrown the same look at him considering his odd choice of clothing. The man ripped his hand from Jay's grasp and backed away rapidly.

"You look…..d-dead!" He said rudely but with some apprehension at just how horrific Jay looked. He had backed away so far that he looked like he was trying to climb the opposite wall. That was then met with a few laughs and a fair bit of teasing from the other men when they too saw his choice of clothing.

Jay sighed dejectedly, "Thanks, you would too if you went through what I just did a few days ago!"

He began to pull on the bars with more gusto to no avail, the bars unmoving. _'I wonder if Cole would be able to break these bars.'_

* * *

He took a quick glimpse of the cell and surrounding grey and black corridor, he noticed a domed security camera up on the ceiling. "It's no good, you'll only get outta here if someone pays your bail bonds."

"Wh-what?" Jay turned slowly but didn't see the person who had spoken knowing him to be standing near to him but obscuring his face somewhat. He saw the man who had spoken, he stood next to him closely but still hid his face with a dirty orange cloth. "Hey uhm, why are you in here?"

"Why should I tell _you_?" A familiar voice replied.

Jay didn't really recognise him without his wide brimmed hat, but the voice was a dead giveaway. "R-Ronin?" His eyebrow cocked and finally a small smile appeared on his tired pale face.

"Yep and you are?" Ronin looked to his side at the young looking man who was wrapped head to toe in a grey standard police issue blanket.

"Err, Jay…..obviously." He replied dryly. "Really you don't remember me? Did you get a brain injury too when they put ya in here?" He joked but Ronin didn't seem to laugh or find it funny.

"Well I haven't seen _you_ for over three years, so forgive me if I don't jump up and down with glee. Besides, I can't remember the faces of the people that have more important things to do than keep in contact." He replied with some vitriol.

Jay seemed taken aback at the resentment in the words. "I-I guess we all have lives to lead if that's what you're insinuating, some can't control it that sort of thing ya know, fate and all that!"

"And also I tend ta go by colour, so no I didn't recognise you without your gi, unless grey is your new colour now…plus what is it with your face?" Ronin finally turned to face Jay and noted his pallor.

"Well uhm…" Jay paused and blushed, the colour never came. "They made me strip off, and the paleness well, I-I can't explain that…." He looked away avoiding Ronin's eyes.

 _'Without sounding like a total wuss who is into some extreme forms of bdsm whereby blades are rammed into my chest whilst I bleed out, mmm yeah good times.'_

Ronin stared at him, he seemed to be miles away with an odd smirk on his incredibly ghost like complexion. "So is that junk yard up for sale yet? I hear you'll get some good money for it and the junk too if you're willing to sell. I can take it off your hands real quick, give you a good deal." But it wouldn't be a good deal, it would likely be a scam of sorts, a promise of something great that never comes to fruition.

"Hmm, really, have you been scoping out the place then, keeping an eye on it for Mum and d…. " Jay blanched, he had finally remembered what had happened almost six months ago. Most of it had been forgotten about, likely masked by Amora's spells at the behest of Loki.

He remembered it all, the pain of being possessed by Clouse and the sheer desolation and despair once he realised what Clouse had done. He had been forced to walk in to the silver trailer he had once called home, and he saw it for himself. All that he could see around him was death, his parents were slumped against each other, a death embrace with horrific injuries, they died arm in arm.

Jay had started to breathe raggedly as the memories all came flooding back, Ronin must have sensed some sudden emotional torment coming from him. "It's okay Jay, everything was taken care off by your brothers and Nya. We gave them both a good send of in your honour."

"Although, it would have been nice for you to have shown your face considering they raised you as their own." Came the belittling addition to his supposed soothing talk.

Jay bit his lip refusing to get into a heated discussion, even as he digested the bitter edge to Ronin's sharp but well-meaning words. "I-I couldn't come." He mumbled with his head held low.

"I'm sorry, but th-thank you for doing that for them." He remembered where he was when the funerals would have taken place, he was with Loki, being brainwashed, having his choices on rinse repeat. The whole experience left him feeling like his eyeballs had been bleached and shoved back in backwards, but he had no time to think about it because no sooner had he arrived back in Asgard, he was sent off to stay with Amora for a week of Hel.

* * *

At the moment and more specifically in Ronin's eyes, Jay looked like the kid who had everything, the rich dead father, acres of prime real estate and now the same in the Sea of Sand. Two properties under his belt and a few million in the bank all before he turned 25.

"Don't need an excuse Jay, just needed you ta be there for them, but you're here now right? Ya gonna go pay your respects huh?"

Jay tried his hardest not to outwardly sigh or tut at him, although he _was_ glad for a familiar face. He had forgotten how annoying Ronin could be. "Well I would do, but as yet no-one has told me where they are."

"I-I don't even know if they were buried or…or…" He trailed off, sitting on his bed with his head in his heads.

Ronin inched closer to Jay who was holding tightly onto his blanket, like his life depended on it. The long grey thing covered his hair and all of his exposed skin except for his bare feet and face. "They're on the corner of 19th and Dime, Ninjago memorial gardens and crematorium. They were cremated because well…." Ronin paused and bit his lip looking down.

Jay didn't look up, "Yeah, thanks, I-I get the picture. At least I can go visit now."

A quick sideways glance to his left gave Jay the chance to change the conversation. "So uhm, why are there so many in here?" He looked away and back down the corridor to his right, seeing some activity. His bed placed next to the cell bars allowed him the ease of seeing everything in the direct vicinity.

A few of the police officers were hanging around near the photocopier with various hot beverages and other sugary snacks gawking at pictures and pointing back up towards the police cells. Jay couldn't see the picture clearly but he could tell it was his considering it had just been ripped from the wall mere minutes ago.

"Most of the people in here, got put in for things that shouldn't warrant cell time. Him over there …littering, the other guy next to him didn't pay his parking fine on time. That one shouted at someone, that sorta thing. Petty crime that wouldn't normally warrant cell time now carries a hefty fine and if you're not careful; a criminal record to boot so the government can keep an eye on you." Ronin mumbled, his gravelly voice low and dirty like his attitude to trespassing and stealing other peoples' property.

"Great so, uhm most of us shouldn't be in here? What the Hel has happened in Ninjago?"

"The new mayor happened…" Came the quick but cold reply.


	61. Casa del NNPD pt2

"The new mayor huh? Haa figures…." Jay smirked, he remembered that night like it was yesterday. The thrill of the fight took him by surprise, the exhilaration of killing fifteen or more men. Ones' that were heavily armed with not only knives but semi and full auto's.

 _'Yeah I didn't come away unscathed though, still at least I left with my life haa. Immortality does have some benefits.'_

The same night that Loki and Amora made him snap, made him see red was the night of Kai's bachelor party. That had been the night he had sought out vengeance because of how he had just been treated. He could sense the evil, call it intuition but since he was living in the presence of ultimate evil he could feel it all around him and none more so on that fateful night.

These criminals who were located less than a block from a reputable middle school; had enough ammunition to cause a huge scale problem, the police would have been powerless against such immense firepower. They had amassed enough drugs to destroy a neighbourhood and then some, god knows where that had been shipped in from.

The thugs he had come across had exhibited enough terror and violence to raise tensions in the area. Some people had literally left home due to threats and physical acts of violence, some because the area had run into disrepair.

Jay hadn't seen it with his own eyes as such, but just by judging the deprivation he could see. He felt anxieties, tension and desperation and it wasn't coming from him, it was coming from all around him.

He knew that feeling all too well, it was the same feeling he was familiar with when he decimated a lesser civilisation whilst under the power of the sceptre. That feeling came from the people near him, the ones who were scared. And, he felt it that same night, the people who didn't feel safe in their own homes threatened by the thugs who he later took down himself, all he got lumbered with was a bullet wound that had healed completely by sunrise, leaving a small bruise.

"You think it goes up that far then?" Jay asked with a raised eyebrow, his voice lowered in case anyone was listening in. He had a rough idea but never in his darkest dreams did he think it was that high on the ladder. _'Hmm that could cause a problem, no wonder they couldn't do it….'_

Ronin shifted closer, and his gravelly voice whispered into Jay's ear. "Rumours is all it is, but I think that NNPD and Borg have both been taken over."

To Jay that sounded almost preposterous, _'I worked night shift with Cyrus Borg a few years ago, just so I could save up for an engagement ring and a meal out. I kinda know Cyrus, he's tight, he would never fall that easily….surely?'_ He wanted to refuse it, didn't want to think about the possibility that Borg had been taken over yet again.

Jay pinched the bridge of his nose. "R-really, B-Borg too?" He groaned, now feeling the weight of Ninjago on his solitary shoulders as well as the fact he could be charged and sentenced for just being a ninja, a supposed hero of the city, the city he had helped to protect year in, year out.

"Ha, I reckon they've even roped in some large pharmaceuticals too, tampering with food and water supplies, ya never know." Ronin piped up again. His crooked smile revealed a dazzling toothy grin, his unshaven face provided a definite contrast. "Look the speech I heard was quite brutal in tone, it was aimed at you guys and in fact anyone that opposes them…basically they said; you can run but you can't hide, they won't tolerate attacks from outlaw vigilantes and they will not cave in to the threats."

"Wow haa okay haa, uhm. Do they realise just how stupid they made themselves sound, they're painting us as, well, as terrorists, but we're not, we are all this city has left!" Jay sat back, with a look of confusion on his face. He thought back to when he had first started this whole thing, he had simply taken down a crime lord and his minions and that was it, more or less….the nailed and charred skeletal hand on the wall was an added point to show how serious Jay had been in getting his message across.

"Seriously this city is dying and it won't be long before it spreads further afield affecting the smaller communities." Ronin said with a shake of his head.

"Really?" Jay replied un-enthusiastically.

He couldn't be sure if Ronin actually enjoyed being in here, or if it was providing security for the man who was never tied down, except for maybe his shop in the floating town of Stixx or his flying ship R.E.X. At least this place gave him socialisation, three square crap meals a day, and the odd friendly banter of police officers who had nothing better to do than gloat.

"Yeah, how else do you explain this?" He pointed to the rest of the men surrounding them, most of which looked so utterly miserable.

"And that?" He said pointing to the wanted pictures. "Even _Darreth_ is a wanted fugitive and that's funny, he's a master alright…Jack of all trades, master of **_nonejitzu_**." Ronin laughed at his own humour.

Jay however, figured that 'wanted' picture probably didn't bode too well for Grand master Darreth's Mojo Dojo and his further _self-appointed_ title of being their publicity manager. He was obviously on the run too, although God knows where he was holed up, maybe Gayle, his long suffering girlfriend had him somewhere safe.

* * *

Suddenly feeling like he had been hit by a literal bus, the remorse struck him like a punch to the gut. He felt bile rising in his throat and fought the urge to vomit. The realisation had now raised its ugly head, not just at what this whole new development meant for him, for his brothers and his extended ninja friends out there. But what it meant for the realm of Ninjago as a whole. He knew then, that he couldn't back out, _he_ needed help, _they_ needed help and they needed a plan of action.

"Well what can _we_ do? We're just a team of six, against the whole government and we'd have to go up against the politicians. That's not exactly a battle of weapons is it? It's more like a battle of words…although a battle of wits hmm." Jay replied and smiled.

Thinking to himself in a moment of silence, _'Maybe Loki could infiltrate, that is, if the God could be bothered to get off the golden throne. Maybe if Odin were to wake then it would be a dead cert because he'd have no choice…'_

Ronin sat back on Jay's bed, crossing his legs one over the other. "Jay, how do you fight fire?" He asked with a twisted smile looking up at the inquisitive ninja who was kneeling on his bed and craning his neck to see what the commotion was about down the corridor.

Jay turned to look at Ronin, seeing the greasy chestnut haired man leaning back. He sat down next to him, "With water?" He suggested, thinking he was right but questioning himself just in case Ronin was asking a trick question. His brows furrowed, water had always worked well with Kai's fire element none more so than when the hothead lost control and his temper frayed. Jay was still happy with his answer. _'Yeah you fight fire with water, any day of the week….right?'_

Typically, he was wrong. Jay had fallen for it, hook line and sinker as soon as he saw the crooked grin on Ronin's unshaven face, he mentally face palmed.

"No, Jay, it's an idiom, meet aggression with aggression, you fight fire with fire. Look, it means to employ more extreme methods than we would normally do…yeah?" He replied with his arms crossed and the same smirk.

"What so we fight with our blades and weapons and…" Jay started but was cut off.

"No…all we've gotta do is use the same methods the mayor is using against us. Firepower, we need to arm ourselves."

Jay stared wide eyed at Ronin for a spilt second, choking on the sparse amount of water he had tipped into his mouth, leaving his plastic almost void of fluid save for a pathetic half teaspoon. "What? Th-that's madness, you're talking about equipping all of us with guns and bulletproof vests, armed to the teeth and marching in to his office to shoot him dead, like it'll be a piece of cake with no possible repercussions?"

"Well not quite like that, but you get the drift, weapons, firepower and body armour. Besides I'm sure you guys could infiltrate the SWAT team of NNPD, I mean you managed to get into NNPD a few years back!"

"Well yeah, but….." Jay thought about how well that had worked, but there had only been the two of them that had infiltrated NNPD. Nya and himself, not all six, that alone would take some serious mind control to pull off.

"Maybe you guys could try and get assigned to the next mayoral event! I think it's a few months from now but still…." His tone was distracted somewhat, making Jay take more notice.

"Naturally, o-of course we can infiltrate, it's what we do to a certain extent." He mumbled the last part. "I mean if you put it like that I guess, well, I'd have to speak to Lloyd first, ya know because he's the…"

Ronin looked across to meet the deathly pale ninja's face. "Yeah, I get it Jay, he's the leader of the gang, sheesh like I've not heard that before."

"I can supply you guys with some of the stuff of course, but you all know the drill right?"

"Uh….what?" He turned cautiously, not quite looking at Ronin. "The drill?"

"Nothing comes for free, everything has a price!" The greasy haired man sat cross legged on Jay's bed. "It was the same in Stixx, Kai sold me his and all of your shares of the Tea shop."

Jay licked his teeth in annoyance. "Right, yeah I remember that, so uh what exactly are ya getting at? I mean you can see I haven't got anything on me." He replied in irritation, turning his head slowly.

"Oh…well maybe, hmm the entire stock of metal that you currently have rusting in the junk yard, the giant ninja, the wrecking ball, the crusher and other bits. They'll all come in handy for repairs for R.E.X!" Ronin suggested and smirked when Jay frowned.

Jay was adding up the figures, the majority of things Ronin had just asked for part payment far exceeded how much ammunition and protective clothing would cost. The man was insane. "You realise how much that stuff costs right? No deal Ronin, the crusher cost my Dad $50,000, the wrecking ball was about $20,000 so unless these weapons are made of pure gold then no deal…. Although you can take the pile of metal, I'll trade that."

"Hmm, you drive a hard bargain, but you realise how much work I'll have to do to pull of this supply and demand thing?"

"Hey, uh you came up with the idea, Ronin, not me, you thought it up so I'm sure you can also think up a cheaper way of getting what we need for a fraction of what you're asking for." Jay huffed.

He narrowed his eyes, "You can have the metal…all of it." He replied, pausing for full dramatic effect watching as Ronin looked up to him expecting more, or at least a bargaining chip, he was good at bartering and Jay knew it besides it wasn't like he needed the metal anymore and it seemed that Ronin would happily accept it as payment rather than cold hard cash.

"...And I'll throw in….." He squeezed his eyes closed and looked to the ceiling sorrowfully, he said a silent prayer to Ed and Edna. _'I'm so sorry, please forgive me….'_

"I'll throw in the giant ninja and that's all." He bit his lip and looked away from Ronin who appeared to be smiling although it was nowhere as near as bone chilling as Loki's Cheshire cat grin, 'the original joker smile' was what Jay called it.

The tall metal ninja, of course, he remembered the metal thing. It was meant to be a surprise from his father Ed Walker. It was meant to be a giant version of Jay, and came complete with giant nunchucks. It was certainly a sight to behold and had looked scary although impressive until the Fangpyres had bitten it at which point it had turned on him and his brothers, meaning they then had to take it down.

Sadly the last time he had been to the junk yard it was just seen as a pile of rusted metal that didn't even resemble anything as grand as it had once been. It was, at one point, a masterpiece, a feat of engineering genius and one that was created by the legend that was Ed Walker. Alas, the giant beast would never stand again, and on its back it had remained ever since. At least Ronin would be able to put it to good use.

"Fine, I'll do what I can…..if I ever get out of here and thanks. You just bartered with the best and didn't lose your cool like I thought you would, well, like Kai did."

"What's in it for you anyway Ronin, why do you care about all this?" Jay mumbled through the bars.

"I just, don't want to see my shop and livelihood to fall into the wrong hands, notably the hands of the corrupt…"

Jay held in a laugh, he knew Ronin to be just as corrupt if not more so. "Hmm, not because it might be the right thing to do? Or because your friends might be in danger but because of your shack…uhm I mean shop?"

"Don't act like you wouldn't do the same Jay, if your livelihood depended on it, you would too."

Jay knelt on his bed briefly and peered down the corridor, all he could see was 'officer donut' returning. He quickly turned back to Ronin ignoring what he had just said. He crouched down on his bed with his blanket held firm around his shoulders. "So, time is of the essence here because I don't think the five O will _appreciate_ us talking about them being _infiltrated._ So the next Mayoral event would _be_?" He questioned and raised his eyebrow expecting an immediate answer as he had been used to getting from none other than his mentor and prince, the God of evil, Loki.

Ronin however, paused to think. He had no diary nor phone as everything was taken away when he was booked. "The next event on the calendar is the referendum, we gotta get him out of office before then otherwise he'll be in for another three year term. Anyway after the referendum is the opening of the new casino." He whispered in response, aware that the officers were now back at their desk.

Jay tipped the remainder of water back and it hit the back of his throat.*Cough* " ** _WHAT?_** _Another_ casino is opening… _where?_ " Jay spluttered, wiping his mouth free of the literal last drop of water.

Ronin smirked although it was difficult to tell with all that shaggy unkempt hair obscuring his face and the five o'clock shadow of stubble. "Just down the road from your father's home, the prime real estate of Ninjago Hills, millionaires row. Ya know Ninjago 90210…..reckon it'll be right on your doorstep."

"Ha, yep planning permission's already gone through, so typically all the house prices are dropping in that area, people are selling up fast because they don't want their finely manicured lawns and gold ingot leaded windows tarnishing with the threat of yet another casino." A laugh escaped his lips.

Jay's face dropped, "Great, so my father's estate is depreciating thanks to the new Mayor? Gahh let me outta here, dammit…..this isn't good at all." He pulled at the bars again to no avail, he was too weak to fight, let alone stand for long, but then severe blood loss was to blame for that.

"Well, there's not much you can do about it in here, and like I said, you need a plan. You need to talk to em, let em see what the mayor is planning. That is, if they don't already know, they are a smart bunch but they don't always think outside the box."

"Okay…" Jay mumbled biting his tongue at the remark.

"Then and only then you can attempt to overthrow him and his cronies. Once you've taken him down and dealt with the filth then you can sit back and watch as the next in line steps up to the plate."

"Gahh, you say it like it's gonna be an easy take down, they've got guns Ronin, GUNS!"

Ronin punched Jay's upper arm but recoiled at the pain he felt in his own knuckle. "Shush Jay, you'll get us thrown in Kryptarium with that kinda outburst." He shook his wrist out in confusion and tugged at Jay to join him.

"Look, uh Jay, can I ask you a personal question? And feel free to tell me to do one if I'm in the wrong…"

Jay at that moment, wasn't remotely interested, all he was thinking about was the possibility of his father's house falling into disrepair, the value of it plummeting by the day. "Yeah sure, fire away?"

* * *

Ronin again looked at the hollow yet sunken lilac eyes, the alabaster white face, and the general dishevelled look of Jay, the former blue ninja, adding two and two together and coming up with five. "When did you start using hard drugs? You know they're bad for ya right? You're not addicted are ya, because if you are I know someone who knows someone, and they know a person who knows the counsellor of a self-help group that can help you…."

Jay's scarred eyebrow rose and it stayed there as if held up by an invisible string. He fought the urge to laugh. "No Ronin, nothing like that. Honestly, look see my arms are clear." He replied, showing both arms outstretched and then regretted it immediately.

He followed Ronin's gaze as his own eyes settled on one of his arms that bore the sickly green veins from a year ago. Those same green veins had now spread all the way up to his neck, it actually looked more like a long snake tattoo coiling from two puncture marks that looked like red eyes in his wrist all the way around his inner arm finishing in a sharp point at his neck which looked like the tail.

Ronin curled his lip at the corner and sneered, "So what's that then?"

Jay knew he was pointing to the fact his arms were almost white, the veins on one being completely the wrong colour. "Just something that uh, happened a few years ago that uhm, I can't really explain." His eyes looked at the bite mark on his inner wrist, it was the only mark that had never fully healed. The puncture marks were still red and looked just like eyes. Jay however, had grown used to it everyone he knew had too, it was a part of him that he couldn't change, another reminder of his old life that he had said goodbye to.

 _'Again without sounding like I'm completely mental. Yeah here's the thing, uhm I stabbed myself as an old dude and in doing so I kinda killed my future alternate self with an enchanted venomous blade given to me by the God of evil and lies, that no one here has ever heard of….sounds legit…right!'_

He did look back at the vision that swam before him. A sad half smile came to his face as the memories came flooding back. The enchanted serpent blade had punctured his wrist, the long fangs had sunk into his then female skin. The tail of the blade had wrapped around his wrist, he couldn't let go even if he wanted to. Then of course was the pain, that had taken him by surprise, Loki hadn't mentioned that part nor the parts after.

The blade then released shot after shot of venomous poison that drove him insane for the few minutes he had hold of it. The venom however, spurred him on with what he had to do, it gave him the final push, the strength to do it.

Loki did eventually mention the likelihood of it altering the persona of any who wielded it but as yet Jay was very much himself and if it was going to happen it would have happened shortly after. Loki however, had the smallest green vein on his wrist and that was it, he was strong of mind because he was determined to do what had to be done and the snake blade had only given him a quick burst, yet he was as insane as a houseful of cats.

"Forget about it Ronin, it was an accident and I'm not on drugs." His mood now sombre at being thought of as a drug user with an addiction. If that was how Ronin saw him then maybe that was how everyone else saw him too. "Anyway why are _you_ in here?" He hissed without meaning to.

Ronin cast him a look of uncertainty. "No _you first_ , other than the fact that _you_ and your _brothers_ are on the most wanted lists, maybe you should spill the beans." He countered with just as much attitude.

"Fine." He huffed and slumped on his bed again. "I was kinda dumped on the steps about a week ago wearing just my trousers, which they just _TOOK OFF ME!"_

"Dumped by who?" Ronin inquired.

"It doesn't matter….but why are you here?" He asked, changing the subject again.

Ronin stared at him and crossed his arms, a sign of disapproval, it was painfully obvious that Jay didn't trust him enough to divulge. "So vague with all your answers, you hiding something Jay?"

"No, I-I'm not hiding anything look it's a long story…I-I really don't wanna get into it."

Ronin patted the available mattress space next to him, his dry calloused hands motioning him to sit closer. "Well we've got plenty of time at Casa del NNPD…."

Jay of course, refused to give too much information out and stayed upright, his hollow pale eyes were scanning Ronin's next potential move. He simply shook his head at the offer and squeezed the blanket tightly, holding on to it for the warmth and invisible barrier it gave. "Look can we just go back to answering why you are here?" There was an air of authority with the way he had verbalised it, making Ronin shift uncomfortably.

"Well, you see I was replenishing my stock, as it were. I noticed that I was running low on certain materials, metal mostly, some rubber here and there, spare parts in general for R.E.X and my shop in uhm, Stixx." He answered truthfully, feeling a sense of embarrassment at just how much he had divulged.

Jay hardened his stare and sneered at him. "Cut the crap Ronin." The words cut right through him and made him look up. All Ronin saw was a pale ghoulish looking version of Jay who appeared to be towering over him, in an otherwise intimidating stance burning a hole into Ronin's head with the intense stare from his lilac opalescent eyes.

The man with the eye patch and greasy chestnut hair mumbled and cleared his throat. "I was stealing surplus, needed to restock my supplies, I swear."

Jay relaxed slightly with his posture becoming less intense. His gaze started smoothing over the rest of the inmates who all had similar stories, all had done wrong to a certain extent even if they had been petty crimes.

Hel even Jay had, if he had told the truth when he'd been interviewed on the first day, then he would likely be on death row. Jay had killed almost a thousand in his few short years with the God of evil, including men, women and children. It wasn't entirely his fault though, the giant children and females looked like regular warriors but with hideous features. They weren't even recognisable as females or children which made them so much easier to slay.

* * *

So, just by the sheer loss of life he had taken part in; easily made him the most evil out of all the men in the cell. Only 500 or so he had killed whilst under the influence of the sceptre the rest he had done himself through anger and resentment. The remainder of his killing spree was caused by becoming power hungry once he had wielded the sceptre, having felt it's addiction and grasp over him.

The first and last time he used the sceptre he had killed all those that opposed him, all in the space of two days with his sparse handful of Einherjar. This little move, was all so Loki could claim the stake to another realm, it was to be a gift to Jay, for his crowning ceremony.

Then he had travelled to Jotunheim and slew a village of frost giants, he had help though, he would have never been able to do it alone. He wasn't that strong, Jay did have weaknesses after all. Then of course a few months later, he had killed roughly 80 people in Iceland when he decimated their Hydra factory, again men and women had died.

His lips curled into a sneer, "Figures Ronin, you don't change….at all." Jay smirked and offered his hand to Ronin to raise him from the bed, a gesture of friendship, to shake his hand.

He took Jay's hand recoiling slightly at the intense coldness radiating from him, understanding why he was holding the blanket so tightly. "Why change? No one cares anymore Jay! This place is going to the dogs."

Both men and a number of inmates were disturbed with the clattering of keys. As the rotund police man with a brown moustache approached.

"Ahh great officer donut is back, hopefully with my pants this time…ugh, nope." He whispered and let go of the bars, standing back with Ronin and the rest of the caged men as the door to their shared cell opened. Jay sat back on his bed again and watched as the officer rapped the bars to get everyone's attention.

"Ahem, listen up men, we got a visitor here for a Jayson son of Jay, is what the lady said, she's paid your bail and you're free to go."

* * *

 **Thanks for all the reviews so far, and any new followers.**

 **Master of cupcakes x**

 **The Mayor of Ninjago City x**


	62. Money for nothing

Jay looked at Ronin, the two exchanging fleeting glances.

"Someone's got rich folk." He jabbed with his elbow. "Least he'll be sleeping in his own bed."

Jay avoided eye contact, turning away. "Mmm, guess you're right!"

"Ya know, when I say rich folk," he whispered. "I kinda mean that this whole thing is a money making scam. They lock ya up in here, feed you slop and get your friends or family to pay your bail bonds. Kind of like a Ponzi scheme, non-enterprise but with a quick return."

"What?" Jay asked, confused.

"The money raised goes straight to the top, to the government. That's why there's so many guys in here, not everyone can afford the bail, they set it high for a reason, and the sentencing is just as corrupt."

He screwed up his face, rubbing his hand down in confusion. "Corruption? Well, that figures. But the money-making thing, that, makes no sense!" He whispered in puzzlement. "Surely it costs more to keep them here or Kryptarium? I mean, hello err prison guards, ya need more of them to watch a facility full of criminals….Right?"

"It requires more guards, not as many as you'd think! It's a guaranteed money spinner. It keeps him in power cos he controls it all, the finances of the government, the banks and the prisons. Heck, the casinos will still rake it in, loans and interest rates will likely skyrocket." He shifted uncomfortably under the officer's scrutiny.

"I'm telling ya he's trying to cripple the city. He's gonna bleed everyone and everything dry and right now there's no one to stand in his way."

Although Jay wasn't particularly interested, he soon piped up at the chance to become a real-life, Robin Hood. "Everyone? Surely not! He'd have no supporters if that was the case, and he's running for mayor again so he'll need all the support he can get? Besides, the one percent can't get him to stay in office, he needs the other 99."

"Huh, maybe. Obviously, I won't be voting for him, all his likely dead voters will be. Ya can't beat some voter rigging to get ahead of the game…"

"Rigging okay, hadn't thought of that. But you don't vote for anyone, anyway. Look Ronin, we'll sort it out, I mean we will think of something because we always do. It won't get that far honestly, you gotta have some faith in us as a team."

The police officer cleared his throat yet again, "Third time of asking now…*ahem* I'm here for Jayson SonofJay." The way he shouted it made the surname sound ridiculous yet somehow more plausible.

Jay shuddered and looked down to the floor, only a few people called him that name. Most notably the vast amount of royal personnel and his own royal aid did, despite the fact he had corrected them numerous times that his name was just 'Jay.'

Yet, a nagging feeling made him think that it wouldn't be them, although that would have at least been refreshing, a nice turn up for the books. They of course, would have broken him out of here as soon as he was incarcerated. After all, prison was no place for a prince unless, he had gone against the express rule of the king, in which case it would be a lengthy stint in Asgard's dungeons for committing treason.

He'd been there and done that, got the t shirt and got beaten up a few times. And all whilst in supposed solitary confinement.

Except for when Loki decided to have a free for all, also known as 'Open Hours,' just to make Jay's punishment seem more real. Then, of course, the gatekeeper, Heimdall had stepped in and stopped the brutality allowing Jay the chance to rest and recuperate from his evil yet cruel captor, the King who sat and watched the proceedings whilst not lifting a finger to help.

No, Jay narrowed his eyes again, thinking what the officer had initially said; 'female visitor asking for a Jayson.'

There was only one person who called him that, despite his protestations. She was the one who'd sent him here in the first place. Typically, she was also the reason he was behind bars too.

"That you?" Ronin whispered when the police officer stared at both.

Jay avoided eye contact, his eyes were glued to the floor. He nodded slowly in but kept his lips pursed, refusing to speak out.

Ronin gave a hard pat to Jay's back which could have easily dislodged a chunk of food. Regardless, the pat on the back helped to dispel the only air his lungs were holding onto.

A very unmanly squeak escaped his lips in response. " _That's_ *ahem* that would be me." Jay said, raising his hand.

Ronin looked confused, and yet impressed. Jay had been in here for just over a week, and he seemed to know someone with enough money to bail him out. "Wow, lucky break, you think she's got enough to break me out too huh?"

Jay shrugged his shoulders, he honestly had no clue if she had money or if it was a trick. "I've no idea who had paid. Maybe I can see if whoever it is can do the same for you, if she's got money to spare, that is."

"Jayson SonofJay. Bail has been paid, you're free to go, pictures don't match up."

"Haa, it took you long enough." Jay grumbled, staring at the officer in confusion. "You need better detectives."

"Listen kiddo, your story doesn't fit the bill. And, for your information, detective work requires lengthy examination and processes of elimination."

Jay shrugged, smiling when his cuffs were removed.

Ronin looked up at the man who stood in front of him, his face looked emotionless yet a flicker of fear was apparent in his eyes.

"How much is your bail and do you promise to stop stealing from the junkyard?" Jay said quickly, knowing that time was against him. "Look Ronin, the payment still stands, you can have _all_ the metal you want for payment of what we'll need, just not everything else."

"Well you know me, maybe just set up camp and keep it safe from others? You don't mind do ya?" Ronin whispered. He watched as Jay reluctantly made his way to the cell doors with a degree of difficulty. "We could do with a safe haven to store everything when it comes in!"

Jay shuffled, approaching his freedom with trepidation. Stopping again to hold on for support before setting foot outside. "I-I don't mind, besides, if someone's there to keep an eye on the place it would seem a better than leaving it wide open to _thieves_." He cast a look of disapproval at Ronin. "Because ya know boundaries and all that…..urgh fine yes….Ronin, you can camp out there, keep it safe….whilst I'm away."

Ronin walked to the bars sticking to the walls and largely avoiding the police officers who were eyeing him suspiciously "$1000, bail bond, standard for most…." He replied with an eager yet devilish smirk, seeing Jay wink at him in response as he was led away around the corner.

"I'll try and sort it, you owe me one if I succeed. Hey Ronin, th-thanks for the company, see you around!" Jay said, slowly disappearing from view.

"Leave it with me," Ronin said, only noticing the worry on Jay's face as he was being walked away, his head had lowered to the floor the further he travelled. "What's got your goat Jay, why are ya so down?" He mumbled to himself and rubbed his hands together to await his possible imminent release.

* * *

He had walked around the corner, being frogmarched by two officers who supported him. Jay, however, was holding his breath, willing his legs to keep him upright. The large female police officer behind the desk checked through the drawers, looking for any possessions Jay was due. She smiled, shaking her head. "Name?"

Jay smiled as best he could. "Jay-son." He cringed, he hated saying it because it wasn't his name. Although it had solidified his weak defence, in that someone had come to bail him out with that name. Not to mention, his appearance didn't match up to the mugshots they had. That fact alone had made him realise how much he had changed over the year.

It was uncanny, even Cole, Kai, Lloyd and Nya had aged, although he was sure Loki had made them immortal unless he had lied to them. Jay was the only one who seemed to have matured, bodily yet his appearance remained ever youthful.

She brought a tray with his name on it and fingerprints within it, followed by a large box which she placed up on to the desk. It was labelled 'Lost property.'

"Sorry sweetheart, nothing here for ya." Came the sickly sweet reply.

Sadly, he had been told that his trousers were too ripped to use. They had been sent off for incineration as per all damaged dirty clothing that wielded little to no valid evidence that could be used for potential prosecution cases.

Apparently, the blood on the trousers didn't match anything on the Hospital records because the doctor who had taken Jay's blood on the night he was poisoned, had done exactly as Zane had asked of him. He had discarded the sample as soon as he deduced there was nothing more they could do for him.

And of course, once the forensics department had come up with nothing relevant, they simply shrugged it off as an unknown chemical that wasn't deemed to be human yet thought that the collected samples and trousers posed a biohazardous risk, protocol and overzealous infection control had them incinerated without a second thought.

The black stone that had been found sewn into the trousers, had been kept as a trinket paperweight, which, at present, was holding down a tatty overused wad of paper notes. It was a fitting end for the stone amulet, a literal piece of black magic that would effectively obscure this hotbed of deception, lies and fear mongering from Asgard. Not that the great realm would care as to what this police station got up to.

The female police officer motioned for Jay to return the blanket and she shook her head when he asked for something like spare clothes in return. "It is police property, therefore it remains here. See that badge on it? Says NNPD _ergo_ it stays here property of yours truly."

Jay squeezed it tighter, refusing point blank to hand it back without being given at least something to cover up his birthday suit. "Don't you have any spare clothes?" He asked, flustered. "You realise you arrested me for wearing more than this to begin with?"

The officer shook her head. "Actually from what I recall, you were arrested because you bore a striking resemblance to the most wanted." She pointed at the blue one in particular before returning her gaze to him. "Look sweetheart, we aren't a charity or thrift store. We don't have a full wardrobe in here and that blanket belongs to the station. Hand it over."

A moment of empathy took hold. "I tell you what we can do." She said, reaching into the lost property box. Her hands quickly found and pulled out a long green scarfed sarong. "We can swap that blanket for this fetching green scarf, bet you could fashion it into a lovely toga."

Jay bit his lip, so unlike his old self which would have flipped, but then he would have been hotfooted back into the cell faster than butter would slide off a hot knife.

 _Nope, just take the scarf._

He took a glimpse. Thankful in a way as most of the things in there were hideous. Hand outstretched at the generosity, the scarf was dropped into his palm. "Thanks."

Reluctantly swapping his warm blanket for the thin flimsy green material. Jay hastily wrapped it around his torso like a loin cloth. He had wrapped it so many times it was actually quite tight around his taught buttocks. The material, even though man made was exceptionally warm where it mattered but it wasn't very flexible.

He was about to leave the station dressed in less than he had come in, and not to mention; it was blowing a gale outside, the wind was howling but luckily it wasn't raining.

* * *

He rounded the corner with his meagre belongings which now consisted of just the green scarf. Then, once clear of the police desk, he came face to face with a bloodied and beaten version of none other than Amora. She didn't seem to look as intimidating anymore, she looked _broken_.

"Amora!" He sneered. Then, stalling in the archway. His feet firmly rooted to the spot. To say he was shocked was an understatement, he was appalled, but not by her actions for once. He was saddened by her appearance and the fact she looked to have been crying….a lot.

He would have quite happily turned and left if he had the strength but sadly he seemed to be lacking in it. But, he figured there must be a reason for her return, so he stayed upright, leaning on the doorframe for support whilst waiting for her excuse to surface.

"I didn't expect to see you, so soon." He mumbled unenthusiastically.

She kept her cloak hood up, covering her hair and green helm. Jay could still see the green spikes protruding from the top of the cloak. It made her look like a demon in disguise, which wasn't too far from the truth. "J-Jayson, I-I have been ordered to take you back." She croaked out a sob.

At first, he smirked at her and her pathetic show of emotion. She had never shown him any emotion or sympathy during the week of Hel. He wanted to laugh at her, to walk past her and out to his freedom, but as soon as the tears fell, he grasped his chest and grimaced. The pain almost brought him to his knees.

Jay did the first thing that came to mind other than grasping his chest in pain. Squeezing his eyes together, he felt the impending sign of tears forming, confusion clouding him as to why he was about to cry for no reason.

Looking up he saw her again, his face wasn't sad, it was giving her the most horrendous scowl. She had done this on purpose, made him feel her pain.

His sensitive side, as if on cue, began to cry with her and he hated himself for it. He couldn't seem to stop himself even as he wrapped his arms around her. He lifted her, from her seated position into his unsteady embrace and he held her tight.

Jay however, didn't smile, he was sneering in contempt of himself and his overly sensitive side. At that moment, he felt nothing but utter disgust at how close he felt he had to get just to rid himself of the pain in his heart, the pain she had caused on their last night together.

"I-I think we need to get you cleaned up, y-you look terrible." Jay stated, shocked at having uttered those words.

"Wh-where can we go?" She mumbled.

"I have a place. We can get you cleaned up and I think I've got some healing stones…" He paused, thinking about what the Hel he was suggesting.

If he told her where his fathers' estate was, she would always be able to find him.

"I still have to return you in 24 hours."

"24 hours, pl-plenty o-of time, right Asgardian time and a-all that." Jay wheezed, feeling some of his pain lessen the longer he held her close. What he wanted to do was to throw her to the floor. "That gives us a-a few d-days?"

She nodded in his grasp.

"Can you pay the bail for Ronin, th-then we can get out of here?"

Again she nodded, suspicion lingering.

He sat waiting for her return, he could see her handing over a large wad of paper money, still not sure if it was real or a trick of the eye.

Jay sat down in the large atrium of the NNPD, it was once called Ninjago City Police Station but since the mayor had taken over, it had been given an overhaul too. He looked around and noticed how some things had changed, others had remained the same. The whole front of the station was glass fronted, just as he had remembered it from being holed up with Nya a few years back.

Looking up, he watched as Amora paid for Ronin's release, she was given two folders of paperwork that she had to sign for, one for Jay the other for Ronin.

She gave the police cashier the money requested, leaving a large wad of brand new notes on the counter. She turned and sat next to Jay, "Being y-you is very lucrative." she winked and held her chest in pain, removing her hand where a mass of red was visible.

He ignored the truthful sarcasm, focussing purely on the scarlet that now covered the palm of her hand. "Y-you're bleeding? W-we need to get you out of here now." Jay hissed, he stood feeling dizzy, holding onto the wall for support.

"Could you call for a transportation carriage please? Mr officer of the law, we have currency enough for the journey." The officer looked at her in confusion having never heard the type of language she was using. He probably thought she was a seasoned actress and was just keeping in part with her reconnaissance fayre outfit.

Jay was shaking his head and rolling his eyes, he released a yawn. If she wasn't careful with her attitude and persona, they would both be incarcerated. She would likely be sectioned too, not necessarily a bad thing, it might actually do her the world of good.

Within a few minutes a striped taxicab had arrived outside NNPD. Both Jay and Amora were leaning heavily on each other in an attempt to get into the taxi without either one passing out from pain and exhaustion. A few steps and a short walk to the road side wasn't the longest journey but Amora had to help Jay after a while, he was breathless when they got into the taxi cab.

"You know, I wasn't expecting _you_ to be the one to get me out of here, Sigyn maybe but you err that was high upon my 'nope' list." He huffed, allowing her to get in first.

"Nope?" She queried, when she finally sat and looked at the belt buckles with a certain trepidation.

"No, no hope, no way, really? Oh, it's a seat belt, nothing sinister about it Amora, it won't beat you to a pulp or leave welts." He teased.

Closing the car door behind him, he fastened his own belt. "Where are my brothers anyway, considering you were the last to see them?"

"I mean it would have been nice, even in disguise for someone to pay me a visit. Do you know how long I've been locked up in there? You dumped me almost two weeks ago, I didn't even get my Miranda rights."

"Your brothers? One of them..." she said with a dazed expression, "It is likely that Cole isn't on this realm anymore."

Jay's eyes narrowed, "What! Why?"

"He was summoned before I got here, I'm sure you'll find out soon."

"O-okay, wasn't expecting that. Why do I get the feeling you're hiding something from me?"

"It wasn't explained to me. 'Twas a general observation and of course I got it from the 'horse's mouth' as they say. Direct from source, although it was vague upon deliverance. Don't worry you'll likely find out tomorrow when I send you back."

The taxi driver interrupted. "Where to?"

Jay recomposed himself. "Ninjago Hills Boulevard."

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile in the Mayoral offices in Ninjago city hall.**_

The meeting of no real importance was about to start. Not enough to warrant a full cabinet. The young, slick haired mayor lifted his chin, his nose looked like the long jump of a ski ramp. His pin stripe black suit as dark as his soul. His tie, as red as the blood he had probably spilled.

He was currently sitting, having a manicure. His personal preparations all required for a speech he was about to deliver. He often felt that this pampering treatment made him feel the part, gave him a soft side.

The newest mayor had noted his predecessor had calloused hands, he obviously wasn't the man for the job. Politicians never got their hands dirty but this old crony had.

It made his skin crawl, personal appearance was everything to him, even down to how he carried himself. Although his countenance was evil, laced with malicious intent, he carried himself with an air of grace verging on arrogance.

Whatever he was doing, he was doing it right, because no one seemed to oppose him. His supporters increasing by the month, that fact alone stood him in good stead for the upcoming election; one he was sure to win.

But first he wanted a quick meeting for something that had been brought to his attention.

"This is a meeting to discuss the upcoming election and the continued vigilantism…" The Mayoral advocate spoke but was cut off abruptly.

The mayor snapped his head, scowling. "Don't call it that, they are terrorists pure and simple." He tapped his pen on the desk in quick succession, visibly irritated.

"Whatever label you give them, will only work to their advantage. Terrorising however, that makes rise for civil unrest."

The advocate cleared his throat again, "Sorry, the election, namely the referendum, the terrorist activity and the planning process of the newest casino."

"Meeting minutes to be taken by the junior undersecretary to the mayor, Miss Smith." The Pro tem stated clearly and passed her the hard bound black book, as well as a laptop, before walking behind the mayor to place his livery collar in place atop his sleek black suit.

The dark brown haired woman with her odd coloured contacts looked up and smiled at the mayor who was as lecherous as a drunkard, with the same wandering hands. "I'm ready when you are." She said, hiding her gold and red bracelet, activating it so as to relay the meeting to an outside source.

The police commissioner walked in and shook the hands of all parties seated, before taking his own chair. "The apprehended suspect is due to be released. He admitted no known alliances to the fugitives we seek. We questioned him for over six days but he was adamant he knew nothing of them or their whereabouts. We did offer him a phone call but he seemed reluctant to take it. So, protocol dictates to trail his movements once he is released….which should be around now." He said looking at his watch.

The mayor smirked. "This information you bring to the table is really quite small and insignificant. This man you state, why is he so important to the activities? Do you suspect a wolf in sheep's clothing or a bigger picture?" He took a big sip of his strong black coffee and signed yet another cheque passing it into the hand of the man who handed him a large leather briefcase, loaded to the top with crisp new notes.

The police commissioner shook his head, "What I meant to say is that we have let him go without charge, his bail was paid by an unknown woman, who again has no known alliance to the fugitives."

"This suspect's name would be?"

"He called himself Jayson…remarkable resemblance but certain things seemed off…"

The mayor grew impatient. "Such as what? And then maybe we can get on to greater things such as discussing other, rather more important items on the agenda."

"Sorry, Mr Mayor. His eyes and his general complexion, he wasn't exactly what I would call 'ninja material' he fainted on a daily basis but then he refused to eat much. The only semblance was the scar." The police commissioner stated and looked sheepish.

Nya frowned when his name was bandied around, even more so when she realised how bad he'd sounded and the fact that no one knew he was even locked up for almost two weeks.

"This useless endeavour wasted time and resources because you didn't press charges. Do me a favour, next time he wanders in to your midst, throw him into Kryptarium. I'm sure the guards in there will beat the reluctance out of him. No doubt your team were too gentle, maybe a career drive is in order? We need a totalitarian police state, not the one we currently have."

"I agree, we do..." The commissioner stated, mumbling the latter.

"Well that was thoroughly worth the wait, truly riveting!" He shifted his gaze to his junior secretary.

His eyes undressing her where she sat, "Anyway swiftly moving on… So are all plans in place for the next full cabinet meeting? I expect to have more security in place as the next policy I'm aiming to introduce will leave some clientele unhappy at our joint choices, the new law to be implemented in line with NNPD."

The police commissioner nodded. "I have penned a recruitment drive for additional support, it will run for the next few months until a few months before the referendum. It will certainly make your supporters happier to know that you are thinking of their safety above all else."

"Yes, yes of course and thank you for taking the time to notify me of your daily struggles pertaining to staff training at NNPD. I hear you loud and clear Don, take care and say hello to that lovely wife of yours." He waved with a lazy flick of his wrist as the police commissioner left the meeting room.

"Good, now that he is out of the way, I though it time we spoke about more pressing matters." The pro tem leaned in over the mayor and whispered into his ear.

The mayor's face seemed to light up, "When will the factory be ready? Are the machines already in place? The dies are the perfect replicas?"

"Perfect…." He replied rubbing his hands together. "Miss Smith, can you join me, I need to disclose the new information with you directly, the referendum meeting we can discuss tomorrow." The short meeting was adjourned, he motioned adieu to his other members of which there were only three in the room with him before helping his junior undersecretary to her feet joined by his two heavies who between them had less than one brain cell.

Nya quickly flicked off her device, she didn't want this part recording and so she took another one for the team.

Once he had mentioned about money laundering and the fact that he had a factory set up in a part of rundown Ninjago that was ready to start making a shed load of counterfeit money to flood the stock markets with he took her on his leather bound desk. The rest of it she would have to remember short hand or verbatim, because her device was switched off during the personal deed she was doing. She was certainly getting a bonus pay check for it.

* * *

 _ **The other side of Ninjago city: enroute to the palatial home of the deceased Cliff Gordon**_

The taxi ride wasn't particularly long but Amora had passed out from exhaustion. Jay had seen the wounds for himself, once he'd peeled away her cloak. She had attempted to cover up but her pale skin revealed the horrid truth when he brushed her hair aside.

Paying the taxi fare, Jay got out first, then dragged an exceptionally heavy Amora toward the large gates of his father's home.

"Shit this looks really bad, like the person who just paid my bail is dead and I'm dragging her into a home." He gulped, moving as fast as he could, hoisting her weight onto his shoulders.

He groaned, knowing how steep the drive way was, the fact that it sloped upwards and was littered with rocks on either side would make this task even harder. He focussed his mind on using his element for the added energy and his body crackled with purple lightning, his eyes changing from hollow to a vibrant yet dark Byzantium the same colour as his evil element.

"I swear to the Gods, you're doing this on purpose, just to make my life, Hel."

He heaved the gates open and struggled to walk through, he turned and closed them securely behind him. The security gates were electrically locked so he had no chains to worry about.

His legs gave away underneath him, leaving him to crawl. The whole scene reminded him of a movie that at the time was hilarious...this, in comparison, didn't feel as funny.

He let out a laugh and his arms gave way, tossing her from his back. He sat up and took a deep breath. "Amora, how heavy are you?" He said, getting no reply as he looked to the starry skies above, whilst getting his breath back.

"Haha, This is quite the spot for star gazing haa, star gazing how ironic. Everything here is star based, the gates, the home, the neighbours and even the key." He was holding it up to prove said point, the golden master key to get into the home that his father had once owned.

He took a deep breath in and focussed all of his remaining strength on standing before heaving her up to the front door. "Damnit, you either need to cut back on all the protein or I need to pump more weight."

He finally stumbled over the mountain of mail and into the vast palatial home that his father had previously owned. He quickly remembered to switch the alarm off before it alerted every house in the vicinity that there was actually someone in the house after it standing vacant for almost three years.

"Sheesh Amora, you weigh a literal ton. What the…how the Hel are you so damned heavy?"

"Yeah I know rhetorical, I wasn't asking you, I was talking to myself…." He stopped talking to himself and looked around. Noting dust sheets on everything, he vaguely remembered the cleaners coming in a few years ago and removing his father's old clothes from the drawers, leaving only his untouched clothing props to be undisturbed for prosperity and respect to the actor who was well known and admired.

He looked down at Amora, she was akin to carrying a huge dead log, she easily weighed the same even if she was considerably more beautiful than dead wood. He continued to drag her out of harms way and onto the long blue sofa once he had discarded the dust sheet from it.

Jay picked her up by her shoulders, "I don't owe you anything, Amora. I could have and should have left you outside where you belong, with all the wild untamed animals." He lifted her legs up and placed them on the sofa, pulling her straight as best he could.

Jay sat on the floor at the side of the sofa completely spent and gasping for breath. He was unable to move far as his legs had almost stopped working. The muscle groups threatening to lock up in protest at fluid loss, lack of warm up exercises and decent food.

He leaned over the sofa nearest her head, "I'll be right back. Think I have some spare healing stones in the safe. Brought them here the last time I visited, but no-one knew and to be fair I kind of forgot. But ha, at least these ones haven't gone missing."

On he lurched, he pushed himself forward to go those next few metres, his toes sinking into the lush carpet. "I need to get the healing stones….and a stiff drink." He mumbled to himself, looking on the display shelf for the golden statue. The one that revealed the hidden entrance to the walk in wardrobe.

He pulled it gently until it toppled forwards, remaining in that diagonal position.

A light suddenly illuminated the room which opened sufficiently to reveal a man cave within. A room of sorts, that could have once been a panic room or a nuclear fall-out shelter judging by the thick walls and sheer size of the room. All it was missing was a bed and shelf loads of tinned produce.

The walk in wardrobe in his father's old house in this instance, housed a rather impressive costume display where all of his father's characters and film props, in their finery were forever preserved in glass domes. He even had a rotating frame with additional props but that was covered in a large dust sheet.

There was also a little shrine just for Jay, depicting all of his endeavours, his old blue uniform and everything. It could have been considered stalker-ish if Jay hadn't later known the man to be his father, although it would have been nice to have actually met him or to have been told before he had passed on. He sighed as he walked past, having never known him personally.

* * *

The safe was located behind a picture frame of Fritz, so he heaved himself up using the cabinetry in front of him, his legs and muscles protesting at having to work again despite the lack of blood to motivate them.

The code was fairly straight forward, it was Jay's birthday how appropriate was that? Quite handy, a nice touch to let him know his father had once cared. Hel the shrine told him that much, his father had been proud, his endeavours had all been kept, newspaper clippings, a fully preserved immaculate gi.

He wondered if his father would be proud of him now, or horrified, intimidated or disturbed? He shook his head, he didn't want to know the answer, if he was honest with himself, he already knew it.

Jay grasped the small black velveteen pouch located towards the back of the large safe, amidst the neat piles of crisp unused wads of cash. He removed two stones for her and pushed the pouch as far back as it would go. He was largely unsure if she had any other injuries, she hadn't mentioned any to begin with, he had just seen the blood for himself.

He closed the safe, twisting the dial and rotating the wheel anti clockwise. Then attempted to walk back, his legs just felt like jelly again, no strength in them at all, Hel Jay hardly had enough strength to breathe but he still made it back to her. On his way back, he grabbed a large crystal tumbler and filled it to the brim with a brown coloured liquid that he had decanted.

The smell was pure barrel aged intoxication, it would likely provide a sense of warmth and a level of sleep that he so desperately craved. He drank it back in one go, the warmth it gave him was an instant hit. The alcoholic beverage although strong wasn't as nice as mead, but it hit the spot and it warmed every part of his throat as it passed. He carried both glass and decanter back to the sofa.

"I bought two stones, because I wasn't sure how many injuries you have so err…" She still hadn't spoken to him or answered his questions.

He knelt by her side with the stones in his hand and paused. "I'm sorry, c-can I?" He enquired gently. "I need to know where to apply them."

She nodded with her eyes closed, Jay took that as his cue and knelt up in front of her. Slowly he peeled the upper most part of her corset dress down revealing her curves and two rather nasty wounds on each side of her chest.

He could see a multitude of other bruises too meaning something with strength must have injured her. "I-I caused this mess in Ninjago…..didn't I?"

She didn't reply, just turned away from him.

"It was the night before the wedding, right after the last place we visited. When I had fought with both of you, I just saw, red. I could feel the evil surging through me, an evil that had to be stopped. I-I caused this whole problem because both of you made me snap. And _now_ look at us, at me."

No response...

"We're fugitives, no idea where Nya is. The rest of the elemental masters are all scattered. And now, this city is falling to ruin. Gahh what have I done, what did you both make me do?"

"Once, I thought that all this hero stuff was cool and awesome. We were treated as heroes as saviours. I swear that we were going to be given the key to the city until Garmadon stepped in to steal the show again. And then there's the fact that we got no real recognition from the city when we defeated Nadakhan because no one else remembers it or him….gahh why am I even telling you this, you don't care either."

Jay sighed and stood walking to the window. "I-I promised to stand by his side, if he guaranteed this realm would be kept from harm. He said they could go free if I joined him and I did, but he betrayed me, he turned them all to spite me, for some sick game." He didn't see her smiling at the animosity she was creating between both men.

"But now, it's all falling apart and we're powerless to stop it. He won't help, what's in it for him?…nothing!" He spoke angrily, taking a large gulp of his drink.

The decanter in his grip, "I don't blame him, I blame myself for agreeing to him in the first place, and _for everything else after_ …" He whispered to himself and clenched his fists, staring out the window. All he could see was the outline of large cranes standing close but stuck in the one position. The iron support girders which had been rammed into the ground stood eerily erect, like a skeletal building waiting for a skin suit to be placed.

She shifted on to her side, "You could still join me…..my prince, you would not need to join me straight away, we could work something out."

"Yeah, what fun…." He mumbled sarcastically, his eyes glazing over. He put his empty glass down and turned to face her with a drunken smile.

"I could couldn't I, and maybe, maybe I will…I will join you…" *hic*

He closed the bamboo blinds and clapped his hands to create an ambient glow before stumbling back to his position on the floor, to check on the progress of her stab marks.

Her wounds began to close before his eyes, he had never seen it before, because he always had his eyes closed. Actually watching the skin knit back together was astonishing, it made his years at university seem worthless as the theories they had practiced surrounding myths and magic were debunked as pure fairy tale and a waste of literature, utter trash was what magic was construed as according to the university.

He sat back on his haunches, "Amora I-I need to sleep, make yourself at h-home but please, _don't_ touch my f-fathers stuff." He mumbled, emphasising the importance. He soon fell asleep on the floor with a dust blanket he'd grabbed.

* * *

It was blissfully quiet for once, no snoring inmates. He did wake fitfully, thinking it was all a dream, that he was still in the police cell. He soon realised he was safe, his eyes staring at the flames as they roared in the large modern fireplace.

 _This house would have been awesome had I lived here as a child._

Jay woke a few hours later with a crick in his neck at falling asleep in a ball, he carefully unwound himself and cautiously lifted on to his knees to peek at the woman who was lying on the sofa. Amora was still sleeping, her wounds had albeit gone leaving the faintest white scar to remain with a nasty bruise behind both wounds. He grabbed a cover and draped it over her before stalking to the stairs to find solace in a comfortable bed.

He crawled up on his hands and knees and eventually found a large bedroom and a humongous bed. A smile spreading across his face when he climbed onto it and stretched out, "Ronin, you were right about one thing, sleeping in a comfy bed." He smirked, rolling onto his side. His eyes heavy, relief flowing enough to allow for sleep to come.


	63. Though l walk through the valley

A few hours later and Jay had been disturbed from his sleep by the sound of rocket propelled engines.

He grabbed his blanket and stalked to the octagonal window, he opened it surprised to see none other than Ronin in his mech suit. "Ronin? Wh-what time is it, what are you doing here?" Jay asked with a visible yawn.

Ronin put his finger up as if to hold to that thought, he pressed a button and opened the front of his mech. "5am, a quick visit and wait for it." He released the button.

"This place is being watched Jay, stake out style. You're under surveillance but rest assured, I've just disrupted the comms devices them guys over there are using." He pointed off into the far distance where a parked unmarked car was.

"Err th-thanks, I guess. Wait I'm being followed?" Jay piped up, more awake and panicked.

Ronin nodded. "Yep the 5 0 got you tracked and ready to bring back in. Look quick visit here, I couldn't get hold of you cos you don't have a phone. Then I couldn't get in here, well I could have fried the security on the gate but I figured you wouldn't want me to destroy it. Anyway, cut to the chase, I wanted to say thanks and uh, stuff." Ronin looked sheepish which was odd for him.

He got closer to the window, his mech was still hovering and scorching the lawn directly underneath. "I've already found suppliers of the armaments we'll need. And, to raise the funds I'll send off some of your surplus metal, then I can order the supplies in. I'll keep in contact with ya, for timings, plans, back-ups in case of unforeseen circumstances. Always gotta have a backup plan right?"

Jay nodded. "Don't take it all, and I did have a phone once, think I misplaced it in the sea of sand a few months ago haa."

Before Ronin closed his mech suit, he motioned Jay closer. "You ain't safe here kid, they know it's you because you came here from the station, they tailed ya. They checked the land registry and it's been left to a one 'Jay Walker-Gordon.'"

And with that, Ronin had flown off and away from the impending sunrise, he was flying back towards Stix on the west coast.

* * *

Jay slipped off to have a shower, he couldn't stand for long so he just put the shower on and sat on the large marble seat. Lathering up his auburn hair like an old man, he sat and let the hot beads of water cleanse him of two weeks worth of sweat from the police cell.

Once adequately refreshed he tiptoed out of his room and started creeping downstairs, he could see her form clearly on the sofa. Still sleeping but now evidently stirring. He walked to the downstairs bathroom and proceeded to run her a bath.

"Do you feel like a bath or uh shower maybe?" He asked, quietly holding his nose at the obvious stink of body odour, he subconsciously checked himself but he had only just washed and de-odourised so he knew the odour wasn't coming from him anymore.

And, she wasn't exactly clean because the dried blood had stuck to her hair and upper body and then there was a certain pungent smell that lingered. The smell, likely because she was wearing a pvc ensemble of extraordinarily tight leggings, dress and armoured knee high boots.

"Amora?" He said a little louder, verging on insistence to get her off the sofa.

She nodded and got up before following him to the downstairs bathroom. Once she walked into the room, she saw a large white bathtub. It was filled to the middle with water and bubbles. She looked at it in confusion. Jay noticed and smirked. "It's uh, bubble bath Amora, not acidic foam! No, it's not a spell either."

He shook his head slowly and watched as she approached with caution, she removed her clothes as she stood and Jay just stared, his eyes widened and he quickly looked away in embarrassment.

"Come now Jayson, we spent a week together, surely you feel no shame in seeing me like this?" She put her hand into it and recoiled as the bubbles clung to her skin, popping slowly.

' _Yeah we might have spent a week together, but it wasn't my choice was it?'_

"This is a chemically infused surfactant foam?" She said as she read the recently used bottles nearby.

"Uh, yeah obviously." He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "It's just called bubble bath, surfactant doesn't quite have the desired ring to it. No-one's gonna buy it with a name like that are they? Are you going to get in or what?" He snapped impatiently.

Amora, reluctantly got in to the bathtub and lay in the comfort of warm water, the tub itself was big enough for four and hearing about the superstar that was Jay's biological father, wasn't far from how many females he likely had in it, in his heyday.

"This is different to my homestead, don't you think?" She asked, looking around herself, the sheer size of the room in its entirety was bigger than her bedroom.

' _Uh yeah, your homestead is a pile of….'_

Jay knelt down next to her and looked around, actually taking in the grandiose room for all that it was. "Well, I never really _saw_ the one in your home did I?" Came his sarcastic yet truthful retort.

' _Because you had me chained to your bed you psycho!…..Some weird things going on in your head._ '

She didn't reply to his comment. "The houses in this realm are very oriental in design, except for this one. This one seems to be very, masculine!"

"Well, it was my, biological fathers' home and…" He paused and looked around. "It-it doesn't matter."

"Why do you call him that? Biological? What type of word is that?" Amora queried without looking at him.

Jay dipped a clean flannel into some cooled boiled water. "It's just a term used, it still means a blood relative, just not necessarily a family member you grow up with. Look it's just easier to explain, especially when you have more than one set of parents. So ya kinda say 'he was my biological dad and this one is my dad'. It gets confusing for people who don't understand." He looked down, in more ways than one.

"Indeed!" Came a rather uninterested reply.

The bath and surrounding suite was surrounded by tiny charcoal grey, black and iridescent mosaic tiles. Jay remained on her right side and washed the blood from her hair, dabbing her wounds with a warmed wet cloth.

Her long wet hair was floating around her thighs and she shifted her face to look across at him. "Why are you doing this _Jayson_?"

Jay held the cloth over the wound on her temple, avoiding her eyes. He took a deep breath in and sighed. "It's _Jay,_ and uh I'm doing it because it was the right thing to do. I'm not _evil_ like you seem to think I am or at least want me to be."

He rinsed the blood stained cloth in the warm water beside him. "Personally, I would say I was being _respectful_ despite how you treated me last week, or whenever the Hel it was in Asgard." He snapped angrily and dabbed back at her head, cleansing the area.

Again, he wrung the cloth out. "Besides, you were bleeding and you looked like…well you _look_ terrible, you _still_ do actually. I'm kind of surprised they didn't try and haul you in for questioning because of your appearance, they did with me."

She wriggled in the water and grasped the soap, washing her-self. Jay's eyes widened but he kept his focus on her head and hair until it resembled a lathery mass of bubbles and foam. "It was a misunderstanding and an arcane yet perfectly accepted method of punishment for my crimes."

Jay stopped in his tracks, "L-Loki did this?" His eyes trailing down her body until it rested on her thighs. Bile rising in his throat, he could see that she had been assaulted.

"He punished me but he didn't stop it from happening, alas he sat and watched."

A part of Jay was secretly happy that Amora had been hurt, the chest wounds in particular were a nice addition that made him feel like Loki cared more than he showed. The God, in his twisted wisdom had made her feel the same pain and weakness. But to allow her to be violated, no one deserved that, not even their worst enemies.

"I'm sorry that he made you suffer." He replied but it wasn't genuine and he didn't mean it.

* * *

Jay smiled at the news, it made him feel special and warm inside, but then he felt guilty at having seen the consequences of her actions, her body was marred in wounds and bruises. Likely an easy punishment for what was deemed as treason against Asgard and the King, she should have been executed for it not set free.

Loki had obviously tried to break her, in his own sick and twisted ways and it had worked. Although the torture didn't break her, the fact that her sister was being hunted by the God of War at this very moment was what had broken her.

Now he was regretting the feelings he had verbalised last night, the fact he might have said yes to disowning his prince.

He hoped he hadn't actually said _yes_ , that would be difficult to explain to Loki. Hel he was too exhausted to even think straight last night, and he was pleasantly surprised to learn that he had managed to lock up the house before they fell asleep, despite his extreme tiredness.

"I guess, revenge is a dish best served cold after all." Jay mused and rinsed the soap from her body unaware that she had shot him with a look of pure venomous hatred.

"Hmm, revenge oh he'll know revenge all right…" Amora mumbled out loud grasping the sides of the bathtub and heaving herself up. "I require a chamois, calf skin. Do you have any of those in this hovel?"

"Excuse me? This isn't a hovel Amora. Gahh so ungrateful." He stalked off to the bathroom cupboard and retrieved the nearest pile of laundered black bath towels. Jay held out a large one in both arms and frowned at her. "What do you mean by that anyway? You said 'he'll know revenge,' you realise I'm his protector right? So I won't allow you to hurt him."

She grabbed the offered towel but sneered at it. "You mean you _were_ his protector!" She said coyly.

His face dropped and his pale eyes widened as he tried to remember exactly what he had said last night. "I-I didn't mean…"

Amora closed the gap further, forcing Jay to back up against the wall. "You said so last night, did you _forget?_ You gave up your servitude to him and said you would join me."

"Uh, n-no, well I was tired and uh I'd had something to drink and uhm. " He stopped and rubbed his head nervously. "I might have said some things I uh, regretted." He cringed waiting to be struck for his excuse but it never came.

"I know your weaknesses Jayson, you will be powerless to stop me when the times comes."

He cringed as she continued to call him by that name. "Ha, well I am sort of _powerless_ , as you put it at this exact moment in time. But that doesn't mean that I won't be able to stop you the next time we meet." He said with conviction.

"Although to be fair, _powerless_ doesn't really convey it correctly. The only thing I'm lacking in is _strength_. And it's because of _you_ that I feel like this." Jay finished but didn't give her the satisfaction of looking her in the eyes.

' _Well strength and blood mostly, but nothing a transfusion couldn't sort out, now where around here can I get one of those without being dissected?'_

Her head span quickly, her eyes zeroing in on Jay's, "Mark my words, he will regret what he did to me, I will make him pay in the most painful way. He'll beg for the end." She sneered and wiped an angered tear away.

Jay as usual stood his ground, "Sounds like a threat Amora!"

' _He'll beg for the end, why? He's a God, Gods don't beg…..unless…'_

"It is not a threat, it is a promise. He will fall for what he did to me and what he did to Lorelei!"

Again, Jay spoke calmly. "He did what Odin would have done, _give or take_. I mean you _did_ go against the King."

Her eyes narrowed at this, "He will die, Jayson and you will have no choice but to join me." She replied dropping the towel on the floor. Jay picked it up and placed it in the hamper none too gently.

' _Uh yeah, I'll have a choice and that won't involve you at all. It'll involve coming back here and living out the rest of my years as a lonely old man. Just like my father haa.'_

Outwardly, Jay simply frowned, biting his lip. "Don't you see, how irrational this is though? You want me yet I work for Loki. I gave him my oath, my word and my life. I can't just simply give that up!"

Her face softened, but a mocking smile soon replaced the sneer. "From what he told me, he simply _took_ it from you. You only gave him your oath when you got back from Iceland _was it?_ Something obviously made you both agree to an oath that had likely happened before that day, hmm?"

He stood rooted to the spot, a frown still plastered onto his face. "You can't hurt him Amora, I won't let you. I'll do all in my power to stop you."

She cocked her head to the side, watching him carefully, observing his stance and his clenched fists, the lightning element contained within could still be seen. He felt threatened by her, that much was obvious. "I'm not being irrational, _Jayson Son of Jay_ , besides when you join me, I'll give _you_ the privilege. You can run him through yourself."

He slowly shook his head, "Its' JAY, and It'll never work, I'd die trying to protect him."

A small chuckle escaped her, "Then _you_ had better be prepared to fight with your life, because I will not hold back for the likes of you. The Gods you associate with are so old they have overcome wars with frost and earth giants, the dark elves and Lord Surt, the fire demon himself. The Aesir have forged alliances with dwarves, light elves and the Vanir since their rise to power. So _Jayson_ , what makes you think that I would go easy on you just because you stand on the left side of a God, protecting his flank, bringing up the rear?"

* * *

Most of what she had just said, had gone over the top of his head, when exactly had Jay had enough time to study Norse myth. He had only been to Asgard's library a few times, the first time he found a prophecy about himself, the second and third was because he was bored senseless and the subsequent times were with Zane and his now fugitive brothers.

"If you choose so willingly to _fight_ by his side, you will _fall_ by his side too, prince, Aesirian or not!"

"Why would you even say that? That's like declaring war on Asgard!" Jay stammered angrily, his fists still clenched at the threat. The lightning of his element pulsing madly yet still contained.

Her face was still just as calm as it was before, "No not Asgard, just Loki!" She corrected.

"I should remind you, _Jayson_ , that Loki the fake king of Asgard, in all his _glorious wisdom_ , sat back and let it happen. He stabbed me in his natural form with blades of pure burning ice. He beat me in his weapons vault for hours on end. Left me for standing in shackles with my powers bound and restrained."

"Yeah well, you obviously asked for that didn't you? With what you did to me!" He seethed through gritted teeth at her continued use of the wrong name. "The chains, especially and then of course the blades too, remember? Haa, you got what you deserved!" He licked his teeth in disgust, her threats were wholly unreasonable despite how aggrieved she felt. She had brought it upon herself by her own actions and her arrogance in showing how powerful she thought she was.

She walked up to him and grabbed his hair roughly. "Alas don't worry your little head, I'll get him back myself! You…" She said and rammed his head back into the wall. "You obviously have performance issues, you struggle to perform under pressure!"

Jay hissed and wrenched himself from her strong grasp, rubbing his head where it had just collided with the tiled wall. "Gahh, just stop threatening him already. I'm his protector and he is the prince I serve. Look if you hurt him, well you'll hurt me…" He fell to the floor, his legs unable to hold up his weight any longer.

' _Don't threaten me Amora, and don't insult my intelligence. You don't know what you're up against.'_

Her eyebrows rose, the change in expression took Jay's breath away. He realised two seconds too late that he had just told her too much. "So an enchantment binds you? If I hurt one, the other will show the wounds, because neither should inflict pain but if one does they both share the pain?"

She thought for a few moments, walking a few strides away from the fallen young man at her feet. "Priori incantantem! Oh of course why didn't I see it earlier." A sick smile washed across her face, she grabbed Jay from his seated position at the door way. She yanked him up by his upper arm and her free hand started moving slowly in circles.

"Wha-what are you doing?" he hissed breathlessly, fighting his body's attempt to pass out again.

Her blue eyes glaring down at the young prince in her grasp. "I don't need to kill him, I can just get you to do it with a little magic….." Came that same calculating voice that had got him stabbed the first time.

Jay gulped and tried his hardest to remain upright despite his obvious weakness. "You can't do that, it will never work. I would never hurt him on purpose. I swore an oath, we both did."

"I have my ways, I know how to coerce _one_ of you, for the moment anyway. The one with the weaker mind will do it, he'll be consumed with blood lust that he won't be able to stop himself." She squeezed Jay's neck.

His eyes started rolling back, "If you hurt h-him I'll kill you myself…." Jay groaned struggling to stand. His heavily lidded eyes noticed a green colour, he squinted struggling to focus on it. It was the all too familiar image of a portal being created. This one evidently, was just for him, just like before.

Her fingers issued tendrils of green smoke, she appeared in full perfect attire. "So be it! If you try to stop me then you too will feel his pain as your own." Her acrimonious tone made him shiver, he knew she meant every word of it.

Jay blanched at the threat, undeterred he stood firm. "You don't know what you're about to do, this won't end well for you if you persevere with this course of action, you'll lose. You'll be up against both of us."

She stood back and created a portal sending him on his way but he didn't look back in anger this time, he simply stared at her with curiosity at her direct threat on both Loki and himself. "I do and it will succeed because I've seen it. I know how it all ends, as do you. The only one who will be up against anyone, will be you against the God you claim to serve. You'll be the only one that loses and I'm guaranteeing it. The God won't be able to stop himself and he'll go too far, then his remorse and guilt will make his exit swift, like the turncoat he is. You'll be left with me, as it should be."

* * *

She pushed him through the portal and he literally flew through it, landing on his hands and knees. He skidded quite well and even managed to end up on his feet, but when he stood the scarf got caught underfoot leaving him completely naked. He picked himself up and the remains of the green scarf before getting his bearings.

After quickly wrapping the scarf around his body, he took a quick glimpse of his immediate surroundings. He walked around for mere seconds before he realised where he was, this was a room he rarely ever entered except as Loki's right hand man.

This was the moderately filled hall, belonging to none other than Odin himself. 'The hall of the Gods' as Loki had mentioned briefly. He squinted his eyes and looked in the distance, right ahead stood an enormous table, the king sat in the middle, separated by a large wooden throne.

There were many seats empty to either side of him, it would seem that some of the Aesir and Vanir Gods were either too busy to attend or quite possibly banished. A fair amount of noble men stood nearby as if wanting an audience from the Gods. But Jay, to his dismay, soon realised that they had started sneering and mocking him where he stood, their attention now on him being as he was very underdressed and in the presence of the many omnipotent ones.

Females were gasping with fright at the half undressed man that had suddenly appeared from nowhere, looking a shell of his former self that no one recognised because of his dishevelled look.

To Jay, even in his state of confusion, this room was even more impressive than the ceremonial room in Asgard's royal Palace. The floors in this room were black polished marble with intricate carvings. The patterns ornate in design, looked rune like, they also continued up to each pillar.

It remained as timeless as ever, with the addition of a huge wooden throne standing pride of place in front of a large round window behind it. Jay recognised it and cringed in realisation, this was 'Gladsheim, Odin's Hall,' a room meant only for the Gods.

It was a sacred room and not for the likes of protectors, only those who had been invited or had requested an audience.

' _Oh I am so hooped! Thanks Amora you set me up for this didn't you? Gotta say, I really appreciate the sentiment.'_

* * *

 **FWIW, being a child in care was confusing for me too. So like Jay I also used the terms 'biological' mum and dad or 'real' mum and dad, and my foster parents, well, I just called them 'mum and dad' to avoid confusion. Of course when you're at school, kids know. None more so than when you bring the permission slip in and the word parent has been crossed off and replaced with guardian.**

 **On another note, I was quite angry when I saw it skimmed over like it was meaningless in that one episode of Ninjago. Being told you're adopted kinda throws a spanner into the works, it sours you to know that a secret so large was kept from you. Or from the ideals than you believed was a normal childhood. (My biological brother was adopted at the age of three but he was told when he was in secondary/middle school.)**

 **You're so conflicted when you're young and in care. It feels like no one understands you, even the local authorities or the schools. You want to feel love yet you crave attention, good and bad and a small part of you doesn't want to offend anyone so you simply adjust into your new life with your meagre belongings in a black bin liner.**

 **Our past, shapes us into the individuals we are today, so if you wonder why I write dark stories, you could always pm me and ask. But you might not like the answer!**


	64. The shadow of death!

**I actually wrote this chapter, listening to 'Kyrie Eleison' by Mr Mister hahaha. Oh how appropriate 'Lord have mercy!'**

* * *

The throne and large table, was a few hundred feet away, raised up high by sweeping black steps that flared inwards and ended at the one true seat of Asgard. Jay took one look behind himself and saw the portal closing, a sneer on Amora's face.

"Have fun explaining this, Jay. I hear Tyr is good with his sword." Was the last thing she had said before the portal fizzed out to nothing. Her tone had been sickly sweet in its delivery.

He couldn't talk, he was speechless and then he fell to his knees again, fighting of the urge to vomit and faint. He had wanted to tell her in no uncertain terms to get the Hel out of his house but he found he couldn't speak.

Jay almost vomited in response to the journey he had just experienced. His hand shot to his lips and he stopped the impending projectile from leaving his mouth, where it would have decorated the sacred room, with remnants of gruel and the other meagre contents of his stomach.

He looked around wildly, the doors to the great hall weren't close enough, and to make matters worse, the seated Gods were all looking at him. Wondering why he was here, in Gladsheim...in the hall of the Gods.

* * *

Loki was sitting on the wooden throne when the portal appeared, he promptly stood as soon as he saw someone falling into the room wearing very little attire. It wasn't the done thing in this sacred hall. Others had been executed for it, well the mason had when he had demanded Freya as payment. Thor had split his skull in this very hall, the very place that this creature was standing.

It had been almost two weeks since Loki had cast eyes on his young prince and protector. But something wasn't right, he didn't look like Jay, the tone was all wrong, the movements, not as he had remembered them to be. Jay was fast, stealth was his advantage as was his skill with broadswords, katana and sais.

"Prince Jayson! I-is that you?" Loki whispered as he cast his eyes on the magical portal that had just appeared at the far end of Gladsheim.

"Perhaps not!" He said quietly, as he held his chiselled jaw in his hand, observing the creature and its uncoordinated movements.

"It is entertaining to see something other than the Aesir make a spectacle of themselves, is it not?" A few agreements were aired, some were laughing whereas others seemed annoyed at the sheer lack of respect.

Loki, in his disguise, sat and watched the spectacle, uncertain of what to suggest. It was possible and not completely unheard of for other worldly creatures to send dangerous yet not obvious warriors into their midst. Loki knew this personally, his jaw still resting in his hand. "So Hela, in her wisdom, feels she must send one of her minions for our enjoyment, as a jester, a muse or a balm no less."

"A pitiful minion, High One. He is not worthy of Gladsheim. You wish for me to slay it for you?" He sneered down his nose at the creature. The mere sight of it turned his disposition sour.

Loki in his disguise considered this kind offering. All he could see upon squinting was what looked like a drunken under dressed ghoul who had had gotten lost in Asgard on his way to cold and barren Helheim.

He watched as the creature tumbled to his knees, time and time again. He watched as the creature stood again with a degree of difficulty. Watching, ever watching as the creature began to roam around with the same uncoordinated movements he would expect of the dead.

"Ah Hela must be missing one of her many army of the undead, send him away High One. He nary belongs here like a goat belongs at a banquet table." One of the noble men mocked. The table of assembled Aesir and Vanir heckled and cheered in response.

The disguised God smirked, he looked at the creature, a sense of pity for the poor wayward soul who had wandered so helplessly into the realm of the Gods without realising just how dangerous that was.

"Don't worry, High One, I'll get rid of it for you…" Tyr the God of war commented and rose to his feet, offering his services to please his God. He waited patiently to be given the signal, only a simple hand gesture was all that was required.

His show of brute strength was always a hit with the females and he revelled in it. He unsheathed his broad sword with his gauntlet covered hand, his shield at his side in the hand that he lost to Fenris Wolf. The restrained Lorelei remained at the side of the banquet table draped in chains, looking somewhat worse for wear.

The pale ghoulish creature looked drunk, swaying unsteadily as he rose to his feet yet again. His arms drooping at either side, swaying in a non-existent breeze like the smallest gust of wind would blow him over.

He was wearing nought but a thin green scarf, that had been wrapped around his waist, the thin fabric did nothing to hide his manhood from all and sundry, although the scant cloth did keep it restrained.

It was evident to the confused King, that this creature looked heavily disorientated. His movements were mostly erratic and he lacked direction. He easily resembled a creature of the dead, yet some similarities made Loki rise steadily to his feet to get a better look at the thing that had just appeared a far ways down the vast room.

If it was the young prince, he would have surely made some grand gesture, or at least acknowledged the King, but as yet the creature or the ghoul hadn't said a word, he was simply swaying and collapsing.

* * *

"Tyr, do you mind? A show of skill, these noble men might like to see your abilities on the battle field or one to one. This creature is of the dead anyway, I'm sure Hela will not miss him." Loki ordered and smiled as the God of war walked off to dispatch the creature once and for all. He sat back down and continued to watch.

He had received no response from the creature so he motioned the God of war to take care of it. Unfortunately once Tyr's shield had struck the creature and knocked him to the floor, Loki had felt it too.

The creature had skidded across the floor in a spectacular way, it's hands giving some protection to his face to avoid face planting onto such an unforgiving floor. The creature again tried to stand, it was shaking it's head, obviously it hadn't expected that blow.

It had made the effort to talk, he even held his shaking hand up to surrender. "Tyr...bleurgh." Was all it said before a projectile of vomit spilled from his mouth. The sound it made on the hard floor was horrendous. Tyr was disgusted and smacked the creature with his shield, the creature didn't make a noise save for the continued retching, with the occasional clutching at his stomach.

Up at the banquet table, where the remainder of the Gods sat, was a disguised Loki. His hand had shot to his face so quickly, a sympathetic pain perhaps, Loki knew from personal experience how hard Tyr's blows could be, this was only the second he had managed to land on the creature and Loki had winced with both hits.

But the odd thing was, that the entire side of Loki's face now felt bruised. His hand rushed up to soothe the pain, it was familiar but this creature didn't look like his protector, like Jay.

It looked as if the creature was trying to get away from the God of War, he was aiming for the doors but his uncoordinated movements wouldn't allow it. He was falling more than he was walking but each time he rose back to his feet.

"Come now Tyr, I thought you were capable of felling mere mortals faster than this. Show us something worthy of the Aesir, do not be afraid to be sanguinary my son."

With each passing minute, the gathered Gods, both Aesir and Vanir; could see the creature was having some difficulty, in maintaining his upright stance. He was beginning to injure himself, yet he was somehow managing to avoid most of the punishing blows that Tyr was throwing his way. Rolling this way and that to avoid the punishing sword strikes.

Tyr, the God of War was fast becoming irked at being unable to fell the creature, he was being made a fool of in front of the Gods. "For a creature of Hel, you move quite fast, foolish creature. It will be your downfall."

He struck his sword again but missed, "I can offer you a parting gift, you'll get to keep your head." He laughed jovially. "You can carry it with you, back from whence you came!" He taunted mercilessly, the creature was pressed up against a pillar, his hands on the blade to prevent it from cutting into his skin, it was just his hands.

Tyr stood back, he had felt some pain from being that close, almost as if the creature was imbued with the same power that Thor held.

If the God of War didn't know any better, he would think that the creature was mocking him. That wasn't far from the truth. The creature was doing his best to duck, dodge and dive despite having no weapons, armour nor clothes.

His disadvantages were fast becoming advantages because he had no additional weight to lug around. The only real disadvantage was that the creature seemed to be lacking in strength, Tyr took the advantage yet again and smacked the shield onto the creature. It missed him again and merely grazed his back.

"A fast minion are you not? Are you one of Hela's cherished warriors from the underworld?" He hissed at the creature whom he noted, seemed nimble on his feet despite the fact that he looked like he was about to collapse at any given moment.

It was more luck than judgement as the creature fell at the right time each time that Tyr had struck his sword in a thrust. Once again he fell down, the sword just missed his neck.

The creature looked like he was being controlled by something, a marionette was Tyr's first thought as he watched it's eyes roll back again. "Likely possessed by Lord Surt, High One!" Some shifted uncomfortably at the mention of his name, he was as strong as Thanos.

* * *

Everything looked almost acceptable for a ghoul except for the fact that the dead thing looked like he was occasionally swaying and dancing to a siren's song. Loki was almost contemplating creating a portal to the underworld to set the poor creature free as Tyr seemed to be having too much fun with it, but he waited.

And it was the worst thing he could have done. Tyr, the God of war thrust his rune covered broad sword straight into the creature as it stood holding onto the door for support. It had finally made it there only for it to stumble forward in shock.

' _Oh come on, this again….Loki.'_ Jay tried to turn around but was kept firmly in place by a foot to his back.

Tyr, the God of war, wrenched his golden rune broadsword out. He had his foot on the back of the foolish creature who had dared to appear in Gladsheim without invite. The creature had let out a muffled shriek of pain, once the sword had been removed.

Again, Loki felt the pain tenfold but didn't understand why. His hand had shot to his chest as the memories came flooding back to him in vivid purple blood stained colour.

A few seconds longer was all it took, the creature fell onto the floor collapsing in a heap with a pained gasp. He didn't get back up, his chest was barely moving, his arms still. Tyr positioned himself over the creature ready to drive his blade into that final strike.

"M-my…..l-lord help m-me." Came the definable yet weak whispered reply, a reply that made Loki's blood run cold, he realised in that moment it was in fact, none other than Jay.

* * *

" **TYR STOP!"** He shouted in an attempt to quell the blood lust of the God of war, the goading he was receiving was prompting him to attempt a decapitation, thus further putting the creature out of his misery.

"Everybody leave us!" He shouted in a blind panic, racing down the black marble stairs whilst hearing hushed whispers as dignitaries and noblemen walked past.

Within seconds, his notable followers were filtered out of the hall. They cast a pitiful glance at the man who lay on the floor largely unmoving. He was breathing raggedly and trying his hardest to reach out to the King in a vain attempt to hold onto a scrap of sanity. It hurt to breathe, to think. He smiled and closed his eyes.

' _Oh no, no, no, no.…What the Norns did I do? What happened?'_ The panicked thoughts of Loki.

Loki ran as quickly as he could, but he was tall and his strides were very few even disguised as Odin. He got to Jay's side quickly creating a gust of wind with his momentum. "Jay, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I-I had no idea it was you."

He pulled him onto his back and covered him with Odin's cloak aware of the fact that Jay's clothing was scant. "Jay! Jayson? Answer me please…"

"JAY?" Loki felt him moving in his grasp, he lowered his voice. "You, you could have died, I had just ordered Tyr to…..execute you, I'm so sorry."

"Did you m-miss me huh? Or w-was that my welcome home party?" The side of his mouth curled into a smile.

Jay struggled but eventually opened his eyes and looked up straight into the healthy green glow of Loki's forest green orbs. It was like his eyes were calling him pulling him to a final resting place. Jay closed his eyes again and remained in the same position, he was for want of a better word sleeping yet hardly breathing, his wound slowly healing, more blood escaping.

"She sent you back alone, I wasn't to know it was you, please can you forgive me?"

"Maybe!" His eyes closed, but a look of relief was clear on his face.

"Jay, are you…." He mumbled and dabbed at the wound as it bled, feeling terrible remorse for having made Jay suffer for no reason, other than his own reluctance to get up and investigate for himself.

Instead he had chosen Tyr to do it, against an unarmed man, with a rune sword that was created to inflict pain and justice upon who ever was impaled on it.

Loki had recoiled instantly at the pale features, the young man he held looked like death, he hadn't been wrong in that aspect. His face, lips and eyes when they were still open, were devoid of their colours. His fair skin and sun kissed freckles had vanished, as had any colour on his previous pink lips. The only colour that remained was his warm auburn hair and the blood on his teeth. "Haa, I-I made it back, in one piece."

"Why did you not speak up? Why did you come to Gladsheim? You know this room is sacred."

Jay shuffled on the floor, wrapped in Odin's cloak. "I had no choice, she sent me h-here. I'm not sure if you're aware but I lack the magic to create a portal. Lightning and plasma are my thing as is, spinjitzu, martial arts, and…" He paused and winced. "Using katana's, sais, and nunchucks!"

"Guards, he needs taking to his room immediately." Loki shouted and knelt by Jay's side, cringing at the state Jay had been delivered in, he moved his auburn hair from his face. He didn't appear to have any other injuries on his person save for a nasty burn above his heart, one that hadn't healed.

"I will join you shortly, please notify the healers I will require their services too." Loki ordered and allowed the guards to take Jay away before he followed them out of the great hall.

Luckily for Jay, the palace wasn't far away. It was a short journey on a wooden long boat. From his fleeting glance, it looked like a Viking long ship but this one was flying through the air.

'Just like the Bounty!'

* * *

They took him to his room as directed and placed him on his bed gently. A healer joined the room's notable people, Loki was there sitting on the bed with his young prince, the royal aid was notarising and transcribing whilst the royal personnel were going about getting him some suitable attire, whilst trying to pinpoint Amora's location.

The royal aid assigned to the young prince was quick to question the king, "What ails him, High One?"

Loki looked at Jay, his mind racing back to his last few hours with Amora. "What ails him Eir?" He asked looking up to the eldest healer in the room.

The healer, without the soul forge, used her vast experience which far surpassed that of any Midgardian doctor. She was often able to determine ailments just by judging. She studied him closely, he was still breathing, his heart rate felt slow and he had a nasty burn and a healing wound from the God of war's long sword but other than that, he was just exceptionally pale.

She saw his complexion and knew this was not normal for him, he was lacking in vital essence, notably blood. "He needs replenishing potion my lord, he is, what they term as lacking in life essence." She said as she pinched his skin, her other hand opening his eyelids allowing for Loki to see for himself.

"I will retrieve the nearest substitute, High One. He will need ample rest." She quickly left Loki who was still disguised as the King before leaving the room on her own mission to find a suitable substitute for life essence.

Loki knelt by Jay's bedside and breathed a sigh of relief when Jay finally opened his eyes. He appeared to yawn and smile at seeing familiar colours, smelling pleasant things that didn't wreak of mold and mildew, musty fabric or old damp wood. He was actually somewhere that might actually be able to help him feel better, all Ninjago would have wanted to do was give him a blood transfusion and start him on a chemical infusion, thinking he had a blood borne disease.

* * *

"My lord?" He looked around himself and gingerly scratched his head with a loud yawn.

Loki locked the door using a simple cantrip and crept closer still. "Jay, again my apologies. You collapsed, mostly blood loss I'm led to believe. But then the last part, I'll admit, was entirely my fault, I should have sought out the answer for myself rather than sending Tyr."

Loki's disguise disappeared immediately, his appearance was now his own. His long black leather overcoat with plaited leather tunic, golden pauldron and sashes were adorning his person. The only piece he was missing was his helmet. His black hair had grown and was now past shoulder length, he casually flicked it from his line of vision as he remained on the bed.

Jay sat up a little more, edging up onto his elbows, wincing at his new wound that stood pride of place under his sternum. "Yeah thanks for that, I appreciate it."

"Do you remember what transpired? How it happened?"

"Remember what? Amora or what just happened?" Jay leaned forward and clenched his jaw, the breath escaping through his teeth partially in anger and pain.

"Oh yeah uhuh, I can remember two well-made golden blades and the fact it didn't hurt. It's a bit hazy though and then I remember arriving back here, again courtesy of _her. Then, and here's the icing on the cake,_ Tyr starting an unprovoked fight with me." He replied in a higher than usual tone, signifying his annoyance.

He raised his scarred eyebrow at the God questioningly. "Ya know, I had no weapons, not that I could have fought him off anyway, although maybe a shot of lightning would have sufficed, haa."

His stare remained on the God, annoyance was still displayed on his pale face as a distinct scowl. "Oh and then I remember, telling you four weeks ago that this would happen and you didn't believe me." He whined, his eyes narrowed in frustration.

He gingerly lifted the covers, feeling more warmth than usual. He noted that he was wearing tunic trousers, which had somehow appeared on his person at some point during his transport from Gladsheim to his room. "Haa trousers finally!"

"I'm sorry Jay, you already know my stance on this, it was a royal contract, it was a legally binding magical artefact. And yes breeches, fabric or not, for they _were_ a necessity. You were showing your um…your genitalia and there were females present."

Loki's eyes trailed over the wound that was healing, all thanks to the many stones that had been used. The wound had been dressed because the sword that had been used was riddled with rune lore magic. "Well anyway, that is in the past now...although, if you will entertain the idea, some females seemed to like what they saw." The God smirked and looked away, stifling a laugh but failing miserably.

"Hilarious, do I entertain you? That was Amora too, well and the police station."

"And yeah, yeah whatever. _A magical legal binding document that means nothing to me_." Jay shifted again, a lopsided smile. "Which girls then?"

The God shook his head, his hand covered his obviously smug grin. "The majority of Freya's handmaidens mostly."

Jay's eyebrows rose. "Not that you will have enough time for that. You are to recuperate here and then you will start training in the art of Elven fighting. Hopefully we can do that as a whole, the Einjerjar will provide you with what you all need."

"Anyway I digress, I apologise for this whole misunderstanding. When Amora sent you through her own portal she should have been accompanying you. Alas, you arrived on your own and we foolishly thought that you were one of Hela's minions. I didn't mean for you to be hurt, I had no idea it was you." He looked away and passed Jay a goblet with a crimson coloured fluid inside.

"What are you talking about?..I'm perfectly fine although maybe a little anaemic now but just need lots of red meat and leafy green vegetables, you got those here right?" Jay asked with curiosity and eagerness at the taste of a freshly cooked steak. "All they had in the police station was grey and unappealing, verging on scary. It kind of reminded me of Cole's cooking, hehe."

"Oh we have them of course, but the healers will get you something perhaps better suited for a _quick_ recovery." He pulled the eiderdown over the young prince, the pillows and rounded blue bolsters had been propped up behind him by Jay's own retainers before they left.

He leaned back and released a comfortable sigh of contentment. "Why _quickIy?_ Is there a time scale or something that I need to know about?" He finished the goblet and set it down before Loki passed him another. The fluid left his teeth looking decidedly red and blood soaked. He belched loudly and shuddered with the horrendous salty aftertaste.

Loki seemed to frown and rub his face in frustration at just how much Jay had missed in his absence. "Well yes. You cannot actually see it from here but there is a Elven warship stationed nearby with a full set of harrows within its hull."

"Wait! What?" Jay stared at the God, like he had just lit a fuse wise. Again he passed the empty goblet back and tried to get out of bed to look but the God stopped him in his tracks.

"Trust me….it is there!" Loki sighed. "Hmm, yes of course, you were not here for that rather fruitless endeavour, the debacle that was."

Jay didn't talk he just drank the offered goblet, wondering how fast the liquid was likely to work.

"Alas, the dark elves have finalised a battle of sorts. Their aim, is as simple as they are, they want to challenge this realm with a battle and if we don't agree to their rather archaic yet brutal terms, war will commence for the seat of power."

"Alas to prevent said war and potential bloodshed, we have agreed. My royal aid has advised me to send the most seasoned warriors, ones who possess a broad yet diverse style of fighting that the dark elves have never seen nor been accustomed to."

" _Diverse!_ So you mean, the ninja? You're sending my brothers to fight an army of elves that they don't even know about or their style of fighting?"

"Very quick and intuitive, I'm impressed." Loki said with an almost imperceptible grin.

"Aye, they will be sent but in a few days once they have arrived and received adequate training, new advanced armour and weaponry." He passed the final goblet to his young prince. "I would never send them into battle unprepared."

Jay panicked slightly, unsure if the God was lying or being truthful. "Why don't you send the Einherjar?" Thinking the cohesion of Einherjar would far outweigh the current team workings of his brothers, whom he hadn't seen for almost six months.

He knew his relationship with his brothers would be fractured because of everything that had happened recently. Amora had outwardly mentioned the animosity she had purposefully caused between them all because of her odd antics when she was leading a double life, yet unbeknownst to him, only three of his brothers had remained loyal namely; Lloyd, Zane and Kai.

"Because as I mentioned, the dark elves have been fighting the Einherjar for over 3000 years, they know our fighting styles and our weaknesses and we know theirs but since we have new warriors now we will have the advantage, the upper hand."

"But they could be killed." Jay said flustered, finishing the last goblet with a dry heave.

"No, they won't, because _you_ will be joining them, a few days later. At least that way they will play fair besides this isn't a battle to the death more a show of strength."

Jay leaned forward, not liking this idea at all, he winced every so often grabbing at his chest. "Why do they want a show of strength?"

"They want to seem the stronger race, the better suited to helm these nine realms, in place of Asgard and the seat of power we hold here."

"Of course if they succeed they will douse all nine realms in complete darkness and life will cease to exist save for their own."

"I admit Jay, this was a difficult situation because I was largely coerced into it."

"Coerced haa haa, by who? Who _coerces_ the God into anything except for his own mind?" Jay laughed out loud stifling a yawn.

"My royal aid mostly and I admit I wasn't thinking straight for I could feel your pain too."

"Ah well, as long as you're not blaming me for that." He laughed out loud and simultaneously gasped at the pain in his chest, his hand shooting up at the burn that still remained.

"Something you wish to disclose Jay?" Loki saw the burn that he was attempting to hide.

Jay looked at Loki with some uncertainty, before removing his hand from the burn that marred his left flank. "It's just a burn"

Loki tipped his head to the side, flopping forwards. "The truth?"

"Uh, well Amora struck me before I left her home. Mean sting her lightning has ya know, it left a burn in the pattern of the dark island…haa, but the healing stone got rid of that, well it did but apparently it came back…." He groaned looking down at his chest.

"It sorta comes on every so often, like when I'm happy or maybe sad."

"Did she seem upset when you left, did she attempt to assuage you in anyway?" Loki queried, his face without emotion. He hovered his hand directly above the burn without touching the skin underneath, it looked like he was coaxing the magic underneath to figure out what it was that was causing the pain.

"Uhm yes you could say that. Anyway I told her no, guess it was the wrong thing to say because then she kind of flipped literally."

"What did she do?" The God questioned, everyone had left the large golden room, having made sure the prince was now back in the land of the living.

"Well she said 'now I'll know how my decision affected her'….and I kind of did and still do, does that make any sense?" Loki nodded, his clenched fist against his pursed lips.

"It's hard to describe but it's like each time I try to be happy and normal, well I can't. All that happens is pain, even back in the police station all I felt was pain, but not physical just here." He said pointing directly to his burnt chest.

"You were incarcerated?"

"Uh yeah for almost two weeks...were you even listening?" Jay raised his scarred eyebrow. "Incarcerated, courtesy of Amora and this amulet stone she put in my trousers."

"Ah, that would explain the difficulties we had in locating your signature, life force. Any way, you were saying?"

"Well, it's like her pain was mine. She said I would feel her pain, like maybe literal heartbreak or something, I don't know she didn't exactly explain it all that well because as soon as she'd done it, well, she just sent me away. Ugh, it's magic right, can you fix it?"

"If it is magic, I can indeed 'fix it', besides if it is only a bi product of her power, it should be fairly easy to remove her curse with simple runes and maybe a cantrip. You do want me to, do you not?" He lowered his gaze, giving Jay the impression he was looking down his nose at him, but he wasn't.

"After all, I would hate to have you looking glum all the time, I had enough of that with Odin." He said with a sly smile. Loki carefully warmed his hands and placed them palm down onto Jay's naked chest. He could feel his heart rate, now slow and steady, his breathing calm, Jay had fully relaxed.

He spoke a few odd and archaic words and Jay tried not to laugh. "Just relax, and well, you might feel a slight, pinch…perfectly normal."

"Before you do this, can I ask you something?" Jay said quietly as he lay back carefully.

The God nodded. "I'm listening." His hands were held mid-air over Jay's exposed chest, right above the burn.

"Is Cole here yet?" Jay asked and the God smirked and nodded his head in response.

' _In a way, he is here, not by choice though. A few hours in shackles should provide a good enough deterrent for his actions.'_

Jay had fallen asleep as Loki started to cast runes for healing, using the dagaz rune for new beginnings. He could feel Jay drifting off into a deep sleep, until he throatily groaned in response to the hands that rubbed circles on his chest. The God smiled but continued with a raised eyebrow.

' _Is the prince or princess dreaming of Loki, perchance?'_ He thought, Loki found it funny to watch, grateful that no other staff were in here to hear Jay mumbling out his name in pleasure, even his body betrayed him in his sleep.

"Mmmmphh, Oh god…..L-L…mmmph, Loki…..fu…ughhh…soo big and, comfy." Jay rolled onto his side towards the God, he chuckled in his sleep, a smile on his pale face as his mumblings continued.

The God slowly took Amora's powerful hex as his own, removing all traces of the curse as Jay simply lay oblivious. "Get some rest young one. You'll need your wits about you in a few days once you are recovered sufficiently." He cast a further charm over the prince as he slept to make doubly sure that Amora could do no further harm, he used Algiz for additional shielding.

Jay in his exhaustion had forgotten to mention the threat that Amora had issued him with, she was hoping it might make Loki nervous. But for now Jay was safely back in Asgard and it would only be a matter of time before the rest of his brothers arrived. Even though Jay was sleeping he was undoubtedly excited to meet them after so long but also anxious as to how they might react to finding out that a sorceress had been playing them for a fool for over 22 weeks.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile on the outskirts of Ignacia.**_

Lloyd and Kai, had managed to get out unnoticed by the local authorities, having gotten supplies and food from a local small shop. The conversation had drifted on as they made their way back to Lloyd's home, talking about Earth and their adventures to date, meeting new allies and foes. The loss of life they had all experienced, loved ones gone, immortality and now a new incredibly powerful omnipotent mentor who guided them all towards the dark instead of the light as their previous sensei had.

"What happened then, what did he say to you to make you agree?" Lloyd held firm onto the master of fire who was shaking, a tear fell down his face.

"He threatened us! He'd been in contact with Shield, I think he worked for them and was on first name terms with Directory Fury. Anyway…." Kai paused and sniffed.

"I didn't have a choice….I-I didn't want to do it…." Kai stopped and sobbed, his hands were aflame but it was blue.

"They had been watching us, keeping tabs on all of us. They knew we were all, what they deemed as 'elementals.' Word had gotten around that Jay was immortal and they knew that he had been corrupted, he was going around killing everyone, they either wanted him stopping or they wanted to know what powered his strength and stamina. They thought he was Asgardian, they thought he was a god!"

"So what happened?" Lloyd soothed and sat in front of Kai, watching as he wiped away the tears in anger.

"They followed me when I left the motel. It was the night Jay had come to visit, ya know when he showed us his crown? Anyway, they jumped me and dragged me into their car, took me to a unknown location and gave me an ultimatum….." He let out a shuddering sigh, his head held low.

"Give him up or die, but that wasn't all they said. They didn't just want him to be given to them, they had wanted him to suffer, they wanted to test him and his strength."

"Did they tell you all of this, how long were you gone?"

"I was gone for a few hours, They told me what they had made him do, and that Loki had him controlled by the mind stone. He was being treated like a soldier of fortune, a mercenary with no pay or sleep, he was worked almost to death. And I made it worse!"

"Even when Loki had changed us all to rescue him, I knew Hydra were still watching us. The same car was following us around, taunting me, letting me know how serious they were. They were gonna end us that same morning. But Loki got to us first, that same morning we ended up in Asgard. Because they knew about the breakout and they knew we had helped get him out."

"Loki knew about Hydra, and Shield, that's why we were taken away. He saved our lives and I know that sounds ridiculous because he did it for purely selfish reasons." Lloyd soothed.

"Maybe you're right, all I know is that Hydra wanted retribution."

"Why, what did he ever do to them? Except for what happened in Iceland, but that was afterwards." Lloyd shrugged his shoulders.

"Because they had paid for him, they paid me to hurt him so much, that he wouldn't be able to fight back. So, I had to make it look realistic, they wanted to see I was serious. They paid me for his immortal life. It's like a dark shadow looming over me, over all of us now...blood money. The next time we go to earth could be Jay's last, if they succeed, he'll die and it'll be my fault."

Lloyd shook his head and frowned, he rubbed his face. "Did they wiretap you?"

Kai nodded. "Why do you think I flipped a few hours after I'd handed Jay over? I had to make it sound and seem realistic but then something snapped.

"I kinda lost control, the money and stress went to my head. I've never regretted anything more in my life than doing that, to Jay. It's all I've been thinking about, it's all I ever think about now, how to make it right. For everyone and for him, for Jay."

Lloyd placed his arm around Kai's shoulder and pulled him into a tight embrace. "He forgave you, Kai. I don't think he'd want you to dwell on it, besides Jay is stronger than you think."

Kai nodded and took a deep refreshing breath in, he fumbled around his pocket. "W-well, start as I mean to go on. Ahem." Kai stood up and turned around to Lloyd who was still sitting.

The master of fire wiped the tears from his face and recomposed himself. "Lloyd me and Skylor wanted to give you something f-for your new place." He gripped it tightly in his hand.

"Uhm, it's a home warming gift, and I know it's a little early but Skylor is due any day now and I know I'm probably going to miss the party. Soooo, I wanted to give it to you now." He retrieved a small discreet key from his pocket, it had a green ribbon attached and a three digit number on it.

He shakily passed it to Lloyd who simply looked at it in confusion. "Thanks, what it is? I mean other than a key!"

Kai laughed and smiled, although it was an embarrassed smile, full of regret and sadness. "More importantly, it's an apology. I've bought all of you something and Jay too, his gift is huge." He replied with a nervous grin.

"Secondly, yours is a key to a safety deposit box. We both chose something for you. A piece of artwork, something that will only increase in value in years to come. Hehe, an heirloom for any children you might have with Chamille!" Kai winked, his eyes were still puffy and blood shot.

A vibrating feeling got his attention, his phone had started its own telltale ringtone and he pulled it out of his pocket. He answered it quickly, once he noticed who was calling.

Lloyd watched as Kai started speaking to a very flustered Skylor, he was telling her to calm down, the phone pressed to his ear anxiously, his face contorting into a fearful look of uncertainty verging on excitement.

"Kai, you alright?" Lloyd asked again verging on pestering to get an answer. Kai ended the call and turned his panicked gaze to Lloyd.

"Skylor thinks she going into labour, I-I gotta get to her n-now." Kai said patting Lloyd's forearm.

Lloyd smiled and nodded his head, even though he could feel Kai's nervousness, his hand was shaking when it made contact with his arm. The master of fire quickly summoned his elemental dragon and flew off from the furthest borders of Lloyds' private home to join up with Skylor as fast as he could.

"Fly safely, buckle up….I'M SURE SHE'LL BE ALRIGHT." Lloyd shouted at the fast disappearing elemental dragon which looked like a flying black volcano complete with smoky trails.

He walked for a few minutes before noticing someone odd at his own front door, talking to Zane until Zane invited them over the threshold. Their clothing, from what little Lloyd had seen, had looked completely out of place for the era. "Oh now this doesn't look good!" He mumbled and picked up his pace, walking through the ornate oriental inspired fenced gate.

* * *

Thank you for all the reviews, any questions don't be afraid to pm.

Once again, had to re edit...

And...the slightly smutty version of this chapter is on AO3...sorry in advance


	65. Cole's here, he's actually here?

**Recap, in case you missed this part**

"Is Cole here yet?" Jay asked,

The God smirked and nodded his head in response.

 **'** _ **In a way, he is here, not by choice though. A few hours in shackles should provide a good enough deterrent for his actions.'**_

 _ **Apologies for any Cole fans… the two chapters following this focus on Cole.**_

* * *

 **A few hours later**

Jay had woken up, feeling like he'd been hit by a freight train. He cautiously got out of bed and stumbled as he made his way over to the nearest wall. He was slowly feeling his way with his hands until his head had cleared enough to allow him the chance to stand on his own two feet without the risk of falling.

Having finally made it to the large balconied window, he opened the large and heavy dark blue drapes and peered outside. All he could see, was a multitude of stars and what looked like the outline of a humongous tree, being set against the backdrop of the cosmos, for as far as the eyes could see.

He looked down at the sparkling bridge and he could just about make out a pinprick image of Heimdall. He was standing still at the farthest end….just staring into those same stars as usual, unmoving, yet Jay knew he was watching the nine realms.

A knock on the door disturbed him slightly but he kept his gaze on the rune stone bridge as it reflected all of the star light surrounding Asgard.

"Yeah, come in." He yawned, rubbing his eyes yet remained where he was.

"My lord?" The male voice called from the shadows. "I apologise for the disturbance."

He turned to observe the young man who had just entered his room, noting that he looked flustered. "It's alright, I uh wasn't asleep anyway. What did you need?"

The young man smiled at the prince in his midst. Despite his bloody face, Jay had a genuine and happy grin. "You requested news of your brother, notably Kai and the birthing of his progeny?" He spoke clearly and passed the prince a cloth for his nose before taking his place at the doors again, keeping a respectable distance from the royal he served.

Jay turned his back again. "I did?" He rubbed his face in confusion, dabbing at his nose. "Progeny? You mean their baby, right?" He smirked and turned round to face the other person in his room as the oiled lamps were lit.

A few retainers had walked in quietly after the royal aide. Evidently, they were in the processes of changing his bed considering there was a large blood patch on his pillow and sheets. "Sorry I-I think I had a nosebleed in my sleep, _a first for me_."

He had a terrible headache too, unlike any he'd had before. It felt like his mind had been prodded incessantly with ice picks.

Through his pained haze, he noticed his own royal aide standing in front of the door with a beaming smile on his young face, his red hair was just touching the nape of his neck. "Dagr, you can speak ya know. I won't bite haha."

He calmed down and looked back at the young prince, he was already looking better than he did three hours ago even though he hadn't slept all that much. "Kai, the red warrior, his wife has given birth to a…." He paused momentarily.

' _A boy…'_ Jay already knew what the baby was before Kai and Skylor did.

"She gave birth to a healthy, very lightweight baby boy."

' _Very lightweight?'_

"Dagr, how 'light' are we talking about? Are they both alright now? Still safe?"

The royal aide nodded. "7lbs, we would consider that as very lightweight. You remember Asgardian physiology, well bone and tissue density is at least ten times thicker than that of yours."

The young female healer knocked on his door and walked in, she removed her hooded cloak and placed it over his chaise. She took one glance at the two young males in the room and left three goblets of red fluid for him to consume. But she didn't leave, she stayed in the same position as if waiting for something miraculous to happen.

Jay lurched himself forward from his relaxed leaning back position. "Thanks, really! You've gotta stop plying me with all this stuff." He looked cheekily at the royal aide before brushing past the blushing healer, feeling her breath on his neck as he passed.

"I swear she's trying to get me drunk haha." He walked across to the tray and grabbed each one because he now knew that she wouldn't leave the room until he had taken all of the medicine.

Not leaving anything to chance, she had been told that he needed to finish the course and she needed to stay behind and make sure he did.

She'd likely be back in three hours with the next lot too, much to his chagrin.

He didn't mind though, she wasn't exactly a stranger to him and neither was her sister, Kali. Although the last time he saw Kari properly, she was in this same room with her shy twin and they were all minus their clothes, the last day of the two day celebration, when he became a prince…that was only five months ago in Asgard, just over three years in Ninjago.

* * *

Jay glugged the first one down easily, the second one was proving more difficult and he started heaving again. He shrugged away the help of a supporting arm and instead chose to squeeze his eyes shut. Her comforting hand stroked his back. "One more should do it for today." She soothed and he nodded as he took it from her.

Again, he was imagining cotton candy, or slurpees, any sweet treat instead of the actual taste of blood. Because that was what it was and exactly what it tasted like; it was salty, metallic, tangy and thicker than water and occasionally it was warm too.

The senior healer, Eir, had told him that it was a close substitute for blood but didn't divulge what it actually was. The younger healer had briefly mentioned what it was and that had made it all the more worse.

"Wh-what date was he born?"

"Their Gregorian calendar is vastly different to our own runic ones but I believe the date and month was the 21st September. Both mother and babe in arms are healthy. Kai is very attentive to her needs, the child was born without any complications and they are safe."

Jay grasped his stomach and held back the feelings of nausea, so he could consume the third and final goblet. "Thanks…" He replied in a higher pitched tone than before.

"Can I….c-can I see Cole soon?"

"He is recovering, it is not wise for you to leave your room whilst Amora is at large and whilst you are too weak to fend for yourself."

"Recovering from what? Look I can look after myself ya know, I'm not completely helpless." He drank the final goblet and placed it back onto the tray watching as the healer winked at him and left without her cloak.

"It is unwise for you to leave your room, my lord." He replied sternly, his face now concerned for the prince again and the blasé over compensating attitude he had been warned about.

Jay was growing decidedly short tempered. "It's not written in stone is it? I'm not being punished am I? So, I should be allowed to walk around just like before!"

He sighed and looked back up again. "Look, thanks for your concern Dagr but I'm going to see him whether you want me to or not. Cole's my brother…..don't tell me you wouldn't do the same?"

"The king is concerned for your safety." Dagr replied, matter of factly.

' _How ironic, considering he put me in danger in the first place.'_

"This was just a blip, a bump in the road, I'm fine okay, there was no harm done! I'm still alive, she's not here. Hey, she brought me back didn't she?"

"Barely, she allowed you into Gladsheim, you were lucky to keep your head. Thor, before his banishment, split the skull of a earth giant in that very room, Tyr lost his hand to Fenris, Loki had his mouth sewn shut by Brokk. That room seems to have no class, the Gods bay for it….for blood when they are all grouped together."

"Haa, well I _was_ lucky then, what can I say, everyone loves me haha." Jay shrugged, uncaring.

"We are only concerned for you, my lord and young prince. You had been thought of as deceased, as a fallen prince. Mind you, you wouldn't be the first prince to have fallen. Baldur was the first, then Loki when he fell into the void. We could not spare any chances with you."

" _The king did_ ….." He mumbled quietly but thankfully his royal aide didn't hear.

"And uhm, thanks for the message about Kai. I appreciate it, I really do!"

"Thanks Heimdall." Jay saide out of the window.

"I imagine it is not easy for you, being so far away from your home realm, seeing how fast time passes. All those people you used to know and how fast they age. It is why life is so fleeting between mortals and Gods. It is one of the reasons Odin is so strict with mortals in this realm, they are far too fragile and too insignificant so we watch them from afar." He stopped abruptly when he heard an audible tutting sound, followed by a distinct loud sigh. Which to him, meant he had gone too far.

"I apologise, that was crass and thoughtless, please forgive me, my lord." He lowered his head.

Jay rolled his eyes and looked back out of the window again, seeing the observatory powering up. He only thought of his brothers, they seemingly weren't directly affected by time anymore, but their loved ones were.

Everyone else was, even Darreth had aged, Ronin looked rugged, more than usual, maybe it was the police cell. He shook his head and stared at the Bifrost, he looked down to the courtyard expecting to see Loki meeting with his personal aides, but he wasn't there.

Taking a casual glimpse to his side, he was shocked at what he saw. He could now quite clearly see the giant elven warship that Loki had earlier mentioned. It was standing imposing, significantly blotting out the light from one portion of the golden palace.

' _Intimidating...'_

"That is one big spaceship." Jay mouthed in shock and stumbled backwards.

"It is a Harrow, and is due to leave soon enough." The royal aide grumbled miserably.

"Good, thank god for that."

He looked back at the observatory, it was spinning rapidly and the pointed end of it lit up brightly. It opened up slightly and within a few seconds the Bifrost and rainbow bridge became one long line. Lighting a path into the far distance, further than his own eyes could see.

"Who's travelling?" He asked with his back to the young man in his room. He wouldn't expect it to be Loki, unless he was planning on going to another realm disguised as a creature of sorts, he swore he would never do that again.

"The king's own royal aide is on a personal mission. He is to summon the remaining warriors, the ones needed for the agreement with the dark elves. The battle commences one day from now and time is of the essence for training and preparations so he is on his way to retrieve them."

"Oh, so we'll be practicing and sparring together before we all go to the dark world?" Jay smiled happily and suddenly beamed from ear to ear at the prospect.

"Svartalfheim." Dagr corrected. "You will be joining them, yes, but _you_ will not be training with them."

"What, why not?"

"Your mission is somewhat slightly different. You are to remain here and recuperate, at least for a few days, those are the direct orders of the King."

' _Well the king can go and do one, if I can get down there and spar with them I will, disguise or not….'_

Jay stood up straight, puffed his chest out a little, trying to assert more dominance. "I want to go and see Cole…now!"

"It is forbidden whilst you are in this state, you are too ill to fight and too ill to walk unaccompanied."

He fought the urge to shout out, instead, he remained calm and saw through the words. One of which sprang to mind quickly.

"Thanks Dagr, _you_ can accompany me then." Came his retort. Biting his cheek, he looked dejectedly out of the window again. He could feel a warm glow returning to his cheeks. "At least if I pass out you can sort out an excuse right?"

"Hmm, I meant you are not supposed to leave your room. But it would seem you have played my own words against me, well played."

"Will you accompany me then?"

"If you insist, and only if you rest once we have visited." He offered his hand as a deal.

' _Score! Jay one, Dagr zero….hahahaha!'_

"Cool, then I'll agree to your terms if we can pull off this little prank then I'll come right back to bed." Jay licked his teeth in annoyance and shook his hand on it. "I promise, scouts honour." He saide with a mock salute, he was never a scout.

The royal aide helped him out of his bloodied clothes removing his over robe with caution.

Jay carefully lifted his tunic top and winced at the stab wound, the dressing was removed by his royal aide but a scar remained. He wondered why there was a scar considering none of his other severe wounds had ever scarred, this was a first.

"It heals well, my prince. Alas it will never fully heal, that will always remain." He touched it gently checking the one at the back at the same time.

"The scar, why?" Jay asked looking at it, he saw only the front scar. The back one was there but he wasn't standing in front of a double mirror.

"It was a rune sword, Frey and Tyr both have them. Lucky for you it wasn't Frey's sword or you'd be in Helheim. That blade works of its own volition. Tyr's blade only delivers justice to those deemed unworthy."

' _Great!'_

He grabbed his formal attire and put each piece on, one by one. Choosing to forgo his long flowing indigo cloak because it made his shoulders look bigger.

"Why does my hair grow so fast here?"

"Because you are not of this realm, you may have immortality exacerbated by the food and drink you consume here as we all do. But your body is from another realm. So although you will never age, your hair will likely grow faster than most. We could have a spell for that though, or a potion."

"Haa, side effects! Err thanks but I'd rather not add another potion to my already long list of potions to avoid."

"The longer you stay away from here the less it will grow."

"My brothers then, are they the same? Their hair never seems to grow like this, this is just stupid." He saide and angrily shoved the long strands down his back. Making a mental note to hack it all off later when he could find a good pair of scissors.

"No, they are different."

"Meaning?" He frowned and narrowed his gaze. "What exactly do you mean by different?"

"It-it does not matter. I-I should not have mentioned it, I am sorry my lord, forgive me?"

Jay stood back and pushed the aide's helping hand away. "No, I wanna know what you meant by different, you can't just throw me a piece of candy and not expect me to bite…..what do you mean by different?"

"It pertains to their supposed immortality." He said quietly.

"Why can't _you_ tell me and what the Hel is 'supposed'?"

"I-I cannot tell you, only the king can tell you. I am sorry."

"Really? You're sorry for spilling a half truth then expecting me to just accept it?"

"I-I'm sorry my lord, maybe I can contact the King's royal aide upon his return?"

"What?" Jay frowned, his face confused.

"I'm sorry, it is...not for me to say and I can say no more on it, I should not have told you."

"IT'S FINE...Then let's just pretend it didn't happen and everything is all perfect." Jay replied with a derisive sneer.

"Sorry My Lord."

"I said, it's fine!" Jay fumed, he felt like he was going to pass out or one of his teeth would crack under the pressure exerted on them.

' _Thanks for nothing, just another secret right?'_

"Time is of the essence my lord…" He prompted but could tell that the prince he served was upset because of something he had just saide.

Fearing he had said too much, he put his hand on Jay's shoulder, he observed him. The young prince was visibly shaken. "Maybe you should rest instead?"

" _ **No**_ , time is of the essence and I've _been_ resting…" He snapped.

"What do you suggest to disguise yourself as? Considering the Einherjar have been told not to let you leave."

In order to get out of his room unnoticed he needed to look feminine without the need for magic. Not that either of them had magic at their disposal, unlike the trickster God.

Jay's eyes scanned the room quickly and they settled on his chaise, the caped cloak was lying across it. The young healer known as Kari had left it on purpose. He opted for secrecy and picked up the cloak that covered his long auburn locks and pale face. "Now we just need a distraction." He replied without a smile. Placing the cloak around his shoulders, he fastened it and pulled the hood over his angry red rimmed eyes.

The cloak smelled of her, those thoughts pushed to the back of his mind. He needed to focus, otherwise he'd be stuck in here and likely never see Cole again, especially if they weren't successful against the dark elves.

He looked around and noticed an empty tray on his bedside table and picked it up, placing an empty goblet on it before opening the door.

"Now we go." His face looking like thunder, it rivalled that of Thor's thunderous repose.

The royal aidee allowed the cloaked figure to exit the room and motioned the Einherjar to remain vigilant outside the room but to stay quiet as the prince was sleeping.

Jay carefully lowered his gaze and avoided all eye contact. This group of Einherjar let him pass without question.

He simply smelled like a female and wore the cloak a little too well. He followed the royal aide as directed, keeping a close proximity. He walked to the nearest stairwell and made his way down to two floors below with his royal aide leading the way.

He always shuddered when he walked past the weapons vault, the black ominous door still looked imposing. He remembered all too well, what he had endured on his last visit, when he'd been the unwilling participant of Loki's torturous regime…..insubordination hurt!

During the short walk neither had spoken, well the royal aide had but Jay had largely ignored him. He had to bite his tongue to refrain from biting Dagr's head off.

* * *

He got to Cole's bedroom door and walked in, he was happy to see Cole. Although he looked peaceful, Jay knew it to be the opposite the closer he got.

All he could see was injury after injury marring his brother's face.

"Cole!" Jay whispered as he sat on the bed next to him. He hadn't seen him for a few weeks Asgard time zone, literally six months in Ninjago and he'd changed slightly.

"What happened to him?" Jay whispered to his side.

"He refused a direct order." Came a quiet reply.

"The king?"

"Aye, it could have been much worse, but one can only hope that he held back upon hearing the mere utterance of your name."

"M-my name? Why me?"

"Unsure, my lord. Only the mumblings of his pained haze that he spouted forth upon being placed back in his chambers and in his bed. An apology over and over, the same words repeated."

"Which were?" Jay asked with a certain trepidation.

"Just along the lines of, 'I'm so sorry, please forgive me."

" _Oh!_ Uhm, Cole?" Jay whispered, he stared with even more confusion.

He wouldn't wake easily, Jay could see he was sleeping, albeit painfully. He frowned and bit his lip, gently pulling up Cole's gym top, recoiling in horror at the injuries he saw under there too.

"He held back, really? What did Cole do to deserve this?"

He received no answer from his royal aide who stood nearest the door in the black draped room. Cole was snuggled on his bed wrapped in his black velvet throw, a half-naked female lay at the far edge of his large four poster bed, she hadn't stirred either.

Lucky for Cole, Jay always kept a secret stash of stones in his pocket, the obligatory ones were always in his pouch as a part of his armaments and working armour.

Grabbing one stone, he sprinkled it over Cole's nose and busted lip, and the rest was rubbed gently onto his torso as he slept.

Cole frowned in his sleep and at the same time he began to talk, his eyes still closed. "Still don't really trust him, Kai…..how can we huh?...He flat out admitted…his relationship with…the God."

Jay's face had paled and he shot of the bed quickly. Cole _was_ dreaming but he was verbalising a past conversation as if he was reliving a memory, which had likely been brought on by the pain and torture of whatever had caused these same injuries.

"Jay loves the God, even more…when he turns female….she lets him do these things to her…..and she…she…..she likes it. It's…wrong. It's so wrong Kai, wrong!"

He shook his head and frowned, his heart was hammering in his chest. He knew when that had happened, and he knew why and what had caused it.

Cole and Lloyd had been the instigators of that and they had massively lost it, then they lashed out at Jay. Their outburst caused such animosity that he ran off. They shouted after him, calling him a traitor, amongst other things... The moral of that story…..don't shout off your mouth until you know all of the facts. But by then it was too late, the damage was done.

' _Is that what you think of me now?'_

"What is he talking about?" Dagr looked in confusion at the admission of something deemed as unlawful in Asgard. "What is the meaning of this babbling?"

"It's, it's nothing, he's just dreaming." Jay replied, his smirk hid his apparent nervousness. "Harmless, inconsequential mumbling, a dream like state." He pushed the remainder of his stones back into his pocket and avoided the scrutiny from his royal aide of having his name mentioned in someone's dream.

"Maybe we could summon a psychic, if the accusations stand there could be trouble."

"I told you, it's nothing." Jay hissed quickly. He lied, he knew Cole was spouting the truth and it could cause huge problems if he ever admitted them in his normal state.

He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, his royal aide was leaning in over Cole's form to see if he said anymore.

Jay was beginning to grow impatient, "Come on then, escort me back. I know you want me to go back to my room and be a prisoner again, so just do it." He whispered quietly.

Dagr got off the bed gently and walked past the young prince bowing as he did so. He opened the doors before Jay could even put his hand on the handle and opened them quietly.

Jay took one final look into the room seeing Cole wrapping his arms around the woman and nestling into her neck. He bit his cheek and rolled his eyes yet again. Raised his hands because the royal aide would not hear of it, a prince or royalty should never have to open or close the door.

He bit his knuckle as the royal aide fumbled with the door handle, making far too much noise. Finally the door closed, none too quietly and Jay literally face palmed.

"Dagr, I know how to open the door, you don't have to do that for me."

"I will hear nothing of it, you are ill and you are to be accompanied back to bed."

"I'm fine, stop worrying, you don't need to be a mother hen…"

* * *

They both traversed the two floors and made it back to Jay's royal chambers without any real problems, except for the odd stumbling.

Once inside and the door had been closed, Jay had collapsed onto the floor, the royal aide removed his clothes and hoisted him up over his shoulders before placing him on his bed gently.

He was asleep before the Dagr had even left, meaning he could at least cover him back up and draw the drapes across the large windows, blanketing the whole room in pure darkness.

' _How he is supposed to fight in three days is beyond me, he can barely sustain his own weight for a quick jaunt up and down the stairs.'_

The royal aide left his young prince to sleep, and, as before the guards were re-assigned to stand guard outside his room. An enchantment was placed in the room to detect any outside interference, notably from Amora.

He traversed back to the main chambers to converge with his elders. Once there he mentioned his concerns about the prince's health and the fact he may have said a little too much. He was promptly re-assigned another task until the problem could be rectified.


	66. A Cole lotta trouble

The morning came around too fast, if it could be called morning at all. The small sun like star was shining directly onto Asgard and onto the golden palace. It stood out and looked like a gigantic cathedral organ, gleaming in the odd daylight.

Technically, it would be considered as odd. The stars above and around could still be seen as clear as day.

Jay woke up to see the last of his three goblets of blood coloured medicine, placed on his bedside cabinet. He reached for one and shuddered at the warmth it gave off.

"You know what it is yet?" Loki mocked as he watched him drink the entire contents of the goblet.

He was struggling to keep it down and stop it from spilling back out of his mouth. Jay shook his head, squeezed his eyes shut and grabbed the second whilst trying to block out Loki's voice. He struggled to contain the heaves that were threatening to empty his stomach.

"It's freshly tapped blood from the boar, Saehrimnir. The daily resurrecting beast that all Einherji eat…" He said with a grin.

"Yes, before the beast is killed and roasted, he is tapped, just for you! Indeed, the ancient art of bloodletting, at its finest." Loki noticed Jay still hadn't responded, at least verbally. "Perhaps prudent had you just sucked the beast dry, direct from the source."

Again, Jay shook the images from his head of him standing next to a massive beast, sucking on a vein as the boar struggled. The warm mythical beast grumbling whilst Jay stood biting and drinking it down, allowing the hot blood to fill his stomach. His crazed face, covered in blood, his grin as wide as Loki's.

The thought of it made him want to scream, he heaved instead and felt it coming back up. If anything, the images of this beast seemed to come from nowhere and he refused to listen anymore, he switched off and blocked out Loki's voice. He forced himself to swallow it.

It was Loki, of course it was, he was playing with him, messing with his mind, trying to prolong the torment, Jay couldn't understand why.

His mind started to wander, it felt like a dream, like he was imagining the whole thing. About what was real and what was fantasy. So many emotions, too many bad dreams, too little quality sleep and far too much mead and female company. Everything was spinning out of control.

He couldn't remember much of the night before either or more precisely how he made it back into bed. He woke up alone, which wasn't out of the ordinary anymore. He could definitely remember the message about Kai and their newborn son. That memory made him smile, a deep heartfelt smile that warmed his broken soul.

Jay hadn't felt that happy in ages, Kai was a daddy, Skylor was a mummy and between them, they'd be great parents. He still wanted to know of the name though, maybe get a card to them somehow or a gift, some flowers from the queen's garden.

The rumours he'd been told was that Queen Frigga's roses, were always in bloom, they always remained forever flowering. They never wilted or died. He decided then and there, that the roses would be the perfect gift, but not just for Skylor and Kai.

They would be perfect to honour his mum and dad, he could even get one for Cliff. A perpetual everlasting white rose. Grown and tended by the queen herself when she lived.

The best part about this unique gift, they would last forever...just like his brothers would, forever until the end.

But then his smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared. He thought back to the night just gone. _Remembering, as Dagr mumbled a half-truth, about immortality, involving his brothers._

 _That snippet had piqued his interests so much, that Dagr stopped talking and refused to say anymore. He simply apologized and dropped the subject, leaving the young prince to deal with the confusion and anger that followed._

 _Then he remembered seeing Cole, and the state he was in. He'd used some of his own healing stones when he saw the wounds on his brother's body._ _He wanted him to wake, to stir enough so that they could talk and clear the air but he was in a deep sleep and couldn't be roused._

 _The visit was cut short, Jay's choice. He couldn't risk Cole saying anymore, especially when his name was muttered from the sleeping man's lips as he dreamt._ _The embarrassment of trying to explain to Dagr that it was just a dream, that nothing had happened, that Jay wasn't a witch in disguise trying to win the heart of the king by overthrowing the seat of power in his favor._

 _It had still hurt though, if Cole spoke those words in his sleep was that how he felt in real life, during his waking moments?_ _Was he just keeping face for the sake of all others, to keep the team together as their old sensei had requested of them?_

Jay was still deep in thought, he placed the empty goblet on the golden tray and took the final. While he drank it down he looked longingly at the tray of breakfast goodies that Kali had just brought in. She flashed him a smile and a look of longing but then left hastily.

He wanted something to get rid of the taste of what he was consuming. He needed a distraction from the taste of medicine, and the disgusting truth about where this came from. A quick tooth brushing session would have to do, so he jumped out of bed.

He noticed that Loki was still in his room but had said nothing else. His face was difficult to read today, he looked angry for some reason.

Jay assumed that something had happened yesterday, perhaps to warrant the defensive body language that Loki was exhibiting toward him. Thinking on the fly, maybe it was something linked to Cole and the harsh treatment he had been subjected to.

Either way, Jay didn't like the atmosphere, at all.

He walked to the bathroom, silently. He carefully passed the God who stared at him as he walked. Jay kept his head held high, there was no reason not to, he had nothing to hide, no reason to feel sad or angry.

He got to the bathroom in one piece and grabbed his blue brush from the tumbler before loading it with a non-descript striped toothpaste.

 _'_ _Something had obviously transpired yesterday. Some harsh words must have been spoken, maybe in error.'_ He couldn't be sure but that was what he thought.

He suddenly remembered what Dagr had said; _'Your name was mentioned.'_

 _'_ _My name, why?'_

Loki was standing, leaning sideways against the bedroom wall, his arms tightly across his breast. Observing without talking, calculating what he should do in light of what was admitted from Cole's own lips.

His deadly green eyes lingered on Jay's purple orbs, waiting for him to talk or at least start a proper conversation, rather than a lecture.

Jay stalled at the bathroom mirror when he realized he was still being watched. "Good morning?" He asked but it was more of a question than a greeting. He smiled and showed his overly red foamy mouth to his elder prince before spitting and rinsing.

"Morning…" His reply was short and sharp in deliverance.

He watched as the Royal aid prepared the clothes for the day ahead and wished he could just drop his own pretenses at having to wear this same disguise day in day out, it was tiring, bore some.

He walked to the breakfast tray and pulled an ornately carved red apple from the middle of the decorative fruit platter. The whole thing collapsed without the rose carved apple in place.

"You have a task today." He smiled and took a bite from the sweet fruit.

"Training?" He asked, hopefully. He frowned when he saw what Loki was doing, considering the elder prince had already eaten and was now eating Jay's breakfast too.

"One wouldn't want you living vicariously would we?" He said picking up a warmed Danish inspired pastry, biting into it, not because he was hungry but because he wanted to.

He was still brushing his teeth, whilst the god continued to observe him in the large mirror. "What do you mean?" Loki still hadn't answered his previous question.

He watched with a sick fascination as Jay was going about his daily primping routines. He was using some of the toiletries he had acquired from Earth; mouthwash, ultra-whitening toothpaste, aftershave and a single blade cut throat razor.

"Vicariously," Loki repeated, raising his eyebrows and pushing away the now empty tray of food.

He assumed that Jay knew what he meant, he was after all doing exactly that. Living his life under the direction of the God, doing what he was he told, being shown what to do and how to behave.

"Uh, no, not really…wh-what are you saying, exactly?" He spat out a further pink foamy mass into the marble pedestal and peered into the golden gilt-framed mirror in front.

All he could see was an otherwise annoyed God in his midst. He didn't know why Loki was angry with him, he had no idea.

The god angrily licked his teeth in disgust, he was still unsure of the outcome. "You need to become more independent. You have a royal title, one that does not just involve fighting, _for today anyway_."

"Which means what? What sorta job could you have for me? Considering all I do is fight and uh, fight!" He countered, walking out of the bathroom with his tunic on and a towel around his shoulders.

He expected to see his breakfast tray as it was but it had already been devoured and the God was licking his fingers clean of the sweet iced evidence.

Jay shook his head, his stomach rumbled and he rubbed it to hide the noises coming from within. Loki had noticed of course, he recreated an exact replica of the breakfast, made entirely of magical elements and potions galore.

"Ha yes, you do fight! Very well I should say, exceptional in fact, better than most, almost on par with the lumbering oaf, you certainly have heart and the eagerness to prove yourself." He laughed but it was largely insincere, there was no humor to it.

Jay wasn't smiling anymore, he was curious but there was something else that he hadn't felt since those first days of being with Loki, there was a secrecy again. "Then what do you mean? You normally have me sitting on the sidelines. I swear you must put a spell on me or something…"

Jay started tucking into the food, his eyes almost rolling back at the taste. Audible groans could be heard, he was enjoying the potion tainted food.

Loki laughed again, his eyes remained on the floor.

"WHAT? Y-you do?" Jay gasped as he ate a piece of fruit, staring wide-eyed at the mischievous god.

"I _do_ , I meant…I _did_ , I admit that sleight." The god sighed but didn't look into the hurt purple eyes, after admitting the truth.

"However, you _do_ have the inane ability of, ahh… _speaking out of turn. S_ pecifically when your opinion is not called for nor required, and as such, the situation has called for it."

The royal aid had walked back into the room with freshly sewn reinforced boots.

 _'_ _Sleight, you silenced me so I couldn't talk.'_

"Hmph, right!" He sat down and sulked.

"It was necessary, even with the accompaniment of musical entertainment you still muttered out loud."

He slumped in the upholstered chair, almost to the point of sinking into the springs beneath the surface. He refused to even help his new royal aid who seemed overly fussy with getting everything in the right place. He was still being equipped with all of his ceremonial attire including silver blades and hidden weapons.

 _'_ _If I'm going out to train I won't need those surely?'_

He had even fastened Jay's new boots and attached the silver cuffs to his forearms despite his protests at being able to do it himself. He could feel himself getting annoyed with the unasked for mollycoddling and he snapped and pulled out of the grasp of his new and as yet unknown royal aid.

"Just tell me already, what have you planned?"

Loki, still avoided looking at his annoyed protector. He couldn't, he was too disgusted with him. The feeling was now, at least mutual because both were annoyed with each other, yet one didn't know why.

He eventually spoke again but it seemed forced. "Tyr planned it for you, he thought it fitting and everyone was in agreement. Who am I to vote _against_ the table of Aesir and Vanir?"

He put the fruit flavoured potion down and stared in confusion at the odd statement. "Uh, you're the king, you have the final say so."

Loki watched as the royal aid left, allowing him to reveal his true self.

"Normally, and in times passed, the Aesir and Vanir looked to Odin to deliver justice. To choose an effective outcome for the safety of Asgard. My personal services were called on to give a different viewpoint, to think outside the box, as it were."

"But being that the Loki you see before you, is thought of as _fallen_ , I adopt the ideals of the one who sleeps, the voice of the tree, the one-eyed God, the teller of stories."

"So, in light of that all important fact, and the large assembly of Gods that had convened. We agreed betwixt ourselves, they simply chose for you and I deemed it worthy. You'll find that the gods, in their divine masses, can be very persuasive when mead is involved. Typically the gods who convened were mostly the male variety."

A large intake of breath was heard. "Which means?" Jay sighed in frustration, the god was doing this on purpose and he was yet to find out why.

"The nobles of Queen Karnilla know of _our_ allegiances with _them_ , but they have yet to meet _you_." He said slowly, taking his time to say what he wanted to, feeling the tension rise with ease pause.

" _And?_ " Jay circle motioned with his hand to speed things up.

"To maintain those familial allegiances between kingdoms of old, they have agreed to a council, a high meeting if you will. You'll be convening with the lords of the high table of her kingdom, a meeting with the council of elders. A chance for you to pledge an allegiance of peace with their kingdom."

"Of course I expect you to show good face, to be respectful of their wishes and accept whatever they give you. You will be expected to sign your own declarations of a peace betwixt kingdoms as all royal members of the house of Odin have done."

"Why do _I_ have to do this? I mean, you just said that I speak out of turn? What's the point?" Jay stood up and walked to his window, he peered outside and smiled at what he could see.

" _You_ have to do it because you do not wish to offend the queen, just think how terrible that would look, the youngest prince refusing a royal invite to show allegiance to our otherwise peaceful neighbors."

All Jay could see outside was row upon row of shiny new broadswords and shields. Cole was being fitted for new armor, he was showing off to Lloyd and both of them were intermittently pausing to look at the females as they walked past.

Loki's voice broke him from his daydreaming. "Besides, the all-important fact still stands. I have a duty to uphold to the people of Asgard. They depend on me, to keep them safe from harm, to provide continuity in the face of uncertainty."

" _Right!"_

He suddenly looked up but his face was twisted, an expression that reflected both evil and disgust. "One cannot simply _leave_ when the Elven ship is still here. _Some of us_ still have duties to attend, they do not simply _run off_ when a party is being thrown. Tell me, what sort of message would _that_ send?"

Jay didn't answer. That statement was a direct attack on his own choices a few weeks ago when he made the decision to leave for Kai's wedding.

Weeks here yet months there!

He turned back to the window and balcony. He was watching as Lloyd was being given direction on how to use the new blades, he wasn't concentrating though.

Zane was, he was memorizing the moves he was being taught whilst trying to find counter strikes and openings with the new weaponry. He was mostly successful, a fast learner.

The one thing he could see was that the new blades seemed to be obscenely sharp compared to their existing obsidian counterparts. The sparks that flew after each strike resembled a roman candle or a crackle of lightning.

The blades had some impressive strength to them, the Einherjar used these blades all the time, but with the new diverse moves, utilized by the ninja team, they would be sure to win this little battle. It wouldn't be easy though, if it was, then the Einherjar would have taken them out when they had the chance.

"I will have their allegiance, it provides strength and that is all Asgard thrives on. The power and the glory. The seat, at the center of the universe, the very one that controls all nine realms. With the fabled weapon of chaos as my right-hand man, doing my bidding as and when required."

Jay rolled his eyes and bit his lip, he desperately wanted to be out there with them, training, sparring and joking. He didn't want to be in here or be sent off on a pointless mission. "B-but my brothers…I only wanted to…"

His soul destroying sardonic laugh, cut right into Jay's thoughts again. "I'll hear nothing more of it, you'll be going and it's final. Disloyalty is tantamount to treason, boy."

"I only…" Jay tried to verbalize his annoyance but the God was insistent and quick to cut him off.

"There will be no complaining, no petty squabble nor contention. Reluctance to adhere will result in serious implications for you...Of course, I could amend the date of this gathering…"

"Really? So I could train with….."

"Your brothers?" Loki offered, his face still expressionless.

Jay nodded and looked up into Loki's cold glassy-eyed stare.

"You _could_ train with them today…" He paused and then thought back to the previous day's truth, the one that spilled from Cole's mouth as he was being beaten into submission.

"If you saw fit to divulge something that may be of a huge personal interest to me, a secret perhaps?"

Jay turned quickly, thinking that maybe Amora had something to do with this, he'd already told Loki as much as he could remember.

As far as he knew, there were no more secrets between them, so he answered as truthfully as he could. "I-I don't have any secrets, I'm not keeping anything from you!"

Loki's mouth almost curled into a snarl but he refrained from snapping. He kept his anger restrained, remembering the oath they had sworn to each other. "If you _say_ so, hmpph."

Jay stood tall and looked his elder in the eyes, he felt nervous but wasn't sure why he felt like that. "I mean it, I'm telling the truth." It came out as more of a hiss, he didn't mean it to.

His green eyes narrowed with the insolent tone. "FINE! If you insist on keeping up with this _pretense_."

Jay recoiled, he stood back slightly and took in the sight of him. Loki was radiating pure anger, his eyes were glowing an ominous green, a flame behind them. "I-I don't understand what's going on here but uh, pretenses! I'm not hiding anything."

A deep intake of air was heard, it was forced out. The sound of squeaking leather meant that Loki had changed position.

"They say that a liar has to have a good memory and a thoroughly despicable conscience to keep betraying the one who they _lie_ to. I should know, I'm the God of such, but never thought I would see it from someone I had learned to trust."

"…What?.." Jay frowned and turned his head slightly, to regard Loki in a whole new light.

"The sooner you go the sooner you return. May it be on swift wings, JAY!" Loki said with a final derisive sneer. He had turned his back on Jay, pulled open the doors and exited the room in one swift and sleek movement.

But when he turned to face his young prince, the expression he gave was bone chilling and horrifying. He slammed the doors so loudly it echoed for a few seconds after he had left.

"What was that all about?" Jay questioned out loud, his heart was still hammering but there was no one in the room anymore.

The only thing he could hear was the sound of nails dragging down a blackboard or the sound of metal things scraping against bone China. He took a quick walk around his room and stared in confusion. It appeared, that all of his mirrors had broken, every single one, huge unsightly cracks showing a horrendously distorted reflection of Jay in each mirror.

Not that Jay was overly superstitious in his younger years, he was since learning about fate, magic, and Gods. This was about 60 years of bad luck, in one foul swoop.

He had no time to think anymore about it, he was quickly ushered to the palace stables by the royal aide, his heart was pounding. All he could think about was the evil look in Loki's eyes as he had slammed the doors.

"The mirrors will be replaced before you return, my lord, do not worry."

Jay nodded, his hands were shaking as he took the bridle reins and climbed onto the dark gray horse.

* * *

Once down in the stables, he was assigned his ten warriors and his steed. He had been afforded the king's own horse. This one, different to his own, had eight legs in total and he could vaguely remember Loki when he admitted to coupling with a stallion whilst in his equine aspect.

They all rode together, out of the palace and city gates. They were mostly speaking amongst themselves whilst Jay was quietly contemplating what to say to Loki, to clear the air. But he was stuck, clueless, he had no idea what had happened to make him so angry.

Eventually, they got to the edge of the golden city, the paths and walkways just ended.

It seemed evident that Gustav and his men were getting antsy with the slow paced trot. Jay rolled his eyes and nodded at his new best friend, that was his cue, it was all he needed.

"The sooner we can get this over and done with, the sooner I can get back and repair the damage she's done. I mean, this shouldn't take too long right? It's just a hello and shake of hands, maybe some food thrown in for good measure and signing some stuff?"

"Maybe! We're only there for your protection…..did he tell you?"

"Who?"

"Tyr and Odin All-Father, there will be spinsters here this day."

"Ha, yeah right because I'm really gonna have time for that…not." Jay smiled to himself. "Why would I need protection, I kinda know how to protect myself, trained for long enough in the art of self-defence and ninjitsu."

"It is an obligation, for us and for you. Jay, it should be considered, you do not wish to offend them!"

"Uh, okay. I'll try my hardest but I'm not making any promises or _grand gestures_ pffft. Remember I didn't arrange this thing, whatever this thing is, they did!"

" _They_ just want you to use precautions this day. Be wary of what you eat and drink. Karnilla is a powerful sorceress, she trained the heathen you had associated with."

 _'_ _Associated with but not by choice!'_

"You make it sound like I enjoyed it….I.." He stopped and his expression turned sour. He didn't want to seem like he couldn't fight off her advances like he was weaker than her.

He had tried to fight but she took advantage and it wasn't like he could tell Gustav what Amora wanted him for. That would be something he'd be taking to his grave. "Fine, I'll use precautions, whatever that means." He raised an eyebrow when Gustav smirked at him.

* * *

The countryside looked all so familiar as the paths had long since disappeared, leaving the lonely dirt track to travel on. After a few short minutes on horseback, his stomach did backflips as he neared the brow of a hill and saw that same single story house. It lay derelict, the windows were largely broken, the house had been been partially raised to the ground.

Gustav noted his apprehension and the reason for his dry tongue. It was apparent as soon as they rode past it. "We burnt it down, destroyed any potions she had here. We could not risk her having a place so close to the palace once we realized of her intentions." He soothed, placing his free hand on Jay's shoulder, feeling him jump and tense at the contact.

"Her intentions?" Jay inquired quietly, wondering how much they all knew between them.

All ten of these men had mentioned they were part of the original sentry. They had been banded together to retrieve him and bring him back for urgent treatment but upon finding her home they scoured the house for him, finding only blood and a woman who seemed hysterically insane.

His mind was swimming back to what she made him endure, helpfully providing those same images that he had an equal number of dreams and nightmares about.

The recently consumed medicine certainly helped to bring the color back to his face. A blush crept onto it, dousing his cheeks with a fine pink hue. He shook _that_ image from his head and cursed her name under his breath.

The house now behind them, Jay breathed a sigh of relief. He was grateful that she hadn't just appeared out of nowhere and clean zapped them all from their steeds or dragged him off, kicking and screaming, to his demise.

"Yah, Amora, her intentions were not pure, she wanted to ensnare by force. Rumored to attempt to overthrow the house of Odin by plying the great Thor with love potions."

"Which means what?" He said with little enthusiasm to keep the conversation going. The less said about Amora the better.

"If the All-father were to die, Thor would be the next in line to succeed. He would be the All-father, his banishment would be revoked and he would rule the nine realms."

"Uhuh, and then?"

"With Amora at his side, I would hate to think on it, all I know is that nothing good would come of it, of that I am certain."

Jay shrugged. "She's evil and manipulative, I'll give her that."

Gustav nodded in agreement. "Yah, that she is, and where ever she is now, she'll be planning her next move. She always has a trick, always deceitful, just how Loki was."

 _'_ _Yeah just how Loki is, they're almost one and the same. He made her who she is, they obviously had a history together.'_

"You don't think she'd try again do you, I mean after her sister was threatened?"

"I believe she will, she is desperate for power. We have known for years that it is the eldest son Thor, her heart is set on him and him alone. She cannot be trusted my prince, she is a dangerous witch and it pays to be wary of her and her ilk."

"She is dangerous, the eyes of a devil haa." Jay rode for a few minutes in silence, wishing he could have used his elemental dragon.

A smirk came to his face, the likelihood of people running and screaming from the black dragon would likely send the wrong message.

He still wanted to know what today was really about, and he knew Gustav would tell him in glorious detail, elaborating with such eagerness. "So uh, what is happening today?"

"For you? Today is a chance to speak to the woman who taught her some of what she knows, her mentor. I guess you could try and get some inside information, weaknesses perhaps."

"So who do I need to sweet talk to get that sort of information? I could work this mouth of lightning on anyone." He chuckled.

"Ooh I'm not so sure. The queen is very difficult to please, she has standards." Gustav said and laughed jovially.

If Gustav actually had a rotund belly, it would have wobbled with the raucous laughter that ensued, at least he found it funny.

Jay face palmed, "Well, that figures, so the queen huh? I'm out of luck then, maybe other people will know."

"You'll be meeting with the council of elders. I'm sure some of them can give you some pointers, especially if you are planning on executing her in the not too distant future."

He did a double take and spluttered his water, the beads dribbling down his chin. "Whoa, who said anything about execution, i-is it that bad?"

He almost wished he hadn't said anything, none more so than when Gustav admonished his naivety. He didn't do it often but obviously, this time called for it. The seriousness was apparent in his face, Gustav wasn't smiling.

"She injured a defenseless royal and then withheld purposeful information pertaining to your whereabouts. She sent you to your death on more than one occasion then tested you in Gladsheim. How many more reasons should I give as to the punishment that awaits her?"

Jay wiped his face, cajoled his hired steed to move faster. The eight-legged horse obeyed and the horse upped his speed without any added jolts, he rode smoothly.

"No more reasons, I guess you gave a pretty accurate set of events."

"With age comes wisdom, my prince. I can see her for who she is."

* * *

 **18 hours earlier 20** **th** **September in Ninjago (16:00)**

 _Cole had fought back._

The poor adrenaline fuelled ninja had no idea of his opponents' hidden strength…..until it was too late!

Well, to be fair to Cole, the royal aid, being Asgardian, looked like a weakling and a man of no real strength.

 _That was his first mistake._

He looked like someone who wouldn't be able to withstand a gust of wind and still remain standing afterward, but likely float off with the breeze like a tumbleweed.

Cole should have known that appearances could be deceiving, it was one of his first lessons as a student of Sensei Wu.

 _"_ _Never judge a book by its cover, what lies beneath us all is the ability to see past our own judgments, cast them aside and see for yourself."_

* * *

 ** _Brief flashback…in the realm of Ninjago (20_** ** _th_** ** _September 15:45)_**

He checked his lengthy scroll, making sure he had the correct address. The street name was checked with the one he had, and he smiled when he realized he was in the desired location.

Cautiously, he walked up to the front door of the blue and whitewash beach house. He closed the picket fence behind him and avoided trampling the varied colourful foliage, as he passed by the exotic heart shaped flowers at his side.

Another thing gently attracted his senses, other than the brightness and the lure from the perfumed smell of flowers. There was a sound of relaxation. He could hear the pleasant sounds of waves cresting and crashing nearby. It reminded him of the great sea of Asgard, the freshwater that lapped onto the literal golden shores of the realm eternal.

He looked up into the blue sky, the sun was starting to drop but the temperature was still in the 70s, judging by the outdoor thermometer. Not that he was hot or anything, the added layers didn't help, so he casually dabbed at his forehead as he attempted to find adequate shade on the porch.

He looked like he had walked out of a place of worship, someone who should have been giving a sermon or who had been recently ordained. The clothing was typically Asgardian, but not modern, at all. He was wearing a long gray and gold edged tunic with multiple layers, the overall look made him appear bulkier than he was.

 _'_ _Nice place, most unlike anything I have ever seen, quaint.'_

Even though the royal aid knew he was overdressed for this realm he was still expected to dress as an Asgardian, to show respect for their own cultures and beliefs and the age old realm that they cherished and adored.

 _'_ _This must be the abode in question.'_

Knocking once and once only, he stood back before unraveling his scroll. He waited patiently on the porch, remaining in the shade for a glimpse of a shadow to make an appearance.

He was expecting the black-clad ninja to open the door so he could begin his long practiced speech. The one he had been practicing during his journey here, during the whole week that the young prince had been missing. The speech he had written himself during the long and tedious trial of the enchantress.

* * *

He straightened his long robes, they brushed across the floor and revealed only the smallest view of his dusty black boots. A smile now plastered on his pale rounded face as he saw a shadow appear on the other side of the frosted glass door.

Cole had opened the door quickly but not without sounding disgruntled at being interrupted. "Yes, can I help you?" He stood tall and imposing, wearing some black joggers and a black tank top, a small towel draped over his shoulders and a slight flush on his cheeks, signifying that he had been exercising.

He cleared his throat, "Cole Brookstone?" He asked and looked up into the intimidating hazel eyes of the warrior he had been sent to retrieve.

"In the flesh, and you are?" His clammy hands were holding onto the towel.

"I have been requested to send for you. I am here to ask you, to accompany me to the Realm Eternal, where your services are required."

Cole stood and listened, raising his eyebrow at the strangely dressed man who was standing on his front door step. He used the towel to wipe at his furrowed sweaty brows taking in the profile of the strangely dressed who had come to stand on the porch, too close for comfort.

At that moment, he wondered why Jay hadn't mentioned anything about this requirement, considering the fact that he only saw him yesterday at an all-nighter, he'd literally only spoken to him a few hours ago.

He huffed and narrowed his eyes. "What do you need _me_ for, when you have a whole host of dead warriors who are willing and ready to fight?"

"Dead warriors?" He almost choked on his words, never had he heard that heinous remark before.

"Y-you mean the once warriors, the Einherjar?" He said with a hint of shock at the vitriolic tone.

Cole nodded, "Yeah, them!" His eyebrow raised.

"Uh, well…all will be explained in due course. May I enter to discuss the matter further?"

"I'm not interested." He replied quickly, cutting him off before he had a chance to speak. "And….No, you're not coming in cos we're done here!"

"Oh, right, I see…" The man looked back at his scroll, the heat and his layered attire was starting to affect his calm composure.

"You are employed by the King to protect the Realm Eternal when required, y-yes?"

He rolled his eyes, maybe he could test the strangely dressed man further, to see if he would snap. Maybe he would lose interest and go back the way he came. Leaving Cole to go about his day off, exercising, eating and relaxing in equal quantity, everything in moderation.

 _I'm not paid, for starters...asshole!_

"No! Not really what you would call _employed_ because we don't exactly get remuneration for it." Came the snide but painfully honest reply.

"You would do a disservice to the King?" He asked in confusion.

"He's not my king." He muttered under his breath, loud enough that the man could hear.

"Was he ever, when you swore allegiance to him?"

"NO!" He hissed under his breath, his arms still folded. He shook his head as if to solidify his true feelings.

"Oh, is that so?" He paused again. "May I enter, please Cole?" He insisted, looking around himself cautiously.

Cole remained in his position, his towel being used to dab at his sweaty brow and forehead.

"No." Came his final response, this stranger was certainly persistent.

He attempted to approach and he lowered his voice so as not to arouse any attention from passers-by. "I was led to believe, that you and your brothers alike are all indebted to the King for services rendered, you each possess the strength of five men, no less?"

"Hmm, is that right?" Cole replied, his arms still crossing his breast. He clenched his jaw as well as his fists, a defensive stance.

 _'_ _By rendered you mean physically changed against our will, right?'_

"Look, thanks for coming and all but as you can clearly see I'm busy and I'm kinda still on vacation." He was lying, testing the shorter balding man who had a long expanse of black hair trailing down his back.

"You are stalling me!"

Cole didn't speak he shrugged and backed away from the man.

"I was told your 'vay-cay tion' ended four months ago?"

He grabbed the door handle behind him and in one swift move, he was standing holding it ready to slam it shut.

The man advanced slightly. "The time of resting is at an end is it not?"

"Depends, see I like to think that I live by my own rules now. I choose what I want to do and I'm not guided by any of this shit anymore. I gave all that up when we disbanded as a team."

"Hmm, that may be so and I am happy that you feel confident enough to air those loose morals, but you still have a debt to pay. I repeat, your time of relaxation ended four months ago, did it not?"

"Give or take, yeah," Cole replied with a cheeky smirk.

He quickly shut the door on the man. He wasn't particularly caring about what this man had to say, or why he had come all this way.

One thing was for sure, Cole was going to have words with Jay as to the secrecy behind it and why the Hel he hadn't mentioned it yesterday at the nightclub.

He bit his lip and looked down to his feet. He really didn't want to have to resort to violence but something was amiss.

Cole had turned his head towards the door slowly, the door hadn't closed with that satisfactory click that he was so used to hearing, the click that indicated that the five lever mortice deadlock was secure.


	67. The subjugation of Cole

Unbeknownst to Cole, at that exact moment, was the fact that the royal aide had been too fast for him.

His foot, although not as large as Cole's, made an excellent door stop. Not quite wedge material but still, it fit the bill and prevented the closure of the wood in the hole.

His boot was rather awkwardly squished between the door and the frame. The leather was looking pitifully scuffed. The frown was apparent on his face at this odd behaviour, he had not thought to expect this reaction from a seasoned and highly sought after warrior.

"This is wasting valuable time!" He mumbled from behind the door, hoping that Cole would listen to reason.

Somehow he had a gut feeling that Cole would attempt something like this. It was inevitable but not entirely unexpected, solely judging by body language and attitude.

The Royal aide, call it intuition, he saw it unfolding before his eyes and he acted on impulse. Yet he couldn't help but feel some resentment and bitter disappointment with the situation now at hand.

Heimdall had spoken with such enthusiasm, beguiling him with tales of enduring brotherhood. Heimdall and his gushing moments, had made him rather excited for the prospect of meeting these warriors in person.

He had been thoroughly rehearsed in his speech, he didn't need to look at the scroll anymore because he had practiced for the last week.

In preparation for this delicate mission, his attire had been freshly pressed, his boots were new.

His face was initially beaming from ear to ear at hearing that he would be sent to retrieve them, the ones who would fight for the king. Now he wasn't so sure.

* * *

Cole and his haste to get rid of the unwanted distraction, was too quick to turn his back. The only reason he frowned was because he hadn't heard a clicking noise to indicate that the door had locked satisfactorily.

"Cole, please?" A quiet yet pleading sound could be heard.

The master of earth turned slowly to regard the man, who refused to take no for an answer. His hazel eyes glowered at the complete stranger who had dared put his foot over the threshold, without being formally invited in.

He said nothing, but quickly and with some force, he held firm onto his side of the door and pushed. "If you wanna keep your foot, you might wanna move it or else I'll break every bone in it!"

"Cole, we need to talk. It is of huge importance that you let me in. One cannot divulge this sort of information on the doorstep of one's abode. It's for your ears only!"

Anger setting in, Cole clenched his fists, his knuckles were going orange and within a few seconds, it had traveled up both arms.

He looked down at them and smirked, testing the man to try that again. "And I already told ya, I'm not interested." He was still pushing against the door, feeling incredibly incensed at the man who had the audacity to fight back.

' _You got a death wish huh?'_

"I only wish to talk with you." He uttered from the other side, clearly struggling with the door.

To make matters worse, he pushed back with just as much force from the other side. The struggle for power was too evenly matched between the men. Cole, was perplexed. Normally his strength would have been superior against any other, except maybe for Karloff, but this man was relentless and fought back just as hard.

It was a small wonder that the door didn't just concertina in on itself with the force being exerted from both sides.

To Cole, it seemed that the oddly dressed man was _rather_ insistent in being heard, he refused to accept defeat even as Cole pressed harder against the door to prevent him entry. "Not giving up are ya?"

He couldn't even threaten the stranger with law enforcement, although the thought had crossed his mind. The only thing that stopped him from dialing 911, was the risk of his own arrest. His reasoning was the simple fact that as of last month, the ninja had all gone into hiding.

Each elemental master was technically classed as a fugitive for their part in the vigilante activity, in and around Ninjago. They thought they were doing a good deed, by ridding Ninjago city of the crime wave. They were sorely mistaken, only realising their own danger when two of them received a form of police brutality. The new, uncalled for treatment was thanks in part to the mayor and his corrupt government cronies.

* * *

"Please!" He said through gritted teeth, "It would be in the best interests for you to come as requested." Again he persisted and his foot remained over the door frame. Breaking and entering was more Einherjar style, something he wanted to avoid at all costs. The fact that the door was open was a good start, his foot already crossing the threshold.

To Cole, this was a definite threat. He was holding the door firmly so that it couldn't be opened any further.

His vein began pulsing at his temple and his jaw clenched. "I'M NOT INTERESTED." He yelled and pushed with all of his might, in a vain attempt to squash the man's foot, so he would be forced to remove it quickly before the bones could break.

The royal aide, however, persisted in his endeavour and insistence to be heard. He pushed the door open with ease, walking in and past an incensed and infuriated Cole, who had, at that moment, fallen on his behind. He quickly stood and stared in confusion, mostly shock.

He stood with his mouth agape, staring dumbfounded at the stranger who had walked into his house, uninvited. "What the Fuck, what gives you the right to just walk in here? Hey, I'm talking to you!" He made a grab for the man but ended up being unable to stop the forward momentum.

"Stop already! You've no right to just walk in here like you own the place!" He grabbed his phone from the hallway stand, threatening to use it.

The robed man turned to face the patio, avoiding Cole's angered gaze altogether. "You are right of course, but I said I needed to talk with you...in privacy."

"You're not listening are ya? I said I'm not interested." He narrowed his eyes, watching yet physically unable to stop the man from walking further into his shared home.

' _What the fuck?'_

He quickly followed the man into the kitchen, grabbing at him and his tunic but it did nothing. The man seemed stronger than he appeared, undeterred, he carried on walking through the long narrow hallway to the larger kitchen.

Cole had grit his teeth in anger, his fists were still clenched and ready to strike, as and when. It would only be a matter of seconds at this rate.

This man seemed to think he had permission to enter their home, Cole and Seliel's place of sanctuary and relaxation.

 _He didn't, he was hugely mistaken and he was about to know it._

"Cole!" He said with an air of authority.

"You have been requested by the King. **It is an order** , not a _request or choice_ as such. It would be pertinent for you to listen to the order required."

The Royal aide was shorter in stature, he looked around and smiled at the shanty style interior, it looked vastly different his own living quarters in the palace, peasant-like in style. He was still waiting for Cole to respond, so he remained quiet.

He picked up a naturally frosted glass bottle, marveling at the texture, feeling the abrasiveness caused by sandy erosion over the years. "Such quaint treasures you hold here. Such things give you peace and pleasure?"

The fragile bottle broke within his grasp and he placed the remainder of the shattered glass on the counter with a mildly apologetic look. "Will you consider the request?"

Cole's jaw tightened again, he spoke through gritted teeth. "For the third and final time, I'm not interested and I'm busy. I've got stuff to do, so if you don't mind….there's the front door…" He motioned to the hallway, none too politely. "And beyond that is the gate, go peddle your requests elsewhere." He finished as rudely as he could and gave the finger before grabbing a kitchen knife as a deterrent to let the intruder know he was deadly serious.

"There's no need for that Cole. I'm not leaving here without you. It was an order and I am merely following through with it. Time is of the essence, we nary have time for petty squabbles or shows of strength."

Cole sighed, he placed the blade down but out of reach, then grabbed at the slightly smaller man by his robes. "And, I don't give a shit about it or this time scale. I said 'no' and I meant it!"

He pulled him with some difficulty, and he dragged him down the hallway. A few trinkets fell off the wall in the struggle. Cole yanked the front door open, and attempted to push the man off the front door step and porch.

He pushed him as hard as he could, the sheer amount of strength he had to use was the same as lifting his dual 50lb heavy weights on the bench press.

' _No way, the fuck?'_

The man didn't fall as Cole had hoped. He was now as flustered as the man he had tried to launch. A look of confusion dotted his face, he had pushed the man as hard as he could, yet the man hadn't moved at all.

He certainly hadn't fallen over either, Cole was at least expecting the man to have stumbled and maybe face-planted into the grass, but he was sorely disappointed.

It would seem that the man had retained his balance and was straightening his hair and his robes, with his back to the master of earth.

Cole just stared in confusion, sweating profusely with his mouth open in shock and slight awe.

' _Hidden strength?'_

The royal aide, who still had not formally introduced himself, literally just turned around to face him. He took a deep breath in and attempted to reason with the taller dark haired man he knew to be called 'Cole'.

"Sir, _if you please_. Could you at _least_ listen to reason? Your services have been requested by the King, the same one whom you are bound by duty to serve, the one who bestowed upon you great power, like those of your brethren." The man stated clearly but quietly, hoping in the last resort that the change in addressing him would appease.

He grasped Cole's left wrist gently. "Please, you must accompany me!"

Cole laughed a little, yet the chuckle was pure anger, he was furious. He dropped his gaze for a millisecond, held his breath and clenched his other fist. He delivered what would normally be an earth-shattering punch at the man in front of him.

It hit him square on the jaw, and the pain was immense in Cole's glowing fist.

The master of earth was suddenly taken aback when the man he had just hit was still standing upright, looking somewhat annoyed, his hair had ruffled messily with the power of the blow.

The punch, although brutal in delivery, had hit its target, but the man was not floored, he was still standing and undeterred, now slightly annoyed and perplexed at the behaviour he had not been forewarned of.

Cole shook out the punch and noticed his glowing knuckle was now bleeding, the man in front of him had no visible mark, he was _still_ standing.

He sighed and straightened his long black hair. "This is your last chance, Cole. I _have_ tried to reason with you and I _had_ come in peace to ask you to join me but if needs be I _will_ take you back by force." He replied, rubbing his pained jaw discreetly.

He removed a silk kerchief from his robes and dabbed his bald patch, feeling the sweat beading on the top of his head from the heat of the late afternoon sun.

"I'm not going _anywhere_ with _you_." Cole sneered, he attempted to push the man over again but didn't succeed.

The royal aide looked up to the sky and frowned apologetically. "Heimdall your forgiveness will be sought upon my arrival. I did ask _nicely_." The well-dressed man simply said whilst staring up at the bright blue sky above.

A look of uncertainty was painted onto Cole's face as he finally realised who had requested his service. "Wh-what are you….."

It would have been much easier if the man had told him that he was required in Asgard rather than 'the realm Eternal.'

It would have been better had he also said that Heimdall had sent him, rather than skipping over the main points.

Why did he mention a king, he didn't know any kings…two princes maybe. And he now knew of a deceitful God, named Loki, amongst others.

Then realisation hit home, a lot like a blow between the eyes. He knew who the royal aide had meant and who had summoned him.

* * *

It had been so long, not that he could have forgotten about it all. It was a blur and seemed like a lifetime ago. Timelines were always screwed in both places, so it was easy to lose track of time. Difficult to think of two different time lines, existing as one.

It was almost six months since he'd been there, so much had changed, so much had happened in that time, friendships had been tested and strengthened.

Naivety set in again, Cole had thought that was it, that their servitude to the God of evil was complete, that they could come back here and relax, safe in the knowledge that they would live another day.

Maybe start a family as Kai had done, or settle down like _he_ was doing along with Lloyd or perhaps getting a step on the career ladder like Nya and Zane had.

' _Oh, you've gotta be kidding me!'_

But it didn't matter anymore, because as soon as the royal aide had delivered his own retaliatory punch at the earth master, everything went black, literally speaking, in Cole's mind anyway. The punch he had thrown, had knocked Cole clean off his sneakered feet.

But, as it was, it was still daytime, late afternoon to be precise, and high tide at that. The breaking waves blotted out the sounds of fisticuffs and flesh pummelling flesh, even if only two hits were thrown.

The only punch thrown in retaliation was the one that caught Cole unawares. He flew through the air, only by a few feet and took out the frosted lead glass door in the process.

His black sweaty towel was now covered in a smattering of sparkling frosted glass shards and wooden splinters from the frame.

The door had broken clean of its hinges leaving a smashed door and frame, now lying askew in the pre-existing but now broken entrance.

If this had occurred at nightfall, the 'curtain twitchers' would have had their work cut out in trying to spy on the causation of the ruckus.

The black-clad ninja had landed on the broken door with a dull thud. He just lay on it, cradled by the broken frame as it molded around his form like a cot that was too small.

Thankfully, all that could be heard, other than the sounds of waves crashing, was the sound of cars driving down Ocean Boulevard and the playful intonation of children playing in their yards after a busy day at school.

"You could have just listened to reason, Cole. I was merely trying to be hospitable and friendly."

 _One thing was for sure; Seliel would be ticked off and not best pleased at the state of the house, considering when she had left it this morning, the house was spotless as was her boyfriend._

 _She'd only gone to spend the day with her father after all, a quick visit to the small township of Nom to stand by her father as he opened the new library._

* * *

"Heimdall." The royal aide spoke clearly up at the sky. He wiped at his perspiring brow and angrily stowed his kerchief. "Open the Bifrost."

The same bright light pulling at him, the very same one that had sent him here was now pulling him back home and back into the comforting embrace of Asgard, his home realm.

He held a firm grasp on his chosen warrior, his grip unrelenting on Cole's civilian clothing. He noted that the odd attire the young man was wearing, seemed to have some tensile strength to them, almost futuristic in design. And maybe when Cole was recovered from his humiliating ordeal he would be sure to ask him of the properties of these clothes he seemingly wore with pride.

' _You people are so petty, and, small!'_ He mocked condescendingly but kept his judgemental words inside.

He was still holding firm, waiting patiently for his feet to touch solid ground again. He wasn't overly fond of traveling this way, he rarely ventured outside the realm, why would he need to? Everything he needed was in the palace.

This was purely a visit to round up the required warriors for training and eventual battle. The purpose included feeding back to the King of his endeavours, liaising with Heimdall of the red warriors progress with his birthing wife, and, keeping tabs on the young prince as he lay healing in his own chambers.

Everything was back on target, the timescale as agreed by the race of dark elves would still be intact, Asgard would stand strong despite the implied threat that still loomed.

* * *

He looked thoroughly ticked off upon his return. He had felt anger, at having to raise his fists in defense, and to further get his point across. He had then been forced to subdue as the _warrior_ had not come as easily, as _he_ was led to believe.

He had foolishly listened to the gatekeeper of the Bifrost. Heimdall himself had personally assured the royal aide that he would come without trouble.

After all, he had certainly enthused and spoken well of the warriors in question, he had even given the royal aide a glimpse into their workings as a tight-knit team. Heimdall had regaled his own visions of their past endeavours and extraordinary team workings in the face of adversity and danger.

The royal aide, in his haste to gather the warriors, had thought that Heimdall may have omitted some rather important details; particularly in his gushing moment of admission.

" _Heimdall, sometimes you can be very short sighted on those you claim to know."_ He muttered breathlessly.

He certainly hadn't mentioned how stubborn and belligerent Cole was, or how colourfully crude and vulgar his language could be, or how uncouth he became once he was told that he been summoned to stand before the house of Odin.

After this particularly disastrous encounter, the royal aid was now dreading the approach for the remaining two warriors. Largely for fear that they would act the same, he really didn't want to subdue the remaining two, that wouldn't look particularly good on his royal resume.

He had the hindsight to realise that this had not been properly thought out by anyone, least of all him. Surely it would have been prudent to have summoned them by Bifrost rather than take them by force.

The first thing he saw when the Bifrost had dimmed down, was a smug grin coming from none other than Heimdall himself. His golden eyes always bright, his golden helmet hid the majority of his face and the expression he was hiding, he had seen everything and had even chuckled, not that anyone could see it.

" _ **You**_ said he would come easily!" He said, in frustration.

Looking up at Heimdall who had simply removed the Hofund blade from the console before following the royal aide onto the rune stone crystallised bridge.

" _ **He**_ is his own person, _**he**_ chooses his own path." He replied drily

"Aye, but _he_ is stubborn, he _didn't_ listen and he _refused_ to talk." The man said pointing at Cole's unmoving body as it lay at his side.

"Maybe he is and he did, but he still needs direction." Heimdall motioned the royal aide forwards but stayed behind at his post.

"Will you be taking him to his room?"

"Aye, Once the king has spoken with him. I hear he is most pleased to see _this_ one."

"Hmm, ominous…" He frowned but said no more, he knew not to question the one, who he was bound by duty to Asgard, to serve..

"I will be delivering him as requested then will be back before their day is through."

"I'll be seeing you later then! Time travels far faster in that realm, I estimate you will have ten minutes." Heimdall said, allowing the Royal aide passage onto the Rainbow bridge ahead of him.

He paused before he left and turned around, looking vexed for a split second. "For the next two warriors, would it not be prudent to keep the gate open?"

Heimdall looked emotionless but understanding of his concern, his golden eyes looked to the robed person at his side. "Keeping the bridge open would unleash the full power of Bifrost upon said realm, and in doing so, it would cause utter destruction, the realm would be destroyed, with you on it."

He raised an eyebrow at that thought, "I have no desires to die this day." He uttered truthfully.

Heimdall frowned and held back a chuckle. "None do!" He replied dryly and without a sense of irony. He watched as the royal aide lifted the heavily set man with ease over his shoulder.

Cole was placed on a palace horse, laid over the saddle and walked back slowly. He hadn't woken, but then the whole process had taken less than ten minutes, from subduing him to traveling across the universe by Bifrost, the fastest and safest form of travel, for over 3000 years.

 _Rated No.1 by the inhabitants of Asgard._

* * *

A bucket of cold water was unceremoniously thrown onto him. It had an immediate effect, reviving him in an instant, his head shot upright at the uncalled for treatment.

And he stared at the God before him who was dressed as none other than himself, Loki in his armoured uniform even his horned helmet to finish the look. No disguise!

"I admit, this would be nowhere near as entertaining, had you chosen to come as requested..."

He struggled to focus on anything, his eyes blurring with the water and the earlier knockout.

"Ah yes, my most untrusting warrior, Cole I believe!" Loki said looking at the black ninja from his side, just out of view.

He was struggling in his restraints, the water dripping off his black hair and down his face. "I wish I could say I was pleased to see you! Alas, your reluctance speaks for itself, thus confirming the lack of commitment shown. One does wonder if you were ever this disrespectful to your previous master?"

Not rising to the intended baiting, he shook his head. "Wh-where am I?" He pulled his arms to rub his face and found he couldn't, he stared wide-eyed at the shackles.

"Asgard, where else?" Loki replied without even being in Cole's peripheral but yet the voice elicited a reaction from Cole, he began trembling, his arms and legs were shackled.

"Wh-what is the meaning of this?" He hissed through gritted teeth.

The room he found himself in was similar to a weapons room, it had a multitude of them, coupled with ropes and chains and mountains of candle wax piled high. Everywhere he looked he saw more blades, all differing styles, long swords broad swords, katana, scimitar, double-pointed spears, axes, scythes and everything in between. It was very impressive but at the same time, incredibly creepy.

' _Oh god no.'_ He was eyeing the equipment, a lump in his throat, his mouth dry.

"Did you know that Jay had set foot in here? In this grand room of my design, but only the once?" Loki said as he picked up the same cane and blade he had used.

"He learned quickly, I was impressed with his fortitude. He took his punishment well."

His pale fingers contrasting sharply against the dark wood cane, Cole could have sworn he saw a glimpse of a green vein, the same infliction that Jay had.

He approached Cole, standing right in front of the wet black haired ninja. " _This cane_ , was used on him when he committed an act of insubordination." Loki said and held it up to his captive's terrified but annoyingly defiant face.

He flinched, but Loki didn't strike him, although it did come very close. The God simply brushed it across his face and held it there so Cole had no choice but to breathe in, smelling a strong metal tang coming from it.

"You can still see and smell the blood." He removed it from Cole's face and wiped at the dried crusted blood which had seeped into the cracks of the wood grain, giving it a marbled effect.

No, Loki hadn't held back that day, he had used it ruthlessly and the thing had fractured with each strike on Jay's body. The god knew it was still strong enough to withstand another caning, if the occasion arose but shrugged that thought from his mind.

' _Not this day, I have something else planned for you.'_

He picked up a sharp and impossibly shiny dagger. "This blade was thrust into his stomach, a few times, to make...a point …" There was a small imperceptible smile, appearing at the corner of his sly face.

"Why are you telling me this? Are you expecting me to react or to plead for forgiveness? It won't happen." He spat, grabbing at the chains to remove some of the slack.

He tested the strength, discretely pulling without being seen.

Loki, upon hearing the jangling of chains, turned his head. "They won't break, they will not release until I make it so."

"What, you don't think we can handle a little hand to hand or a bit of brutality? Do one….shove it, do your fucking worst."

Loki wasn't incensed, the language was annoying but he wouldn't react. He would not allow Cole to get a rise out of him or allow the master of earth the advantage of knowing he was indeed furious with the lack of respect. "My worst?"

He smiled and scowled, his eyes narrowed. "You've never seen my worst. I would never subject you to that. You'd be dead within a matter of seconds with a quick upward thrust of my blade. The blade would go upwards in one swift movement, starting from here…" He said and prodded none too gently at Cole's mid-section.

"Then within a few seconds, at most, the blade would be here and your skull would crack open from the power of the upwards strike, your brain would decorate this room along with that of your life blood. That would be my worst, although, I hear Jormungandr's bite is poisonous, possibly more painful, especially when he's digesting you."

Cole shuddered and stared at the opposite wall, the God saw it and smiled one sided, revealing a hint of canine. "Ooh, I don't want you to feel intimidated just yet, this little party has only just begun."

"You don't scare me Loki! We're trained as ninja, in various forms of martial art. We're taught to withstand pain and punishment, coupled with grueling training regimes."

He loved the defiance in Cole's voice, he knew it held hidden emotions, it would just take a little gentle persuasion to make him do as he was told. To break him down, to pull down the almost impenetrable walls that he had built around himself.

' _So self-righteous and sickening with it.'_

He was strong in some ways, certainly stronger than Jay in others but he had nothing he wanted.

What possible good would earth do? Maybe tremors, but then he had giants for that.

Ice, he had giants for that too.

Fire, again Lord Surt and his demons would provide the heat and burn the realms, but lightning….Thor would never fight on Loki's side and that left Jay or Lloyd.

* * *

His sadistic realm destroying thoughts were dragged back to the writhing man who was still hissing at him. He had tried to spit but Loki wasn't standing close enough for the projectile to land.

He simply flicked his fingers and heard a satisfying yelp, followed by muffled screams.

He enjoyed seeing the emotions being shown. They were gushing from him, telling a whole other story as to how he was actually feeling deep down inside….he knew Cole was lying and it was sweet to behold, to watch his stubborn psyche crack under the strain.

This wouldn't take long at all.

"Hmm, ostensibly that may well be, but we shall see in due course. There are, after all, many hours left in this fine realm."

He stood and stared at the bewildered man as he hung in his restraints, thrashing around like a wild beast or a stallion waiting to have his spirit broken.

"What was that you said?" Loki turned, looking directly at the ninja.

"I am sorry, did you say something?" He mocked waiting for Cole to talk, knowing full well that he had removed the ability.

The black ninja stared at his reflection in disbelief. He tried to push his tongue out his mouth, it felt sluggish. He couldn't verbalise anything, he had no lips and his jaw was set, almost locked.

Loki watched him for a few minutes more, any longer and the ninja might have rendered himself unconscious. He removed the harsh curse, it was less painful than the awl at least, still entertaining to watch, although it gave more hilarity when he used it on Thor.

Cole shrieked out and stretched his mouth wide, his breath coming back in desperate gasps for air.

Loki, kept walking around the vault and stroked each blade with a smile, possibly reminiscing as to when each one had been used last and on whom.

"This room is reserved for those I wish to break. The list is forever growing mind you, most recent participants, notably; Jay, Amora…..you!"

Cole shook his head, trying to get the wet strands from his line of sight. "What am I doing here?"

"You refused a direct request from the one you were bound to serve, you…"

"No, I-I meant Asgard." He shouted, cutting the God off mid-sentence.

Loki smirked at the tone but didn't shout back, he remained calm, composed.

"A request, a suggestion by another. The likes of _which_ truths, _you_ are not worthy of knowing." Loki stared him up and down.

Cole wasn't intimidated at all, he refused to look down. It was as if the black ninja was trying to work out Loki's next move.

"That doesn't make a lick of sense!"

He didn't notice when Loki was standing in front of him, he just appeared there. Cole could feel the ice cold breath on his cheek and the feeling of dread, creeping up on him.

"I'm not scared of you Loki." Cole spat, he shook his wet hair from his face, it was still obscuring his vision somewhat but he couldn't flick his head back without hitting the wall.

"You should be." Loki replied and punched Cole's jaw, silencing him.


	68. The emancipation of Cole

The young black-clad warrior was now sporting a dislocated jaw. He gasped out in pain, feeling an immense dull ache on one side of his face and an awful clicking noise each time he opened his mouth.

He'd felt worse, he was sure of it. If anything, it conditioned his body, the adrenaline would kick in soon and then it would numb the pain enough for him to fight. Still, he listened to the voice as it surrounded him, reverberating from each surface, majestically amplifying Loki's Aesirian voice.

"Oh, do you hear that?…..hmm…. silence!"

He was right, just more mocking and vitriol. There was so much venomous hatred being shown, and at that moment it was being aimed at him for his previous sleights and supposed wrong doings.

"You remember me telling you a while ago that I offered nothing for free?" Loki said, still smiling.

Cole stalled, his eyes staring in disbelief. _'Fuck!'_

He could have sworn that he mentioned something about 'never being left alone in the presence of a God'. He was mentally kicking himself despite the fact he couldn't have done a damn thing to prevent it.

"This is a part of that payment, your allegiance is now required, for the sake of Asgard."

His words were terse and to the point, " _If_ you win, you get to keep your life and retire to your home realm, _with_ or _without_ your limbs." The stipulations were given without a care in the nine worlds.

 _'Shit.'_

Cole bit his lower lip, he grew anxious with the partial 'what ifs'. He realised that Loki had deceptively skimmed over the fact that they could fail.

"And, what i-if we l-lose?" He asked quietly as a dribble of blood fell from his mouth. Loki was quick to scrape it from his face with the sharp edge of a blade before licking it off, much to Cole's horror.

The God seemed to enjoy the expression of disgust. "Well, let us see..." He paused and smiled like an excited child. His expression was gleeful and yet malicious. "If you lose, you will die and if you die well, you'll go to Hel." A maniacal laugh erupted from the God as he watched Cole's face drop.

 _'Fuck.'_

"Mmm not like your personal slave Loki," Cole replied defiantly but with difficulty at being unable to right his dislocated jaw.

"No you are right of course, you are _no_ slave." He gave a questionable glance in Cole's direction. "You are not as strong as you claim to be, either, maybe some conditioning wouldn't go amiss?"

"Roughhousing ya mean? I'm already stronger than he is, always was the strongest."

Loki's eyebrow hovered at the boyish over confidence. "Inferiority and resentment of some sort, a weakness! I'm intrigued, who is it you speak of? I was merely stating an observation."

Cole shook angrily, "As if you don't know who I'm talking about, I trained the slippery bastard myself, I know his fucking weaknesses."

He sat, staring into Cole's eyes, with the same Cheshire Cat grin, "Then, please enlighten me."

"I'm stronger than Jay, always was and always will be!"

"Oooh, so sure of that statement are you? I meant strong of body _and_ mind." Loki chuckled to himself.

He clicked his fingers and the look on Cole's face was priceless. His head was lowered already and he saw for himself what the God had just done. "So quick to judge without a duel."

His spell complete, he looked back to check for himself at the success of it. He grinned widely at the results, they were even better than before.

"What about now, would you say you are still strong or would you deem this form as a weakness? One perhaps, to take advantage of?" His smile remained plastered on his face like he was wearing a mask.

He regarded Cole in a new light, certain aspects looked like Sif and Sigyn, it was the dark hair, although the tanned skin made him look far more exotic than both Sif and Sigyn combined. "Mmm, ravishing, the curtains match the drapes too I see." He laughed mockingly as his eyes trailed downwards.

"You sick fuck, change me back now, NOW dammit!" He shouted angrily, he noted his own voice seemed higher toned, he would have laughed had it been temporarily induced by helium, but the situation was far from any hilarity.

He knew it was sick, it was purely demoralising treatment, just for the thrill and entertainment of the God who was taking pleasure in Cole's distress.

Loki's expression became a scowl. "Impudent fool!"

He envisioned himself walking up to the shackled man and ripping his throat out if only to silence the filthy tone and content that spilled forth. Instead, he took a few deep breaths, refusing to let the foul language rile him.

"I distinctly remember you mentioning something about this when _you_ broke Jay. Sorry did I say broke, I meant destroyed, decimated, ridiculed, humiliated and abandoned. Can you remember what you said to him? I saw it, the whole thing. You made it so easy." Loki's smile had grown in intensity, the appearance was unsettling.

"I-I didn't break him, i-it wasn't just me," Cole whispered brokenly, his situation was quickly becoming dire considering he was alone with Loki, something he swore would never happen.

"Perhaps not just you, well, mostly you and the green one. A shame, I had such high hopes for the both of you."

"He's got a name…."

"I _know_ what _his_ name is, you cretinous oaf." Loki hissed in response and grabbed Cole's throat.

" _Both_ of you, allowed me to tame his wild spirit. Making it easy to finish the circle, to do what needed to be done."

"I took him from you and _you_ let it happen. You couldn't even be bothered to see if he was still alive, you simply let him leave in that female aspect, so alone, vulnerable desperate, destroyed."

"I love it how you act so innocent too like you had nothing to do with it gahhh." Cole struggled.

"I know my part, I play it well. I do what must be done because everything must happen for a reason. I know how this plays out, eventualities and such. _**You**_ , do not."

"If you'd never changed him into a woman, none of that would've ever happened."

"I asked nicely, he gave in." Loki bit back his tongue from outwardly lying.

He had remembered asking, the answer wasn't what he had expected, he wasn't surprised or perturbed by it, if anything it had made him see red that Jay had the audacity to deny a such an important request. One that turned into a punishment for petulance.

"Furthermore, he did what was requested of him, then he took her place as a covenant for his sentence which, I might add, was cut short."

"Haa, that doesn't really cut it, does it? Still, doesn't answer the fact that you started this whole thing. You manipulated it to your whim, so he'd fall into your trap."

He laughed, maniacally and shook his head. "I ameliorated the situation as I saw fit. I made it better, improved him tenfold, not that _you_ care."

"You turned him against us." Cole hissed loudly.

Loki tilted his head slightly, his green eyes were still narrowed.

"I didn't turn him, that was all you and Lloyd. I merely provided the blue flower and let the two social butterflies have at it…Haa, sorry I meant have at **her**."

* * *

He sighed and shook his head, pouring himself a goblet of mead, he swallowed it down within seconds and wiped his face with the back of his hand. Placing the goblet down carelessly, not caring that it smashed on the floor.

"I _**watched**_ you, Cole. I saw what _you_ did to her, _**Physically.**_ " The tone sank to a new level of disgust once more. Swinging like a pendulum back and forth from humourless horror to downright embarrassing humiliation.

Cole was feeling all of it, he was the one for whom this special treatment was afforded and he had a feeling he would be finding out soon, just why. He shuddered uncontrollably, his gaze was lowered and he wished at that moment that he could just bore a hole through the floor and jump into it, covering himself with his own element.

"You struggled to contain yourself, didn't you? You beat her, mercilessly, after you'd had your way with her, when you bedded her in my own chambers."

Cole looked away, but Loki helpfully supplied those same images. The ones he saw from his own room on his closed circuit cameras, they had almost been burned into his mind by insane jealousy.

"You disgust me, Cole. You are more repulsive than I could ever be. Least I sourced a reputable pain reliever upon deflowering."

He felt bile rising in his throat at the mere thought. He shook his head, refusing point blank to be so low as to talk of Jay like that. "You talk about him like he's an object…." Cole mumbled out in disgust, biting back the urge to vomit.

All Cole could see was Jay as a female, being almost rag dolled by his own strength. He or rather, she, was being taken aggressively on Loki's bed. Grunts could be heard, pleasured groans coming from himself and the oddly muffled shriek, it didn't make for pleasant viewing, it looked wrong….painful to watch and Cole guessed by the looks of the woman, painful to experience.

The disgust in Loki's tone could be heard with each syllable.

Loki walked around slowly, seeing the glazed look on Cole's eyes as the images continued to assault his brain. "Do you know what happens to these wildflowers of chaos, when butterflies have their way?"

He shook his head at the cryptic question, he was still hugely ashamed at having been caught. The worst part was, he couldn't remember all that much from the rendezvous.

Remembering the knuckle pain afterward, that was the only thing he could think of and he wished he could rid that from his mind too because they were the next set of images that seemed to appear from nowhere.

"St-stop, please."

He cringed when he watched himself hitting her, not realising who it was. Obviously, he knew now having been privy to some home truths before Jay had run away to Iceland.

Jay, upon admitting the sordid truth without so much as a care in the world didn't make it any easier though. If anything, it made it worse, exponentially.

He watched as he himself delivered a volley of punches into the body he had coupled with, mere moments beforehand. He stared at himself in disbelief, her face was bloodied. He'd managed to split her lip in the mad scramble for power, likely broken her ribs. She wasn't even sitting up anymore.

He looked into her face and saw the anguish, the hurt was in her eyes even as she lost consciousness. She was still reaching out for him.

Dragged back to his senses painfully, the sound of screaming could be heard. He was shocked to realise the sound was coming from his own mouth. He stopped abruptly when the God took a deep breath.

* * *

He looked up at his captive. "It hurts, does it not?" Typically rhetorical, he knew how much pain his magic wrought, it wasn't meant to be a pleasurable experience.

Refusing to show emotion, he looked away. The solitary tear fell, unnoticed by the God. Cole felt it trail down her feminine cheek and he wiped it into his shoulder.

"They lay their eggs of deceit all over it and the hideous products of such, become distrust, bitterness, envy and finally greed. They eat away at the flower until it barely survives."

"The flower, eventually dies, Jay almost did. A huge oversight on my behalf I admit. I should have never left her in Iceland nor the house, but I wasn't to know, on either account."

"You were the one that changed her, for your own needs," Cole spoke quietly, but the tone was still harsh and defiant.

"I've already mentioned the reasons for that, why do you feel the need to repeat yourself? Is it for the sake of hearing your own voice, hmm? Maybe you _want_ me to rip your throat out, silence you for good…."

"You don't deserve Jay, he doesn't belong here…" Cole mumbled under his breath.

Loki clenched his jaw, "For your sake and for this one time only _I will elaborate_."

" _The prince,_ you know him as Jay son, is no more _. He_ cannot leave this place _**EVER**_. Bound by what you would call 'royal decree' and tomorrow, by blood."

"Besides, what could you possibly offer him now? You would cast him out, force him into hiding. Drag him out once a year if only to be taunted and poked at, like a monster. You'd likely all target him when he thought to question your loyalties."

"You don't care for him anymore, my mind wonders if you _ever_ truly cared for him as a brother, to begin with?"

Cole didn't answer, he scowled but remained defiant.

"There is a discord between you, a desperation to prove who is better, is there not?" He asked questioningly, looking up to gaze into the hazel eyes, watching for the formation of a lie. "You wish to best him in every endeavour, you desire it, you crave it. I saw it, in your heart, I know of your true colours...Cole!"

He stared defiantly at the God, he had the gall to say _that_ without a hint of irony. "Of course we cared about him, I-I err meant _**we do care**_." He quickly corrected, watching curiously as the God shifted his position. His green eyes still remained burning into Cole's own.

"And there's n-no discord, you're imagining it...j-just friendly competition." The reply was hissed out, yet it was laced with nerves, Cole stared miserably at the ground.

"Arrogance and self-indulgent nonsense."

Loki poured some more mead into his mouth, this time directly from the jug. He watched Cole from the corner of his eyes. "So enlighten me, regale these _**wonderous**_ tales of brotherly fondness you claim to share, for mine ears do not deceive me as greatly as my eyes and mind do?"

Cole shifted uncomfortably, now under the scrutiny of the God he had tested mere months ago.

"I always liked Jay, he was my best friend. I swear, w-we never meant it to go that far, it was an over-reaction. We drank too much and we both said stuff. It was too late to take it back, we wanted to but….." He was cut off.

"WAS! But you were too late, _you_ were the beginning of the end. _Your_ words and accusations merely started the fires of chaos and you let it spread like wildfire."

"Surt would have been impressed with your lack of fortitude, for showing such reckless abandonment of one you deemed as your _best friend_. He would have snapped you up as one of his own soul less demons."

He filled a wooden goblet and allowed Cole a good drink of it before moving away again. He sat back down and observed the warrior who stood shackled, attached to his wall. The warrior, as yet, was only mildly wounded, a dislocated jaw was his only gripe. Mead would numb the rest of the pain, enough to avoid rousing the guards.

" _You_ let her go, you did not care for her safety upon her departure from your chambers, or her state of undress. You left her in that aspect to fend for herself." He said clearly, waiting for the response.

"So did you!" Cole countered, with some more bravado, largely thanks to the mead.

" _Evidently_ , but when she left that night, she was still sound of mind and body, she was still safe, in this realm." He refused to divulge any more of how she left his chambers, the thought of it made him smile at the memory.

"That all changed though, rather quickly, I should add, whereupon she happened to chance an untimely meeting with you and your… _brothers_!" He said the last part with some difficulty, as if the mere mention of the word 'brother' left a sour taste in his mouth.

"Being in your company for mere moments, did far more to that delicate frame of mind than I could ever think imaginable. It made it so much easier, to mold, to shape him into what he is destined to become."

"You should have seen his face when he accepted it…" Loki said, standing up again to fill the goblet, offering it as a pain reliever.

"Accepted what?" Cole hissed, but accepted the offered mead, allowing the fluid to wet his lips and soothe his parched throat.

"When he accepted the blame, as I knew he would. Either aspect, he was destroyed, conflicted and corrupted! What-ever you said to him, whilst in his female aspect, must have sent him spiraling towards near uncertainty and desolation."

"Sick, you're sick…." Cole mouthed, his head was feeling hazy. He remembered how strong this drink was.

Ambrosia nectar, the drink of the Gods, honey wine. It was one of the strongest liquors other than absinthe, that he had ever had. He shook his head to clear the haze but his vision was still swimming.

"Of course, a little magic blade helped him come to his senses and the rest was 'child's play'. A small part of time manipulation, gifted from powers above and thus we had a time vortex."

"Wh-what, s-so that was how you did i-it?" Cole said, his eyes wide and glassy. The ache in his jaw was slowly ebbing away.

"Even if time was miraculously rewound, the events would still stand. It would be, as if solidified in history, a time paradox that cannot be undone, the events would always remain the same."

"I call it a backup plan, he had no idea. Imagine what it would do if he knew that he would be living his life over and over starting from the same painful memory as before, the one directly after you destroyed him."

Cole just glowered at him, angrily. "Why, why did you do it?"

"The beginning can never be changed, but the story and the ending can. It was the least I could do, to save him from his own fate. I saw that too, I removed it from his own mind to save him from himself. Are you still following?"

Cole frowned, there was confusion apparent in his features. But Loki carried on regardless. "His own fate? I don't follow."

"I saw his _fate_ , his _ending_. Norns forbid he should ever see it. Thus, I had no choice, I made it so, that he would _never_ perish in my service."

"It was easier to do it this way than it was to remove his name as mine was. One does not simply walk to Helheim and request the book of the dead from Hela, without bargaining with the demon queen herself. It's simply not done anymore."

"You planned this whole thing from the start, every piece falling into place! Everything happens for a reason right?" He pulled away from the offered drink, turning his head away from the God.

"You're learning aren't you? Everything _I_ do is for a reason, you either get it or you don't. I don't often have time to explain, but this was worthwhile, maybe pointless or needlessly elaborative alas, not particularly concise either." He took a deep breath in and released it slowly.

"It just helped to alter my mindset, perhaps a change of direction is required."

"What?"

"You see, I told you all of this because I know it will not travel further than this very room. By sunrise, you will have forgotten this conversation, the words I spoke, everything about this, will be but a blur in your small narrow mind."

"Good, because I've had enough of your mind games. You can't threaten me with your sanctimonious bullshit, _LOKI!_ " His fists were clenched, evidently, he was tiring and frustration was setting in.

The mead taking effect as Loki knew it would, enough to rile, to make him snap.

"A threat, no…..Not a threat, it's a lesson, of sorts!"

"I don't need lessons from you… What could you possibly know about Jay, that makes you so superior above all else? You don't think I know already, I know more about him than you ever will!"

"You don't know everything, Cole! Your narrow mind is not aware of all the facts alluding to him and what he did for you."

"He didn't do anything for me, or for us." He hissed and thrashed in his shackles again.

* * *

The God narrowed his eyes, and he sat on the ancient cabinet opposite, watching him from a distance.

"He did it for _you_ , for _all_ of you. He was gallantly thinking of your survival when he accepted _this_ choice. _Protecting_ each one of you and that was how you repaid him. Of course, I knew then that he was the one I needed. He gave his own life for you."

"Hmm yes, choice is _always_ such a double edged sword though, don't you think?" He said whilst twisting his own dagger in his grasp, the point of it just spinning on nothing but thin air.

"Does anyone ever think on it? Of the true implications of either? Wondering what the other outcome would hold? To poison or not to poison? To accuse or not to accuse?"

He bit into an apple and watched as Cole's face dropped, his jaw slack, he was rendered speechless.

Cole knew this already but for some reason his mind was blank and he couldn't form much coherence to his mad ramblings because anger was clouding his judgment. He had squeezed his eyes closed, willing the voice to stop, the visions to leave him alone.

All the images were helpfully supplied by the all-powerful master sorcerer and God of evil who was in the room. His fingers, on one hand, were still twisting, playing with a green stream of mist, it snaked around his arm and occasionally seeped into Cole's head, his head lolling forwards.

"Please….stop." Came a pitiful mumbling.

But he was only just getting started. "You took it upon yourself to test him. You were not content in the knowledge that he may be your equal now, yet you revelled in openly testing him, all in the name of entertainment."

" _Despicable and cowardly!_ "

"You poisoned him that night, you remember, do you not?" Loki looked into the hazel eyes and continued happy in the knowledge that Cole wasn't talking because he was lost for words.

"W-wasn't just me, I-I never meant it to go that far. J-Jay's still alive isn't he, he didn't die!"

"This is your admittance of your recompensed sleight asserted against a royal? PATHETIC!" His lip had curled up into a snarl.

"What'll be _your_ poison, Cole, maybe a taste of your own medicine?"

"Y-you fucking started this."

The God slapped Cole's face for the language he used was just as bad as Jay's. It was something that could be beaten out of him. "Hmm, recapitulation is tiresome."

"You fucking slap me again and I'll beat the crap out of you!" He threatened, cringing at the taste of his blood yet again.

The God merely shrugged and did exactly that. "One cannot simply shy away from an open testing of metal." His hand made contact and the slap echoed mercilessly.

"I could do this all day, if I felt so inclined...alas, otherworldly issues put needless timescales on what would be perfectly acceptable rough housing."

He stood back and admired his handiwork, the welts giving a blushed appearance on both sides of his face. Loki thought that the colour red, seemed to suit Cole just as much as black.

"Now so reticent and self-effacing, and all it took was a little...persuasion." He purred into Cole's ear.

"I never divulged this but he…." Loki paused and shook the thoughts from his mind, that episode was too close for comfort, Jay was an inch from death, he would have perished had the poison pierced his skin.

He pulled hard on the black hair of the female earning a hiss.

"Jay almost died, you nearly killed him. You nearly killed the one brother you termed as one of your own brethren, despite everything he ever did for you. That was how _you_ repaid his personal debt." Loki hesitated as he spoke.

"I-I never asked him to, never wanted him to." Cole replied quietly.

"Gahh, he did it to save you, all of you….Your ungratefulness knows no bounds, Cole."

"If you hadn't taken him, he would have never had to choose." Naturally, Cole recoiled from the proximity.

"I ameliorated the situation, you fool! Shield are just as corrupt as Hydra, they would never let you go, despite what they led you to believe."

"You never gave us a chance…"

"Oh my dear boy, I gave you plenty. But as you found out, it was never going to be an easy game. There's no entertainment like a game of cat and mouse, some one-upmanship."

"You cheated, used your clones..."

"Ugh, I tire of this. Regardless and in spite of what you think and did or didn't do, you still hurt him more than I ever could….. _You left him soulless!_ " Loki said, he tailed off.

"Soulless….." He repeated, slightly louder.

"Wh-what?" Cole muttered.

"You left him… _ **Soulless."**_ Loki said drawing the word out with each syllable into Cole's ear.

"St-stop….please."

Again the sound died down to a more manageable level. It was still deafening, his ears were ringing, he was sure that they were bleeding too.

"A part of him died. It is, _irretrievable now_ , we can never get it back."

The God was upset at how blasé Jay's former family seemed to be with the fact that he had chosen for them and them alone, in order to keep them safe from Loki's wrath he chose to give himself freely.

He quickly grabbed Cole's head and none too gently pressed his fingers into Cole's temples, pushing his forehead against the other. Cole, as he expected, shrieked in agony at the pressure exerted. "You don't deserve Jay, he belongs here and he _will_ fulfill the prophecy."

Loki thought, and the more he thought the more he worried about what might happen to Jay the longer he remained in contact with his old team. He had to separate them for good. "A third person perspective if you will," Loki muttered quietly and allowed Cole to see from Jay's point of view.

"What is this?" Cole mumbled in a barely audible whisper.

"Silence Cole, this that you can see before you, is a memory, one of almost two years past, in your time."

"This was after you rescued him, well as you can see, I got him back."

"And, I always get what I want, I always have."

"There were and always would have been two outcomes to this choice. You all believed that he should have refused my offer, that leaves this choice." Loki whispered.

"What? Why are you showing me this?" Cole stammered in shock, his voice echoing around his own head.

He stared in horror at the carnage in front of his transparent form. All he could see was the same thing he remembered from a few years ago, all coming back with a frightening clarity, the day he lost his best friend.

"And here is the best part, he chose to save himself, so just for you I'll let you in on a little secret, this was the alternate set of events that would have happened had he chosen not to join me."

"This was what _you_ wanted. What you and _your_ team wanted him to say." Loki hissed and the sound echoed in Cole's subconscious.

"Let's see how this reveals the altered truths, at least, from your perspective. Shall we see what would have happened?"

"I mean, it wouldn't be the first time. Although this should be good, from your perspective. We can see if you actually have any emotion at all in this head of yours."

"Shall we begin?…"

Cole felt an incredible pain, icy cold fingers pushing into his temples. It was akin to brain freeze but his mind seemed to open up, until it became warm and comfortable.

Then his eyes had closed and he felt limp, not overly comfortable, he was still aware that he was shackled, but he was more relaxed, compliant.

* * *

The room and everything about it all looked too familiar, Cole was restrained as were his brothers, Jay had just shouted a weak 'no' to Loki's choice and the God had shot Nya partially in anger but to give him an incentive.

"No! H-how could you?" Cole shouted in his mind, it wasn't verbalised.

The master of earth could feel an intense searing pain, the smell of burning flesh pulled his gaze down.

Kai's element was taking over his mind and body, it was burning out of control, even his spiky hair was ablaze but he wasn't in pain, he seemed full of power.

Cole, the earth master screamed at the burning feeling on his wrists as did Lloyd who dropped down to the floor in a desperate bid to avoid the intense heat and acrid plumes of black smoke. Their strength finally allowing for their bonds to break.

"I love reminiscing when heartbreak is apparent, so emotional. Some would say scenes like these are awe inspiring. Personally, I would call it mind numbing drivel that all you so called 'heroes' seem to enjoy far too much. All so full of yourselves, Thor, the soldier out of time, the metal man…"

Cole's mind was pulled back to the altered memory. Lloyd had ducked down and pulled Zane down with him, his gloved hand muffled his mouth but he managed to shout to get Cole's attention. "Cole!"

"We need to get out of here." He wheezed, his eyes glancing around the room, desperately looking for any escape routes. He frowned at his sweating blonde haired brother when he realised the way out was up and through a solid metal reinforced roof.

Lloyd had managed to create a shield around himself and Cole. "W-we can't escape, I-I can't create a moveable sh-shield that w-would transport us all."

"What about our own shields then? Airjitzu?" Cole mouthed before pulling his scarf up and over his face.

Lloyd shook his head. "Y-your shield won't keep the heat out." He looked deflated and out of options. "It's too hot in here to sustain for too l-long."

"We can't get o-out?"

Lloyd shook his head and motioned Cole to come closer.

He couldn't even remember crawling across to Lloyd but when he opened his eyes he had found himself enveloped in a warm comforting green.

Lloyd had his eyes closed in concentration, but he knew Cole was next to him, his presence gave him the strength to carry on.

He looked to his brother in green and saw him open his eyes. The first thing he noticed was the worried look, but his face became poker straight as he continued to give more of his focus to sustain the shield.

"My energy shield uses all the elements combined. Our own e-elements. That's all I can do to stop the inevitable."

"Energy with some of his element, gives us a humid a-atmosphere. One atmosphere, long enough, to say what we n-need to." He gasped out, struggling to maintain the shield and the two elements at the same time.

Cole bit his lip, he knew what that meant. They had certainly discussed it before, it was an inevitable part of the line of work they were in. He just never expected it to happen whilst they were so young.

"Cole." Lloyd said weakly as he coughed. "We lost Jay, he's, he's g-gone…."

He didn't even look up at Cole, the brightness from the swirling mass of flames was too bright. "I'm sorry."

Cole grasped his younger green team mate, his brother and wrapped him in a tight embrace. "Lloyd, d-don't apologise, please. Our last moments shouldn't ever be filled with regrets." He coughed and held onto his chest, he took a final look at Lloyd, the young green ninja had failed, they all had.

They had been fed lies, thrown into a battle without all the details. Given no help to take him down, blackmailed in an attempt to sway them to do their bidding, on the proviso that Shield would allow them the chance to go home.

Cole wiped his cheeks, the tear tracks had dried onto his face in the infernal heat. There were no words anymore, just a horrid sense of loss and realisation that this was the end for all of them.

He looked at Lloyd and his heart broke, the young blonde master was sweating profusely, his hair stuck to his face. His green gi was wet through with sweat, and his breathing was far too fast.

He was dying, they all were. But he knew that Lloyd was doing all in his power to keep them alive, for the smallest hope that the roof would come down first or that the flames would die down. Either way, that they might just survive if one or the other happened.

"I-I love you guys so much. And, for what it's worth Lloyd you were a great leader." Cole added and stroked Lloyd's young face.

"You guys, you're more than just a team, you're my brothers and m-my family," Lloyd replied, openly sobbing. He tried to smile but it was all for show.

The master of earth embraced his brother for the last time. He looked at the wall of flames and mouthed a silent apology. " _Kai_ , sorry."

They looked at each other one last time before the green shield disintegrated, they accepted death, there was nothing more they could do. This was it, and it came on swift wings.

" **How touching…"**

A sharp and loud snide remark, Loki's voice sliced through the thick air with ease.

"Did any of you notice the blue one at all?" He asked viciously.

"No! I didn't think you would because you were all so consumed with the others, you didn't notice the loud mouth talkative one. He was holding on to that last shred of hope that you would attempt a rescue but you gave up as if he didn't matter to you anymore. Did he really matter, to begin with?"

"We couldn't get to h-him you still had him b-by your side." Cole sniffed, the vision now burned into his deepest darkest recesses.

"The choice that decided everything was done to protect you all, it was as if he knew what would happen if he chose the other." Loki frowned.

"What are you expecting me to do with all of th-this?" Cole replied, his tone desperate for the images to stop.

"I am asking you to understand him better."

"I never understood him because he was different, but that didn't mean I didn't love him then." Cole shouted and thrashed in his shackles.

"Well, in that case, I will make this _easy_ for you." Loki looked at Cole in disgust. "Do you love him _now?_ "

Cole paused slightly, "Yes, I-I do, of course!"

"Hmm, I couldn't help but notice there was a little hesitation in your answer?"

"N-no, not at all. It's just that….well, he's changed now."

"As have you!"

"I mean recently, he's so much better now than he was…." Loki frowned and cut him off mid-sentence.

" _ **That**_ **,** that wasn't Jay. That was _**Amora**_ , she's been playing us all for a fool for the best part of three weeks in Asgard which I believe is 21 weeks. And yet you called yourself his _best friend_! How her intricate lies have fed you all."

"WHAT?" Cole was genuinely shocked, appalled at what he had just heard.

"You were all so easy to fool. So _quick_ to judge, to cast him aside for the new improved version. The one that she created for animosities sake, to drive a wedge, to attempt to break you all."

"She only did it to rip you all apart, because she could see that the bonds of your brotherhood were still frayed from the first spat…the one involving the red one and then you. She did this of her _own_ volition, believing herself so virtuous, she believed she was doing him a favour."

Loki took a deep breath and looked at his weapons, choosing which one to use first. His hand settling on his favoured throwing daggers, skimming his fingers over each as they lay pristinely polished on the green velvet cushion.

"I must attest that it was _sad_ to hear that she had done it this way. Of course, it wasn't easy to get her to utter those exact words….no, I had to almost rip the truth from her throat. Using my own natural form, but it was, as I expected."

"Which was?" Cole mumbled.

"She did it for another reason, as of which, still eludes me." Loki said without elaborating further.

* * *

Thinking back, it was _still_ sketchy. He knew the exact moment his own demeanour had changed but he still remained largely in control for that entire day. Until at least, he'd thrown Jay into the wall, then _her_ mind seemed to take over.

' _My lord, we can do it together, we can teach him a lesson.'_

' _He is not a youngling, Amora, he just stepped out of line…'_

' _Stepped out of line! He needs disciplining, educating on how to obey his King, my lord…'_

' _I do not like the tone of your voice when you mention him, you seem objectionable. I assure you Amora he is a gentle soul, strong but still fragile. You must use caution around him, I do not want him hurting…at all.'_

' _He is nothing special, why do you care so much for this mortal?'_

' _He is not mortal Amora, I mentioned this mere hours ago.'_

' _Just one kiss Loki, I mean you no harm nor the prince, and I promise not to hurt him when I have his servitude.'_

' _I know what you're trying to do, I shall not fall for your feminine wiles nor these enchanted lips.'_

' _This body however, I'm sure we could put it to good use, hmm?'_

 _She was too quick, he never saw it coming and before long. It was a mad scramble for power and the dominant position._

 _She succeeded, of course, she pinned him beneath her and ground against him. Not before placing her lips upon his._

 _He stared at her, in shock mostly._

 _She wouldn't be that ruthless to attempt to overthrow the one who taught her the darkest magic she knew. Surely, she was not that insane as to throw the battle in her favour._

 _His answer was given in the form of another deep kiss and a lust filled evening._

' _Can I now make a suggestion on how best to tackle the situation with the pathetic human creature you associate with.'_

' _Please, I am listening. Beguile me with your charms, Enchantress.'_

' _My lord, this night is the bachelor party is it not? We can tear them apart at the seams, one by one they'll fall and then he'll submit to evil before these hours are up.'_

' _It might work, then what?'_

' _Then you can teach him and I can take over his life here, whilst he is absent.'_

' _A plan at most, not well thought out though. What will you get out of it exactly?'_

' _If successful? I'll have made him so popular he won't have time for them anymore and they will disown him. Who wants to be associated with a spoiled brat who is too popular for his own good? Look at it this way, he'll be left alone, desolate, giving you the opportunity to mold and shape him into the protector you want.'_

Loki shook his head, it was all lies. She had spouted nonsense from the start, he was still none the wiser and the unknown ate at him, she had lied to him, to the god of lies.

The rest of that evening he had chosen to forget, he cast those terrible thoughts from his mind. He was far too harsh, too heavy handed.

* * *

"So, this Cole, is the end of the journey. This is the poor decision made in haste, against my better judgment on Midgard! The one choice you all took but never sought to ask the truth."

"I-I don't understand, what…."

"Of course, despite everything I have done for you as a team you still refused to do my bidding!"

"I didn't mean t….."

"It doesn't matter anymore Cole, well it won't after this request…"

Cole looked even more confused than before, the words just weren't adding up, he didn't even know what Loki was saying anymore. Some of it was making sense though.

"His _love died, you all know this..._ He still feels that sickening pride to keep you all from harm. Still wants to protect the realm you so cherish, holds onto it with a thin, sharpened slither of perpetual hope that cuts deep into his heart and immortal soul."

"Yet, none of you can repay the sentiment…..it will break him, you realise?"

Cole's eyes widened in shock, Loki was intending on separating them for good after this supposed battle; that he still had no idea about. "No, that's not what I meant…..please!"

Loki turned back to the shackled ninja, his eyes narrowed and his throwing dagger was held at Cole's neck as a warning.

Suddenly and without warning, his voice changed and he shouted into Cole's ear. "You _will_ fight for this kingdom and then you will leave Asgard, with that of your remaining team. Your continual betrayal of your brother will destroy you all." Loki paused again and began to drag the blade down an exposed tricep.

"And J-Jay?" Cole asked hesitantly, his voice breaking with the pain.

"He'll stay here as agreed. If I remember correctly, neither you nor your brethren chose to remain, it was merely a rescue mission was it not?"

* * *

 **Why is Cole being tortured by Loki?**

 _The answers you seek are in the next chapter. Also, there are clues in Kai's bachelor party and NYE chapters._


	69. The emancipation of Cole pt2

**_20_** ** _th_** ** _September flashback._**

Cole struggled, he shook his head and squeezed his eyes closed, willing his mind to forget what he had seen. He was still being haunted by the screams. "I'm not scared of you, showing me those images hasn't changed a damn thing."

The God had removed his hands from Cole's temples, he had walked off and taken a deep invigorating breath. There was a tremendously heavy scent in the room, Loki recognised it as fear and he loved the additional feeling of power it gave.

Cole was still grimacing and struggling for breath.

"I must attest my disappointment!" He said with a sick smile, noting the sheen of sweat adorning Cole's brow.

"Defiance, I have seen this before, not so long ago in a mere boy known simply as Jay." He was still toying with his throwing dagger, practising his aim by casting a visualisation of an enemy unknown to Cole.

Cole was still, he wasn't talking. He was trying his hardest not to listen but Loki's voice won out each time. The only thing he was watching was the obscenely sharp blade that Loki held. He saw as Loki conjured an image and watched in stupefied slow motion as he threw the blade with such precision that it produced a kill shot upon hitting the visualisation.

He had thrown the blade and as Loki had expected, it impaled the conjured image. It changed to an image of his own projection before falling to the floor in a heap momentarily disappearing into nothingness from whence it came.

Cole did wonder in his exhaustion what else the God in question did with his conjured self, but this time he kept the smirk to himself.

"Tell me, _boy_ , do you want to feel _infinite power_?" Each syllable was accentuated and drawn out, likely to cause a sense of unease.

Cole didn't bite, he simply shook his head and refused to look in those green eyes.

Loki's mouth curled up at the sides, it wasn't a happy smile.

"I can show you how it _feels_ , give you an example to take home, to think about perhaps?"

He felt sick, something Loki had said, had hit a raw nerve. His mind was sharply pulled back a few months. He remembered what Nya had admitted on New years eve.

" _Infinite_ power huh? Like what you already did to her?" He replied, staring literal daggers at the God before him.

"To _whom?_ " Loki inquired, feeling some mild entertainment at the anger his regime of taunting was creating. He sat back and crossed his legs. Narrowing his eyes he took a deep breath and allowed Cole to elaborate further.

It wasn't like his service was required any time soon, Gladsheim and the convening of the Gods had ended a few hours ago upon the untimely and completely unexpected arrival of a young missing prince.

The prince in question was now being cared for in his own room. His wound had to be redressed frequently, despite Loki using his extensive sorcery skills to quell the pain. He chastised himself for allowing Jay to fall on such a rune sword such as the one Tyr wielded.

"Y-you took Nya, you fucking scumbag, you killed her just so you could bring her back and fuck up her mind like you've done with Jay."

Loki's jaw tightened, at how Cole knew the secret that was meant to be between Jay and himself. It now seemed to be known by the entire band of brothers. Something he would likely need to reprimand him for at a later date.

"Oh, _her_ ….hmm." Truth be told, he hadn't really enjoyed those forbidden nights, it was all a show that he'd put on. Setting a charm on Jay's room to enhance the sound they both made. It was meant as a lesson but it had spiralled out of control when Jay took matters into his own hands.

"WHY? What did she ever do to you?"

He took a deep breath in, releasing it slowly. "She did nothing for me!" He shrugged his shoulders, it was the brutal honest truth, she was nothing special, just another female he had ruined for his own reasons.

He didn't even know what Jay saw in her either, other than a fleeting concern for her wellbeing. He knew that Nya cared for Jay far more than was reciprocated, perhaps it was finally an unattainable and unrequited love from her respect, thus meaning that his plan had finally worked.

"Why you ask? Well for one she was simply in the way. A pawn, if you will, to get Jay to follow me _implicitly_." He replied as calmly as ever despite Cole shouting at him.

Loki didn't want to admit it, but he had nothing to hide from Cole and there was no point in beating around the bush anymore. He only wanted Cole to apologise for his refusal to help, to see Jay as an equal, to submit to the God, fight for Asgard and then leave and never return.

"And, he does as he is directed, _most of the time_." He tailed off at the end and walked back around the room, keeping a distance away.

"You are one twisted sick bastard!" Cole finally managed to say once the God had stopped talking.

"You don't care about anything other than yourself and those you _claim_ to care for just get dragged along for the ride until you tire of them too. All _you_ do is fucking ruin people's lives."

Loki waited for Cole to end his vitriolic diatribe, he had heard worse before, this was little more than playful banter, to see who would fall first. "You are but words Cole…" He said smugly. "And those words mean nothing to me."

He flicked his longer black hair from his face, in an almost childish way. "Besides the fact, I _do not need answer to_ **_you_**! You are so far _beneath_ me, one could tread on you and not know the difference between you and excrement."

Cole tried not to seem incredibly incensed at what the God had just uttered, he guessed it was how the majority of malevolent Gods acted when faced with lesser beings than themselves. He bit back a retort instead and imagined himself telling the God in no uncertain terms to go fuck himself.

He walked back over with a determined swagger that made his head lol gently from side to side, his eyes remaining fixated on Cole's. "Whilst you are here, in this realm and under my servitude, **_you answer to me!_** "

"Fuck off! You don't own me Loki, never have, never will. Just because Jay's too soft to say **'no'** doesn't mean I can't or won't _."_ He seemed to thrash around, having found his second wind. "I've sacrificed too much for you to ruin it in one moment of insanity."

"Ahh yes, **_sacrifice_** , that one word bandied around so much that it loses its place as an important rite." He conjured a few hideous images for his and Cole's entertainment.

"The sacrificial lamb for Lord Surt the demon king"

Cole could hear the bleating and the chanting as if he was a part of the Satanic ritual.

"And lest we forget the virgin's blood, the daughter that would never marry."

He looked away at the old conjured image of a young teenaged girl being slowly bled out in the name of the same demon.

"St-stop…"

Loki simply smiled, "The kills dedicated to a god, oh how I miss those days of old."

The image was of a broken man from years long since passed. The scene was initially romantic until the hard working husband had walked into the marital bedroom to find his beloved wife being bedded by his own brother.

He pulled the sword from his belt and with one quick downward thrust the sword impaled both lovers on the same blade. The broken and hard-worked man had known but never had the proof, he was fed lies from both his wife and own kin.

Speaking the words that came naturally as both brother and wife began to die, he looked at them with a look of derangement as he pulled the blade out.

He looked to the skies with tears and yelled aloud ' ** _I dedicate these kills to Loki the God of lies, a sacrifice for you and your daughter, the queen of the dead_**.' He did it without remorse, feeling a huge weight lifted off his shoulders as he sheathed his bloodied broadsword.

"Even now, when people lie it powers me. Midgard is so corrupted, your beloved realm too. So many lies to keep." He groaned in pleasure and cackled malevolently even though the immortalised epithets of ephemera had gone far too quickly for him to enjoy them further.

"Fucking self-righteous bullshit…." Cole's aggravated voice cut through the pleasure Loki was revelling in.

"Hmm." He wasn't impressed at the interruption.

The God wanted to, he really wanted to slap those contumely words from his mouth. Maybe utter some of his own in response but he bit back his venomous retorts instead relishing the feelings making themselves known.

Even if Cole wasn't directly nor outwardly showing discomfort from the onslaught of continual taunts, his actions gave him away for too easily, he was cracking under the pressure. Loki noted that he likely only needed one other thing to break him, but he was saving that until the end.

 _"_ _You_ don't scare me with this shit and you can't make us fight your own battles." Cole finished and looked at the God, his hazel eyes were still as defiant as before, but now he was shaking slightly.

" ** _Actually,_** **_I can make you do anything I want and, I will!_** " He taunted with a horrifically crooked smile, he was still playing with his magic and leaning back. But now was the time to ease into it, to break him and get him to reveal that sordid truth.

"There **_are_** some other things though, I feel you should know that your brute strength and battle strategy are absolutely second to none, almost on par with the blonde oaf himself."

He flat out refused to utter _his_ name for fear of him just smashing through the door in his typical trademark style. To Loki, it was true that Thor would be furious to know of his dealings and corruption of _'The newest elementals,'_ yet the arrogance of the blonde god was likely too stupid to realise that Loki had done them all a favour by sending them home yet keeping the weapon for himself.

Shield had no idea of the prophecy, they only wanted to register these new recruits into their company and then into the Shield treaty, likely place them into a unit or squad and send them out into certain perilous missions to meet death, like they had done so carelessly with Jay.

The method to his madness and keen intellect was that he knew of their plans, he knew what Shield had planned, he knew of Hydra's plans too. Their respected Strike team soldiers, even the all-important Avengers, they killed and lied in the service of killers and liars. They were all blind to it, Loki wasn't, he'd done it for a few reasons.

"Aye, you are **determined** , **focused** and always **motivated** …. _But_ , you are _still_ weak of mind!" His green eyes cast an untrusting gaze over Cole, he scrutinised him.

He thought back to a few nights after his wedding, what she had muttered in her sleep. It was so easy to manipulate dreams but the content of hers shook him to the core.

"Weakness and…." Loki paused with his magic casting, turning his face up into an evil grin that spread across his entire face. The candle light dimmed and Loki's taught features looked more deathlike than the grim reaper.

He was still staring into Cole's hazel eyes, his own were burning a bright green flame. Now they were green with more than a small a hint of jealousy and envy, they were raging inferno's of hatred, he was struggling to keep it all in.

" ** _Infidelity_** will not be tolerated." He added with a distinct rattle in his voice, his voice beginning to sound more snakelike as he spoke.

Cole's eyes widened at the mere mention of that word. Unaware of the fact that he had begun trembling, sweat was trickling down the side of his face as he watched the angry God walk around.

He just stared, transfixed as Loki started to crack his neck from time to time.

His voice was certainly changing, it was unsettling for Cole to witness. He could only watch and hope to god that he could keep calm despite the huge sense of dread he felt.

The air was palpable, the atmosphere was becoming thicker by the second.

"Of courssse there are always different tacticsss I could utilise to change your wayward allegiance if only to make you fight for thisss realm." Loki sneered but kept his back turned.

"I won't do it, not for you or for him." Cole hissed, then regretted saying it as soon as it had left his lips. Of course, he would do it for him. Jay had already sacrificed so much himself, he had nothing else to give or to live for.

 _All he wanted to do was squeeze the ninja to death, to see how much pain he could endure before he screamed or before his ribs broke._

"You won't do it for Jay, despite what you know? Or what I have divulged and challenged you with? It is almost as if you are asking me to beat the reluctance out of you, as I did with Jay, to begin with." Loki span around on his heels and calmed his breathing down, his face and body returning to normal.

Cole's mouth had dried up, he stared at the evil God. He'd just flat out admitted to assaulting Jay into submission, in this very room. All these billions of miles of away, cut off from everyone he knew and loved, unable to receive consolation or sympathy. There was no small wonder Jay had changed so much in that time.

He remembered all the times he had seen Jay over the two years he had been with the God. He had always been covered in a variety of bruises and scrapes, he shrugged them off, of course, hid the worst ones from everyone else and carried on, as if it all didn't matter anymore.

Cole had thought back then, that Jay was still testing his new body, for pain tolerance and endurance. He had no idea that Loki had caused the majority until Jay outright admitted it in passing.

He wasn't phased at all, it was like he was wearing each wound with a sick sense of pride, welcoming it, hoping to see how far he could push himself before he would meet his limits.

* * *

" _It's nothing Cole, stop worrying. It's just a cut, right?"_

 _"_ _JUST A CUT, fuck, Jay. You can't live like this, it's not a healthy mindset to have."_

 _"_ _What? Healthy? I gave up on healthy when I joined him, I'm as good as dead."_

 _"_ _Stop with the humourless bullshit Jay, I'm being serious, jokes aside."_

 _"_ _So am I…"_

 _"_ _It's inhumane and it's not right! We weren't taught for this style of fighting were we?"_

 _"_ _Is that rhetorical, Cole? Haha, you know we're ninja right?"_

 _"_ _You know what I mean Jay, we weren't taught to fight like this."_

 _"_ _Uhm, we kinda were. Ya know, ninja didn't always subdue, sometimes it was kill or be killed!"_

 _"_ _You're missing the point, Jay!"_

 _"_ _ **Am I missing the point, really?**_ _Look, I refuse to get into another argument with you. Ya know you could have said all this to me before you left!"_

 _"_ _We were ninja, right? I mean, you guys still are but my fighting style has moved on to something else entirely. So we adapt our styles to what is required, to fit the situation, to change yeah?"_

 _"_ _Don't change the subject Jay seriously, come on bro! I only care about how bad he treats you and the fact I can't do anything about you fighting without any backup."_

 _"_ _Hey, I have back up, I'm not alone! Besides, there's nothing you can do about it Cole, it was still my decision to make."_

 _"_ _Still so blind to the truth Jay, you could have said_ _ **no**_ _."_

 _"_ _Ha, doubt it…"_

 _"_ _You could, I bet it wouldn't have been all that bad. We could've come to some agreement with him."_

 _"_ _I was bleeding to death, fairly sure that's as bad as it gets and I seriously doubt we'd be able to get around him. He was worse than Nadakhan. Seriously, with Loki's words, he would've gotten infinite wishes for himself. Hehe, the djinn would've been working for him too!"_

 _"_ _Jay, you're not listening to reason are ya? Just enjoying this thing, whatever it is. Ultimate power, the right side of the devil and all that shit, not caring about any consequences or us, just thinking of yourself again…"_

 _"_ _That's not fair Cole, it was for a reason. I didn't enter into it lightly, did I?"_

 _"_ _Fine, look whatever, you're not listening. Is there any help you can get whilst you're there?"_

 _"_ _The healing room."_

 _"_ _What about it?"_

 _"_ _It's pretty good, been in there a few times already this week. Can you remember sparring in the arena a few days ago? You were with Kai and I was fighting with Loki?"_

 _"_ _Yeah, I remember. I saw it myself and I saw his face, there was no remorse when he pulled off that move."_

 _"_ _That blade went in pretty far too, haa. No real harm was done though right? I guess he was pretty angry with me, think I ruined his night with Nya but then he deserved it!"_

 _"_ _Jay, it went through your neck, it could, well, it should have been fatal."_

 _"_ _It was a flesh wound, you worry too much Cole. Besides, we used stones and I could still talk afterwards."_

 _"_ _FIRST SPINTITZU MASTER JAY, That's beside the point. What about Loki, he wasn't gentle on you last night either, he's always too rough. I saw how hard he hit you and you let him do it. When someone's down you don't go in for another cheap shot. You were on your knees…"_

 _"_ _You, you weren't supposed to see that! It-it was nothing Cole, we just had a disagreement about her, uh about Nya."_

 _"_ _You call that a disagreement? I call it a full battle with swords and no armour. You wore no armour at all."_

 _"_ _It made me stronger Cole, shows me my limits, where I need to improve haha."_

 _"_ _Jay! What…are you mental? He stabbed you twice. This is the God who you're meant to protect and you act like that treatment is good, like it's normal behaviour. He doesn't give a shit about you, he's making it painfully obvious but you're too blind to see it."_

 _"_ _Look it's what I've grown used to. You didn't stick around for the rest of that fight though?"_

 _"_ _No, I was caught…"_

 _"_ _Really! Haa you were snooping, what happened?"_

 _"_ _The palace guards escorted me back to the alehouse, we had a drink with your newest fan, Gustav."_

 _"_ _Hey, lay off the blonde dude. Gustav is tight, he fights like a madman on a mission. You were lucky, you could have spent the night in the dungeons, I hear that they let the prisoners out on a nightly basis and they all fight the one they term as the weakest."_

 _"_ _Really? That sounds horrid Jay. It reminds me a little of when we were stuck in Kryptarium and the lunchtime brawl we got involved with."_

 _"_ _I know right, food fight but I'm guessing that they don't allow food fights in the dungeons, maybe I can ask…."_

 _"_ _Haha yeah. The guard who escorted me seemed to speak well of you and at least he's got your back whilst we're apart."_

 _"_ _And I'll always have yours if you're near or far…"_

 _"_ _I appreciate it Jay, but I'm still worried about you."_

 _"_ _So uh Cole, when are ya coming back, like I'm kinda missing you guys? Gahh I'm making myself sound desperate, haa haha."_

 _"_ _Hey cool it Jay, look we'll be back tomorrow, last day here because they've surrendered their lands, pledged an allegiance, blah, blah, blah."_

 _"_ _Hey no fair, I made all that possible though, a few months previous with the sceptre!"_

 _"_ _Jay, changing the subject doesn't detract from the fact that I'm worried about you being with him all the time. He doesn't know when to stop or when he's gone too far. He got you twice and he was about to get you a third time until I made a racket outside the room."_

 _"_ _That was you? We thought a pillar had fallen in the banquet hall! Yeah, that was a good fight, I got him too but that's beside the point right, because this is still all about me making the wrong choice."_

 _"_ _Pretty much!"_

 _"_ _Cole, I had no real choice remember? I chose it because he told me what would happen if I didn't. I gave him my life for all eternity and you know the rest, you all saw it for yourself."_

 _"_ _Yeah okay but then this treatment wasn't part of the agreement was it?"_

 _"_ _No, of course not. I mean, I had an idea that it might be a part of it because I'd had a taste of it back on earth, just before you all came. Ya know I'd been with him for almost two weeks but he just used some weird potion stuff each and every time."_

 _"_ _Come home with us Jay, you let go of this poisonous agreement and you come home with us…"_

 _"_ _I-I can't do that Cole, it's not that easy. There's so much you don't understand. There's no easy way out, no shortcut home with this. It's kinda out of my control, what's going on, call it fate I guess."_

 _"_ _So tell me, for God's sake just tell me!"_

 _"_ _I-I can't tell you everything. He warned me not to, but I can tell you what you saw yourself before you were sent back. You know it was magic right? It wasn't just_ _ **any**_ _magic it was the darkest form of it. And here was me thinking magic didn't exist, that it was a trick of the eye or slight of hand. Gahh, life was so much easier when I was that naïve."_

 _"_ _Anyway Cole, you could say I'm hooped because we're metaphysically bound to each other, he'll always be able to find me. He says the spell only ends with death, well until_ _ **one**_ _of us dies haha…go figure which one that'll be!"_

 _"_ _Then what happens, I mean if neither of you dies and you miraculously survive his repeated attempts on your life?"_

 _"_ _If neither die, it'll be worlds end or Ragnarok that does it. Apparently, it's the thing you don't wanna miss, or was that_ _ **be a part of**_ _? Haha I can't remember anymore."_

 _"_ _But no-one lives after that, worlds and planets collide, gazillions of innocent lives will be lost, worlds destroyed and what about us and you?"_

 _"_ _Don't even think there's a number, it would be off the scale. Hey, you'll all be fine, I can guarantee it myself. Haa, Cole, you trust me right? Right?"_

 _"_ _Yeah most of the time, and uh what about Loki?"_

 _"_ _He will never die! You know his name was removed from the book of Hel? He'll just be a repeat offender of reincarnated evil, going against everything that is Holy and normal. Being his usual dark, evil conniving self and wreaking havoc where ever he ends up, he'll never change Cole…..ever!"_

 _"_ _And you? Jay? What about you?"_

 _"_ _Jay?"_

 _"_ _Do you trust me, Cole?"_

 _"_ _Always….."_

 _"_ _Jay, please?"_

* * *

"Why?" Cole finally wheezed out.

Loki shifted his form, he leant across pouring himself another drink. "I expanded his mind, I saw it as tutelage of sorts, educational and a necessity."

The God picked up a large goblet of Asgardian mead and glugged a hefty amount before slamming it down, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "As ever, Jay was quick to learn. He is clever, more than you ever gave him credit for."

"He is, to date, my greatest achievement, a masterpiece in the making. However, it took many hours to break him in but once I saw that crack appear I tore it right open."

"One could say he is now stronger in body and mind than he ever was." It was as if Loki could sense what Cole was thinking.

"Hmppff."

"You do not believe this?" Loki stared at Cole, mostly focused on his hazel eyes, _mostly_.

Cole didn't move his head, he kept his eyes pointing toward the floor.

"You almost remind me of Sigyn, in this form!" He said whilst observing the simple reaction to the mere utterance of his estranged wife's name.

Cole blushed and the God tensed further, his fists clenched by his sides, his rage slowly building.

"I hear from sources that you recently became closely acquainted if I'm not mistaken?" Loki asked, his voice staying calm.

"N-no, nothing h-happened I swear." Cole's eyes widened, his voice faltered. The God smiled, it crept across his face like a cat who had just got the cream.

" ** _You_** **are lying**!"

"Wh-what no! Honestly, you gotta believe me please, I'd never do anything with her." Cole began shaking, remembering in earnest what Jay had told him. It was almost a year and a half ago but it was still the same message.

 _'_ _Maybe you should just focus on Seliel, because then you won't have a vengeful God hot on your heels if you sleep with_ _ **her**_ _.'_

 _'_ _Heh, he'll never find out. Besides she's obviously not satisfied with a God, she needs a corn fed Ninjago boy to show her some proper love.'_

 _'_ _Cole, you can't be serious! He'll kill you if he finds out and then I'll have to bail you out and ugh, just don't do it, call it off for me….please!'_

 _'_ _Haa, Jay she came to me, ME!'_

 _'_ _Cole, don't! You don't realise what you're doing or what could happen.'_

 _'_ _Nothing gonna's happen Jay.'_

 _'_ _He's the God of lies, Cole he just knows….most of the time.'_

 _'_ _Then I'll play carefully then…Trust me Jay, nothing will happen.'_

 _'_ _It will Cole, it'll be the beginning of the end. Please, I'm asking you as my best friend, you need to stop and think, in fact just stop. Don't see her anymore. Please just do it for me…'_

 _'_ _You worry too much, Jay.'_

* * *

"And yet you still lie, **I'm the God of lies you dull creature** , what, you don't think I can spot a liar in my midst?" He changed her aspect back to the original male form he was born with.

"I've been a God for over 3000 years, you dare lie in my presence?" He spat.

"I'm not l-lying…" He pleaded but he didn't dare look at Loki anymore.

"You risk my wrath, the more you hide behind them." He warned and lowered his gaze as he slowly approached. "Cole, you are **sweating** , **_gushing_** with untruths."

"These lies betray you and your body. Sweat pours freely…" He paused and walked right up to Cole.

He held the Ninja's neck, the tanned column now completely exposed for him to see. He watched as the pulse throbbed in time with Cole's heart. "The heart races and quickens. Breathing..." Loki paused and watched again.

" ** _Increases_**."

"You took her mind from me before our wedding night, and afterwards too."

"No, I'd never…."

"And let me guess you're thinking of her now are you not?"

"N-no, I-I'm not at all….please just let me go and I'll do anything you ask." Cole struggled in the grasp of the God,

He proceeded to take Cole by force. His projections grabbed him and dragged him along the floor, throwing him down onto it with a pained gasp.

"You disgust me, Cole, infidelity with my queen will not be tolerated." Loki delivered something sharp into Cole's stomach as he lay on the floor, he gagged.

"She c-came to m-me, Jay told me to stop seeing her." Cole whispered out weakly but instantly regretted saying it.

The God simply sneered down at him, his foot making contact with Cole's ribcage.

An astral projection appeared next to the God and then within a millisecond it vanished.

"J-Jay knew about **_THIS?_** " The God stammered angrily, the throwing dagger had shattered in his grasp, sprinkling metal splinters across the floor.

"I'll deal with him later!"

Cole cringed at the implied threat to Jay and he bit his lip guiltily. He took the chance to realign his jaw, whilst his other hand remained on his bleeding wound.

"Weaker in this form? And the other form too." He threw a heavy dagger at Cole.

"Get up and fight me if you believe you are so much stronger. Let us see what your realm has to offer, see where your strength **_lies_**."

"I-I'm not scared of you." He hissed defiantly and stood with difficulty. His crimson blood poured steadily from the stomach wound but he was still determined to fight, if not for honour then for death.

Cole attempted as best as he could to swing for Loki, he caught him on his cheek but it did nothing.

The God moved his head a little, his hair moved to the side by the force of it but as Cole turned his back following through with the punch Loki stabbed his side and Cole fell to the floor, gasping for air.

"I give you a blade and you resort to fisticuffs, so typically brutish."

The God remained kneeling on Cole's back, he twisted the blade slowly and smiled at what he could hear.

The same pained apology leaving Cole's lips. "I-I'm sorry, please I'm sorry my liege _please_ …. ** _please_**. I'm sorry, please forgive me….please."

" **Do you yield, Cole?** " Loki boomed as he twisted the blade, his Asgardian weight easily pinning the master of earth beneath his leather-clad knee. He looked down his nose at him and took a deep satisfying breath in before letting out the same pleasured moan. He took some of Cole's strength for himself too, it was oddly stimulating to feel the blood-borne element of earth surge through his own veins.

He was broken, he was sobbing, unable to fight back realising his weakness. "I-I yield…. _I yield_ , I'm sorry." Loki pulled the blade slowly and purposefully, casting it to the side.

He smiled at his final admission, his eyes had widened with glee. Loki stood and quickly grabbed Cole up off the floor and kicked him into the wall ten feet away.

"Don't worry, Cole, you will not remember this little meeting, thankfully. I fear it would damage you beyond all reasonable doubt. Especially if you were to remember what I'm about to do to you." He said evilly as his fist made contact with the side of Cole's head, sending the ninja to the ground in a pained grunt.

"One still needs you living after all but I'm all for roughhousing if the situation sees fit."

He grasped Cole's black hair, as the man fought to retain his vision. Loki sprinkled a healing stone on to the wound and watched as his prey began to fall into a fitful sleep from the beating he had just received.

"One other thing…I am the god of lies, the sly one, silver tongue, the wildfire aspect and the one they call the harbinger of death. I am the beginning and the end, I am Loki of Asgard."

He leant in closer over Cole's weary form and whispered, "When you fight and if you win, you and your brethren will be banished from here. Consider it the end our contract."

His astral projection reappeared and nodded in recognition. The God took one look at Cole and lifted him onto the table changing his aspect into that of a female. "Get the damned truth by any means necessary, rip it from his pathetic mind if you have to but don't wake him..." He muttered to his projection and unbuckled his own clothes.

"Do not worry yourself, Cole, this will not take long." He smirked to himself.

* * *

His astral form visited the prince as he lay sleeping.

Loki looked over him, watching as his chest rose and fell, the bandaging still in place on his sternum where the blade had come through mere hours ago.

For a split second, Jay looked as peaceful as he could. Occasionally murmuring in his sleep, he spoke out whispers and the odd restrained chuckle.

The God would have normally laughed at this but right at that moment, he was there for a purpose. He couldn't afford to lose control of the situation but he needed to know for sure, he wanted the truth.

He approached the sleeping prince and edged onto his bed until he was sitting next to him unnoticed.

The bed hadn't even dipped because his astral form was weightless, being a wielder of dark magic certainly had its benefits.

His ethereal hands were like a cold breeze, he simply placed them onto Jay's temples and sank his mind into that of the prince, allowing him to see the same dreams and memories for himself.

The dream sequence was erotic at that exact moment, fairly typical because Jay was single, he desired nothing more. His recurring dreams of sex and his usual lust filled life was all he had now, that and a desire to remain alive, in a sense.

The dream subject wasn't to Loki's taste, the woman in the dream looked familiar, long haired and beautifully curved in all the right places. But as dreams went there was also a whimsical sense to it. This naked female had a dragon's tail and small wings that jutted from her back.

Loki grew bored of the dream and he quickly directed it to what he wanted to see.

 _'_ _The best part about dream manipulation will be that you will have no idea that I was ever here. No idea of the chaos I can cause or the cherished memories I can rid you of. All I ask is for the truth and no more.'_

His voice was almost like a whisper as he walked through this dreamscape, into Jay's mind. It would simply feel and sound like a voice of reason and his own conscience, directing him, coaxing something from him.

Loki knew from his years of mind manipulation that even during the deepest sleep, the dreamer would always answer truthfully, that was all he wanted. He didn't want to see the memory of betrayal, he wanted the truth and nothing more.

He started in earnest, tapping into the short term memories, flipping through them, and severing the ties to the worthless ones.

'Do you ever keep secrets?' He uttered in Jay's voice, so as not to rouse.

'N-not really, maybe….I guess.' Came his struggling response.

'From anyone in particular?' Loki pressed harder, sifting through each short-term memory in quick succession.

'I-I have.'

Jay tossed in his sleep and let out a hiss of pain.

'Do you keep them from the king you serve?'

'Y-yes…' He wheezed out.

Loki looked askance at Jay as he slept, he noted his prince was struggling against his control so he backed away a little, but still remained as an idle participant to Jay's dreams. Flicking through them like a rolodex until he saw them for himself.

He ripped the memories from his mind snapping at them and severing the memories for good.

This one was one of his previous memories with the woman he had loved, it was Nya and one of the many nights of passion they had shared.

'Let me take you on a journey, through these dreams. Be my guide, show me the ones you cherish the most.'

'There's too many to sh-show….ungh.'

'Any of them you visit often?'

'Only one, th-the caves of d-despair. It's where we see the f-future, our future selves.'

'And where is this cave, is it in your home realm?'

'It….it is, uh it's an ice cave….it was h-hard to get into.'

'Don't worry yourself, I have my ways. Will you tell the secrets you hold upon waking?'

'I-I can't, w-without hurting them and…..y-you.'

He again found the memory with ease. 'This one?' He poked at it with his long spindly fingers, severing the synapses that held it in such high esteem within his long-term memory.

'Y-yes.' Jay gasped. He was wincing as he slept, tensing and writhing.

The God cut the bond to the dream and looked at it himself. He used his finger to cut a line into the dream that resembled a bubble. Splitting it straight down the middle, he pulled it apart gently so he could see it clearly.

He stepped into the dream, the edges of it began to blur and wither.

Now he was seeing Jay's image as it was cast on a giant ice block. To him, it resembled the blocks of ice on his native realm, Jotunheim, perhaps the same magic ran through these too.

But then he saw the image appear, he saw _her_. Jay was standing next to her, next to Nya, they were hugging and seemed to be very close.

A millisecond later and the image revealed Jay as he was now, albeit 200 years older in age yet not showing any physical outward signs.

He still looked mostly the same in stature, yet only slight differences were visible in his attire.

The heartbreaking fact was that he now stood alone, 200 years of loneliness and he still looked amazing. He was caped with a white wolf skin adorning his shoulders, he was still crowned but it was different metal.

His long auburn hair flowed down his back but again it wasn't loose, it was dressed and smart. He wore various blues, they trailed down his front and back, and a golden spiked yoke effortlessly held everything in place.

There was no female standing there anymore, the memory had been removed, all that was and all that remained was a hovering ball of impossible light, floating in his gold ringed left hand.

Jay stared at it in confusion before realising they were hovering globes, light and dark, rotating around each other, as if held up by gravity. _'What does this mean, what happened to her?'_

 _'_ _Futures can be changed Jay, even you know this. Now, when we visit your realm again, we can visit this little cavern and see how much it has changed.'_

 _'_ _Why?'_

 _'_ _Reluctance, that's why!'_

His astral form left Jay's mind. He stood back and watched the prince tossing and turning in his sleep, his nose was bleeding from the intrusive dream and harsh questioning techniques and the old memories Loki had just ripped open, allowing him to see for himself before mercilessly destroying them. Jay was sobbing, his dreams had taken a dark turn and nothing he saw in them gave him pleasure.

Loki was watching intently as Jay thrashed in his own dream, his pained sobs gave a little pleasure to the God who felt like this bond was nothing to Jay. But now he would pay for his insolence, Jay would pay for lying to the one he was meant to protect.

Loki's astral form, eventually left Jay's room, dissipating in a fine green mist.

 _'If you will not divulge, I shall give you one more chance then_ _I will think of a punishment myself for this ultimate betrayal.'_


	70. Audunn is done

**Previous episode recaps**

 **This episode takes place before Cole was tormented and before Jay came back (FYI; time still moves on and the royal aide still has a task to do) There's still two more to recruit before they can begin training.**

 **Okay so in this chapter both Lloyd and Zane inquire as to how their appearances differ from realm to realm. The list below sort of explains how they look in real life.**

 **Jay = Zac Efron/Ewan McGregor/Jude Law (your choice)**

 **Cole = long haired Taylor Kitsch**

 **Kai = Takeru Sato**

 **Lloyd = Tom Felton (blonde hair)**

 **Nya = Kristin Kreuk/Lucy Lu**

 **Zane = uhm, I'll get back to you on that.**

* * *

The Royal aide hurriedly placed Cole in his own chambers.

He was much lighter than Audunn had anticipated, thinking perhaps Cole was stronger than he first realised.

"Where is _your_ Royal charge, Gustav?" Audunn scoffed at the proud Einherji who had entered, looked dishevelled and dusty, with his small troop in tow.

" ** _AUDUNN_** ," He spoke loudly yet keeping his cool calm demeanour, "I am _not_ his personal retainer, therefore, he does as he pleases, you know this fact yah?" The tall blonde warrior seemed quite put out by the belittling tone.

Audunn turned the corner of his mouth into a visible sneer, "but _he_ has not returned, the high one thinks him dead because of her!"

Gustav cocked an eyebrow at the Royal aide who was trying his best to reposition Cole. "You lie, das high one does not think him dead."

He licked his teeth in annoyance. "Not that I have to explain to you Audunn, but there was no further trace of him there. We have been checking for days!"

Audunn shook his head. "One would say that _you_ lost the fallen prince? You know, it is only a matter of time before Odin sees fit to punish you for your failures as his protector."

Gustav's clenched jaw had tightened. "What is _your_ problem? _She_ lied to the High-one, Amora knows of his whereabouts because _she_ sent him off to; I know not where!" He really wanted to grab the royal aide by the throat and throttle some sense into him.

"It is das sole reason we keep Lorelei here. Her sister is the verhandlungs-chip, _she_ remains until _he_ is returned intact."

"What if he never returns, what if your lack of foresight killed him before he can fully submit to Asgard?" Audunn cruelly stated, watching as Gustav's face began to fall.

Gustav cringed. "He will return, and when he does, he will submit when he is ready and not sooner." His voice was suddenly cold and without emotion. "Should I remind you Audunn, that he is under no obligation."

Taking a further deep breath in to avoid shouting, he said. "Being the youngest and as yet the only prince we have. Besides, it is not mentioned that he must marry upon his return."

A small chuckle escaped his lips. "You lack conviction Gustav, you do not have the gall to tell him of his bound duties to the Realm Eternal."

"Du hurensohn!" His blonde eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

Gustav was so close to delivering a swift flick of the wrist, mostly to wipe the smug grin off Audunn's face because suffice to say, Audunn was correct and he knew it.

His men were unsure of what to do with the show of petulant belittling behaviour from the Royal Aide. They were holding Cole's arms about to hoist him up and off the bed.

"Your problem here? Is das task too strenuous for you alone?" Gustav suddenly teased in a childlike voice. He got some derisive snorts from his troop which boosted his tarnished ego somewhat.

He motioned his men to lift Cole off the bed. "Audunn, for what it is worth..." He paused and watched as they lifted him without so much as breaking a sweat.

The action didn't go unnoticed as Audunn seemed to frown.

"He is **_NOT_** fallen," Gustav's mood had soured somewhat. He hadn't even noticed the arrival of the King.

"Amora the Enchantress saw fit to lie to the high one, Audunn, _do not_ forget that which is most important!"

"Gustav, a problem here?" Tyr questioned as he stepped into the room shortly followed by a heavily disguised but smiling Loki.

"Nein, my Lord. A misunderstanding is all." Gustav looked positively annoyed, he knew Tyr wouldn't hold him personally accountable if he had struck out in anger. "A disagreement right Audunn?"

"Yes my Lords, a disagreement." He bowed low.

* * *

As requested, he notified the king of Cole's reluctance to adhere to the request and apologised profusely for having to raise his hand to subdue. He really felt a high level of shame and remorse but his concerns were brushed aside as the God ordered the Einherjar to carry the accosted and still unconscious warrior.

"My Lord and High-one, I have returned with one of the three. It was not an easy task."

" ** _Audunn!_** " Loki sneered at the man who now cowered at his feet as the overly muscled Tyr, looked on with a sickening smile.

"You will speak no more of it. He will answer to me for his reluctance, you understand this I assume?" His tone was laced with bitter distrust and resentment. Loki wasn't holding back, his vitriol was solely aimed at his Royal aide, for reasons beyond his control.

Audunn hoped that it wasn't meant for him, he had committed no wrongdoings as far as he was aware.

"Yes, High one." Trying another tactic of self-blame, "P-perhaps I should have been more…."

"Perhaps nothing…Audunn, I do not have time for this, you need to rethink your strategy." Loki spoke down to the robed man.

"M-my strategy, Lord?" He stumbled with his words.

"You wish for me to drag your family into this? I'm sure your lovely wife would be bitterly disappointed to hear of your obvious failings to secure the warriors."

"High one, I-I'm sorry..."

The King had merely raised his hand to stop him mid flow "Just get the others and leave this one to me, he'll be dealt with after we convene." He swiftly turned his back as he was slowly led away by Tyr.

"Yes High one as you wish." He mumbled and stood again, watching but not staring as both Gods walked off.

Tyr was walking at Odin's side, maintaining a comfortable distance, yet being protective of the King, all without realising it was Loki. "Come, High one. The Gods are assembled, you know how belligerent they can be when they are told to heed."

"Aye, belligerent fools, who have no mind to think for themselves."

Loki as Odin was expected in Gladsheim. Order of the day and run up to Jul meant that had a meeting to attend to.

As was the case in Asgard, when nobles wanted an audience with the king he was obliged to grant them a chance to speak.

Ultimately, it was Heimdall that allowed free passage but not all the Assembled Gods were happy that he was so trusting of the people from other worlds.

Tyr was more than happy to mention that a small amount of Asgardian folk had gathered to speak about their concerns pertaining to the large Harrow that was stationed in front of the Palace. Their concerns, as he had been told; were largely as if they were being mocked. Insulting not only Asgard but Odin too, purely by keeping the large imposing warship in such close proximity, without being formally invited here, to begin with.

There was no emotion shown as the group of menacing looking Einherjar started to walk off with Cole, down the golden marble-lined corridors of the place leaving him standing in Cole's chambers.

"Your orders?" Audunn stood wearily looking at the Einherjar who were otherwise quiet.

Now finally standing and recomposed of his earlier humiliation, Audunn tried to enquire as to Cole's destination, considering he was told to deliver him here, to his room. "Where are you taking him?" He felt partially responsible.

"We do not answer to you Audunn, the king's order still stands." Gustav motioned his men to move, whilst his senior officer stood in to reprimand the Royal Aide who saw fit to question their orders.

"But?" He tried to enquire as he closed the doors to Cole's room, trying his best to keep up.

An older Einherji stood and turned to face Audunn, He didn't mince his words. "Time passes too quickly there, so the sooner you retrieve the last two the sooner you can go back to your royal duties to Asgard. The counsel still awaits your report."

Audunn simply nodded at the senior Einherji guard and walked off in the opposite direction. He had been warned how quickly time would pass so time was of the essence, it was a literal race against time to get there before the next day could pass.

* * *

 **A few hours later in Ninjago 20th September 18:30**

The next person on his list was Zane.

The scroll was intricate, written in a moveable gold font. The name of; Zane Julien immediately made him think of a strong sounding name. One that would hopefully be afforded to someone who would be a good warrior.

According to the scroll, he was staying in a different abode as had been noted by Heimdall. The gatekeeper had been quick to mention it to him before he left the Realm Eternal. Not that Heimdall thought him vulnerable at being left to roam an otherwise unknown peaceful realm but because he still had tasks to do in Asgard upon his return.

Zane was 'hiding out' at Lloyd's request in Lloyd's own homestead. The place being left to him in the last will and testament of his mother and father, Misako and Sensei Garmadon, respectively.

It was a safe haven, for want of a better word where the imposter 'the fake Jay' wouldn't be able to find them.

Audunn knocked on the large green door, and stood back as was respectfully done so as not to offend, he didn't want a repeat of what had happened earlier.

"Good evening, Zane I believe?" He asked partially, he looked back at his scroll nervously just to check that this was the right person.

"I must admit it was difficult to find you considering this is not your normal abode." He looked around himself, it was so completely different to the other homes he had seen, large but a single story, not unlike his own; save for the addition of jade tiles signifying a dragon scaled wall which perfectly accentuated the homely compound.

"It is also fairly dark here, is it normal?"

Zane hadn't spoken, he was still taking in the strange mannerisms that this relative stranger was exhibiting.

He shuffled his robes and smiled apologetically. "Forgive my intrusion, Heimdall was quick to tell. Thus, avoiding me walking needlessly across the vast realm you call home."

"It is a little late for socialising!" Zane was quick to state.

"Indeed though, this is not socialising as such and awfully dark, wouldn't you agree?"

Zane almost recognised the pleading words, even if not expressly stated it was evident in the man's words that he was not a fan of the darkness for some reason.

"It is _nightfall_ , it is meant to be dark at 18:30:41 on the 20th day of September." He stood back and discreetly scanned the unknown man, the first revealing nothing spectacular.

He blinked and his eyes lit up again, "who are you and why have you come here?" Zane queried, cautiously aware that it could be Amora in disguise.

"May I enter? It would be better if I could discuss this with you within the safety of your own home." He said with a smile that was genuine yet laced with apprehension as before.

"Of course." He opened the door wider to allow him free passage, scanning him as he passed just to rule out the 'fake Jay.'

He offered to take the robes but Audunn refused and chose to be shown the way in. "Who are you again?"

"Forgive me, I am the King's Royal aide, my name is Audunn and I have travelled from Asgard to request your service in a battle of strength against the dark elves." He placed his robes carefully on the hook, turning slowly to face the metallic man, who stood there emotionless.

Zane was motioning him to the front room to sit. "How many elves exactly?" He was curious to know, he knew his team were not invincible. "And will weapons and armour be provided?"

Audunn sat down but leaned forward, preferring not to become too accustomed to the comfort afforded by the titanium warrior. "Elves, I am unsure of that, but yes you will be furnished with new functional armour and weapons suitable for their atmosphere and style of fighting."

"Do you accept?"

He had never really been asked like this, even during the tournament of elements he was taken against his will and he was fairly sure his brothers had no say in the choice of who they fought. "What are the battle terms?"

"You uphold the great and noble status of Asgard, thus preventing the nine realms from collapsing into darkness and caliginosity."

He almost regretted asking, for it seemed like quite a big thing to be asked to fight for such a noble and aged kingdom, surely the Einherjar should have been far better suited to fight than his brothers would.

"Simply, if you win then you can come back here and retire, if you lose the battle you will die regardless in this hidden realm or on their home realm."

Zane was staring at nothing, processing the words and checking for a pattern, he was fairly sure he wouldn't die, maybe lose power and shut down, his brothers however. "Retire, as in becoming defunct, cast aside?"

"Indeed, in a way, so as you see if you do not fight you will die in due course and it may be dishonourable." He took a drink. "Folkvangr, Valhalla or Hel, dependent on how well you fight and if you choose wisely. Alas, if you fight and prove yourselves worthy you will have a realm to return to and for as long as you wish."

" _Your acceptance?_ " He asked again verging on insistence.

"I, I have never been offered the opportunity of becoming defunct, retired from service." His eyes now focused on the man who had introduced himself as Audunn. "I was created to help those who cannot..."

"I understand this Zane, it would only be so if you wanted it." He placed his hand on Zane's metallic forearm. "Your answer would be?"

Zane was largely unsure but he knew they had been strengthened by the same one who had requested this of them. "It is a risky endeavour as we have had no time to study their fighting style." He stood quickly and turned to face the man.

"Forgive me, I cannot calculate enemies we have never met, our chances would be?"

He looked up at the strange metal man, feeling some sympathy for the conscious entity known as Zane. "Your chances would be improved tenfold the sooner you agree and accompany me to Asgard."

"And then?" Zane inquired as he filled a glass jug and brought forth three tumblers.

"Once safely in Asgard, we can begin to train you with the same ancient fighting styles as used by the elves." He shifted on the sofa, trying to maintain a level of eye contact which didn't involve staring into the iris-less eyes.

" **Valhalla forbid** , we would _never_ send you without providing such relevant details of their own battle strategies."

Again, he looked Zane in his bright blue eyes. "Are you accepting of the terms?"

He nodded slowly with apprehension. He had no reason to believe this man was lying, everything uttered had been the truth. "Yes, I will accept, however, I cannot accept for Lloyd. Although, if you will, the terms do seem to be free of any loopholes and it is extremely likely that Lloyd will agree too if those are the terms," Zane replied answering for himself and the master of energy, who at that point wasn't even in the house.

Audunn smiled, a sense of relief washed over him. This was so much better, this was how it should have been with Cole.

"Who else have you asked?" Zane inquired, passing Audunn a tumbler.

"Other than yourself? Only one other, the black warrior, Cole."

Zane was lucky that his face was unreadable. "And he said, yes?" He asked with a raised brow, he knew Cole could be hard to persuade in his current relaxed state of mind.

"He was reluctant to cooperate and really quite abrupt," Audunn stated in a semi-flustered tone, biting his tongue to avoid speaking ill of someone who wasn't here to defend them self.

"But, he is in Asgard now awaiting your arrival." The royal aide put the glass down after trying the odd tasting liquid. "I had to subdue him."

"You managed to subdue him, how?" Zane asked, startled. Considering he knew how fast and strong the master of earth was. He had no idea how strong regular Asgardians were.

"I am embarrassed to admit I retaliated with the same level of violence he showed me. He hit first and I last, but my hit was quick and he fell. I hand wrote a small scroll for the female occupant of the house expressing my remorse at destroying the front of her homestead."

"Oh so that was how it happened, Seliel had phoned here a few hours ago. But that would explain it perfectly, he refused to come and you subdued him."

"Aye, that was how it was done, I am sorry for I never need to raise my fists in my line of work, I tend to leave that to the warriors of Asgard. A Royal aide has no place on the battlefield."

A few minutes had passed and Zane was speaking to Audunn like he had known him for years. He was asking about the Realm Eternal, about Norse myth. He had been away for so long and he was beginning to miss it and the mystery that surrounded it.

Audunn didn't really have any answers to that which he saw everyday, he had never really spent any time away from his duties or his king to take in much except for the private matters of the royal family.

He just sipped the water that had been poured and took a bite of the prepared sushi rolls. "Most hospitable guests, I should mention this to the King for he will be most pleased."

A subtle click of the front door notified Zane that Lloyd had just arrived back. As soon as the green ninja walked in Zane could see in the mirrored reflection that the master of energy was happy and excited, a hint of nervousness too.

He hadn't even made it into the front room before he shouted from the hallway.

"Skylor's gone into labour, Kai's just gone to meet her." He stated with a grin, before placing his keys down.

"She's planning on a home birth with minimal pain relief, just gas and air."

"Is that not risky considering their location?" Zane questioned, typically thinking of all other risks involved with homebirth.

"No Zane, her pregnancy has been fairly straightforward. Baby is healthy, plus her doula is on en route," Lloyd mumbled something incoherently. "Hippy…..nonsense….flower..…lotus birthing..."

"Kai said he was helping her into the bath and he'd got her some mild pain relief." He said clearly when he finally walked into the room.

He paused momentarily but stood firm. His eyes were now staring at the black haired man who was sitting on the large green sofa. "H-he looked like he was panicking when he called me…..uhm." He faltered slightly and looked back at Zane for some reassurance.

"Lloyd!" Zane acknowledged and stood quickly as soon as his brother had entered the room. Noting his puzzled expression he was quick to introduce the imposing looking figure.

He looked awkward for a moment giving the impression to Lloyd that he had just interrupted a deep meaningful conversation. "This is a Royal aide from Asgard, his name is Audunn." He smiled and motioned to the seated man.

Audunn typically rose immediately and offered his ungloved hand as an offer of peace. "My pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lloyd."

"Uh, okay and uhm likewise." He replied trying to be polite yet only half meaning it.

Zane seemed honoured to be hosting such nobility. He had even furnished the robed man with refreshments. "He has a request to ask of us." He stated in a proud voice with a smile beaming across his metallic face.

Lloyd released himself of his over garments, placing his heavy trench coat on the chair. Followed by his blades, he stowed them in the ottoman in front of the sofa. "I feel like I missed the summary on this, care to explain again?"

He sat next to Zane and quickly grabbed the jug of water, pouring himself and three other tumblers full, offering one to each of the seated party. "Sorry for disrupting, cliff notes version?"

Zane repeated word for word what had already been said and Lloyd slowly nodded in comprehension.

"A battle of strength against the dark elves," Zane repeated and Audunn nodded.

"So the gist is this; in a few days from now, we get new weapons and armour and a chance to retire when this is all done, right?"

Both Audunn and Zane nodded. "There is really no more to add, that is all there is to know and yes, if successful, retirement from Asgard with full benefits of course."

Lloyd smiled at that. "Full benefits, which includes what exactly?"

"If you were to die, here or there, you would be guaranteed a lengthy afterlife. You would be sent to Valhalla to join the ranks of Einherjar."

"Well, I'm really not planning on dying anytime soon so uhm, thanks, I guess!" He suddenly shifted in his seat. "Can I ask a question that's not related to this battle?"

Audunn turned to face him, "Please." He reached across and took a smoked salmon covered rice cake. "I can assist with any issues pertaining to Asgard."

"How come we look so different to everyone else? I mean not that anyone notices, well, other than us." Lloyd grew flustered until Zane placed his hand atop of his brother's.

"I believe he is asking why we seem to change aspect when here, in a sense we blend in, when on Earth and in Asgard?"

Audunn frowned but quickly recomposed himself. "Hmm," He took a deep breath.

"You remember the blue cube?"

Both nodded in remembrance of it. It was still safe in the Bounty which was at present, dry-docked in a secure compound.

"Well, the tesseract is an infinity stone. It allows the user to travel across the multiverse. It was the first part of inter-dimensional travel. Alas, one too powerful for Thanos to keep."

"So, during the cold ages, a war erupted and the infinity stone was lost to the Titan. His greed was never ending until Galactus defeated him. The stones were all lost, cast out into the abyss, some call it the sanctuary or the primordial void, we call it Ginnungagap."

"Wow, I think I'll just go with the primordial void," Lloyd mumbled.

Audunn gave a small imperceptible grin, "As I was saying, the previous King Bor found the cube and locked it away in the treasure vaults along with the gauntlet that housed it and three others."

His partial explanation was confusing them further. It was evident from their expressions. He took a deep breath and sighed in frustration, "It is seidr, magic or a glam!"

"Seidr?" Both asked together, even Zane didn't recognise the word, it wasn't in his data banks.

Both still shook their heads, although Zane was putting two and two together trying to work this out for himself.

"Elven magic! When you all travelled using the tesseract, you used an infinity stone meant for the titans and gods of Old, **_the creators_**. In effect, you changed yourselves by using something that should never have come into your possession."

"So it's a form of elven magic that allows us to blend in and no one notices that we're so different?"

"Precisely! That is far easier to explain than the intricacies and finer workings of the cube. Forsooth, _that_ would require a trip to the oldest library in the multiverse."

He had pushed the empty plate away from himself and placed his glass down. "Are you ready to depart? Time is not really on our side."

Lloyd and Zane looked at each other in puzzled shock but waited for Audunn to rise and join them.

"You are both in acceptance of this fight? I admit it will not be easy, but Heimdall has complete faith in all of you."

"We don't really have a choice in saying no, so let's just bite the bullet and get this over and done with, and pray for the best," Lloyd replied and motioned for everyone to leave the house so he could set the alarm.

"Can I ask another question?" He asked as he carried on writing.

"Of course."

"Why aren't the Einherjar doing this?" Lloyd took a quick glance at Zane, knowing him to be thinking the same thing.

"We have been fighting the elves for many millennia, simply we know too much of their moves as they do ours. The losses would be too great on either side and as we are always preparing for Ragnarok, we need all the Einherjar that we can get."

"Oh, okay then. That sort of answers my question, I guess. So, we're just a different style of fighting that they haven't encountered before?"

"Indeed, diverse yet well practised not unlike our own warriors or theirs, your skills are different and that gives you all an edge."

A quick note was penned to his cleaner that he would need it cleaning every week until he was due back. Camille would be too busy to keep this place tidy, she worked too hard as it was.

Zane watched Lloyd as he wrote a small note to his cleaner.

"Excuse me, what time scale exactly is the elven race similar to?"

"In the sense of this realm?" Audunn replied looking at Zane.

"One day equates to one week, as is in Asgard."

Lloyd grumbled to himself and grabbed a further sheet of paper. "Ugh fine, gahh she's gonna be so upset at me for this." He began to write an additional note for his fiancé. It would be an apology of sorts for he knew he would be away for potentially eight or nine weeks, give or take any injuries that would need healing in Asgard and the relevant training beforehand.

"You can make it up to her, I am sure she will understand Lloyd." Zane soothed and then thought of an idea.

"Perhaps you can leave your communicator here for her to use and I will take mine. At least that way we can keep in contact with Kai and of course Camille."

A small grin came to his face and he wrinkled his nose, why hadn't he thought of that. "Ooh good idea Zane, as always."

He fished around in his top most pouch and his fingers grazed a smooth metal device. "So I'll just leave it here." He said and removed his device.

It was still warm, having been in such close proximity for the best part of almost two years.

He was so used to keeping it with him, only having to recharge it on occasion. He had never left the house without it ever since Jay had been taken. Never taken it from his person, he always had it with him and now he was leaving it.

He placed it carefully on top of the note with a kiss and locked the door behind him taking one last deep breath in of the homely scent that he lovingly shared with the woman he loved before walking away with Zane and the odd looking Royal aide.

They walked into the meadow that stood behind the house, a large expanse of wet grassland with no trees nearby that could be burnt by the power of the Bifrost.

This time the robed man looked happy, he had been invited in and offered refreshment. They had spent some time talking about their past experiences, as a team.

Audunn felt a huge sense of pity for them, even Cole. He watched and observed them as they held tightly onto each other, watching in awe at the power of the beam that pulled them up and away from their home. He hoped that they would be successful, that those bonds would be strengthened and that they could return home safely and retire from the servitude of Odin before death could claim them.

These warriors were still so young, barely in their prime yet they were being sent to battle a force of dark elves, and only a slight chance of success over failure.

If they failed, all that would await them would be a warrior's final resting place. They would be welcomed into Valhalla with open arms, but it would never end, they would be trained in the arts of fighting each other until the end of the worlds.

They would be mindless warriors of Odin's army, not caring about dying because they had let go of their former lives. He shook that thought from his mind, they needed to be successful, Asgard depended on them.

He allowed both young warriors free passage as soon as they had been greeted by Heimdall.

A hovering long boat awaited them by the side of the rune covered rainbow bridge, two Einherjar were on board, greeting them with open arms.

"The banquet hall is still open, you are welcome to join the guards for a light dinner?"

Gustav chuckled at his comrades' humour. "We gathered that following your journey, you may be in need of sustenance. There's plenty to go around!"

"How did you know we'd be hungry?" Lloyd questioned, feeling like Gustav had read his mind.

"The Bifrost takes a large amount of metaphysical energy to sustain both from the runes and from the traveller, this is why mere mortals should never use it, their body would not survive the journey."

* * *

Audunn turned around before he left, "What of the red warrior Heimdall, you see him, do you not?"

Heimdall smiled, "I see him, he is with his wife. He supports her as an attentive husband would do. She is birthing their son.

"She is coping with the process?"

"Aye, the child will be born within the hour. The 21st looks to be a promising day for him."

He stared momentarily at the stars again before turning back to look at Audunn. "Time passes quickly, mere hours there are minutes and seconds here."

He smiled and sighed in contentment as he saw the eyes of another child born.

The eyes flaming brightly as they emerged, one person, becoming two in the blink of an eye. The miracle of birth, one that he had watched, enthralled at the creation of a new element.

 _'A child born of fire and amber, a Firestone, no less.'_

Heimdall thought more on it, this child would be at risk, as would the father if Lord Surt ever came back to power. For now, they would be safe, if they remained there and hidden.

"He is a new element, one born of both fire and amber. He will be safer if he stays away, his father too."

He watched as male hands grasped at the slippery bundle, cutting the cord that kept them as one before passing his newborn son to his heavily flushed and tired wife.

"A strong baby, 7lbs! Quite a light weight in comparison to Asgardian infants. This little male has a head of brown hair, like his father, I am certain he will be a strong warrior too."

"A _name_ for the heir?" Audunn enquired.

"None yet, _that_ is still to be decided for there is too much conflict as to an appropriate name for the little one."

"He remains nameless?"

"It is not such a huge issue to be nameless for a few days. One should allow them to be grateful for the miracle of birth."

"When my son was born his name had already been chosen…" He remarked coldly.

"An Asgardian in comparison takes many years to birth and breach. That alone gives enough time to choose well."

"Most peculiar, this realm, is it not?"

"Just different. The name will be revealed in due course, for now...they all rest in a sanctuary; safe from harm."

"What possible harm could befall them in this small realm?" He had wondered, genuinely surprised that this inferior realm would even be capable of such large scale conflict.

"The newly emerging rules and statutes of the land, they call it government, or democracy." Heimdall motioned to the stars. "Their only danger."

Audunn could not see what he was pointing at.

"She likes the name Phoenix, he likes the name, Blaise. They are already bickering. Such is life!"

"The Prince has returned, Audunn" Heimdall spoke quietly, changing the subject.

"He rests in his chambers, the enchantress tricked him, he was lucky to survive Tyr's sword."

Audunn fliched at the mention of the sword, "When did he arrive?"

"The hour previous, in Gladsheim." He added with a grim expression "He is in poor health."

"Gladsheim?" His eyes had widened in alarm, "in that case, he was lucky to keep his head."

"Indeed, he has been assigned his own Royal aide, Dagr will take any message for him."

Audunn nodded, "I'll be sure to pass on the happy news to the Palace and his own retainers and Dagr shall be informed to wait for the prince to wake before he provides updates, though I am sure he will be most pleased."

"Indeed, pass on my good wishes Audunn, and well done with your task."

* * *

 **Back into the real time for the next chapter. Thanks to all my new reviewers too and my new followers...**

 **I hate using my phone to edit, it keeps replacing words...and my laptop keeps adding duplicate sentences.**

 **sorry for the confusion and the errors.**


	71. So lets do this thing

Cole shifted uncomfortably in his sleep. The dreams that had plagued him up until that point had been largely nightmares, filled with monsters and things he had never feared before. For a moment Cole caught a glimpse of himself as he was being tortured and then turned female.

It was the last scene that woke him.

The image of Loki doing unspeakable things to him as a female. A fly on the wall type of dream. He could see what the God was doing, but he was unable to stop it or lash out in defence. Tossing and turning, eventually, his thrashing around had startled him to wakefulness. The dream had been nothing but a fear-inducing nightmare, which he wasn't entirely sure where the contents of such had started or originated from.

The visions, they felt so real, yet he knew they couldn't be. It was bizarre and so typically dream like that he fobbed off the idea of it being real. The way Loki had treated him in the nightmare, almost made Cole feel like there was some bitter resentment between all of the ninja. He wasn't even sure where _that_ snippet could have come from.

He abruptly sat up in his bed and rubbed his face with both hands. Typically, and instantaneously wincing, when he brushed over a healing contusion on his nose. It was still too dark to really make anything out in his room, but he had a distinct feeling that he wasn't alone.

The dream had left such a lingering feeling of panic and unease that just to save face, he felt that he needed to check himself. Tentatively, he stroked his chest, breathing a huge sigh of relief when he felt the taut muscle of his toned pectorals. Staring further down, his morning glory was enough to see that he was indeed as male as he could be. He hoped to God that this wasn't a sign of the dream that he'd just experienced, otherwise he'd need some serious counselling at how he found the whole idea oddly stimulating.

 _'No, it was just a nightmare...not real, just a nightmare. Just this place and Loki_ messing _with my head.'_

His tired hazel eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness and the small but useful gap in the drapes allowed him to see more clearly. Squinting carefully and cupping his ear, he could just make out the sounds of inhalation. Craning his neck to his right, his eyes settled on a dark shadow lying peacefully next to him. Although this person had their back to him, he could tell by their silhouette that it was of the female variety.

It was more than a little unsettling to wake up with an unknown woman, even more so when he was in an otherwise alien realm. If it wasn't for the myth and advanced magic of Asgard, Cole could have thought that waking up from a terrifying nightmare to be faced with being billions of miles from home would just seem like an additional unending nightmare. The type of dream that you thought you woke up from, when in fact you were still sleeping.

Cole shuddered, thankful that his mind was still intact. He pinched himself just to check he was in the land of the living, rather than at the whim of the sandman's bidding and about to suffer.

He hissed at the small pinch, the pain alone gave small relief. But it was enough at least. He looked around again.

There was the smallest amount of light peeking through the thick silk-curtained drapes and a warming breeze that wafted through the same swath of black silk. The breeze alone gave a reminder of the home that he shared with Seliel, the only thing that was missing was her and of course, the sounds of the waves as they crashed onto the shoreline. But oddly enough, there was no sound outside, no relaxing breaking waves hitting the sand and no cool breeze filtering through the naked trees.

Even for Asgard and its proximity to Valhalla, there was no clashing of swords upon shield or loud yelling of the multitude of 'once dead' warriors, not that he was expecting that at this ungodly hour.

"Urgh, what happened to me?" He mumbled quietly.

He took a glance at his watch, but the hands were going far too fast for him to make sense of so he begrudgingly took it off before placing it on his nightstand. Fumbling around in the dark was more troublesome than he realised. He had to shift across to his left and eventually his hand found something solid to place the watch on.

Cole had figured that as long as he was here, he likely wouldn't need the timepiece. Instead, he would use his own internal clock to guide him. And right now, his gut told him it was breakfast, well maybe breakfast, it could have been lunchtime, but it was still dark.

The troubling thought that plagued him again was that he couldn't remember how he got to be here, in this room. He recognised it immediately. It was his old room in the Royal Palace of Asgard. The room he had been initially reluctant to leave because of the fun he had while being here previously.

He had missed it and wasn't even sure that he'd wanted to go back to Ninjago, to begin with, but since he had no choice in that matter, he accepted the orders and did it, leaving the room as it was when he found it.

When he got back home and moved in with Seliel, he loosely based the décor of his man cave on this room. That too was dark with velveteen covered upholstery yet with soft, smooth lines everywhere else.

He had wondered what had transpired over the hours previous. Most of it was a blur. He definitely remembered the Royal aide being quite abrupt. _'Just appearing on his doorstep and not backing away like he owned the place….asshole!'_

Of course, that resulted in a whole heap of shit that he Knew Seliel would be pissed about.

 ** _"Oh shit!"_**

Eyes widening in alarm, he remembered Seliel, he hadn't even left her a note.

From what he could vaguely remember, the door was wide open when he had left, it wasn't purposeful either. He bit the inside of his cheek, yes, he could remember pushing the man out of his house and then everything went black until he was here with none other than….Loki.

" _Loki_." He mumbled under his breath. The female shifted uncomfortably at the mention of _his_ name. Cole thought that maybe before he had been truly evil, the God of mischief had made a name for himself.

"Why Loki though, what happened _after_ that?" All he could remember, other than the Royal aide was being woken abruptly, soon after.

Waking up by way of a having a bucket of icy water thrown over him was sure to leave a lingering memory to remain. That treatment was wholly uncalled for, and he still didn't know what happened after that.

"What the?" He looked to his right side. Some guilt on his face as a female draped her arm over his chest. He saw that she was barely clothed, neither were naked at least. He gulped and extricated himself from her grasp before slipping off the large four poster bed.

Not sure if he had dreamt it or not but he had a strange feeling that he had been visited a few hours previous, and whoever had visited him had then healed him with a supply of stones. He could've sworn he dreamt of seeing Jay too.

The master of earth looked around his bed chambers and grabbed his cherished black bed throw wrapping it around himself as a comforter. Not caring all that much that the female had no covers at all.

He took the opportunity to peek out of his room using the balcony. Staring out across the vast realm that was Asgard with bleary eyes, he looked out over the balcony and onto the rune crafted rainbow bridge. It stretched as far as his eyes could see. Easily over a mile in length so it was no wonder it took so long to travel it on foot.

It was actually bright outside, much to his relief. He could see some action in the stables. A few Einherji were prepping the palace horses for some event. Their uniformed attire made Cole think that whatever event they were going to attend was likely to be something formal.

A shifting noise briefly caught his attention. "Come back to bed…" The unknown female mumbled at him.

Looking back at her in confusion, Cole couldn't remember how she got to be in his bed, and he certainly didn't know her name. "I can't, I think I've gotta be somewhere."

"Where could you possibly need to be at this hour?" She mumbled in a sultry tone.

"Breakfast?" Cole said hopefully. He was standing looking at her from the corner of his eyes. The darkened drapes opened slightly, it was enough to provide some light to his dark room.

"I believe the food is yet to be served in the great hall." She spoke clearly, but it was evident she was still fighting to stay awake.

Standing away from the balcony in haste, he turned to face her form. He noted that she wasn't at all bothered that she had no covers on. The only available cover was wrapped around his already clothed body. He quickly thought of another reason, this one was a partial truth. It was after all the reason for his being here. "Something about training for a battle, I think….sorry."

He smiled at her apologetically, "It's a bit sketchy, I don't think I caught all the details." He said it mostly to himself, his jaw tightened at the thought of Loki's sneering face. He was fairly sure that Loki had something to do with how messed up his head was and the reason he was having difficulty with remembering certain events.

His mood had soured somewhat. "Not that I need training. Since when did I need to be trained to wield a fucking sword?" It was almost said like he was giving himself an angry pep talk.

"Sorry, didn't mean to shout." He finally mumbled and ran a hand through his messed up bed hair.

Turning his back on her, he walked off. He needed a shower, he felt dirty for some reason.

The shower room was a sight for sore eyes, it had been almost six months since he'd laid a foot in this shower room. It was just how he'd left it, although it had been cleaned at regular intervals, everything was still gleaming. New soaps and decanted ointments had been left by the apothecary.

He didn't waste any time. Turning the taps on quickly and angling the jets of water, then grabbing at the various ointments, reading them briefly before choosing the ones he required. The bathroom looked like it was meant for royalty, it wasn't far from the truth. He was a guest after all, in the Palace of Asgard. This was the oldest realm in the universe, belonging to the oldest royal family in existence.

A few minutes was all it took to refresh himself. Cole took no time in drying and instead was more than eager to try on his new uniform. Pulling the elaborate tunic and overcoats on first, he hurriedly dressed in the rest of his clothes but winced at the ache he soon felt. As soon as he picked up the armoured pieces he placed them immediately, admiring them as he placed each upon his body. The new working armour he was to train and fight in made his old gi look useless and flimsy compared to this work of art.

Catching her gaze in the mirror, he sought some necessary information. Something that would at least help to adjust his out of sync circadian rhythm.

"Do you know what the time is?" He asked, although slightly embarrassed at having to do so.

"Time is mostly insignificant here." She said quickly.

He nodded in agreement at that for it certainly was insignificant. Cole winced a little upon movement. The majority of his pain was at his side, and yet there were no physical open wounds. Lifting the multitude of layers, he stared in the mirror. He could only see ugly bruises marring his right and left flank.

Cole knew what it felt like, it was similar to having been run through by a blade of sorts, but there was nothing there. His face looked bad too, a few bruises and a black eye that stood out and the slowly healing wound on the bridge of his nose.

"It is early morn, so likely breakfast will be served within the hour. At least, until the King and his palace guards have feasted." She mumbled and began to dress.

"The palace guards eat just as heartily as Volstagg does." She said it with a hint of disgust, her nose crinkling as she spoke.

When he placed his new chest plate, he smiled at the feel of it. He appreciated the workmanship that had gone into each piece of additional armour.

He noticed she was smiling at him. "What?" He grinned at her.

"You think it looks okay?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and a cheeky smirk.

It fit his body perfectly and allowed for expert and precision movement, providing a level of flexibility that he wasn't expecting from such medieval looking clothing.

"It looks much different to what the Einherji wear, seems much more modern, don't you think?" She sat on the end of his bed but didn't approach the black haired warrior as he stood admiring himself.

"It does look different." He replied quietly but still looked around trying to find any weapons to finish the overall look. "Modern yet Samurai in style."

"It needs to be different, you are not of this realm." She replied.

A shuffle nearest the door got her attention first. "You have company, I shall leave you now." She whispered as she raised her hood and got up to answer the door.

Cole noticed that she had incredibly long black hair, she was quite curvy too. Oddly, she didn't look like the typical female nobility that this realm seemed to boast about. She wore armour plating, her chest plate was silver and her skirt which didn't completely cover her thighs was of the red leather variety.

The Einherji guard walked right on in without an invite. "Lady Sif." He mumbled quietly, lowering his head as the dark haired female warrior walked past with a sly grin.

"I'll see you later Cole." She flashed him a small smile and watched as the master of earth blushed. "I'll be helping you train."

He gulped and swallowed hard. 'So she is a warrior, a female fighter for Asgard?'

Luckily Cole was dressed and not too put out by the sudden appearance of someone who didn't look as attractive as the previous person he had been staring at wistfully.

"First we eat then we can begin to train you in the art of elven fighting yes?"

Cole was snapped out of his thoughts, and he nodded, without actually listening. "Yeah sure."

He only caught the first part that spiked his interest. 'Food'…food was good, in fact food was great. The only thing he was actually looking forward to was the food in this place.

Damn, he'd missed the food here. Even Seliel couldn't match the taste of Asgardian feasts.

"Uhm, is Jay here yet?" The last time he saw Jay was literally a few days ago, back in Ninjago. At least he _thought_ it was Jay.

It was a memorable night as they both ended up in a nightclub, only being kicked out at 3 am when they had both been hauled out by the scruff of their necks by the security.

The sole palace Einherji raised an eyebrow. "The _Prince_ is here." He corrected gently.

"But he has a prior engagement to attend today." He coughed, and the other Einherjar could be heard convening outside Cole's room.

"He'll be too busy to train today." The Einherji walked around Cole and admired the uniform. "Much too busy to train." He repeated but quietly.

"Really, why?" Cole asked.

The Einherji was busy tightening the armour pieces. He didn't look down into Cole's eyes.

"No, the King would not expect the prince to train as he is still recovering from his malaise." The palace Einherji added gently.

 _'_ _Whoa, what?'_

Once the palace guard had finished with the relevant buckles, securing the empty sheaths, he motioned Cole to leave the room before pulling the doors closed. " _You_ have a busy couple of days, it pays to be ready for what lies ahead."

He was still nervous about the mention of Jay being ill, the elder man had teased him with that without elaborating further. Cole knew he'd have to dig more to get any sort of information about Jay.

"Me alone?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

The palace guard eventually looked up and met Cole's worried gaze. "No not alone, you and your team." He corrected.

"I apologise for the confusion. One would never survive the week with _them_ , a group with your combined skills, however…" The elder guard thought to himself, a small grin appeared on his wrinkly face.

"Now that would be a whole different outcome. You see, the dark elves have never met any with diverse moves such as those that you and your troop wield." He started to look up into Cole's hazel eyes.

 _'_ _Diverse hey, I can cope with that. I guess it is kinda different and maybe a tad modern compared to these guys.'_

His face watching, observing the master of earth for his reaction. "My name is Kiällar."

 _'_ _Strange name!'_

"Kiällar?" Cole repeated slowly, saying it exactly as the elder had just done so. He tentatively offered his hand and the elder shook it, gripping it tightly in his firm wrinkly hand.

"I realise it sounds strange compared to the shortened versions you all seem to use, Cole Son."

"It's just, Cole…" He muttered. Then realised that was how Jay had been lumbered with Jay son as his name, Cole stifled a chuckle and bit his lip to avoid openly laughing at what could be seen as nothing.

The dull ache in his hand somewhat subdued his smile as the old guard continued to shake his proffered hand.

Cole didn't wince at the strength he could feel, he didn't say a word. He was still mesmerised at the power of this old man. He had to keep reminding himself that this guard in front of him had likely died many centuries ago but because of the magic of this place, he still maintained a physical body. And that body, although ancient and old, was still as strong as a young man in the prime of his life.

He nodded, his smile now aimed at Cole. "Indeed, Cole, so sending you and your troop would be a more reliable way of fighting, rather than sending a troop of Odin's army who have fought for many centuries."

"I guess…" Cole shrugged, relieved at the fact his hand wasn't broken with the firm handshake he just received.

Another guard chimed in from the hallway. "There is no guessing in war or battle. It should be a finely tuned machine. Guessing leads to potential catastrophe, thus leading to bloodshed and surrender."

"Einherji never surrender," Kiällar stated quietly. "Do not worry yourself needlessly, you will not be fighting alone. The prince will be joining you, although he will not train _with_ you."

"Phew, you had me worried there for a minute." Cole laughed nervously. His right hand shot up to brush through his hair. "Wait you said he was too ill to train, so how can he come with us?"

Kiällar was unsure how to answer this. "He will heal quickly."

* * *

He was being accompanied to the banquet hall by a few familiar Einherjar and was told in no uncertain terms to 'eat until he was full'.

There was some concern, news that related to Jay. Cole wasn't happy with vague, he needed more than that, he wanted details.

"Is Jay alright? I mean, is it just a bug? Or is it something contagious?" He queried. Trying his hardest to make some sort of small talk with the oldish looking guard at the back of the large group.

Kiällar was leading the troop of twenty men at the front with another elder guard who wore more formal attire.

The master of earth watched as Gustav appeared to go off with over half of the assembled troop. Cole noticed ten of them in total, and they all seemed to be wearing full armour and gold cloaks.

They were dressed completely different to the guards who chose to remain, that was, specifically the guard troop that Cole was walking with. The guards in his troop had all removed their helmets, the weapons were sheathed at their sides, and their shields were secured to each of their backs.

Frustratingly for Cole, the old palace guard he was walking next to wasn't overly talkative. He pulled no punches, at least verbally. The palace guard literally said what needed to be said and no more.

The way the guard spoke or in this case 'didn't speak' was making Cole grow suspicious of his vague and unnecessary silence. He thought it was a tactic, the guard apparently didn't want to divulge more than was needed.

Of course, he wasn't expecting what the guard said next.

"I am not so sure of a _'bug'_." He said without even looking at Cole.

His voice was strained but hoarse. It was a haunting voice not soothing in the slightest. Cole figured that was probably why this guard didn't speak much.

The master of earth could have face palmed at the immediate answer given but realised it may have looked out of place and odd. A warrior from another realm hitting himself on purpose would have raised a few noticeable eyebrows. The last thing he wanted was more focus on him, especially after what happened with an altered version of Jay at the inn and more importantly, whatever had happened last evening that he had no recollection of.

Cole soon realised that this guard was likely to take anything he said seriously. He didn't understand the simple turns of phrase that were used all the time on Ninjago, or even on earth. This dude was _old school_ , and archaic at that. "No I didn't mean a _literal bug_ , I meant like a cold or something feverish." He shook his head discreetly.

"I am fairly sure it was not that which nearly bested the prince, Asgardians do not suffer illnesses such as those. So he would never be exposed to that which you speak of…" He replied while checking his nails for cleanliness.

Cole thought this guards' voice reminded him of a broken accordion, thick with a distinct wheeze, raspy and unnatural. "So not a cold then?"

The guard narrowed his eyes, "No, rather what bested him was Tyr's rune sword." He came straight out with it like it was a known fact that everyone knew of.

Technically everybody in Asgard did. Amora was wanted for immediate execution because of it.

If the master of earth had been eating or drinking, he would have likely choked on that nugget of information.

"Tyr, as in the God of War, he stabbed Jay?" His voice seemed to climb a few octaves higher, his eyes had widened fearfully.

The guard again nodded to confirm. "The very same, it was thrust into the prince's back as he stood in Gladsheim, came right out the other side too."

There was no smile, the guard visibly shuddered. Cole almost did the same.

Again, he had not expected that reply because it almost knocked the breath out of him. Cole was repelled at the thought of it, it almost reminded him of being back on earth and hearing what Kai had done prior to handing Jay over to HYDRA.

"Why, did he do it?" He asked the guard next to him. Cole's face was nonplussed, he was completely unsure how to handle this turn of events.

"A mistake, an error of judgement. He looked nothing how we remembered him." The guard looked down, sombre.

Cole was doing well to hide his newfound nerves. He placed his hands within his robes to cover up the trembling feeling. "What? An error of judgement and he was stabbed, how's that even possible?" He hissed quietly yet he was seemingly surprised at his loudness when a few palace guards turned to reprimand him for being too loud.

The guard looked at Cole in annoyance at his loud outburst. He placed his own finger in front of his mouth to indicate a quiet tone should be afforded in the palace. "She broke him, he almost bled to death in her care." The palace guard answered quietly and truthfully, his expression was grim.

Cole's expression was just displaying shock. "What?, Whose care are we talking about here?"

He received no response just a small shake of the head from the elder palace guard.

"He's okay though right?" Now he was panicked at hearing of this new set of events relating to Jay, what female though? What was so important that they could not mention her name and when exactly had this happened?

"Of course." He replied.

Cole noted there was some annoyance in the answer _. 'But you can't elaborate, right? Because I'm not important enough to know about him anymore am I?'_

"Our healers are the _best_ that the nine realms have to offer, Asgard only has the most superior."

They had reached the hall quickly. The sounds could be heard easily but the smells were the first thing he noticed, and the doors were still closed solid.

"So why can't you divulge more about what happened to him? You realise we all lived together right, I know him better than all of you combined." Cole added with a smug grin.

The guard, unperturbed simply replied, "He is a royal and as such his retainers will divulge that information if and when the king allows it."

"Okay fine, I'll just ask him myself then…" Cole trailed off.

Starting their small climb up the spiral staircase to the main floor where everything took place. Cole was aware that he was approaching Jay's royal chambers "So err, he's getting better then?"

He frowned at the fully armed guards outside Jay's room as they slowed down their march as a sign of respect. He listened in as best he could, and he could hear Jay's voice coming from within. His brother's voice sounded slightly nervous, very annoyed and somehow Jay seemed lost and utterly defeated.

The guards had paused outside the royal chambers and Cole could hear the conversation as clear as day. He was unsure of the holdup but assumed correctly that some of the guards were being assigned a new task.

He could hear Loki's voice, it was taunting in nature.

"It's freshly tapped blood from the boar, Saehrimnir. The daily resurrecting beast that all Einherji eat…"

"Yes, before the beast is killed and roasted, he is tapped, just for you! Indeed, the ancient art of bloodletting, at its finest." Cole could hear Loki stifle a mean chuckle. "Perhaps prudent had you just sucked the beast dry, direct from the source."

Jay was silent, that alone was unsettling for Cole.

"You have a task today." Cole recognised the voice as Loki's again, it was clear and sharp.

He discreetly cupped his ear to hear further. "Training?" Was Jay's hopeful suggestion.

"One wouldn't want you living vicariously would we?"

"What do you mean?"

"Vicariously," Loki repeated slowly

"Uh, no, not really…wh-what are you saying, exactly?"

He heard Jay's almost broken voice and his face dropped a little.

Loki laughed sardonically at Jay's expense.

Cole could hear it and the sound of his maniacal laugh made his neck hairs stand on end. _'_ _Damn you Loki.'_

It felt wrong to be listening in to the semi-private conversation. He was sure that the Einherjar had switched off to the personal conversations that came from within.

 _'_ _Come on Jay, stay strong, he's just riling you.'_

This was uncomfortable for Cole. He was glad to hear Jay's voice, but he hated that his brother was stuck here.

Cole didn't have enough time to listen in anymore as the door opened to reveal a royal aide and a long-haired female who had just left Jay's room. She seemed to have some colour to her excessively fair cheeks like she'd been in there a while, the royal aide seemed to be flustered too.

Again the Royal aide spoke to the lead Einherji. It looked like he was passing on a small message of sorts. Cole listened in again and grew nervous at the tone that Loki was using. He was cold and sneering.

The troop began to move again, and Cole cast a final fleeting glance at Jay's chambers before rounding the corner on their approach to the banquet hall.

He had almost forgotten about his previous conversation with the older guard at his side.

The old guard leant in towards Cole, to resume his paused conversation. "The prince is well rested and is offered the same as afforded to the Einherjar. He is given the blood of the boar, the daily resurrecting beast we know as Saehrimnir."

Cole shivered slightly at the sound of that. Luckily he had a strong stomach. "Gross," He screwed his face up. "Why does he need blood after being stabbed?"

The thought of being given blood in any form, at least orally, was a horrid idea.

"Saehrimnir becomes whatever the Einherji requires, in the prince's case, it becomes a life-giving substitute for his own essence, one that is sadly lacking."

Cole was heavily frowning. "But Jay's not an Einherji warrior."

"He's an elemental master, just like me." He was smiling brightly as he said it. A small shrug of his shoulders, he was unsure why the elder palace Einherji was casting him a strange look.

The senior guard looked at him in confusion but refrained from saying any more. He thought it strange that this warrior and his own brethren would not know that the prince was one of the fallen. A fallen warrior who had given his life in battle, yet afforded with exceptional detail because he was not of Midgard as all ten thousand Einherjar were.

According to Loki 'in his Odin disguise', _this_ Einherji was special, it was the sole reason he was furnished with a royal title.

Loki, as Odin, had mentioned to Tyr that 'Jay was one of a kind and he needed protection'. So when Jay wasn't gallivanting around with his own small troop, he was at the right-hand side of the disguised God as he played Odin All-father to everyone else.

That was it now, since the prince had returned Odin had been specific in his orders. Jay was not allowed to venture out alone.

Together and in the same realm, they would be stronger. But apart separated by force or otherwise they would both be in danger.

That was what Loki said, before this morning and before Cole had admitted something that only he and Jay knew of. Yet in the blink of an eye, Loki had turned cold against Jay, now it was all a test and punishment was on the cards. The likes of which, were yet to be set.

The double doors were opened and Cole was led through and seated where he pleased. "We are here." The palace guard said with a smile, allowing Cole to pass by.

He didn't need telling twice, but he was awestruck at the sheer quantity of food before him.

"Please." He offered and pointed at the various tables of food. "Help yourself."

Cole could see mountains of food, it was like an 'all you could eat Asgardian buffet', and, as yet, there were very few guards in here with him. "Wow, so much choice."

That fact alone meant that he had a free run without having to fight for the best cut of protein rich meats or the best Danish pastries.

The older guard looked at him, Cole was otherwise preoccupied with the sheer amount of food on show. "You need sustenance, so when you have had your fill, please meet outside in the arena."

"Sure, so uh, no timescale then?"

The older guard looked askance. "Obviously we do not expect you to be eating _all_ day. Orn will be waiting for you in the Arena once you have acquainted yourself with adequate food."

The guard relaxed his imposing stance a little, remembering why these particular warriors were here in the first instance. "The sooner we train, the sooner you can rest for the great feast later."

He didn't need telling twice, and he had no complaints to eating and getting his fill either.

Literally, after a few bites of the good stuff, he felt great, like he was full of energy and well rested. The only niggle was the small ache each time he stretched out. And he only stretched out to make more room for the pastries because cakes were not usually a breakfast item.

Cole was saddened to hear that _pancakes_ were not a 'thing' in Asgard. He got some raised eyebrows when he mentioned the word pan and cake in the same sentence. The maids thought it an odd concoction but said no more.

"Someone really needs to introduce these people to pancakes. Seriously you guys don't know what you're missing." He mumbled quietly to himself with a mouthful of food.

He was completely unaware of a green and titanium duo approaching in the distance, both with plates laden with plentiful amounts of food.


	72. The Widow Maker

Everything was more than satisfactory with his overtly extravagant solitary breakfast. Each bite he took was savoured and then followed through with an audible pleasured groan of appreciation. Then, it was further washed down with some freshly squeezed apple juice, luckily these weren't Idun's golden apples.

"Mmm, so good."

He was happily sitting alone, wondering why he was here until a few voices caught his attention. Turning his head slowly, his mood perked up considerably when he noticed both green and titanium ninja making their slow swagger towards his seated form.

A huge grin suddenly came across his face and his eyes lit up. "No way!" He whispered half to himself while subconsciously pushing another piece of cinnamon spiced pastry into his mouth.

They were both smiling too, a relief. Seemingly, they were equally as excited to see Cole as he was to see them.

He was still stuffing his face silly with freshly cooked pastries, washing them down with juice when they had got to his side. Swallowing a little too quickly, he cleared his throat. "Ahem, hey guys glad you could make it."

Cole seemed enthusiastic when he stood. He grabbed his waist before throwing both arms around his titanium and green brothers. "You been here long?" He asked and let each loose from their tight embrace.

Both green and titanium ninja shook their heads rapidly.

The response was quiet, Lloyd didn't want additional attention thrown his way in this place. He'd had enough of that back in Ninjago. "Last night…we were invited to eat at the late feast."

Cole frowned at that, no small wonder that he'd been hungry when he had woken.

" _Oh_ , I must have missed that memo!" He shrugged nonchalantly, it was an obvious attempt to hide his disappointment at missing out on a feast fit for a King.

Lloyd had wanted to speak first about the matter at hand but it was evident by his mildly shocked expression that he was now more concerned with the master of earth and the hideous state of his brothers bruised face. "Cole, whoa…WHAT?" The master of energy did a double take when he saw his brother's face up close.

"Uh uhm, wh-what happened to you? Your face, it…it looks terrible." He questioned, removing a small phial he always carried on his person since being strengthened by a God.

"What is that stuff?" Cole changed the subject. He was eyeing the fluid suspiciously as he took his seat again.

Lloyd smirked and looked up at Zane briefly, "Just a liquid-based mixture with witch hazel, arnica and healing stones. It works really well."

He carefully applied it to Cole's nose, eyebrow and knuckles. "My Mom had always gone on about herbalist remedies. Even Wu supported those same theories, it was one of the reasons that they bought Steeped Wisdom."

"Tea is an antioxidant, beneficial for many bodily parts." Zane helpfully supplied.

"Yes, I remember, even after the time twins. Misako was adamant that Wu drink the reviving tea, even if to prolong his rapidly ageing life."

"Good memory Zane, but we found that if you used some of the healing stones with some herbal remedies, it works even better."

"How the Hel did you find that out? You get a guinea pig or something?"

The blonde master shook his head at Cole, "No, nothing like that just trial and error." He shrugged and bit back the reply that was bubbling in his head at how Cole had done that exact thing with Jay when he openly tested his strength by poisoning him.

"Nya spared a few of her own and Zane helped me to work out the correct quantities. Besides, we all carried arnica and witch hazel when we got hurt, those two alone are excellent astringents according to Zane."

"Indeed," Zane nodded from his seated position, "astringents are perfectly acceptable for the contraction of skin cells following tissue damage."

Lloyd pocketed the small phial and looked back at the master of earth before taking the seat to his right. "Could make a fortune if it was released for general sale though, just saying." He chuckled and Cole could tell it was in jest.

"So you going to tell me what happened to you?" He asked bluntly, giving him the opportunity to speak freely. "The truth?"

Lloyd had been advised of the time and the fact that they were due to train, so began eating in earnest. Small morsels in quick succession because he didn't want to choke before the training session they were all due to attend.

"I-I uhm don't remember actually. Wait, no Nya or Kai where are they?"

"No, answer me first _what_ happened to you?" He had moved even closer, sitting sideways on the long wooden bench, getting as close as he could to Cole. Another morsel was quickly shoved into his mouth as he listened in to the master of earth attempt to explain his apparent injuries.

Cole was quick to snap. "I said I don't remember, I woke up like this." The reply was somewhat harsh in response and Lloyd frowned.

He believed Audunn when the royal aide had said he only hit the once in retaliation. Lloyd even understood how the door could have broken in the ensuing kerfuffle. Audunn had mentioned that Cole had landed on it, back first. Only his ego was bruised, no bones had been broken when Audunn had hit in frustration.

Yet, now Cole had what appeared to be a broken nose, amongst other things. Lloyd could tell that he was comfort eating too. It was the strangest behaviour, he'd not seen it all that much except for when they'd all been about to wander off into battle.

Lloyd had come to learn that comfort eating soothed Cole's nerves effectively. Playing on the games console soothed Jay and Lloyd's nerves and punching the crap out of a mannequin seemed to soothe Kai's.

"Sorry Lloyd…" Cole replied, he looked down in more ways than one.

"What's wrong, what happened?" Lloyd questioned and motioned Zane to sit closer, on the other end of Cole.

Taking a deep breath, he recomposed himself again. "Yesterday was a blur, I just remember being at home and relaxing then seeing a weirdly dressed guy show up who wouldn't take no for an answer and then…..then waking up here."

"Asshole, who the fuck did he think he was..."

He purposefully skimmed the rest, how else was he supposed to explain his dreams to his two brothers without sounding like he had a problem.

"Cole, please...calm down." Zane whispered and placed his warm metal hand atop Cole's. A gesture of friendship and brotherly bonds.

Lloyd suddenly looked sheepish, like he knew more than he was letting on. At the same time, he also felt that something else had happened and Cole was hiding it.

Lloyd couldn't help but feel a little worried. Audunn mentioned that he only hit the once but yet Cole had fair few other injuries that were synonymous with being in a fist fight. The type of fisticuffs that looked like he had lost.

He cleared his throat and pulled Cole to a nearby furnished bench, away from prying ears. Zane had quickly joined them.

"Oh well, uh Audunn called at your place first. He said he did, and mentioned something about you not coming easily." His eyebrow rose, waiting for a hint of anything from Cole.

The master of earth shifted slightly in his seat.

Lloyd snickered, "he seemed annoyed when he mentioned your name, Cole. 'Flustered' is what Zane had called it. Anyway, we got talking. Invited him in and offered him a drink and some food and we kinda got to know him a little better."

"From what _I_ remember, _he was an asshole_ …." Cole grumbled as he picked another pastry.

"Aww Cole, he's actually a really pleasant person. He's a bit opulent and grandiose but he's still got feelings and concerns. He cares for this place, just like we care for our home."

Cole shook his head, his tongue stuck into his cheek, jutting it out in annoyance. "I'm guessing he just left the house _as is_?"

Lloyd sensing the tension and unease knew where this conversation was headed. "He said, when he brought you back, that the house was damaged 'a little'. We didn't have any time to repair it ourselves…."

" **WHAT SO YOU JUST LEFT IT LIKE IT?** _Broken and wide open?"_ Cole spat, cutting Lloyd off mid-sentence.

" **COLE?** " Lloyd hissed, looking around himself warily. He wanted to slap some sense into his brother but thought better of it as the hall seemed to have more guards approaching the breakfast tables.

Besides the fact, Cole's outburst had just made a few Einherjar snap their heads around at the possibility of a fight erupting. An event that so often happened in this enclosed space when food and wine were involved, breakfast was no different, Mead was available on tap, twenty-four hours a day because the Einherjar didn't need a reason to celebrate.

" **What?** " He snapped.

"Just listen to yourself, _calm down_." He shifted uncomfortably under Cole's angry glare. "Please."

"Look, as I was saying, when he told us what had happened, Zane called Sellie to let her know of the damage that had been caused by an unknown assailant."

"We could not really state that an alien had simply arrived and had decimated the front door," Zane muttered, "So we decided on a more realistic excuse."

"Anyway, Cole, She left early and got back in time to see a new door and frame in place. Her dad had phoned a joiner and locksmith and they both got to work repairing the damage before she even got back."

"So, it's all sorted then? Nothing was stolen, everything was secure?"

"Yes, no and yes, her father sorted it. She said he was a bit annoyed at leaving the function early. But then she mumbled something about him being bored of the food on offer and they left to go back to his mayoral office in Nom."

"Seriously Cole, she was fine, the door was fine… _eventually_ , the house was fine, nothing was stolen. _Sellie_ was actually more concerned about _you_." He admonished, wondering why Cole was so concerned about the house rather than himself or his long term girlfriend.

Cole smiled, but it didn't seem genuine. "So where are Kai and Nya? Why aren't they here too? We're a team remember…"

"Nya's safe, she still undercover, he doesn't suspect a thing and her disguise is solid." He gently squeezed Cole's forearm.

"Relax Cole, Ronin's done some pretty good digging around and made sure that her background info is legitimate. Nya couldn't be doing with any trails leading back to her or us, so she had him create fake profiles resumes, credit details, drivers licences that sorta stuff. It cost a fair amount, but you know how he works. Nothing is for free…"

Lloyd looked annoyed with the fact that he'd personally had to pay the rogue before he would even make sure that Nya was safe. And that was before she had even agreed to go ahead with this whole risky endeavour.

He took a deep breath in and this time a huge beaming smile took place of his previous nervous expression. "Haa, well in relation to Kai, I kinda got a phone call a few hours ago before we got here actually. Skylor's gone into labour, Kai was heading home to be with her and Nya was en-route to give support if needed."

"This thing would be better if we were all at full strength ya know, just for once I'd like to go into battle with a full team."

"He's otherwise unavailable. Call it paternity leave, I guess." Lloyd shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh so fire baby is on the way then, cool," Cole said rubbing his hair sheepishly.

"Well, that is if it isn't here already, you know how fast time goes up here right?"

"You mean down there?" Zane interjected. "We have been here for one night already. You do not realise that in itself equates to 84 hours that have passed since our journey here. That calculates to it now being the 23rd, no actually…."

He paused and his eyes flickered quickly in what Cole assumed to be milliseconds ticking by "Wait….for it…now it is the 24th of September."

He had almost forgotten that Zane was sitting with them. "Th-thanks Zane." He patted him on the shoulder before leaning into Cole's ear. "Hey uh, have you seen Jay yet?"

Cole shook his head, he dreamt of seeing him if that counted. "No, not for a few hours, we went out the day before I got here."

Lloyd leant across to Zane and whispered so quietly that even Cole couldn't hear. His frown was certainly apparent. "He still doesn't know about Jay….."

"He will in due course, we cannot keep this from him." He whispered in response and proceeded to taste his own plate of food. Memorising the ingredients he consumed into his memory banks. "Interesting mixtures, I take it you are enjoying your breakfast, Cole." He said clearly.

Cole didn't respond verbally, he couldn't without the possibility of spitting a large amount of food over Lloyd so he nodded in response.

A few young Einherji had approached and one of them chose to sit closest to Lloyd. It was obvious they were trying to start a conversation or perhaps trying to listen in to the one that had already spoken out loud. Lloyd recognised a few of the warriors and wasn't uncomfortable with the additional men now gathering around them as they ate, if anything, it helped to settle his nerves.

"Will you be training with us today?" He said, his voice was quiet and timid. "We'll be leaving shortly, a breakfast on the run as it were."

Lloyd turned to face him and Cole sat still and looked past his blonde brother at the guard who looked barely over the age of seventeen. "I guess so. I mean, we've not been told anything yet."

"Are you well trained in your arts?" The young one asked quickly.

Lloyd was nearly lost for words, he cleared his throat. "Uhm, well, I've not really been asked like that before."

Zane interjected and the young guard did a double take at the shiny faced creature who stood before him. "I believe what my inarticulate brother is trying to say is that yes we are learned in our arts, which, as you may have heard, are diverse in style."

"Are they a modern form of fighting art?" The red haired guard asked, unperturbed by Zane's appearance once he realised he spoke, unlike the Destroyer who spoke only flame.

"I understand that we call it Martial Arts." Zane had sat down next to the red haired warrior who was enthralled by the talking metal man.

"Martial arts?" The young guard repeated.

"We say Martial Arts because it encompasses many forms of fighting technique, sword, hand to hand, staff, shuriken and various others. It is indeed, an ancient and noble art, a respected form of fighting from where we live, we practised it for many years before coming here."

The young elite warrior was about to ask a further question until he and a few of his troop were disturbed by a ruckus taking place outside the main hall.

"Who is that old dude?" Cole asked quietly enough so that only the youngest warrior could hear.

 _"_ _Dude?"_

Zane shook his head at Cole, he shuffled in closer to the young warrior who for some reason looked on edge. "You could call it a modernistic term for a male figure whom one defines as cool, sharp, a general all rounder."

The young Einherji was still none the wiser.

He smiled helpfully, offering an easier explanation. "It is largely slang, He wants to know who that man is with the golden cloak. The one directing the guards." He motioned across subtly.

"Oh, well in that case…" He smiled, knowing something that the others did not. "That is Tyr. Bor Buri Son's grandson. Odin All-father is _his_ father."

He took a drink and wasn't even looking at the man whom Zane and Cole were speaking of. Instead, the young Einherji stretched his long legs out and casually leant back against the long table. "He's the general commander of the Einherjar, Asgard's elite fighters."

Cole almost spat his drink out, some of it went down the wrong way and he gasped. **"Tyr? He's the God of War?"** He said none too quietly.

"Yes, sort of." The red haired Einherji replied, before taking a final drink, wiping his mouth in haste. "A shared title though, he isn't the only one."

All Cole got in return for his loud outburst was a painful jab from Lloyd and a hefty back slap from Zane. His nindroid brother correctly deduced that he may have aspirated some fruit juice. He was correct.

Cole red-faced, just mumbled in response, "Thanks…Z-Zane." He stuttered with a breathless whisper, "S-sorry."

"He is what you would term as the God of war because he is unmatched in battle. He's also the God of Glory and law and just happens to be the commander of Asgard's army." The young warrior stated as he bit into his now rushed breakfast. "Odin and Sif could be deemed as such."

A majority of varied individuals had turned around to stare at the mention of the Gods name, shortly followed by the sound of hushed whispers.

The master of earth was still staring wide eyed at the old looking man whose voice was booming across the banquet hall.

Tyr may have looked almost as old as Odin, but he had keen hearing and he was certainly aware that his name had been uttered in disbelief.

His face suddenly relaxing into a smile, "Looks kinda old though!" He mumbled the last part, aware that quite a few hushed whispers were still being thrown around.

"He is Odin's son." The red-haired warrior repeated again. "The _Firstborn?_ "

"Really?" Cole guffawed, his hand shot to his mouth. He was expecting a much younger God, one that suited his personal interpretation of what he had envisioned and one perhaps closer to the semblance of Thor.

"Uh huh, he turned down the choice to be king as well. So instead, Tyr had wanted greater glory and he chose to remain as the overall commander of the Einherjar." His smile was beaming as he told of his own commander.

"Wow, okay, I was kind of expecting ya know….younger?" He hoped to the Gods that the god _he had_ just mentioned wouldn't come over.

Lloyd and Zane overheard what Cole was mumbling about, Lloyd took the time to lean across and interrupt before Cole could embarrass himself further.

"Cole, you've been watching too much Earth tv haven't you?" Hercules and his uncle the God of War Aries?"

Cole blushed a little. "Well you can't blame me can you, I mean what else were we supposed to do for a week stuck on Shield's very own flying fortress?"

"The Heli-carrier was equipped with a multitude of pastimes, Cole. You chose not to socialise freely unlike myself and Lloyd, who took advantage of _all_ SHIELD had to offer."

"Yeah, thanks, Zane, couldn't really concentrate on lifting weights when Jay was still _incommunicado_."

Cole leant in to whisper to Lloyd, aware that the God was still in the same room. "Besides the tv was pretty good, if you could accept all the commercial breaks, it was worse than being at home but the sports channels were epic, the baking channels were to drool for." He snickered.

Lloyd had to smile at his brother's boyish admittance. He too had sampled the television, after a good sparring with Kai in the modern dojo. "Triskellion too, I swear they had more than 800 channels at SHIELD HQ."

"Heh, I was too busy at the Triskellion, ya know training with Captain uh…America and stuff."

Lloyd grinned and shook his head. "Sure you were." He followed through with a playful punch to Cole's upper arm. "Haa, Cole, you were mostly in the cafeteria waiting for the tray bake brownies and cakes."

"Was not!"

"Ya know, Some of the STRIKE guys said that SHIELD had the highest amount of single guys working for them. Kinda explains the adult channels too." Lloyd winked

He shrugged unapologetically, Lloyd knew him too well. "You're not funny Lloyd, and yeah, so what, I got confused. Those channels were pretty good compared to what our planet has to offer. And uhm, Greek Gods versus Norse Gods, it's an easy mistake to make for someone who isn't even from Earth."

"No excuses Cole, you got confused as to where the gym was so you stayed behind because the smell was too good and my lips are sealed about the adult channels." He teased again and imitated zipping his lips..

"He is right Cole, even I could deduce what cakes they were baking and you were nowhere to be found at training time. I, for one, cannot believe you are blaming the television and SHEILD for your addiction to all things sweet."

Cole blushed further when Zane joined in. "Hey enough of this, not my fault I have a sweet tooth."

* * *

The master of earth was still feeling slightly giddy at the fact that he was in the same room as an actual God of war and glory. Specifically, one that commandeered an entire army, that wasn't Hel-bent on revenge, unlike Loki. An actual mythical legend, a battle and war God. Someone who he could do with being mentored by.

It was one of those things that no-one would ever be able to say that they had accomplished, or would likely never even think about without delving into the fields of myth and legend. And yet here he was, in the same room as Tyr, the living breathing Aesirian God of War.

He hoped that the God, that he had none too subtlety mentioned, would just go about his duties. Cole was thinking that perhaps Tyr would be too busy to mingle with the likes of him and his brothers, although, to be fair Cole had no idea of what Gods actually did other than sit around and watch as mortal lives flashed before their Godly eyes.

He breathed a sigh of relief when the God turned to leave. "Phew, thank God…" He stared in bewildered shock as the God seemingly changed his mind and turned.

"…..Oh fuck, no way!" Cole mumbled and tidied himself up as best he could, making sure that all traces of icing and pastry crumbs had disappeared.

He stood abruptly when the God approached and looked down at his feet watching with relief as all the crumbs fell to the floor. To anyone else, it looked like he was standing to bow as was done when an important guest visited the table of seated individuals.

"Familiarity breeds contempt my Lord. These ones dress just as the Prince does." Orn, muttered into his elder officers ear.

"Nonsense, we have no reason to believe anything bad of these three." He replied just as quietly.

"Are these the rumoured warriors?"

Aye, Orn. That they are." He stopped in front of all three ninja. A metre away to give them all space to breathe and move. Tyr noticed that the dark-haired warrior had stood and had lowered his head, he knew exactly what he was doing as the crumbs hit the floor. It still didn't stop him from mercilessly teasing the young warrior.

"No need to bow, this is an informal meeting is it not?" A much older voice questioned. A voice that neither Cole, Lloyd or Zane had heard before.

Their stutter shocked expression made them glance up as they took in the grandiose God, who looked decidedly older than Thor and Loki combined.

"You know who _I_ am!" It wasn't a question, merely an observation that nearly the entire banquet hall had just heard.

"Cole here, already introduced me to the entire banquet hall didn't you dear boy?" He boasted loudly with a sincere heart-warming smile. "Although I accede, it seems I have been promoted, Sif will not be pleased."

Most of that contagious smile was hidden by a large bushy gray beard and moustache, yet the smallest hint of salt white teeth peeked through.

He raised an eyebrow at the tone afforded to him, Cole wasn't overly fond of the term of endearment used. He was no _'boy'_.

It was only when the war god had approached them, did Cole notice how similar Tyr looked in comparison to the disguised Odin. There were really only small differences that were apparent, noticeably, the fact that Tyr had two eyes unlike Odin, and of course, Odin had both hands, Tyr on the other hand (pun intended) only had one, the other had been bitten off and consumed by Fenris, Loki's son.

His eyes were suddenly drawn to the enchanted hand that was hidden within a red gold gauntlet.

"Sorry, my Lord," Cole mumbled. His blush was revealing his total and utter humiliating embarrassment to everyone nearby.

All Cole could focus on was how similar in attire Tyr looked to the Einherjar who surrounded him. The only differences, other than the gauntlet were his gold and silver armour and his long flowing gold cloak that graced the floor as he walked. It had a certain shimmer to it.

"Orn, it is so heartening to see such young faces before us, do you not agree?" Tyr looked down at the three warriors seated before him.

Orn gave a sly grin, there was no malice behind it but Cole felt unease radiating from the two men.

"Indeed, my Lord, such a pity to ruin such young handsome faces though. You think we can spare them the misery of the dark elves and their despicable ideals?"

"What say you, Cole?" He smiled and held a hand for the master of earth to take. "You want to practice with your new battlements in the arena?"

Cole almost let his mouth fall to the floor at the proffered gesture but he took it none the less. "Would I? O-of course, n-now?" He stumbled with his words. His cheeks had turned a shade of red as the firm handgrip pulled him up with ease.

"I believe, time is of the essence and that you have had your fill of all Asgard has to offer." Orn snorted with a snide chuckle.

"Care to join or do you require some milk from the breast dear boy?" Orn teased the green ninja, watching for any reaction that could prove beneficial on the battlefield, for him anyway.

Zane had placed his hand over Lloyds when he felt him flinch at the words spoken.

Lloyd didn't openly respond to the riling though, it was meant as a test of sorts. He knew he resembled a teenager yet he was anything but. He was older than Jay now by two whole years. Lloyd turned his head, cocking it to the side, "Sure, I'm always up for improving my already long list of fighting techniques, hey Zane? Cole?"

"Certainly." Zane agreed and stood, pulling Lloyd up with him.

"Damn straight." Cole finally found his courage and voice, despite being in the face of a war God and his retainer.

* * *

When he had just got to the arena with Lloyd, he could've sworn he saw Jay peering at him from the window. Cole thought that Jay looked incredibly worried for some reason, completely different to how he remembered him to be back at home.

His face dropped a little when he remembered walking past Jay's room a good ten minutes ago. Hearing Loki taunting him mercilessly, he could only assume that the God was still in there doing the exact thing.

Cole's stomach protested at the practised movements. His food had hardly gone down before he was accosted by the war god and invited to train. It wasn't healthy to fight on a full stomach, he already knew that. Visions of fighting for a jade blade sprang to mind.

And he swore he would never attempt spinjitzu or a duel on a full stomach, yet here he was…About to go up against a god of war, who would possibly have no weaknesses, inhuman stamina and impossible strength to boot.

At least on Chen's island, he could rest after he'd found the blade. Thus allowing his overfilled stomach to settle. But this, this could go on for hours if Tyr saw fit. Cole shuddered slightly, looking back up to Jay's balcony. The small smile that he could see had dropped, just as his expression and face had.

He finally turned to face his brothers. He was really struggling to hide his emotions.

"Ya know when the guard came and got me this morning, he mentioned something about Jay being ill." He just got it out there, mainly to see if his brothers could elaborate any further.

Lloyd frowned at this news. "Gustav didn't mention anything though when he came to get us, just that same bit of news about Kai's son." He loosely shrugged.

"Lloyd is correct. We heard no news of him. We did enquire as to his whereabouts, thinking that perhaps we would all be training together." Zane interjected as he practised with a new broadsword.

He tilted it and looked down the shaft, the handle had a small button within the overly decorative foil. He pointed the blade at the nearest target and pressed the button. "Impressive."

He muttered to himself, turning back to regard his brothers who seemed to be more interested in showing off. Their shows of bravado making the local Asgardian females giggle at their antics.

"I believe we are to train alone today." He said and tilted his head, thinking perhaps he should speak louder to gain his brother's attention again.

"By that, I mean Tyr will be joining us, but Jay will not. If what was mentioned still stands, it is unlikely he will be coming with us at all."

That had the desired effect, both Cole and Lloyd span their heads. Zane thought that the possibility of the three of them going off to fight a horde of dark elves could be deadly.

"We've done it before, one member down!" Cole stated unperturbed. "Mega Monster Amusement Park when Jay went on a date with Nya and we fought against the serpentine, to name the one that stands out in my mind."

"Yeah, there's loads of times we've had to do it with one team member missing." Lloyd suddenly piped up, his focus now on the task at hand.

"Then when we fought the Vermillion, can you remember those guys Lloyd?" Cole smirked. "Sort of snake-like right, well they were kinda loads of snakes in one samurai suit."

"Actually, Cole, we were two members short when we fought them at the same amusement park. Zane was out of sorts and Jay had gone off the grid."

"Yeah, you're right green machine, but, it was mentioned that even though Jay won't be training with us, he'll still be joining us."

"Even though he is ill?" Zane queried with a deepening frown. "That does not seem right at all."

"Yeah I know Zane, I asked that too. The guards seem blasé about it all, to be honest, Somethin about him being a fast healer whilst being here."

"We got this, Cole, what's the worst that could happen?" He half wished he hadn't said it out loud when a loud booming voice cut through his reverie.

"Ya know, I told Jay that he needed to stop saying that, I can't believe I'd have to tell you the same Lloyd….. _WHOA! What the fu?_ "

At once, and before the master of earth had a chance to react. A sword appeared in his peripheral and immediately parried with his own. The clanging metal alerted Lloyd and Zane of new opponents in their midst.

Cole fought valiantly and parried blow for blow with the new heavier sword. Noting that they were sparring with actual blades not training weapons as they did at home.

"The good thing about training here is the ability to learn from your mistakes and to anticipate the next move."

Tyr had grabbed Cole's sword arm mid-swing and tossed him into his brothers who were standing in a defensive stance. All three warriors tumbled to the ground roughly.

The master of earth had quickly righted himself and with a smirk and some boyish enthusiasm, he carried on.

Tyr again anticipated that Cole may choose to go for a high move and he was right. It left his bottom half completely vulnerable and Tyr, who had the stamina of a young adult, kicked the feet from underneath the black-clad warrior.

Lloyd was next, he took the opportunity to lunge for the God but Tyr bent under his clumsy manoeuvre. It was a harsh and humiliating move which sent Lloyd flying forwards as he tumbled unceremoniously to the ground, but it certainly made Tyr's, as yet, unvoiced reason clear.

A few more deft attacks from the three warriors and subsequent counter attacks and Tyr had successfully disarmed all his opponents. They were sitting on the floor looking upwards, now completely lost for words.

Tyr, picking up their fallen swords, he approached all three as they wearily got back to their feet. He paused and pointed the blade at Lloyd's chest, Cole tensed at the direct threat on the green ninja's life.

He was smiling at least, not even out of breath. "That did not go very well did it?" He asked, stabbing the sword into the sandy ground.


	73. Meet your makers

Cole and Lloyd had both given up in an attempt to stand. They were still sitting on the sandy arena floor. Now they were wiping sweat from their foreheads. They looked up dolefully when the God of war approached, looking like he was about to speak.

Having had their asses handed to them on a gilt plate wasn't something they ever relished. Cole had previously thought that losing, made them stronger. It had always meant that they could band together and work out their weaknesses as a team whilst seeking to find ways around their enemies fighting styles. A battle strategy of sorts that was beneficial to the once team leader. But now, it was making him feel bitter disappointment at the loss and all that it entailed, Lloyd felt the same. A crushing defeat and humiliation to boot.

Losing, in general, was always a hard lesson to learn, even harder to digest for the two young warriors. A small part of Cole's mind knew that it was going to happen here. Typically and unfortunately, it happened in front of a war God. But Tyr wasn't disappointed in the slightest, no one was perfect, except maybe him.

Besides, it was meant to be a learning curve. The only ones in their ninja team who knew how the Einherjar fought were Zane and Jay and that was only because both had either been taught or had spent a good few days researching wisdom and battle strategy.

" _That_ did not go very well, did it?" Tyr repeated. He wasn't boasting per se, it was just an observation to make the three understand what they were up against.

Zane took the opportunity and answered for his _out of breath_ brothers. "No, my Lord. It did not."

 _Surprisingly_ , Tyr held his hand out to Lloyd and helped him and Cole back to their feet. Both were nursing bruises as they recovered their weapons.

Orn was quick to explain what had happened, for fear of the warriors becoming disheartened. "He could see your plans before they were acted upon."

Tyr's retainer, Orn, looked at Cole who seemed to have narrowed his eyes at being bested by a much older man. He had a feeling what was running through the black-haired warriors' mind and it was along the lines of confusion and humiliation. He too had felt the same, many hundreds of years prior. "You think that this tactic is not fair, Cole?"

Cole thought that perhaps Orn was speaking with some experience, he was one of Try's retainers after all. And, although Cole had accepted and acknowledged the spoken truth, he felt a pang of self-doubt beginning to surface.

"It wasn't _really_ fair," Cole mumbled indignantly.

He spoke for his brothers, who were, at that moment, speechless as they sat back down on their haunches, still visibly out of breath except for Zane who patted Lloyd's back.

"Orn, s-sorry but the God has no weaknesses. He's too fast." He stated clearly. Evidently, another observation vocalised by Cole, although it came out as more of a complaint. Even if it was merely the facts of what he just saw and had painfully experienced.

To be fair, Cole was still astounded and also slightly dumbstruck that someone so old looking had the energy to take on all three and still remain standing. He thought the old fool would topple over at any given moment and then chastised himself for thinking it because this man had more musculature than their old Sensei. A snippet of sage advice swam into his memory

A snippet of sage advice swam into his memory from his past one on one training with Wu.

 _'_ _Cole, you must never judge your opponent based on their physique.'_

 _'_ _But Sensei, because of my physique, people know I'm stronger in body.'_

 _'_ _A façade must never be taken seriously for appearances can be deceiving. Think of your brothers, Cole.'_

 _'_ _My brothers, Sensei?'_

 _'_ _None of them share your attributes of the strongest member but all have their hidden strengths. Just because they lack these components does not make them weaker than you.'_

 _'_ _Hei, Sensei.'_

 _'_ _Knowing any opponents strengths and weaknesses will play you better than thinking you know how they will fight based solely on their appearance…'_

 _'_ _Hei, wise words Sensei. I must never judge…'_

* * *

 _'_ _So much for eating and drinking healthily!'_

His smirk soon dropped as he thought of Wu. He kept the emotion hidden, now was not the time to reminisce.

Tyr did not falter at Cole's words, his smile still remained despite the obvious resentment.

He knew that his own battle skills were legendary. None of the **Æ** sir nor Vanir could best him with a sword. Tyr was only a match for Thor on the battlefield and that was largely due to Thor's raw power, strength and stamina, even without Mjolnir, his mighty hammer by his side.

"Cole?" The god of war said clearly with a sincere voice. One that held reason and a calmness to it. "There _is_ no fair in war and you'll not face your exact other with the same skill on the battlefield."

"But we couldn't hit you because you were too fast." Lloyd finally stated, his green eyes looking up at the God of war. He quickly lowered his gaze again.

"What will be your excuse when the dark elves march on us?, That they're too bulky?" Tyr frowned.

"But the elves will be easier to hit, at least...we could just barely see your movements," Lloyd stated with a loose shrug of his shoulders. "How on earth are we supposed to hit you when your moves are so much faster than ours and our eyes?"

The God of war sighed, a humourless frown etched on his features. It wasn't very often that this particular God was frustrated with something. "Hmm, you see, if I wanted to hear complaining, the females would be brought out for me to listen to as they whined incessantly."

Orn chuckled breathlessly, standing there shaking his head slightly. "Aye, Lord. The women complain just as much."

Cole and Lloyd, now mildly embarrassed at the light chiding mostly forestalled any further complaints. Cole bit back the retort when Lloyd elbowed him gently.

Zane, however, was undeterred. "Then, forgive me but how are we meant to fight you effectively to the best of our abilities? Unless that is, you expect us to only use our practised _moves?"_

"Indeed," Tyr stated loudly with his back turned to all three warriors. " _Zane_ , is it?" He eventually answered the metal man who was nodding at his back.

He turned to face all three, "Practised moves, you say?" He grabbed three new bone steel broadswords from the weapons rack with a devilish smirk that was mostly hidden behind his bushy gray beard.

Tyr knew of the ancient and trusted swordsmith who had forged all three blades. All three had been freshly forged a few days previous for the battle that lay ahead.

" _Geir has outdone himself with these beauties."_ Orn uttered quietly as he took one blade from his elder before passing it to the master of earth, as a gift.

He held it gently, one upturned palm held the handle, the other hand carefully holding the double edged blade. "Please, these were only made for you and your clan. We have no need of this type of weapon in Asgard, but it will be beneficial for use against the elves."

Tyr unbuckled his golden cloak and placed it carefully, so as to avoid it snagging on the weapons. "Now, _practised moves_ would certainly be something we could work with, eh Orn, what say you?"

Both older men laughed to themselves a little before passing each new blade to their respectful owners.

"Really, so you want us to use our martial arts and spinjitzu to fight you with?" Cole asked in a state of shock, which he knew would soon turn to eager anticipation.

"By _Gjall's horn_ , I think that maybe we are making some progress with these young new recruits," Orn replied and held the final sword up, looking down the shaft before passing it to the blonde warrior.

The retainer, named Orn had stood back and joined Tyr's side. Between them, they observed and scrutinised the three warriors. Looking at each other with a smug grin.

Orn was the first to speak, once all three had been given their respective blades. "You did not come all this way to learn to fight like an Einherji, did you?" He questioned with a mocking face, a crooked smirk.

All three young ninja simultaneously shook their heads.

The God of war was quick to explain further. "Then show us your skillset and we shall endeavour to show you how the dark elves fight. This is, after all, why you are here. Is it not?"

Zane was still confused by this snippet, his CPU was still trying to figure out how they had lost repeatedly. Tyr's battle strategy seemed to overthrow his CPU's capacity for fast thinking. "I apologise, for our apparent confusion over what you expect of us. Were we at fault somehow?"

Orn had turned his back on the small group before picking his own sword to use. One that had slain many over the centuries, a real macabre one that had likely made a fair few widows in its time.

Cole took one look at it and swallowed. Again, he was surprised that the old man could wield such a blade. It was almost as big as the one that Heimdall used, except this one had a serrated edge on one side and the other was obscenely sharp. He dreaded to think about how painful that would feel, considering their katana only had the one cruelly sharpened edge.

He chuckled at Cole's reaction but didn't rise to it, instead he focused on what needed to be said. "Your fault herein lies in the fact that you think we want you to fight like our 10,000 strong Einherjar," Orn said with a wave of his broadsword.

"You don't?" Cole questioned with a frown.

"No," Tyr responded flatly. "Your Einherjar skills are _piss poor_."

"That maybe scathing but Tyr feels the need to admit the truth. He isn't one to dance around with words and untruths. That is more Bragge's thing." Orn admitted with an audible sigh, Tyr laughed at his humour but said no more of his kin.

"Okay." Lloyd cocked his head, "At least we know now." He was taken aback at the brutal honesty of Tyr's words but heeded the lesson afforded to them all.

Cole was mildly incensed with Tyr's criticisms, but due to feeling awed and inspired at being trained in the company of the God of war he refrained from snapping back. "What do you mean, _specifically?_ "

He straightened his stance and gently pulled Cole upwards towards him. It was only then that Tyr realised just how light and flexible these new warriors were in comparison to his own warriors and retainers.

"All of you are able fighters, _including_ the prince." He used his sword to point as he spoke. "Now the _prince_ is fast, but not fast enough for me and _All of you_ fail in that one skilled aspect. That one aspect alone is observation."

Zane wanted to say something in return, he was very observant and perceptive to his surroundings and yet he couldn't figure out how he had been beaten so easily. Perhaps, he thought, that he was not observant enough, at least according to these much older men.

"I did not best you because I'm a God, nor that I'm faster nor stronger. I did so _easily_ because I could see and calculate these _clumsy_ moves you so adhere to."

Orn finally spoke up again as he got into a battle stance with Lloyd. "Simply, he means that you all gave yourselves away with typical looks and gesturing, a dead giveaway, lethal on the battlefield."

Zane nodded in acceptance of this well-meant criticism. "Accepted…" He flicked his head unnaturally to the side. His lucid blue eyes reset momentarily before looking back up again. A new determined look now set in his expression as he got back into his attack stance. "It will not happen again."

Lloyd was secretly grateful for the battle pep talk, he wanted to know these things. He needed to be open for any and all ways to improve, so he listened intently. Now keeping his gaze on Orn as he thrust his own sword at the master of energy to check his defensive manoeuvres.

"Furthermore." Tyr admonished. "Every slight stance you show will give you away. A glance there or a side step here, it lets you down….you need to…focus!"

Orn winked at Tyr and raised his sword high before bringing it around in a lethal arc. He was swinging it rapidly at Lloyd, following through with a slice that would have been fatal, had Lloyd not been watching the trajectory.

Lloyd successfully blocked it with his own trained martial arts moves, although the move itself had knocked the wind out of him. He had both hands on the sword, something that took some getting used to but he had no choice as the blade was unfathomably heavy.

The satisfying clang of metal alerted him to the fact that he had parried with some ease against a vastly superior Einherjar officer. He looked to his brothers who were about to go up against the might of the Einherjar commander and felt a sense of pity for the both of them.

"If you attack me together as a team, you will best me, individually not so much unless you pay attention to the moves you exhibit. You see, it does well to know the opponent, now come at me again and coordinate those practised attacks." He motioned to Zane alone as another warrior stepped foot into the arena.

"Show me what you are all made of because I sure as Hel don't want mere younglings who are still clinging to their mother's breasts. Ones that are so young and vastly inexperienced, fighting for the sake of Asgard's seat of power."

"Agreed my Lord. The dark elves would condemn each realm to darkness. You all think yourselves worthy of this task?"

All three were moderately incensed but refused to speak out of turn. They simply nodded their heads in a nonverbal acceptance of what they were being asked of. Cole guessed it was pointless to mention that none of them had mothers. Two of the three had never known a female role model until Nya and Misako came along.

Again Lloyd used his skills to his advantage. He attacked his opponent with leg sweeps and a variety of katana style thrusts, holding the broadsword as he would if it were feather light and balanced like an oriental tanto.

Orn hadn't encountered leg sweeps before, he was certainly impressed and considerably nimble as he stepped over Lloyd's leg sweep. Had it been any other enemy on the battlefield, he would have been sorely tempted to stamp down hard. He'd done it before.

Hearing that satisfying crack was all worth it because it put many an enemy fighter out of commission, especially when he followed through with a thrust into the heart. Hel, it was ruthless but he was Einherjar and one afforded as Tyr's right-hand man at that.

Truth be told, he wasn't going to make this easy on a mere youngling and he knew that Tyr would be the same, once he got his chance to spar with Cole.

"Pay them no mind, Cole. They are only doing this to irk you." A female voice whispered into his ear.

Cole was smirking when he caught a glimpse of his new opponent. She was female. He naively thought that this would be an easy fight.

He had to bite down the immediate feelings. But he was struggling to understand how a female warrior was able to fight effectively with such scant attire. Even Nya wore more than this, all of her body was covered up. But this warrior was different, he could see that her battlements were extremely fitting to her form.

 _'_ _Too fitting, damnit…focus Cole.'_

All he could see was a vision in silver and red, with a head of long brown hair that was lazily tied out of her face, trailing down her back.

Black leggings and knee-high armoured boots. _'Damn'_

He continued to drag his eyes up her body slowly.

When he got to her thighs he swallowed deeply. _'Is there really any point in wearing a leather war kilt, Mmm, mm_.'

Further up, he paused without meaning to when he got to her chest. He could see the smallest hint of a figure hugging chain mail top that she wore under her elaborate chest plating, it was high enough up so that he couldn't see her bosom. He bit his lip in a sense glad for the fact that he couldn't see anything. It might just cause him to lose more focus than he already had.

 _'_ _Odd, you weren't wearing that much this morning!'_

"Enjoying the view?" She asked with a sly grin. "Or are you ready to duel now?"

"Bring it on, you ready to see the thunder?"

"Oh, I have seen that many a time. That line though, it doesn't suit you." She pulled her sword from its sheath and flicked her wrist.

Cole's eyes widened when he saw what she'd just done. He recognised the weapon straight away. It was the exact same one Loki had tried to impale Jay with during the battle royale on Loki's wedding night.

"No fair and uh, Not from me you haven't." He smirked and tested the suppleness of the ground. He could feel solid elements underfoot, geodes mostly but even that would be enough to use in his defence if he needed to.

She struck first, her moves exceptionally fast. He had to duck a few times when she followed through with the other end of her spear.

He pushed her clear of him and carefully regained his footing without taking his eyes off her. Both blades now poised to her one spear and ornate shield.

"No fair, where's our shields?"

"They would never allow such shields in Svartalfheim."

"How would you know? How many have you fought exactly?" He thrust forward and missed on purpose.

"I have encountered many and slain much more. Far more than you could even contemplate." She easily dodged his strike and grabbed his weapon by the hilt, spinning him around in the process before pinning him under her knee. She held his blade around his neck but surrendered it when his hands shot up in defence.

 _'_ _God she smells good, focus dammit….what is wrong with me?'_

"Hang on, " He muttered so only she could hear him. "Why were you in my bed this morning?" he retrieved his sword from her.

"I was astounded by your strength and fortitude."

"That doesn't answer my question." He said as he swung his sword around in a wide arc. She ducked down and thrust her shorter blade towards his chest plate.

He twisted slightly and the blade skimmed over it, the only sound was metal on metal. Secretly he was thankful for the chest plate, otherwise, that would have hurt.

"You were at the inn. The Einherji, Gustav brought you. I think the blonde guard was a little out of sorts at seeing you so ill. He thought it best to give you some strong beverages, to perk you up a little."

"And then?" Cole asked. Performing a leg sweep, which had the intended consequence as Sif fell on her back with Cole pinning her arms and legs.

"Then I helped you back to your room. Truth's be told, I was too tired to venture back to my own realm for the night."

"Really, you sure it wasn't something else?" He quizzed with raised eyebrows.

She shrugged her shoulders. "You speak in your sleep, you tell quite the tale of brotherly love." She wasn't going to be held down for long.

A simple twist of her upper body and Cole was sitting on his backside, staring up at her.

"Reminded me of a certain someone. Alas, I fell asleep in your quarters."

"We didn't do anything did we?" Cole asked unabashedly.

"Do not flatter yourself, Cole, I am not of that ilk. One simply took pity on your handsome face and felt the need to protect you from further harm." Her tone now somewhat belittling.

Cole span into his spinjitzu tornado and wiped the smug grin off her face when she fell due to the strength of his element. When he stopped his spinning momentum, Sif was laying backwards on the floor with her hands up in surrender as Cole poised the blade at her throat. "No hard feelings eh?"

"None at all, but, I attest, I am going easy on you. Tyr will not be as forgiving." She took the offered hand and watched as Cole struggled in vain to pull her upright.

He was smiling at her, a smug grin at having bested her, despite the fact that she thought herself better than most, save for Thor, Fandral and Hogunn.

Just as suddenly as he had assisted her to stand, he felt a firm hand grasp his shoulder. Cole didn't need to turn to know who it would be. The voice alone made him shudder, just as it had in the feast hall.

"My Lady Sif, a change of opponent perhaps?" His voice boomed.

The female warrior bowed her head respectfully and relinquished her weapon. She chose her spear again. Readying to fight the blonde warrior who was just as intriguing as Cole had been. "You fight well, for a mortal. A good skill set you have."

 ** _'Yes, I accede with Lady Sif, you do indeed fight well Cole...'_** The voice came from nowhere. It felt like it came from his own head yet the well-spoken accent didn't belong to Cole's subconscience.

He looked around himself with a growing sense of unease. Nothing pertaining to Loki was nearby, he couldn't explain the voice he had heard.

Cole was quick to chuckle at her honesty but at the same time, he bristled at the subject matter. He could have sworn that Loki had mentioned something about consuming the aged and preserved golden apples that had been craftily given to them whilst they were planning and attempting the first rescue.

That stupid rescue that was the fault of two...Loki first and foremost and Kai for giving Jay up.

 _'Loki!'_ Cole's expression dropped. His blood ran cold. The God had lied to all of them in a mad ploy to get them to do his bidding. He had made them all believe that they were immortal when in actual fact they could have died in trying to get Jay out of HYDRA's grasp.

 ** _'Do not take my name in vain...'_**

He shuddered and shook his head. Getting into his defensive stance, Cole motioned for Tyr to come at him. He wanted to break the ice a little. See if the God he was facing knew as much of Loki as he did. "Did you teach Loki to fight like this?"

He avoided the majority of godly powered parries and thrusts. Only a few had made contact. Luckily his armour had bore the brunt.

"No, it was not I. He never favoured my style of mentoring. His elder brother, however..." Tyr actually smiled.

"My half brother, Thor, I trained him well. He is the only one who can fight on par."

Cole ducked low, working out his next move without giving it away. "So who trained the God of mischief?" He was curious now.

Tyr stopped briefly. He was in attack mode, evidently holding back for fear of destroying the man in his midst. "Algrim trained Loki...before he turned."

Cole's eyebrows knitted together. "Loki or Algrim?" It was a genuine question, he assumed that Tyr was talking about Loki.

"Algrim," He confirmed. "Before Malekith took it upon himself to destroy any allegiance to Bor, thereby declaring war on Asgard in the process."

Tyr motioned Cole to start the fight. "Loki never fought like a true warrior. That deceitful snipe always chose to use seidr as his main weapon."

In a flash of white light, Cole had somehow found himself under Tyr's foot. It was like he couldn't move under the weight of it no matter how much he struggled.

"Not that it should be an aforementioned important matter but the fact still stands... Loki was never one of the Aesir." Tyr's voice and persona had taken a darker side. "He's nothing more than frost giant spawn. He never belonged here, it was a small mercy that he chose to sacrifice himself rather than face the wrath of his actions in front of Odin and myself."

The blade pierced Cole's upper arm and he staggered backwards out of reach of the Gods swinging arm. Tyr was in a world of his own. Oblivious to the blood now trailing off the tip of his rune sword.

"Wasn't Loki your half brother too?" Cole questioned. His stance defensive, both hands now gracing the handle of his broadsword.

"That _spawn_ was no brother of mine!" He spoke only the truth, his gaze drawn to his glowing sword. "You've met him, haven't you?"

Cole recoiled slightly, Tyr was a whole other shade of nasty towards Loki. "My Lord, I-I didn't mean to pry."

He thought that apologising would divert the topic away from its current course of potential dangerous truths. Cole had no idea of the rune sword that Tyr carried, other than the fact that his wound was incredibly painful. More so than a regular sword wound. "What is that blades purpose, exactly?" He hissed and collapsed to his knees, relinquishing his sword to avoid the God finishing him off.

"My apologies, the sword of justice. A truth sword similar to Eir-Gram. It inflicts pain to those who withhold the truth." He offered a healing stone but rather than looking down at Cole his eyes remained intensely staring at the blade.

His piercing eyes scowling down at Cole once more. "You have met the fallen one, have you not?"

Cole now struggling to breathe, he looked at the God before him. He was about to verbalise a lie and the pain increased tenfold in his arm. The blood flowing again freely.

 **'Tis but a sword of truth and justice, he only wants the truth. Yet only the weakest of minds will yield to the pain.'**

He shuddered and looked at Tyr, "I have, we all have. Only a few months ago."

The pain vanished as if it had never existed. But now, the God was angry, he wasn't the only God either...Loki was furious.

"Orn," he shouted none too quietly, "It is imperative that we leave the arena now."

His retainer quickly stilled his movements against Zane. "My Lord?"

"News has come to light that requires urgent action to be taken."

"The warriors and their training, my Lord?"

"Orn, you will accompany me as always. We require a full convened meeting with the high one in Gladsheim."

He resheathed his blade. Didn't even look at the pale shocked expression on Cole's face. "Send a message to Heimdall to expect Aesir and Vanir."

A Skiff had pulled into view, the flying long boats that they used all of the time in Asgard. It reminded Cole of his home, a fleeting sense of feeling homesick. Cole and Lloyd watched as both elders boarded the boat with ease, it was helmed by an Einherjar wearing full armour. Yet there was no steering wheel, just an ornate smooth golden column that was being touched gently by the Einherji as the boat lifted easily and almost silently from the dusty sand strew floor of the arena.

Cole thought that Tyr had no idea that Heimdall knew that Loki was still successful heading the throne of Asgard. He hoped that his accidental truth would be swept under the carpet because the last thing he needed now was Loki.

The tiredness was getting to him, to all of them. He momentarily forgot that Loki was the God of lies, he was a master of deception. Hel, he'd been deceiving the people of this realm for months on end.

 _ **'Are you trying to test my metal today, young one? Or are you out to wreak havoc across all of Asgard?'**_

Cole couldn't get rid of this internal voice. Instead, he focused his mind on his wound as he sat down, still grabbing his upper tricep. "I may have inadvertently mentioned that we've seen Loki..."

Lloyd had come to join Cole's side. His concerned gaze falling on Cole's clenched hand. "I'm sure that Loki can handle it."

Zane had nodded in response, "It is true, but we cannot divulge any more. Too much has already been mentioned."

"Loki's in the wrong anyway." Lloyd reasoned with Cole.

Zane was annoyed by this, "You seem to forget that he recruited us, ergo he is our mentor."

"He's fucking evil, Zane. Wu would be rolling in his grave if he knew we were working for ultimate evil."

 ** _'Did I pretermit in telling you all of my telepathy? Hmm, in that case, I believe apologies are in order, perhaps followed by some sort of punishment for the way you speak of your master. Your hubris is astonishing!'_**

Zane was taken aback by Lloyd's sharp outburst. "He told it as it was. We _chose_ to work for him, remember?"

"But at what cost Zane? At what cost?" Cole hissed angrily, shaking his head for what looked to Zane, no apparent reason behind it.

"We were given the choice of yes or no." His monotonous voice replied. "We were not really forced into this. We could have refused at any moment before consuming that which made us stronger." Zane was stoic, his facial expression was extremely difficult to read, as was his mind.

Lloyd pursed his lips, he rubbed his temples. "But he lied to us about being immortal Zane."

Taking a deep breath, Cole looked at Zane. "I know that doesn't really bother you but for us, it's kinda a big thing."

It was a cold thing to say and potentially the wrong choice of words to say to a nindroid but Zane wasn't stupid. His keen intellect and intelligent CPU knew that Cole wasn't always the best with words. He knew that neither Lloyd nor Cole had meant any ill will with their words. "I should have seen through his wordsmith abilities. But even I, as a piece of mere machinery was unable to detect his way with words...his lies."

He placed both hands on both brothers. "I should be the one to blame. Because I should have correctly deduced that the potion we were plied with only contained mere hints of mead to hide the taste of a non-descript potion."

"Furthermore..." He started and paused. "Why would I think that immortality would work on me? I am but an automaton. No physical parts to immortalise...I am sorry brothers."

Zane's expression now showing his own remorse. His hands fell to his side.

 _ **'That's it, let another take the blame for your weaknesses. Yes, of course, the metal man cannot hear me. Oh, the awful shame of looking like you're both insane. It must be awfully disheartening, don't you think?'**_

He was concerned that his brothers seemed to be more distant. They were literally in their own world. He stood and looked to the side, seeing the Lady Sif as she was gathering a few extra warriors. This training session was far from over.

* * *

 **Bragge is the lute playing God of poetry**

 **Tyr is the God of War and Justice**

 **Questions?**

 **Einherjar - In-hair-yar**

 **Einherji - In-hair-yi**

 **Tyr - Teer**


	74. Mind games

**Gladsheim – Glad-shy-mm**

 **Tyr – Teer**

* * *

All three erstwhile ninja were sitting on the sandy floor. The cool breeze at their necks, occasionally cooling the sweat. The three had only been fighting for an hour with Tyr and his companion, but damn was he a task master?

Now resting their aching limbs, Cole was sat on his haunches, watching the day go by. 'People watching' was what Zane called it. He mentioned that it was a type of psychological observation, picking up on people's idiosyncrasies without them realising.

There they were, the three of them just sitting, in what could be called paradise...waiting aimlessly. Yet it was oddly relaxing, seeing people go about their daily lives on this somewhat busy rock that simply hung in the middle of the nine realms.

Golden buildings as far as the eye could see were set against a sky that was brighter than the northern lights on earth. The only depressing part was the huge hulking elvish warship that was slowly moving on from the Palace. The cloaking device on board was doing an excellent job of attempting to shield it from everyone on the realm below.

Cole subconsciously picked at his new tabi. He watched a troop of ten men leaving on horseback. "Where they off to?" He asked.

He saw that four of them were riding in close proximity to the front, signifying that someone of importance was riding with them. The person, largely obscured, was riding in between a group of three. Cole squinted his eyes, he couldn't even see the horse that this person was riding on.

Zane had noticed too and was quick to reply. "They are going on a journey, as noted by their transportation and attire. Their clothing alone signifies something of importance is taking place."

 _Thanks, Captain obvious._

Lloyd smirked, shaking his head slightly. He sat on his butt, looking downwards. He undid a few of his buckled clasps at his neck to allow his skin to breathe, grateful for the cool air as it began to circulate his battle attire. He didn't even look up to see what Cole and Zane were staring at, he didn't need to, Zane had just given a pretty accurate description.

It was only when he cleared his mind of their most recent roughhousing that he actually remembered how long they had been here for. It had been a fair few hours already. Zane had already mentioned how quickly time passed on their home realm. It was breakfast time when Zane deduced that a few days had already passed since their arrival here, alluding to the fact that a mere few hours could be literal days there. "Uh guys, I reckon we should check in with Kai soon and uh Nya too."

"Yeah, I know. You think we'll get a chance to talk to them today? When we've got our breath back, that is." Cole chuckled. The black haired ninja didn't exactly want Kai laughing at him for sounding so breathless when he claimed that his body was a temple. Kai wouldn't let that opportunity slide.

"Maybe later, think we need a good rest and a drink first," Lloyd replied without looking up. The sun was far too bright to even attempt to look into Cole's questioning gaze.

"Sure, we can wet the baby's head, can't we? Ya know, celebrate on behalf of Kai and Sky, that sort of stuff."

"Yeah." Lloyd replied, half-heartedly. "And maybe Jay can join us too?"

"If he can, _that is_." Cole replied. "I haven't seen him yet."

He was quick to think of a new topic up for discussion, one that was annoying him. But one that he had kept quiet about because of the light chiding that had been unfairly afforded to all three. "Tyr eh? You really believe what he said?" Cole asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Lloyd shook his head, jovially as he turned to look at Cole. "No, I don't believe any of it. He's a God and no matter how many times he says we'd be able to land a hit, he's lying."

"I believe he was telling the truth." Zane interjected. "His words were accurate and well meant."

Both Lloyd and Cole turned to look at Zane but noted that the nindroid had his back to them as he spoke. "We've never really had that problem before though. Right, Lloyd?"

Lloyd loosely shrugged his shoulders, his face was mostly unreadable. "We had to learn to adapt to each new enemy. I guess that's what he meant."

"Yeah, but he didn't need to be so snarky about it though," Cole grumbled, partially to himself, more in frustration than anything else. What was he thinking would happen? He went up against a war god who was as old as Ninjago itself. It was a harsh yet necessary learning curve and one that he was secretly proud to have experienced, despite his initial failures.

The strange thing about Zane was that no one could pick up on his mood. He never sighed, rarely laughed and very rarely had any facial expression to show feeling. "He was well meaning in his criticisms. I, for one, took heed of his exemplary battle strategy." His tone seemed off.

Zane was perplexed when both Orn and Tyr had left. He had enjoyed the session, having learnt valuable skills and new fighting styles, all now saved into his long term memory and RAM drives.

But just as soon as Zane and his brothers had been training with the two older men, they had then cut short their session. The God of war and his retainer had boarded the nearest Skiff with an urgency to visit Gladsheim and an emergency convening with the Gods over a little slip of the tongue from Cole.

Then there was the brown haired woman, the one who had fought with Cole. The Lady was otherwise known as _The Lady Sif._

She was the brunette beauty who seemed to revel in testing Cole. And, she was, at this moment, trying to cajole some disinterested Einherjar to spar. She gradually began to disappear into the haze that was the mid morning heat of Asgard.

Sif had indeed walked off to coerce more Einherji. It was as if the guards were reluctant to fight so early. They fought all the time, and any break between fighting was always a literal Godsend.

Cole was just about to say something about her before she vanished from view but his mind went blank. A voice penetrated his skull again, like an ice pick through the tear ducts.

 ** _I have not seen anything that tells me you are ready for this battle._**

That same voice was piercing and relentless in nature. It came from nowhere but it was as clear as day. A voice so naturally snide and vitriolic in tone, that it was both cold and calculating, whilst being evil and malevolent.

The cold voice still carried conviction. He was deadly serious when he spoke, none more so when he was tormenting. _**I could show you all, of course. Show you how they fight…**_

Lloyd and Cole looked at each other questioningly. Unsure what Loki was playing at.

Both ninja chanced a quick glimpse at Zane to gauge his thoughts but he seemed to be looking forlorn and defeated. Neither had any idea what they had previously muttered to Zane but judging by his solemn face it was nothing good. They didn't know what to say to make it better either.

Zane frowned, something he did on occasion. This time it was an error message displayed that only he could see. He sensed immediate danger and he stood rapidly with his dual sai, poised and ready to strike.

Despite his brother's glassy-eyed stares, Zane noticed that he was suddenly surrounded. All he had was his throwing daggers, his sai and a few shuriken.

 _ **Is he always this noble?**_

"I was built to protect those who cannot protect themselves." He said clearly. Unaware that his brothers were having a one sided conversation with a God who was ridiculing them from the inside out.

The images flickered around him but without PIXAL he was unable to determine exactly what this phenomenon was, or his chances of success over failure. Right now, he was missing her. He had not felt her presence since the first time they had found the cube. When he dove down to get it. In fact, if his memory banks served him correctly, he deduced it to be the day the meteor had breached the atmosphere. Since then he only heard brief echoes of her voice.

It was as if, the whole thing surrounding PIXAL had been erased from his memory, only flashes of her remained.

He could really do with having PIXAL in his mind. Only she could calm him with her soothing voice. Only she could assist in precarious situations, helping to seek out danger that he was unable to see. Without her, he could see no weaknesses, no openings…nothing stood out. His systems were just reading the danger and his CPU and external display was telling him to retreat or to allow him time to rethink a battle strategy.

"I was built to…." He shook his head. He could not process what his eyes were seeing, other than it being a dangerous and threatening optical illusion. The creatures were unnaturally terrifying.

The first creature attacked, and he barely avoided the direct rapid thrust of his blue blade. He twisted his body sideways but they got closer still.

He wasn't used to such close combat. A sword would have guaranteed at least an arm's length of space between him and his enemy. But this was encroaching on personal space, they were too close.

Zane felt that they were pushing at him, waiting for him to do something. Perhaps they were expecting him to snap or to reveal a hidden talent. He did the first thing that came to his CPU and used his elemental abilities to knock them back. "Cole, Lloyd? Brothers…." He said, trying in vain to get them to snap out of their current confusion. He stood back up. Unsure as to why he had lost his footing. The images were still there but they had backed away.

 _ **Will you not help him take on the foes, Cole? This is how they fight after all**_ _._

"Yes…" Cole mumbled in a monotonous voice.

The tone and answer caught Zane off guard. He span his head to the side and narrowly avoided a forward thrust from one of their small blades.

"How would _you_ know how they fight?" Cole's voice was cold and accusing as he faced Zane. Almost as if he didn't believe what he was hearing, he wasn't even sure who he was talking to, neither was Zane.

Zane narrowed his gaze. "Cole? I-I do not understand.'"

 _ **I fought them in Nidavellir.**_

 _ **A place similar to where you will soon be visiting. Fighting against many, whilst Thor fought only the one. You think yourself worthy of this battle, Cole?**_ _'_

"Yes," Cole mumbled breathlessly.

Zane wasn't sure if he was answering _him_ or if something else was happening as Lloyd had managed to get to his feet but his head was still swaying. The green ninja looked almost as green as his new fighting attire.

 _ **To me, it is evident that Tyr taught you to submit and accept defeat. Did the fool also tell you that he was once bested by my magic?**_

 _"No."_

 _ **Understandably, he is a sore loser. So,**_ _ **show me what you are capable of. This time, use the blades provided, rather than fisticuffs…**_

Cole bristled at the mocking tone towards the end of that message. He stood up and faced Zane.

Zane's blue LCD eyes stared back in shock, widening in realisation. That feeling was only exacerbated when Cole stood in an attack stance with his new blade poised at Zane's throat.

He attempted to step back a little. His robotic voice began pleading with an insistence to be heard. "Cole please, what are you…?"

Cole suddenly growled in a deep gravelly voice. "Zane," His eyes were sparkling brown, awash with renewed vigour and stamina. An evil smirk plastered on his face as he held the weapon with both hands. He held it like a baseball bat, ready to take a swing. If the sword connected, it would more than likely decapitate a few if not all of those in front of Cole, Zane included.

"Get down" Was the only warning issued.

The nindroid complied just as Cole swung his hefty bone steel blade around his own body, swinging it in a round lethal arc. Cole was pleased to see that each creature flickered as the blade passed through, one by one. The visual images were flashing for a millisecond before reappearing shortly after.

 _ **Well done, I am impressed but remember…these elves that you will each face as individuals, will not allow you time to recover your blade, nor to regroup your thoughts nor battle stance. They are cold and heartless, they fight only for the darkness.**_

Cole nodded, he stood in place of Zane. He motioned Zane to move back to a safer position.

 _ **Remember, Cole…they move fast, just as fast as you do. So the one who gets the first strike will be the one who walks away with his life intact. You do want to retire with all limbs remaining I presume?**_

 _ **AGAIN!**_

Lloyd stared in horror as all three of them seemed to be outnumbered by four to one. He was quick to get to his feet, especially when he caught a glimpse of the faces of his new opponents. All of these visual representations seemed to evoke feelings of unease. Their faces were completely unreadable. No expression could be seen meaning that the three warriors could not figure out their potential next move.

They all wore an off-white mask, that was the most noticeable thing. The next was the way that the black formed under armour seemed to contrast against the primitive but ornate golden body armour. The black under armour looked more like charred wood. It even covered their ears adequately, accentuating the elongated shape of their elven appendages. It made them look even longer and almost fairy-like.

Lloyd had to blink his eyes as did Cole. Both thinking they had seen it all.

Their list of highly unbelievable foes was fast increasing. First were the Skullkins, before they had all banded together as the team of ninja. They were known as a _cursed_ race of the dead. In effect, they were a close semblance to Odin's army, in a way, what with them being the reanimated dead, ordered around by the once Lord Garmadon.

Then was the Serpentine, actual walking snake tribes, some of which exuded powers that surpassed that of an ordinary man. The stone army, again almost unstoppable. A robot army then the entity known as the Overlord…and a Genie, a frickin Djinn…Not to mention pirates and time twins and everything else.

And yet, the Einherjar were always eager to hear of these mystical foes. Tales of battles fought in a far-off place that they would never have the opportunity to visit. They would listen for hours on end, never laughing or mocking. They always sought to find out more, they were intrigued by the tales these warriors told.

Hel, even Jay, the youngest prince for millennia was able to elaborate further when the All-Father afforded him the chance to speak…When he allowed him the use of his tongue, he could spend hours regaling Gustav of his previous adventures and subsequent battles.

But these creatures were different again. They were indifferent, expressionless.

They were the dark elves.

Neither, in fact, none of their ninja team had ever seen a **dark** technically a _**black**_ elf. And, although it was another foe to add to their rapidly expanding list, they still fought with the same determination. Really, they had no choice in the matter. Not with Loki's style of training.

Lloyd chanced a furtive glance at Cole, raising an eyebrow at these foes. He didn't need to say anything, it was all contained within Cole's shocked visage. He was utterly astonished. So much so, that he mumbled the words, afraid that if he spoke them out loud, he'd be laughed at for even mentioning something as stupid as elves and fairies. **"** _ **Elves?**_ **"**

Cole simply nodded and shrugged. "I guess so; the ears are a dead giveaway. Zane you okay bro, you're awfully quiet?"

"Yes…" Was his quick yet forced answer and his equally forced smile when Cole quickly turned to look him in his eyes, casting him a wholly unsure expression at his new uncaring tone.

Cole unperturbed by Zane's _off_ response thought of a humorous way to improve the tension. "Hey, you both know who these guys remind me of?" A small grin plastered on his face as he deftly swiped at another projection with ease.

"Cole! Now isn't the time for small talk and conversational pieces. In case ya haven't noticed, we're knee deep in elven….uhm, battle mode dammit."

Cole smirked, he wasn't deterred with the three that now surrounded him. "They kinda look like uhm…." He paused and quickly dodged a side attack, driving his blade into the neck of the elven creature as it disappeared.

Now moving his sweaty black hair from his face, he recalled the tv series. "Remember the tv shows on earth…? Star Trek?"

"Yeah," Lloyd gasped out as he span into his elemental form. Three of his opponents were taken down, dissipating into the breeze. The last one disappeared with a stealthy thrust of his smaller tanto into the neck.

He smiled as he said it, seemingly happy with remembering things at the strangest of times. "They kinda look like the Borg queen!"

"Such a….whew hang on…" Lloyd panted with a breathless laugh. "Doofus, Cole, you're such a loudmouth." He chuckled but breathlessly.

 _ **Impressive! One must love your skills on the battlefield. You still retain much of your humour despite the unsure state of battle, of which I mean, that it could go either way…in or against your favour.**_

Lloyd was quick to use his own fighting style, trying to see who would make the first move. He chose to use the solitary dagger for close combat. He swiped at one aiming for their stomach, it made contact quickly. He grabbed a kunai and threw it at the furthest away.

 _ **The easiest target is their neck, but you want to disarm them…you need to, to survive all that they will throw at you.**_

All their foes, imaginary at least had all been defeated. They stood back, feeling breathless but relieved all the same.

 _ **AGAIN.**_

Still, the same amount of foes stood before them and all had colourless mirror effect eyes hidden behind a bone coloured mask with plaited white hair. The whole visual image gave Lloyd the impression that perhaps these creatures were exceptionally sensitive to the light or that perhaps these creatures were hideous underneath all this armour. Akin to albino's

"Why so much armour and what's with the eyes?" He asked with uncertainty, whether his question would be given an answer by anyone but specifically, by the voice, he assumed to be Loki.

Of course, it was him, who else would have the magic to sustain astral projections of any creature, fearful or near normal. He only did it when there were no Einherji nearby, for doing it within their field of vision would ring alarm bells.

Again Loki's voice answered Lloyd's own. The tone, as always, was sharp and cold, snide and filled with bitter distrust.

 _ **They are skilled in battle, highly intelligent and immensely strong. They are cave dwelling folk born to the darkness. Tis why they favour the dark amongst all else and why they sought vengeance against Asgard in their search for the Aether.**_

Now the three warriors knew who they were up against. They also knew how they fought and the style of attack they favoured. These creatures were, in fact, Loki's actual real life interpretations of the race, known as the dark elves.

 _ **Now, I do not expect them to pull this little trick once you are safely on Svartalfheim, however…it pays to be cautious, as I am sure you are aware.**_

 _ **I guess, I should have just trained you myself, but thanks to Cole I now have need of a convening with the Aesir and Vanir because Tyr is demanding of answers.**_

"What about Jay, where's Jay?" Lloyd finally mumbled as he saw Cole's face redden.

 _ **Ugh, you and your unending brotherly love for each other is nauseating. I may have just lost my appetite**_ _._

"Please, My Lord." Lloyd's voice was persistent with the slightest hint of begging.

The God, if he wanted to, could choose to divulge the _whole_ truth about Jay or he could turn completely evil and have the entire 10,000 strong Einherjar decimate them for even asking about him. But he hated to admit; he still needed them for another week _._

 _ **The prince is attending to royal business; then he has to answer for something upon his return.**_

Even though Lloyd could not see the God, he had a feeling that Loki was being rather smug and likely grinning like a cat who had just got the cream. This was Loki's realm now and he ruled all, mostly benevolently, unless they got on the wrong side of him.

Lloyd also noticed a darker edge to Loki's words and even though they were only for his mind, the words he spoke sounded rather ominous for Jay and annoyingly secretive. The God was being vague yet again, his prerogative if Lloyd had to guess.

All three warriors collapsed onto the floor; even Zane was exhausted beyond all comprehension. All their foes had disappeared, leaving all three sitting spaced out in more than one sense of the word.

 _ **Oh what a pity, I would have enjoyed this next sparring set. Alas, that was just a warm up. My sincerest apologies, I, of course, thought your training had ended for the day, how thoughtless of me.**_

Lloyd and Cole could both hear the snide laugh that echoed in both their heads. The callous side of Loki was always there, always ready to reveal itself when needed, usually shown when someone was at their weakest, unable to fight back…just like Jay had been.

And at the most inopportune time, Sif began walking back into the arena.

"What the fu…..?" Cole whispered in exasperation. He rubbed his face in annoyance, then simultaneously rubbed the sand off his cheeks. "She's brought a fucking small troop with her."

Lloyd craned his neck, doing a double take. His mouth hung open in shock at the large group now approaching en masse.

He couldn't even stand anymore. "W-we can't fight again Cole, we're exhausted." He shook his head and lay back on the sand, not caring in the slightest that his sweaty blonde head was in contact with the sand.

The Lady Sif had only gone and found the womanising Fandral to fight with them, not just that but she had also cajoled a good supply of bored and listless Einherjar to play with. It was almost as if she was doing it on purpose to annoy the black haired warrior who still hadn't noticed up until that point. Cole was largely oblivious to the fifteen warriors that had arrived into the aged sandstone arena.

Zane was always wary of fighting the Einherjar, mainly because they were all dead. Odin's army had no real weaknesses in Asgard because if they died here they would be sure to regenerate. Not just that but, the Einherjar fought damned hard, they often fought to the death with no exceptions.

 _ **Soon you shall come to realise that the army of Odin, never rest, not really. They train all day,**_ _ **every day, for only the bravest of those will fight with Odin at Ragnarok.**_

This was the same arena where all the battles took place. The one arena where Loki fought Jay until neither was standing. It stood proud, at the foot of the palace. A semi-circular field with sections of sandstone for people to sit and watch any battles of strength that were due to take place.

Despite all of Asgard's tall golden buildings and floating spiral feats of magical engineering. Asgard was actually quite a beautiful sight to behold. The trees were always in bloom here. The weather hardly ever changed, it was war but not overly so. A comfortable atmosphere where the majority of people went about their daily lives either working for the Palace or for the Gods that lived here.

"Resting again?" Her hand fell onto Cole's shoulder. "You fought and rested for almost three hours. You are not still tired after following Tyr's regime are you?"

He flinched slightly and winced when he stood to his full height. "No…not tired at all." He lied, his muscles protested as he attempted to stand.

Fandral gave him a gentle pat on the back, he was smiling and gently shaking his head at Sif's outward testing of this young warrior's metal. With incredible ease, he pulled Lloyd up off the floor. He almost yanked Lloyd's arm out of his socket, having to slow the momentum down to avoid Lloyd flying through the air.

"Sorry, " He smiled awkwardly, shocked at his strength. "Very nimble and agile aren't you?"

Lloyd straightened up, after being lifted a few feet into the air. "I guess," he replied, crinkling his nose and shaking the pain and numbness from his arm.

Fandral, feeling somewhat embarrassed, was quick to remove the awkwardness in the only way he knew how. "Will you join us later for a drink at the Inn? It's the least we can offer, being as you were not given full training this day, as promised?"

The first thing that Lloyd noticed, other than his superior strength and charming face was that Fandral had a very soft spoken voice. His outfit wasn't that dissimilar to an Einherji, except Fandral wore no helmet and his attire was almost entirely black and gold, in a sense, very similar to how Cole dressed.

Zane was standing already. His tone was still cold and icy toward his brothers. "I believe introductions are in order!"

"Of course, of course." He nodded with a firm upper lip. "Where are my manners." He said bowing before them, which was unexpected but still accepted, with a blushing countenance from Lloyd.

"My name is Fandral Staghelm." He said, giving a very flamboyant curtsey.

"Fandral the Dashing you mean?" Sif teased and playfully ruffled his hair.

He turned to his immediate right, "And this, is the Lady Sif, as I'm sure you have already been introduced."

Sif was still playing with Fandral's blonde quiff. But he quickly cocked his head to the side in slight annoyance at her insistent mollycoddling and blatant teasing. "I only use that name when ladies are present. Other than yourself, of course." He whispered and squeezed her waist in response.

"Yes, we've been acquainted," Lloyd was quick to state.

"Briefly…" Cole interjected.

"Well, in that case…I am a part of the warriors three, not unlike your fine selves, I hear." His smile was cheeky but sincere. "Lady Sif and the warriors three?"

Cole thought it sounded more fairy tale than real life. A tad familiar to another earth story, something along the lines of Maid Marian and Merry men, or something like that. He chuckled to himself. "Actually, there are six of us."

"Well, there were until Lo…uh Odin took Jay for himself." Lloyd quickly added, correcting himself before giving anything away.

Cole was getting annoyed and not just because of the obvious displays of fake tenderness but because he wanted to rest and eat. "My name is Cole." He said and offered his hand as a gesture of peace.

Fandral was quick to take it and held firm. Cole, again, remembering that he wasn't on his home realm nor earth was shocked at the tall thin man's strength. This man's grip was as strong as a vice.

The Honey blonde didn't look a day over 27, yet Cole just had the inkling that he was going to be hundreds of years old. Everyone around here was old, except for the children and Jay, he was the youngest royal this realm had seen for over 900 years, according to Sif.

She was expecting Cole to raise an eyebrow or snarl as Fandral wrapped his hand around her waist but his self-control was far stronger than she had anticipated. She was impressed, and she raised her eyebrows at him.

Hel, Cole hardly knew her, he wasn't exactly going to be valiant in front of another man for a woman he didn't know. If Fandral wanted her he could have her. He was going to play hard to get if that was how she was playing it. Two could play at that game, and he was always up for a game of one upmanship, none more so if it was against a girl.

"What say you, Cole, you fancy another one on one, or perhaps two?" Fandral inquired, having had no idea that Loki had just trained them in the actual fighting style of the dark elves for the past hour and a half, relentlessly.

* * *

Cole was sitting on the wall of the arena. They were resting and about to feast yet again because it was almost lunch. The three warriors had fought one additional bout. One on one, which the Lady Sif thought fairer than what Tyr had suggested.

Typically, the God of War would have preferred to train the three warriors himself, with the added help from Orn. He saw these warriors, who were in his eyes 'vastly inferior and likely to fail Asgard.'

Typically, due to tiredness, the more time that progressed, the more losses they sustained. But it was okay, it was all good because Loki's mind manipulated astral projections were missing and Tyr was not here to mock and gloat. Although, to be fair. Tyr had never gloated as such, neither had Orn. Both had said what needed to be said and the three warriors had learned some valuable lessons whilst in their presence.

"So what do we do now?" Lloyd asked. He unbuckled all of his clasps and relinquished his blades to Zane, and Cole had done the same.

The hint of a black cloak caught their eyes, that and a flick of golden blonde hair. "Now we feast, and _then_ we celebrate." Fandral was quick to state.

Zane was the only one to question. "Celebrate what?"

Fandral shot his trademark crooked smile "Why, a celebration of your accomplishments of course. You all fought well, you should be proud, Plus, I hear through Heimdall that your red warrior, Kai, is a father now, his wife has breached a boy this fine month?"

Both Cole and Lloyd nodded. Lloyd chose to answer for his brothers. "Yeah, Kai couldn't come. His son was born a few days ago."

Cole needed no further encouragement. And, to be fair, none of the assembled group of twenty complained when food had been mentioned either.

The sight of a large Skiff big enough to transport the lot was a sight for sore eyes. Everyone was eager to board because the sooner they could eat, the sooner wine and merriment would follow. How Fandral loved the merriment, Cole was about to find out that he had serious competition in that aspect.


	75. Norn shmorn

As far as meetings went with kingdoms, this one was in the realms of weird and outlandish, maybe even ostentatious.

Jay, having fallen asleep on the smoothest ride ever, was woken from his upright slumber by some rough fumbling hands. He felt it before he snapped his head around to seek out the cause. "Whoa, this is unexpected, uhm Gus?"

A most unnatural feeling when no warning had been given. Jay felt hands searching over his body. Someone lifted his cloak, and the blades were swiftly taken from everywhere and anywhere, quite forcefully so it would seem. "Where are we, and explanations? Please." Jay uttered quickly, mildly panicked.

His nervousness was amplified when he saw who, or rather what was taking his blades. The only thing that made them remotely humanoid was their upright stance and the fact they had four limbs, as Jay had.

That was where the similarities ended because every thing else was wrong with the picture. These hopefully male creatures looked terrifyingly gory. He dreaded to think what they would look like at nightfall.

Jay tried his hardest not to stare. A small part of this was taking him back to the Temple of Airjitzu, the day that Cole was cursed. These gatehouse guards were emitting a green mist, and their eyes were as black as tar.

The green tinted, black eyed castle guards from their raised position were able to unsheath the blades from under his cloak. It left Jay feeling naked and vulnerable without his obsidian weaponry. He looked down to his waist band. They had even taken his kunai and throwing stars.

"It is a tradition, My Lord." Gustav quietly mumbled into Jay's ear and waited patiently for the demonic gatehouse guards to finish their checks. "This is Nornheim; the castle is called Nornkeep."

Gus, quickly cast a look of annoyance at the guards who were currently trying to pry something from Jay's hands, with some difficulty.

Jay was taken aback at their strength and their overall appearance. The amount of evil surging through them was astronomical. "It's nothing harmful, I mean its, haa, uhm…argh." He frowned and kept a relenting grasp on his mp3 player, refusing point blank to relinquish it. "Really, haa, you guys don't have music here?"

The castle guard seemed mildly irritated and oddly insistent as he tried to pry it from the Prince's firm grasp. "A modern weapon, you will relinquish all weapons, yes?"

Jay frowned and looked back at his Walkman, he tried to hide the inopportune grin but couldn't really. He held it firm and looked to Gus for assistance. "It's not a weapon douchebag..." Jay almost hissed in response; his teeth gritted, his jaw clenched. "What are you expecting me to do with it, hit someone over the head with it, make it into a fricking sword?"

The guard again tried to remove it to prove a point. If anything he wanted it to stomp it into the ground rather than have the prince try to demonstrate that it was no weapon. Or be bested by a young prince who was trying to be witty with his words. "I can and will refuse entry to Nornkeep." He warned, his black eyes glaring into Jay's narrowed lilac orbs.

It was a visible standoff and Jay, wasn't backing down no matter how painful the grasp was on his unshielded hand. "Do it then, because I won't have to do this shitty thing, will I? Hel, I can just go back, so it'll be a win win for everyone." The guard was pulling the Prince down too.

Gus thought that if the prince fell from this height, he'd be certain to break a few bones.

"My Lord, _please_ ," Gus smirked at Jay's behaviour, frowning slightly at the guard who even dared to touch the prince. He quickly pulled at the side of Sleipnir, removing the gatehouse guard's hand from further hurting the Prince. " _Please_ , he means your kingdom no harm…"

It wasn't giving a good first impression, "Nein, It's not a weapon, I assure you. Tis a modern music box." His hand was placed atop of Jay's to solidify his claims that the Prince posed no threat to Nornheim, with his small discrete music player.

The warriors of this new kingdom seemed to know who Jay was without him even muttering a word. They recognised the horse first; it was Odin's steed, signifying that the person on it was someone of huge importance.

"Royal protocol my liege, only ceremonial blades are to remain. That, and the necessary blades for _your_ protection." The castle guard stated clearly. Jay noted that the voice of the castle guard sounded deep but with a horrendous echo that followed it.

"Which one will be accompanying the royal?" He asked again, completely ignoring Jay and his petulant behaviour. He didn't expect anything else from a prince of Asgard.

"I will be accompanying him," Gus spoke up and smiled as he joined Jay's side.

"You can keep your blade and shield; all others are to be relinquished upon entering the castle, as requested by the queen."

"And the stables?" Gus questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Sleipnir requires as much protection as afforded to the prince."

The demonic guard eyed the horse, rather ignoring the person on it. "Aye, a small armed guard may stay with the steed, but the rest of you must relinquish your weapons."

"As you wish," Gustav said dryly. He rolled his eyes at Jay. Reluctantly, he relinquished his spear and close quarter daggers. He was secretly hoping to the gods that he wouldn't need the weapons to protect the Prince's life, this day.

Upon entering the kingdom, Jay too, had all his weapons removed, all except his silver ceremonial blades. He wasn't even surprised that all his blades had been polished to an impeccable shine.

To be fair, Jay was secretly glad to be getting somewhere, although he wasn't sure if he would rather be training but under the watchful eye of Loki or here and being watched like a hawk by some demonic dead guards.

He breathed a shuddered sigh of relief, at least he wasn't expected to fight for honour.

He lacked the stomach for fighting at this ungodly hour. That, and the fact that he could still feel the blood of Saehrimnir sloshing around in his belly.

His hand quickly shot to his mouth to silence the belch. All he could taste in response for the subduing of a natural occurrence was the metallic tang of the medicinal blood. "Is this all normal?" He said with a forward nod as he dismounted.

Jay motioned towards the front of their gathered troop and the odd customs that seemed to be taking place. It took the focus off him as he stretched out his legs. He was inwardly cursing at the majority vote for riding here rather than using a Skiff.

The boats were so much better, and faster, not that he didn't appreciate the ride on the fastest horse in the nine realms. His rump was aching though and his neck too. He doubted that Sleipnir would be happy if Jay began drooling on his gray fur.

The tall blonde palace guard was quick to answer. He nodded in response. "Perfectly, she likes to have everything run smoothly. These events can take many years to plan to fruition. Much needs to be done, My Lord."

Jay had almost forgotten what he asked. "Riiiiight, so uh, when was the last?"

"Oh, uhm." Gustav paused and began counting on his hands. Jay thought that Gus was giving the impression that the last date was probably only a few years prior.

"500 years ago, give or take." He grinned and shrugged. "As I said, takes many years to plan these gatherings."

He shook his head slightly as if trying to dislodge a fly from his ear. "WHOA, really? Like 500 years!" It was safe to say that he wasn't expecting that answer.

In comparison to this, Jay's previous life once seemed normal, if he could call it that. But this new life far surpassed that of his past life. Everything was anciently weird and magically unexplainable, and it was starting to become a regular occurrence, even more so in this place.

Again, Gus had nodded at this. He was somewhat surprised at Jay's rather loud outburst, but his smile remained resolute. "Aye, My Lord."

"Haa- I take it, that most ordinary earthbound people don't get an invite then if that's the time scale?" Jay's question was mostly rhetorical; he already knew the answer.

Gus didn't verbalise his reply, but he did shake his head as he passed one set of reins to the stable hands. He was still smiling at Jay's odd sense of humour.

The blonde haired Einherji took the responsibility of taking Sleipnir's reins off and out of the Prince's shaking hands while he stood by the huge eight legged horse. He could sense something in Jay's stance, the way he was carrying himself. It was a feeling that Gus had come to know well.

Jay was feeling somewhat insignificant as the beast towered over him. He leaned in against the horse and felt the gray beast nuzzle his neck, nipping at him gently.

If the horse could read his mind, Jay hoped that Sleipnir would be telling him that everything would be alright for today. That Loki would have calmed down by the time he returned tonight. His shaking hand rested on the horse's neck, and he stroked it. "Thank's for the smooth ride."

 _'_ _If only you could tell me what got Loki all antsy this morning, I'd be forever grateful.'_

"You'll be fine here this day." Gustav bowed slightly. "A straightforward endeavour, your Highness, nothing untoward."

A few castle guards had convened nearby. Likely overhearing the conversation but Jay hadn't noticed them, he was still mildly confused by Gus's change of tone from friendly formal to complete pomp and circumstance.

Suddenly, the correct formalities that were meant to be afforded to Regals, were being uttered to him by his closest friend. It felt like he was being stood to ceremony.

"Tis like a battle, Your Highness. You go in, do what needs to be done and leave, preferably intact of mind." His laugh was almost sardonic at the expense of those guards surrounding him.

Jay frowned at the formality and accompanying gesture. Normally Gus was quite laid back, but now he had albeit lost his accent and was speaking like a cold and calculating Einherji, with one thing on his mind.

The anxieties returning, "Gustav?" Jay questioned nervously.

He didn't answer Jay's anxieties. "A relatively straightforward ceremony awaits you. I assure you that there is nothing to fear and furthermore, we shall not stray far."

Gus forced an awkward smile, patting Jay sympathetically on his upper arm. He bowed again, and Jay shuddered as other people began to watch the displays of the formality given to him.

He hated this part of being a prince, too many people were looking. Soon they would all know who he was and he wanted to be the quiet one, the one who sat at the back that no-one noticed.

To be fair, he wasn't overly fond of being a royal anyway. The idea still hadn't grown on him, and he hadn't had the time to adjust. It had only been a few months since his crowning ceremony.

Gustav took his place and walked around the front of the eight legged steed and removed the bit from Sleipnir's mouth.

The horse, immensely grateful, showed his appreciation and tapped a few hoofs at the attention he was being afforded by both men.

Gustav, now standing on the opposite side of the mythical beast, took to stroking the dark gray horse before calling his troop to attention, as well as that of the nearby stable hands.

"He'll need his own private stable, away from any and all. Six armed guards are to remain with him at all times." He ordered.

Jay wasn't taking notice. There was too much going on in his head. He wasn't even sure what was real, or if his previous life had even existed. Perhaps thinking that it had been a dream made up. He was startled out of his daydream by the sounds of guards gathering to attention at Gustav's order.

He had only heard that a few were to remain with him, the rest were to stay with Odin's horse. Sleipnir was a gift to the All father after all.

 _'_ _A gift, who gifts their child to their father? Unless they were ashamed of the reason behind its creation!'_

His face cracked into a small smile. Trying to imagine seeing an image of Loki as an actual mare. The image made him chuckle, and he shook his head wincing in sympathy at the thought of being taken by a damned stallion in an effort to forestall the building of a surrounding wall.

 _'_ _Only Loki would allow himself to stoop that low, with a stallion.'_

The smile remained.

Jay was still surprised that Loki had not even communicated with him yet. He knew that the God was more than capable of reading his mind. If he wanted him to or not. If he was honest with himself, he could have sworn that Loki was in his head a few nights ago. Intrusively too, he woke up with a nosebleed but said nothing of it.

He was still expecting some sort of reason for it, but he didn't want to accuse in case he had merely imagined a God in his head. It wasn't the first time though. He felt Loki in his head a few weeks before, but that was for a whole other reason. This felt the same…He didn't dare accuse; at least not while Loki was in a foul mood.

"Are you okay with these orders, My Lord?" Gustav asked again.

Jay hadn't been paying any attention to the new orders and just nodded.

He watched with curiosity, more than anything else. Apparently, six Einherjar had been requested by Gustav, and they were to remain with the horse at all times. The palace guards of Asgard were the only ones allowed to handle the mythical beast.

Jay, now standing tall at 6ft, but no matter how tall he was, Sleipnir still towered over him. The horse left a huge hulking black shadow that slowly started moved away. "See ya later." He mumbled and stroked the impossibly soft hair.

 _'_ _I bet Loki never raised a hand to him, huh? Never punished him for stepping out line?'_

Suddenly he felt so alone, and he turned around. Gustav was still liaising with his troop, and the ones who were to remain with the Prince were still being chosen.

He counted four of them. Obviously, Gustav had requested that six Einherjar were to stay with the horse. That only left four for Jay, but he was fairly sure that he wouldn't even need that many. Gus had been quick to tell him that there would be no violence, just merriment and lots of it.

Walking up the stone steps of the black castle, Jay looked around himself as he walked. It was lit with oil candles and seemed inviting. He wasn't alone for long, four of his warriors quickly surrounded him as he entered. Gustav took his place at the left side of him, protecting the flank that his sword arm would not cover.

"Are you eager, Your Highness?" He grinned widely and placed a sympathetic hand on Jay's left forearm.

He calmed with the gesture. It was as if Gustav could sense his panicked apprehension.

"To get this over with, so I can back and do some sparring? Yeah, I'm eager." His grin was wicked, his boyish enthusiasm shining through.

He smiled nervously. "I'm just doing this because Tyr arranged it or something and I really didn't want to make _another_ God angry."

He'd already made one of the Aesir angry this morning. For some unknown reason, Loki had been seething and wrathful when he had slammed Jay's bedroom doors. Not to mention the horrid scraping sounds of the cracked mirrors which had happened a few seconds after.

"I don't think you made Odin _angry. He_ was just out of sorts. Besides, he soon calmed down in the bathhouse just as we were leaving." Gustav raised an eyebrow, and he didn't hide his knowing smirk at what he caught Odin doing there with a certain auburn haired female. Suffice to say all the Einherjar knew what Odin had done, for the lady was certainly vocal.

Jay blushed, he could remember being caught in there with Loki. The mischief maker had to disguise himself as Odin to avoid being caught.

"I bet he did…" Jay replied in annoyance. He knew exactly what happened in the bathhouses of Asgard. Having experienced it himself with Loki of all people. Then there were the whole host of willing whores he had encountered. He bit his tongue to save from saying any more, yet he really wanted to tell it like it was.

 _'_ _So he's screwing around…No surprise there then, more broken promises…'_ His face was scowling at Gustav's remark. He could just imagine Loki having fun with willing sluts when he promised he wouldn't do it anymore.

 _"The royal_ _Prince of Asgard. The council of elders welcomes you to the Asgardian province of Nornheim and Nornkeep, Your Highness."_

Jay blushed when his name was called out. All eyes turned to regard him as soon as the doors fully opened, he felt so small and wholly insignificant when he took in the scale of the grand room and the people convened within.

 _'_ _It's just Jay.'_

He managed a half smile as he scanned the place. He didn't recognise anyone, and he couldn't even see the queen. Hel, he didn't even know what she looked like.

Jay had the feeling that he was being scrutinised by a few, if not most, so he stayed quiet and he was careful to behave with propriety. There were no false airs and graces. He just acted completely different to how he would have done, had he been at home.

His mood had soured at remembering Loki's earlier remark. The one that involved Loki mentioning him being too loud that he had silenced him with a cantrip.

 _'_ _But then it's always easier to subdue a lively personality with magic.'_

It was bitter and needless to admit something as callous as that. What was the point, if only to humiliate Jay further, to create a rift, to make him seem like the silent one who remained mute at the whim of the God who forced it upon him.

It was a simple clash of personalities, the stronger one always winning out over Jay's own. He absentmindedly sniffed and took a deep sigh...

 _'_ _If Loki wants to go down that road again, this is gonna require some serious alcohol._ '

He huffed and thought more about it. It still sent a shudder down his spine. He still felt uncertain of what would lie ahead when he got back.

 _'_ _What the Hel happened this morning, what was that all about?'_ He had no answer; he scowled at the floor instead.

He was sure that if he needed to say anything, Gustav would be the first to let him know.

He swore to the Gods he would never speak again in front of Loki, especially with how he'd made him feel before he left. He couldn't get that face from his visions, Loki's face was disturbingly evil.

"Breathe, my lord. They can sense your apprehension."

"I-I can't help it. I don't like this one bit…."

It wasn't really apprehension for what lay ahead today. It was what waited for him when he got back. Loki wasn't one to back down from something that he deemed as important.

A female voice swam into his mind. It sent a chill deep into his soul. "You came, all this way…I am, of course, honoured."

He couldn't shake off the feeling that voice sounded familiar somehow.

 _'_ _You have no idea how far I've come…Asgard was like uh ten miles away, Ninjago is uhm maybe five billion light years, give or take!'_

A female materialised in front of him. She was as tall as he was, maybe slightly taller with the ornate golden head dress she wore. "Indeed…" She said, and she offered her hand.

He gulped and stood back, his first instinct was to bow, and he did.

Her hand lifted his chin. "This may be a formal event, but you do not need to bow before me. I am not _your_ queen." Her face looked morose for a few seconds. It was fleeting as soon as she realised what she had said.

He said nothing. No words came to him.

"My apologies and deepest sympathies to the Kingdom of Asgard for the losses you suffered. Queen Frigga was my only confidant. She was our greatest ally." Her hand instead took his. She placed the other over the top briefly. A gesture of sympathy of understanding, even though Jay had never met Frigga, only heard of her in passing.

"Uhm, I thought it was custom, a tradition, formality?"

He looked down at her offered hand, unsure what he was supposed to do with it. Gustav gently nudged him. He glanced at him and noticed Gustav making a smooching expression. He raised an eyebrow and rolled his eyes at the archaic gesture.

Needing no further encouragement, Jay took the hand gently and kissed the jewelled ring on her hand. His breath had ghosted over her hand before she whipped it away lightly.

"As I said, it may be tradition, but you are not of this kingdom. Therefore, you may choose to bow or call me by my rightful title, but if you do not, you will not be afforded any ill will because of it."

She backed away and attended the other guest that Jay hadn't even noticed. He wanted to turn to find out who stood behind him but Gustav motioned him to enter the room.

"One should never turn to face those behind him, My Lord. Unless on the battlefield," Gus whispered.

"Is that customary too?" Jay inquired, just as quietly with a puzzled expression. "I mean, obviously I know about the battlefield, haa- that's kinda obvious." A small grin appeared on his face.

"Yah," Gustav looked a little flustered. "It is evident that you need some tutelage on royal etiquette. Has the All father not given you guidance on such matters?"

His head cocked to the side at Gustav's slight belittling tone. For once, he was glad that Gustav couldn't see his annoyed expression. " _Thanks_ , and no….We've never had the time, have we?"

"Fair enough, but it could be arranged, for you. Time-consuming though, took many hundreds of years for the young Princes to adapt, but they were born into this. Therefore it came as second nature." Gustav smiled again. His eyes fell upon a couple of empty seats up ahead. He took the lead and motioned Jay to follow.

"That was Karnilla, My Lord…" Gustav finally said, out of earshot. It was as if he could see the thought processes running through Jay's head.

 _'_ _That's the queen?'_ Jay thought, as he watched her turn to greet the other guests. His eyes were still staring at her, mercilessly trailing down her body.

"Haa, she's, uhm...well, she's uh, not exactly wearing much attire though, is she?" He mumbled quietly. His blushing face told gustav all he needed to know. Jay was embarrassed.

Gustav was indifferent to it, he shrugged. "She is wearing it well."

 _Obviously,_ Jay thought that Gustav had been in Asgard _far_ too long to think that it was acceptable for women to wear such scant clothing. Especially at what would be deemed an _important social event with such honoured guests_.

Jay looked down at his own clothing, travelling cloak, tunic and leather tail split over coat. "Well, I feel massively overdressed in that case."

He imagined himself just walking around in his ridiculously tight trousers. The ones he was currently wearing that were held together at the front with a simple leather thread cross stitch. They were hardly secure but really kind of comfortable. Despite every female knowing what side he was dressing to.

Shrugging at her clothing choice, he was moderately happy with his. It was his usual ceremonial attire. He knew that he would look more rockstar than Prince, if he stripped off.

Jay shook his head, casually glancing back at her. She reminded him of someone, a female obviously. Long luscious black hair that trailed down her back effortlessly. Her hair covered more skin than her outfit did.

 _'_ _Why do they feel a need to flaunt so much skin?_ ' He was very obviously staring at her derriere.

Gustav was quick to notice and gently admonish with a simple nudge at Jay's ribs.

Her formal attire left very little to the imagination. Karnilla wore a literal sheer loin cloth but behind it, was a purple ensemble and a rather heavy looking circular shield belt holding some animal fur in place atop her hips. Her shoulders and upper arms were covered in small metal scales, an armament of sorts and the obligatory silver cuffs on her forearms.

The more he looked, the more he could see her other loyal followers, mostly female. They looked familiar too, like a TV show he watched back on earth while flicking through the multitude of channels when he wasn't bombarded with the constant flow of concubines.

Gustav had led him further into the large black room. The chairs and tables all seemed to be made from contorted ash trees. He grabbed a glass of water for both and pulled out the chairs for them to sit, motioning to Jay first.

He sat as requested. "Haa, hahaha." He chuckled to himself as he remembered what these women reminded him of.

"Red Sonja and Xena." He muttered to himself, Gustav noticed but didn't understand.

They all had much of their cleavages on show, the queen even more so, she seemed to like the fact that she had many suitors or so it would seem.

"Don't stare at her, My Lord , we think she gets her powers from the feelings that others purvey."

"She's making it kinda hard. She isn't really wearing much…." Jay dragged his eyes off her painfully.

Scouring the large room, he was looking for anything remotely interesting but found nothing to watch. His eyes were slowly going back to her and the fact that she was wearing such scant clothing. He was intrigued by her, not so much her looks more her abilities and how much magic she knew.

"Try harder, My Lord, I don't think the King would appreciate his youngest Prince getting carried away with the queen."

 _'_ _Not like Loki cares though. He couldn't give a flying…'_

His mind snapped out of his haze as a familiar looking female caught his wandering eyes. "Kali?" He whispered, his eyes dilated just by looking at her.

Immediately he straightened his slouching appearance and outfit before casting her a small discreet smile. It didn't go unnoticed by Gustav.

"Why is Kali here, does she work here too?" He asked quietly but kept his eyes on her. His breathing slightly elevated while he fought the urge to stand and approach her.

"She lives nearby and is often seen working for both kingdoms. Her intended works for Odin, in the palace." Gus took two small goblets from a tray and offered one to Jay.

"She spends her time betwixt kingdoms." Gustav finished with a simple shrug. "Not really unheard of, her sister mainly stays in the palace healing rooms."

"Haha, my young prince, My Lord? It appears that the fine Kali has indeed brought colour to your face. At least you have prised your gaze from the queen."

No sooner had he said it, Jay was looking back at the queen, with a furrowed brow.

"It would be a bad idea for you to even speak of the queen in that manner. We all reckon she is single for a reason." He leaned in closely, as close as he could get without the chance of being overheard. "Could be a succubus." He chuckled breathlessly.

Jay, unsure what that meant, decided to persevere with his train of thought. "Haa, it could bring the kingdoms together. Just think, I could be the King here and then two Kings could rule this entire rock." He winced and rubbed his arm.

"I'm joking, it was a joke, sheesh," Jay mumbled and rubbed his arm where Gustav had playfully punched.

"I swear you forget I'm not one of you guys, I bruise quite easily and have allergies and stuff." Jay shook his head and tried to punch back.

"Yah, right…" Gustav smirked and punched harder.

Jay would be feeling that later, but he didn't punch back, he just discreetly rubbed his bicep and took the offered drink from the tray that was being passed around.

He leaned across to Gus. He felt a little embarrassed to ask. "What does succubi mean though?"

Gus leaned in close again and whispered the reply. "A female demon who has sexual relations with men, before taking their power as her own."

The notion and idea of such made Jay blush. Although the thought of Amora soon came to the forefront of his mind. He looked wistfully at Kali again. Her clothing choice was far more respectful, it graced over her delicate frame and only revealed her curves when she walked.

Gustav could see his gaze was drawn to her still. Jay was daydreaming, biting his lip. A definite sign of physical attraction that was sure to be risky territory if the Prince was planning on pursuing her.

With a grin, he turned to face his best friend and mumbled. "You hit like a girl…."

"Nein, not rising to that. You mark just as easily as one."

Jay knew _that_ fact couldn't be protested. He marked easily in comparison to everyone up here. They all had thicker skin, physically not metaphorically. "Really Gus?"

He winked at Jay, his cheeky grin giving a very knowing smile. "Yes, because despite what you may or may not have heard...The bedroom isn't just a place for love making, sometimes females like playing just as rough as the men."

Jay kept his head down to hide the blush, but his chuckle could still be heard.

* * *

 _"No matter what you say or do, no Seer foresight nor infinite wisdom will ever be able to prevent what you have already set in motion."_

 _"Then why for the Norns sake, Why tell me this if there is nothing I can do with it, why? To mock or gloat?_

 _"Tell me Loki, does it pain you, to have those same visions sour you, as they soured the speaker of the Tree? These same visions could be attested as Odin's downfall."_

 _"Did Mimir's wisdom give you any valuable lesson?_

 _Loki shook his head fiercely. "He used you unwisely, All-Father lost his mind by convening with Mimir."_

 _"It matters not, the Creators will not have you interfere any more. You have changed it for your own purposes."_


	76. Making friends & influencing people 1

The table he sat at already had a fair few seated officials. And they all wore vastly different clothes, some more luxurious and ornate than others. Some were pure chain-mail as a fashion item and Jay wondered how they had managed to get up with all that metal weight.

Jay however, as the Prince of Asgard Prime. He was wearing his newer formal ceremonial attire as had been prepared earlier. No real chest plate, there was no need. He wore the darkest blue plaited leather over tunic, with silver decorative panels here and there and a set of royal silver blades on his waist and right boot.

Everything on his body, save for himself, had been polished impeccably, even his jewel encrusted boot blade. He had to look the part though, it was expected of him.

Typically, Tyr hadn't exactly stated what this day was about but it was fairly obvious now. There were far more women here than men….four to one, in fact, so plenty of choice.

And, of course, Jay was an _extremely_ eligible Prince.

It was highly likely that he was expected to make a certain acquaintance today and one that would almost certainly strengthen Asgard Prime above Nornkeep.

* * *

Having thought more about what Gus had just uttered, Jay looked at the blonde haired Einherji with more curiosity than anything. His blush was still there after Gus's previous admission. "So, when exactly do you have time to play?"

"I-I mean, uh…Well, you're always busy fighting with the other's or standing guard. Does uhm, Odin give you the time off?"

"He gives me time off when I'm not protecting you." Gus suddenly blushed.

The corner of Jay's mouth curled into a small grin. His lilac eyes suddenly widened in realisation. "You have someone don't you?"

Gus looked down, his eyes were darting around trying to find the right way of saying what he wanted to without upsetting the Prince or making him feel any resentment. "I-I have a special someone, aye, My Lord."

Jay spotted the faintest hint of a smile and it was intriguing to see how uncomfortable Gus had become since admitting about his actions in the bedroom with a certain nameless female. He watched as Gus removed his helmet, placing it on the table. "Annnnnd, names, I need a name?"

Gus had quickly loosened his collar and smiling nervously, he took a deep breath in. "Ah, ha….uhm…..well-"

"Aww, come on Gus. Don't keep me hanging in suspense. Who is she, I want names?"

"Aemilia, her name is Aemilia… sh-she sings for the Palace." He mumbled with a defeated sigh. The smile was still there, now the truth was finally spilled. He met Jay's gaze and he could tell that Jay wasn't upset in the slightest with his long kept secret.

This was another thing that unsettled the tall blonde Einherji.

The Prince _never_ spoke of love or relationships anymore, at least not openly. Gus had only ever heard of Jay talking about love the once when the black haired female was here and they had all worked together. But since his incarceration and his subsequent unplanned jaunt to Iceland, he had not uttered a single word about love, nor about her. It was almost as if something had died that day.

Gus shuddered slightly. "And you?" He looked at Jay, trying to read any facial cues from this largely unknown Prince that had captured the hearts of many a young female.

"I don't have-" Jay looked to his side, cutting all eye contact from Gus. "I don't need anyone." His words were cold and final.

A hand came to rest on Jay's shoulder, and a soothing tone came forth. "We all need someone, My Lord. Tis foolish to think you can survive on your own without a strong woman by your side. Ask The All Father, he would tell you many a fond tale of the Queen."

"Yeah, I guess he would." Jay replied _. 'In his own way, skimming the truth when it suits him.'_

Taking more notice around him, he saw a man who was difficult to gauge age wise. He was sat on his left and next to Gustav. This ageless man wore pure white. His crown was as white as his face and looked to be made of the same trees that graced Birchwood forest, complete with silver birch bark. His hair was white, even his staff.

He wouldn't have looked out of place at a Halloween party, as a ghostly apparition. Still, Jay felt the need to make a good impression by being the first to make any sort of introduction, rather than sit in absolute silence. "Hey, uh, my name's Jay." He said, tentatively offering his hand as a friendly gesture.

Jay's first thought when he saw the man, was that of a miniature Tree Horn, what with the white on white….on white with the tiniest hint of black!

Jay even managed to get a fleeting glimpse of eye contact and that was where it had ended. The man didn't introduce himself though so Jay pulled his arm back awkwardly and said no more.

He guessed that this ageless male was shy and ignorant, it wasn't far from the truth. Some of these males had been raised in sheer luxurious homesteads and palaces. Never knowing how to share, or having to bed in with other males.

He thought that many of these young men had also never mingled with other worldly species, especially ones such as him.

Jay said nothing in relation to the very obvious sneer he received in response. He cocked his scarred eyebrow and continued.

To the white clad man's left, sat an even younger version of the white dressed male, this one was wearing silver. Jay assumed, that it was likely the son of the white clad man. They both looked remarkably similar, ageless, no wrinkles and weird pointy ears.

He leaned back again, now at ear level with Gus. "So are these the nobles that uh, _Odin_ was talking about?"

Gus nodded, "A few, und, you'll likely only ever meet them in passing though."

Leaning across to calm the Prince, he noted the stare of indifference coming from his direct left, he cast a disapproving look at the man, Turning his gaze back to Jay, he mumbled quietly, "Could be good for you to mingle, maybe with others less ignorant!"

Jay watched as a large heavily bound book was passed around the table. The burgundy thing looked like it was going to fall apart at any given moment. "Are we waiting for that too?"

Again Gus nodded. "Well, you are."

He was quick to explain to the young prince, thereby avoiding any further confusion. "Palace guards of Asgard Prime do not need declare an allegiance to Karnilla, for it is already understood that our allegiance lies with Odin All-Father. We are his Palace guards and will protect the King when the might of the Einherjar have fallen."

Jay, already bored, leaned back and groaned. "But, it's so tedious, just waiting." He shuffled slightly and pushed his hand into his inner pockets.

That cheeky smile that Gus had come to know was now etched onto Jay's face.

Somewhere, just under his stiff layered leather tunic lay the perfect distraction device to while away these tedious hours. It was the same device that the castle guards had to pry from his hands, almost an hour ago.

"So-" he mumbled quietly, "-care to listen to a few tunes?" Jay offered as he discreetly retrieved his MP3 player and held out a speaker bud.

Gustav didn't need any encouragement, he sat down next to Jay and took the offered ear bud and placed it into his ear as Jay had.

Between them they sat back and watched as the book was passed slowly from each young important person.

"What are they doing over there, ya know, with the book?"

Jay squinted his eyes to get a better view on the book or even the person who hovered their hand over it, but they were just too far away for him to be able to see anything. Alluding to the fact of how big this room was. The table took up half of it and the far side of the hall was but a blur, swimming with a multitude of gathered well-dressed males and females.

"Not really sure you want the answer to that, besides, you will find out soon enough and-" He smiled sweetly "-it is the royal protocol of Karnilla...Therefore, her place, her rules."

Jay shrugged with the vague answer. He had listened when Gus had mentioned the allegiance thing but then he had purposefully skimmed over what that entailed. He dropped the subject because, as Gus had just mentioned, Jay would soon be finding out what the allegiance actually entailed, sooner rather than later.

Gustav had taken to nodding his head with the beat, "What is this tune, it's catching don't you think?"

Jay grinned, "I'm still not really familiar with the names of the bands and stuff but it was in the music charts a few years ago. If it's anything like my home realm, it's modern and kinda up-to-date, possibly."

He crinkled his nose. "Disciples I think-" his smile was contagious. "The name of the band, I mean."

Gus rolled his eyes sarcastically, "Such a self righteous named musical band though."

"Yeah, I know right?"

Gus looked to be deep in thought, he was memorising the lyrics. "I think I understand the lyrics now, there is, after all not much to them. You stay on my mind, on my mind?"

The Palace guard was still moving to the dance beat, a small grin was on his face. "Repetitive?"

Jay shrugged his shoulders, tapping his hands on the huge table in time with the beat. "Totally repetitive, you stay on my mind….on my mind every night."

He chuckled and then simultaneously blushed. "Sorry Gus, not in that way….uh god…."

Both took a hefty drink of matured honey mead, and carried on listening.

Gustav pointed at Jay, "All I do, every night is think about you…."

"Every night?" Jay questioned and chuckled loudly straight after. His hand quickly shot to his mouth to stifle the drunken giggles that came spilling out. "Really?"

Gus nodded at Jay's question as he struggled to keep his face straight and indifferent. It was incredibly difficult being as Jay was in a fit of drunken giggles at the side of him. "That hilarious?"

Jay couldn't answer, he was grabbing his stomach and trying to bite down on his knuckles to stop any more giggles spilling out.

Gus had been trained by Tyr. The God of War had made them all the same, to be more stoic and less caring, as was the case of every single one of the 10,000 Einherjar.

Seeing death on a daily basis was nothing short of a barbaric career choice. But since death had claimed him in the midst of battle he had soon learned to become indifferent to slaying people in the name of Odin.

But Loki, in his disguise had seen the bond forming between these two and he gave Gus a literal promotion. Obviously he had done it on purpose because he didn't trust Cole or Kai. In the blink of an eye, Gus had turned from simple Einherji to Palace guard. Then and only then was he furnished with all the responsibility that it entailed and the sacrifices he'd have to make…..luckily love wasn't one of them.

To Gus, this was like a breath of fresh air. Jay was so completely different to Odin. For starters; even though Jay was a trained martial arts fighter. He didn't seek out battle like Odin had, he tried to avoid it where possible. Jay was so down to earth he was laid back at times and his personality….Gus thought that Jay's personality was addictive.

* * *

"Sorry-" he patted Jay's back gently.

Jay had stopped giggling and was attempting to sit back up. He quickly rubbed the tears from his eyes and face. Another relaxing drink of the good stuff, he leaned back slowly, "Don't be, never be sorry….unless you mean it."

Gus shrugged at Jay's reply, "-It comes with the territory. My sole purpose is to protect you, you are royalty remember. 'On my mind, you stay on my mind'….every damn night!" He released a small chortle and hid it from his troop of Einherjar nearby.

Jay said nothing, but his charming smile still remained. It was nice to have someone to talk to for a change. And, at least Gus didn't answer a question with a question…. _unlike Loki._

"My Lord, you really do make me laugh sometimes and these music choices are very modern in comparison….."

Jay was grateful for this chat, to have someone to talk to as opposed to the two to Gus's left who weren't speaking at all. "Ya know, you're a good friend Gus, don't know what I'd do without you."

The young Prince adjusted his slightly wonky crown and passed Gustav another flute of straw coloured mead. "Cheers."

"Do not think on it, you'll never be without me. I will always try to be there." He said it with such a cheesy but well-meant tone.

Jay cringed but didn't laugh. "Corny but thanks again. I'd like to think the same but you've got centuries of battle knowledge over me. And likewise, I'll try to be there whenever I can." Jay rolled his eyes, mainly at his own cheesy response, which was almost on par with Gus's.

Thinking quickly, he wanted to divert the now awkward topic. "What about this one?" He quickly changed it to another song. This one was more bassy.

"Is this what earthbound music has come to, which such a heavy deep beat and repetition?" Gus seemed disappointed for a moment, until the lyrics started anew. Eyebrows rising quickly, he blushed rapidly at the lyrics. "Those lyrics are non rhyming and seem very...ahh...very risqué."

Jay's eyes were drawn to the book again, getting closer still. He leaned back so as not to shout, "Hiphop, just another genre but it's still cool right?"

Gus nodded enthusiastically. "It is different, I'll give you that." He frowned as he attempted to decipher the meaning behind the words that his ear was being subjected to. "Do the people of earth now cuss in their songs too and talk of such lewd acts as a matter of fact, rather than keep these thoughts for the bedroom alone?"

"Sorry," Jay half smiled in embarrassment, "You can blame Black Widow and Hawk for the music choices. They thought it would be good to immerse myself into Earth's cultures for some reason." He quickly changed the song, and scrolled through the playlist.

Gus was unsure about the names mentioned and he didn't push it. He knew that Jay would no doubt talk about them at a later date….if he had the time.

Jay pinched the bridge of his nose together. His expression was neutral. "I-I had to have some music to focus on when I was there. I was so lonely, ya know? And, these were the only songs I could remember…. _b-because something happened to me the last time I was in New York._ " He rushed the rest of the sentence out but Gus, luckily, caught it all.

Jay flicked it to another song. He was annoyed with himself and with how easy it had been for him to fall right into their hands. "I think Hawk and Widow did it on purpose to keep my mood up and my focus on track."

He began rubbing his temples…"Gahh, this stuff is strong." He eyed the mead wearily and pushed the remainder away a little. "I hated it, hated the secrets in SHIELD."

He'd never divulged this before, not even to Loki. Although the God already knew, he was incredibly smart and intuitive, it was one of the reasons he took Jay as his own.

Loki was the _only_ one who saw the potential, from that first fleeting glimpse of the blue speck. The power and energy within him was immense, it just needed guidance and a hint of evil to sway its allegiance.

Jay wasn't sitting up. He was laughing darkly without any emotion. Hiding his face while leaning forward, his voice grew colder still. "Ya know, both of them had level five SHIELD clearance and they knew that I'd never get home." He slowly raised his face and it held such a pained expression that Gus was quickly lost for words.

Jay's words were suddenly so cold and cruel. Heartbreak was hidden behind each and every muttered syllable. "They lied to me, Gus. Just to get me to fight with them. They knew damn well that I'd never get back home because they didn't know how to use the cube."

"My Lord?"

"Gus, they only wanted the cube to make weapons with. That was as much as I could get from them. Something about my security clearance not being high enough!"

Only Loki knew how to use the cube properly. He was the only one who had travelled through the portal successfully, other than Jay, his brothers and Nya.

He was the only one with power of his mind to use one infinity stone against another for his own reasons. And, it worked to his advantage.

Gus said nothing in response. The Prince was visibly irritated. Still, he held tightly onto the music device like it meant something to him, even if listening to it caused him such visible torment. It was his crutch and also his never healing wound. It caused him anguish but helped to keep him grounded.

His chuckle was dark and devoid of humour, "Honestly Gus, kill me now, it'd be so much easier for everyone."

The blonde haired guard frowned, "I'd rather _not_ , My Lord."

Something troubled him about the young Prince. Something Odin had largely kept a secret. Gus wasn't privy to _everything_ that happened in the Palace but often the walls had ears and he _had_ heard many things in passing.

Namely, Gus had heard things about a weapon of great importance. Something that had been sought countless times but never obtained, for the weapon had perished before it could be used.

He shuffled uncomfortably and his grip remained strong on Jay's shoulder. "My Lord?"

Jay had finally turned his head, lifting his gaze from the cold stone floor. His eyes could tell so many stories and all of them would have the same outcome, good prevailing over evil. But right now there was nothing there, his eyes were almost as hollow as he felt.

"Gus, I'm fine. It was just a really bad time, that's all." He flashed a quick grin but it was anything but genuine, his mere mentioning of his time with Loki had hit a raw nerve.

" _Are you_ , My Lord, are you _fine?_ Look, I'll not ask on the names mentioned as I have no inkling to learn of modern earth but you _must_ talk about _this_. About what happened in the Americas, will _you_ talk about it?" He inquired gently.

He was genuinely concerned, considering this was the first he'd heard of any danger afforded to the Prince.

Jay shrugged, taking a drink. "I can't remember all of it, but I can remember the pain." His lilac eyes settled back on Gus's concerned face.

"I lost five days ya know!…five days, just gone in the blink of an eye." He removed the remaining ear bud and tucked the device away.

Jay was saddened to admit it but it _had_ happened and there was no taking it back. What made it worse, was that Loki hadn't divulged what had happened, only that he'd made a mistake…a painful one at that.

Jay's sombre expression made Gus feel uneasy. His eyes were drawn back to the book again. He sucked a deep breath in and blew it out gently, "Something happened, but it's all gone from here." He pointed at his head and shot Gus a crooked smile. "I woke up bleeding with a multitude of injuries, locked away in a darkened room."

Gus could tell that the Prince was bothered by it and it was obviously still troubling him. That alone was enough to warrant a look of concern from the blonde haired Einherji. "You recovered well though, My Lord?"

Jay shrugged his shoulders, "In a way, I guess." It was still raw, there was still resentment that he could do nothing about, unless he wanted to face off against Loki. No, going up against the might of the young headstrong, psychotic Aesirian Prince wasn't on his 'bucket' list of things to do before he died….Not since the battle Royale anyway.

His firm arm and hand stretched right around Jay's back. He squeezed tightly. "I've been there twice yah, twice. I lived there once."

Jay's eyebrows rose of their own volition. Why hadn't he asked more about Gus's childhood? "You did huh, where?"

He passed Jay a fruit infused drink as the tray passed close by. "Yah, Prussia. Tis of course called Germany as of late. I like the new name, my home sounds stronger now." He smiled wistfully as he looked at his drink.

Gus was smiling whilst reminiscing of his past life, "My Lord, things were so different, music, the way people dressed and how they spoke. We had none of this gadgetry, just made our own music and chased our own females, respectfully."

Jay was indifferent, he was one of those responsible for helping the world change, to evolve. So he was an inventor in his past life and he loved the gadgetry that Gus had just mentioned. "A sign of times changing I guess."

The tall blonde Einherji pulled Jay into a bone crushing embrace. "You've got company," He motioned to a man approaching in golden armour.

Jay watched as his friend started to gather his things. "I'll be nearby, my Lord. And, uh stay away from the World Tree." He was smiling but deadly serious. "I mean it, **_don't go near the tree_**."

Jay had a nervous smile on his face, "What tree? You mean the one in Asgard _right_?"

Gus shook his head. "No, j-just stay in the castle. Do not leave the grounds." There was a definite nervousness to his order, he wasn't really one to order the Prince around and he felt awkward doing it. But he had been forewarned by Odin to keep the Prince safe, on this day above all others, even at the expense of his own men.

"S-sure, I-I wont leave the castle…" Jay was still watching the book as it travelled slowly, it stopped at every young member of the table briefly. He wanted to watch but his attention was drawn back to his own side of the table as a coffee coloured hand was held out in front of him.

A gesture of goodwill, of friendship, maybe a long term comrade, he didn't have much time to think on it before his own arm reached up.

He shook the hand with nervous apprehension and observed the hand, arm and young man who had offered it so willingly. Introductions could be nerve wracking at the best of times, especially, when waiting for someone to make the first move and then speak.

The young man, whose smile radiated warmth from the outset was staring down, his brown eyes gazing gently into Jay's own amethyst orbs.

"Sigurd the Ever Glorious, or just Zig. And, you are?"

The first thing he noticed was how gently Zig spoke. There was no husky voice, no harsh gravelly tone, just a smooth based voice, that could have landed him a spot as a radio disc jockey.

He recomposed himself even though he still had a slightly stupefied expression. "Jay, just Jay haha." He replied nervously, then mentally face palmed at the impromptu slip up.

"Well ' _just Jay'_ " He said with a cheesy grin. "You look lost and out of your depth." He said and removed his helmet, allowing his dreadlocks to fall and frame his chiselled face.

Gustav looked at the man who was the same height. He recognised the Asgardian warrior immediately and stepped aside to let him sit.

"I'll leave you two to talk…" He spoke clearly and then bowed, not before winking at Jay. "My Lords, I bid you a short farewell."

Jay mock saluted and watched as his best friend walked off to liaise with his fellow comrades. Gus had turned and had winked at him again. He took that simple gesture to mean that this guy was an ally of Asgard and hopefully, meant him no harm.


	77. Making friends & influencing people 2

Jay still couldn't get used to being called a 'Lord', Hel, he didn't even have his own house.

Thinking that perhaps, Lords had manor houses, prince's and such royalty had Palace's, yet Jay had nothing. Well, nothing except for his biological father's Palatial mansion and a large plot of land with a business...Surely that had to account for something?

* * *

Living under the strict governance of the Palace of Asgard was okay. Jay was allowed to roam the city on occasion, with an armed guard. But he rarely socialised because he had not had the opportunity to do so but he was well known amongst the people.

Then he thought about living on the large planet known as earth and what that had entailed. That place was huge in comparison to his home realm. But so far, he'd only explored a few states when he was in America, those being; New York where a SHIELD office was located and HYDRA's HQ. Then there was Washington DC, the HQ of SHIELD, he'd been told it was called the Triskellion.

He thought back to where he lived during all that time. He was roomed in his own chambers under the strict and cruel duress of Loki. Even before he accepted Loki's ruthless proposal, he was kept there against his will.

* * *

"You mind if I take this seat?"

He _finally_ spoke, much to Jay's relief. The man who had introduced himself as Sigurd the Everglorius or Zig. The dude with dreadlocks and golden armour had actually made the first move and spoke.

Jay found it difficult to keep a straight face at the potential for a cheesy joke. Typically, he couldn't resist. So, he turned to face the man who had spoken. His face completely serious and devoid of expression. "Will you be bringing it back?" Jay said with a smirk and a raise of his eyebrow, he was openly testing his sense of humour.

A sudden smile appeared on the man's face. "No..., Haa I might keep it!" He cocked his brow, a smirk crept across his chiselled features. "….I jest, I only want to sit and chat. Make you feel more at _ease_?"

Jay picked up his new drink with curiosity, he sniffed it and took the smallest drink. "I'm at ease. Perfectly at ease..." He wasn't even sure if it was the truth or not.

Zig had picked up on his apprehension. It wasn't just the voice and mounting nervousness. It was the way his body language was literally screaming _'Get me out of here!'_

His gentle smile and soothing voice were quick to calm. "So _Jay_ , are you staying for the whole day or are you leaving after the _blood pact?_ "

Jay had been calmed by those velvety undertones but at the mention of blood, he had sputtered the drink and put it down quickly. He did a double take, trying to ascertain if Zig was teasing. His heart sank when Zig's face became unreadable and stoic.

 _'_ _A blood pact, great!'_

"So uh what exactly is this blood pact thing then? Sorry, just never been to anything like this before. I normally just stay with L…uhm _Odin_."

 _'_ _That was too close, gotta remember.'_

"A promise to uphold a peace treaty between your kingdoms, they all do it, it helps to bring togetherness against the ones who would seek to dominate.

"Such as?" Jay enquired as the book got closer.

"Oh I don't know, Thanos perhaps and maybe Galactus. The most dangerous, maybe Hela and Jormungandr…" He smirked. "Not that we're expecting trouble anytime soon."

He had no idea who the majority of the named villains were, except maybe for Thanos, _that_ name he _was_ familiar with. "Galactus?"

Zig shuddered and looked askance. Was Jay really this unknowing of these two powerful entities? "Galactus, the realm killer, the devourer of planets, the God Slayer, formerly a man now a universe destroying entity?…" His eyebrow was rising by the second. "Really, you haven't heard of him?"

Jay bit his lip at the sheer amount of nicknames given to one incredibly dangerous villain. He shook his head nervously and drank more of his drink to the point of needing to have it filled again.

"Sorry," Jay crinkled his nose, "sheltered upbringing I guess." This was certainly someone he never wanted meet. Or be on the planet at the time of said destruction.

Zig's blasé attitude to speaking about a literal world destroyer whilst being able to switch effortlessly to an irrelevant topic made Jay frown and he wondered where Zig's mind was.

Jay guessed that this 'Galactus' was just biding his time. At least, Jay hoped he was...Loki had never mentioned Galactus, maybe he was scared too.

"Nothing to worry about though. This is a necessity, a coming of age sort of thing for the youngest of the realms to convene and pledge an allegiance."

"What Galactus or today?" Jay chuckled nervously, "How old are these guys then, coming of age what is that like 17 or something?"

"Something like that. Are you staying all day?" Zig repeated again.

"I'm not planning on staying all day, just want to get this thing signed and get back to….Asgard." He trailed off and watched with intrigue as another young member took the heavy book again.

 _'_ _Blood pact, this day just gets better and better.'_

It seemed to be taking an excessive amount of time to get round the table, having only moved the one place since the last time he looked.

"The queen always holds high esteem for those who stay the duration. She seems to relax more during the space of the day. Maybe it tires her, but some stay for the guidance and wisdom she bestows."

"And you, do you stay for that too?" Jay questioned openly.

"No, I stay for the company!" He said with a smirk. "Karnilla has a very strange way of imparting wisdom."

" _Oh_ …right." Jay was confused, now more than ever. He'd had enough of the cryptic bullshit to last a lifetime...thanks to Loki.

"So, being as we seem to have time on our hands, tell me a little bit about yourself."

Jay faltered, almost spluttering on his drink. He was getting happily drunk. "W-what do you mean?"

Zig was quick to settle the new sign of nerves, "I've not seen you before, you are new around here and Asgard. I saw you a few days ago…you were wearing a lot less though."

"Got to say, you look a lot better now."

Jay's face turned crimson, he remembered that. But he was too far away to see the seated Gods and other people because he was at the far end of Gladsheim. "Oh, hahaha…Urgh, you mean in _the_ hall, right?" He was still blushing and rubbed his temple in embarrassment, hiding his face in the process.

"Yes, that's the one. How the Hel you survived that I'll never know, mortals have fallen on that sword, fallen as in 'slain.'"

"Is that so?" Jay mumbled, "Intriguing, maybe I've got some higher calling then, huh?"

Zig shook his head slowly, "Only gods can survive that, but obviously that's by the by. Maybe some magic helped, I don't know with you, you're still a new face. Kind of hard to read."

"Well, I'm his protector, he sort of recruited me back on earth and I've been with him ever since."

"He doesn't go to earth all that much though?" Zig queried, his index finger tapping his chin.

"Well he did this one time and I was there. The rest as they say is history." He wrapped it up quickly in the hope that Zig wouldn't dig for more dirt.

"Hey, I've been to earth, it's a great place. Full of cultures so new and yet so completely different to ours. They think of their history as ancient, yet they have _no idea."_

"Well, they're diverse though, different. Guess you'd call it modern, in comparison." Jay offered and shrugged his shoulder.

 _"_ Haha mortals, seriously they seem to think the worlds revolve around them, when it so doesn't."

"Yeah, I know right!" Jay smirked, sort of glad his secret was still safe.

Zig was comfortably sat down, his golden armour plating glistened in the candle light. It jangled nosily as he raised his arms, placing them on the table to grab at his tankard. "Hey, on the subject of protectors, you know you're not Odin's first right?"

Jay shook his head gently. "No, no idea actually. So uh, are protectors a common thing then?"

He smiled coyly, a golden tooth shining back at Jay. "The opposite actually."

He finished his drink and smiled at Jay. "They are like the scarcest red gold dust, incredibly rare, difficult to find and even harder to keep."

Laughing quietly, he leant across to Jay. "That saying is so old now, but it's always used because when we do find one they are snapped up by the most powerful."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Those capable of training the protectors are usually Gods and the Gods, if they have a heart, usually afford them with a little of their own power as a protective enchantment."

"I-I didn't really know, it was never explained to me. Just sort of happened."

The more he thought about it, the more he realised he had no idea of the danger he could be in. Being a prince wouldn't cut it, he was a protector and when word got out what he actually was, then he would be sought by more than just Loki….judging by what this man was saying.

It didn't make for pleasant conversation yet Jay was intrigued.

"So, uh what happened to Odin's last protector then?" He asked with piqued interest, not really caring for a morbid answer, he knew it was going to be pretty bad.

A large platter of food was placed in front of everyone. Jay noticed that Gustav seemed to be busy eating elsewhere with the other Einherjar. He occasionally caught Gus's concerned stare.

Jay, had of course offered the seat to Zig and watched him cautiously as he placed his hefty food platter down.

"Odin's last protector was the best protector, he fought with Odin, for him and stood in front taking everything that was thrown at him. Weakening the opponents so Odin could take the final strike and win."

"So, what you're saying is…that he died?" Jay said as he picked up a lamb chop steak and nibbled at it, trying not to feel anxious at what he was hearing.

"No he didn't die." Sigurd half smiled at Jay's naivety.

"Odin wouldn't make his protectors weak and vulnerable. He was given the strength of ten men, immortalised by Idun's apples and what not."

Jay had a feeling that Odin might have been a better person to protect, he surely wouldn't be the one to torture when the protector steps out of line. "Haa phew. Cool, so then what happened?"

"Well he was technically alive when Odin's father still roamed these lands. He was the same age. Well, he was Asgardian."

"That, kinda makes a big difference though, you guys have a much longer life span, than most."

"Yes, yes we do." Zig simply nodded in response. "And stronger skin too."

"What happened then?" Jay pushed on, leaning forward and eagerly listening in.

"He made some sort of pact and it went awry. The pact was how he met my mother, I was born and he disappeared."

"So, he's still alive?"

"Hang on little one, so eager to hear the story haha, I like you."

"He was one of the greatest heroes. The so called 'Legend of Legends, the Blade of Bor, the First Hero."

"Okay, why haven't I heard much of him? I don't mean any offence by that either, just curious."

"Something happened to him and his troop. You could say he was ousted by Bor."

"Oh, right uh carry on."

"His troop came to Bor's fort one day and was met by Bor's own sword maidens. They were sworn to him in _every_ way."

"Every way? What so, uh like he was the only one who could, ya know, fu-"

"-Yes, exactly." Zig replied quickly. A restrained chuckle wanted to escape at the eagerness of the young Prince and his ease of using earth bound cuss words.

He took another drink watching as Jay followed suit. "They chafed at their bit, however, and wished for greater freedom."

"I'll bet they did haa. S-sorry you were saying."

"But for that freedom they craved, they had to wait until Bor left for battle, so they did."

"What? So while the cat's away the mice will play sorta thing right?"

"Exactly…."

"Oh my god hahaha, the loose morals, so uh what happened next?"

Sigurd seemed to smile at the boyish enthusiasm shown by this eager yet impossibly young prince who seemed enthralled at the telling of a historical event pertaining to his father. "Well, they all slept with him and his men and his soldiers."

Jay was still eager to know more, his wide grin made Zig want to continue. "Whoa, how many men are we talking about here?" His slight naivety made him think that there wouldn't be that many women, surely!

"About ten, like the amount of Einherjar you've brought with you today, to thirteen willing women."

His eyes widened and his jaw was agape as the smallest hint of a squeak came out. "Wow, I'm shocked but wow." He grinned again and shook his head. "Sorry, you were saying…"

"As you would imagine, Bor returned and he cursed the sword maidens, turning them into the Disir…" His face suddenly became stoic and the smile dropped.

Jay recoiled at the mention of that, he painfully remembered his own transformation. Yet he had no inking of what Bor whad been capable of.

The thought of being turned into something else sounded largely ominous. "What exactly are _they_? Do I need to worry about _them_ too?"

"They are what you might call 'cannibalistic undead warriors' and no, _you_ don't need to worry about them." He took a larger drink than before, before glancing around carefully.

His odd behaviour didn't go unnoticed by Jay, who felt even more anxiety than before, but he was still enthralled. "So where are they now?"

He shrugged loosely, looking deeply troubled whilst staring at his drink. "I think they're all in Hela's service now."

Jay frowned but tilted his head to observe Zig's behaviour. "And?"

He leant in closer to Jay's ear, "It does not do well to dwell about them, for the time being anyway."

Zig took another large glug of the good stuff and sighed. Breathing that held in breath through his mouth, like pent up frustration that had been bubbling for years. "Sigurd ran away from Asgard. He chose earth and hid there whilst pretending to be human. Literally, he stayed there for centuries because the Disir wanted to hunt him down for revenge."

Jay was feeling some unease as Zig continued, he couldn't help but feel that something was amiss. "Why is everything done for revenge, so uh no forgiveness or understanding?"

Sigurd looked back at Jay, his coffee coloured complexion smirking back at him for his lack of understanding. It was forgivable though because this young prince was barely old enough to have even fought in any wars. He had barely lived, in Zig's eyes. Still too young to even comprehend how he was even capable of being a protector.

But Zig knew, he knew that the Disir _always_ wanted retribution, an eye for an eye, for wrongdoings, at being abandoned and used. "They were the undead, I really don't think they had any feelings at all except eating and revenge."

That same feeling was there, niggling at Jay to dig deeper, to find out more. But, for now, he would bide his time. "Oh okay, figures!"

"So, Sigurd, however, was a pretty happy-go-lucky earth guy. He mingled, as people on earth tend to do. Might have even got a paid job of sorts to bide his long arduous time on that lonely realm."

"Hhmm, so far away from home and kinda alone, that stinks…."

"Yes I guess it did, I don't think it phased him all that much though. He spent his time sleeping around with human women, enjoying himself on Midgard."

Jay struggled to hide his now crooked smirk. "That doesn't sound so bad, in comparison right?" He chuckled but quickly stopped.

Again, Zig's face was largely unreadable. "In comparison to the Disir, he was living the life of a king whilst the Disir lived a particularly tortured existence, used and abused by their owner, the one who paid their covenant."

"Ahhh, right." He didn't know what to say to that, he loaded his fork with a mixture of mashed potato and vegetables, dipped in a rich meaty gravy before placing it carefully in his mouth.

It was uncomfortably awkward. How exactly was he supposed to ask Zig to continue spilling the truth when the subject matter was becoming so dark? "God that tastes sooo good." Jay mumbled, closing his eyes.

The way this food tasted, reminded him of Amora's cooking skill and it detracted from the moment of awkwardness, to be replaced with a feeling of dread and panic.

"Sorry Zig, you were saying?"

"The Disir told him that they would wait, that he couldn't run from his own fate and they knew the exact date and time it would happen. They would wait for him. He stayed as the right hand man of the All-Father."

"So after he worked with Odin successfully what happened next?"

Zig was looking down as he spoke, "fate caught up with him, he died in battle." He took another hearty glug, finishing the large mouthful in one.

"His wounds were too severe and he perished in battle, protecting the one he served." Sigurd sighed, a deep shuddering sigh that took all the remaining happiness from his face.

"All protectors go the same way, they fight so damned hard and for what? They have no real life, they run away to find the answers to find the life that they wanted and then when they are needed, they put their lives on the line, when the time calls for it."

It was true, Jay couldn't argue. He had fought damned hard so far and he had barely been in Loki's service but for a few months. And in that time, he had already suffered so much. His once true love to Nya was now largely irreparable, he wasn't even capable of actual love, only physical. The icing on the cake was that he didn't even know if his brothers trusted him anymore.

Jay massaged his temples, his head was beginning to ache with all this new information and the loud atmosphere surrounding them. "Hmm." It was all he could say, even if it was a sympathetic gesture of understanding.

"The only way my father could have any chance of a family was to either marry all of the remaining eleven Disir or sleep around."

"All he wanted, was to settle down. To hang up his sword, to maybe pass Eir-Gram to his first born son rather than die with it in his hand."

Jay looked confused for a split second "Eir Gram?"

He retrieved the blade in question, the blade glowed on its own. "Eir-Gram. It's a sword of ancient magic, bathed in Dragon's Blood."

Jay shivered at that and wondered what Sigurd would think to an elemental dragon. Smartly, he chose not to divulge the details.

"This is a sword of truth. The saying goes 'To suffer the blade is to suffer all the truths you deny yourself. It always hurts. Sometimes it kills, and sometimes it saves your life'. It's all I have to remember him by, sad right?"

Jay looked at it confusion, "No, not at all, it's kinda cool actually. I got a big house from my father." He skipped the rest of that on purpose, not really wanting to divulge that his biological father was a seasoned actor of sorts that Jay had idolised as a kid. He never actually knew that it was his own father till the man had passed away.

He shuffled a bit and discreetly leaned in. The intrigue was pulling him back in like a shiny lure. "What do you mean by sometimes it kills and sometimes it saves your life?"

"Well, someone who is overrun by evil, it would kill them, but if they were under a spell it would hurt like Hel but it would undoubtedly save their life. It wouldn't necessarily remove the curse though, just provide clarity."

Jay shrugged, "still cool though right?"

"It's not cool, not at all." He shook his head and frowned at the sword he held. "It's a stolen relic from Odin's vaults. It was meant for Loki, it was stolen from him when he was much younger."

To Jay the sword looked ceremonial in style, not unlike his own silver one, which he had never unsheathed. It was still secured to his side as part of his uniform.

He looked back at it momentarily, chewing his food slowly yet wondering if Loki knew about the fact that his so called _'truth sword'_ was being wielded by another.

It was so ironic, that Jay struggled to contain his laughter. He didn't really want to let it slip that he worked for Loki and not Odin, and that he could, if he wanted to, take the sword back to him.

"The sword of truth belonged to the God of lies? That sounds a bit far fetched?"

Zig turned and smirked at Jay, his golden sword immediately re sheathed within the jewel encrusted scabbard. "Sounds or sounded? Careful My Lord, your words could give away more than you wish to declare." His eyes observed the prince as he sat uncomfortably under scrutiny

He stroked the blade, as if it were another limb.

He was exceptionally tender with it, according to what Jay could see.

"It _belongs_ to him, I know for one he's still alive. And yes, Loki has not always been the God of lies, evil or whatever he goes by now, it was just simple mischief at one stage."

"Besides, if he wants it back he knows where I am. He'll have to come and get it from me, but he'd have to fight and he doesn't seem to do much of that anymore. He doesn't have the balls."

Trying to remain indifferent was beginning to grate. But what Zig was saying was almost hitting the spot. Jay had never seen Loki fight, only in defence and for sparring purposes. He had a sneaking suspicion that Loki wasn't the type to march off into battle. "What do you mean?"

"I meant, that he tends to start fights, well he did. Once he got enough gods and giants riled up, he'd sit by the side and watch."

"Or maybe he'd send someone else in to fight for him?" Jay offered with a sincere smile, testing the waters.

Sigurd looked at Jay with an annoyed and frustrated expression that made him feel stupid. "I don't think Loki has the gall to recruit a decent person, he'd likely go for a lesser being, one he could easily take control of."

"Yeah something like that, a lesser being who probably can't think for themselves either." His eyes rolled in annoyance but he said no further on it.

"Ha, well I reckon if Loki ever got himself a protector he'd probably find someone who would be so easy as to corrupt in mind and body. The God would likely abuse the trust of his worthless protector and abuse them too."

Jay bristled at that insult and accompanying tone, instead choosing to eat another mouthful of food. It was the painful truth again. He could swear that each time Zig spoke, his sword would glow, another unsettling feeling. But he didn't even entertain the idea of answering, instead he grunted. This day was fast becoming arduous and the feeling of lethargy was tugging at him. He stifled a yawn but turned to face Zig as the man continued with his diatribe.

Zig continued in a relentless manner. "You know, Loki always shied away from confrontation? He's a goddamned coward."

Jay had turned to scoop more food onto his fork. His scarred right eyebrow began twitching in annoyance as he swallowed a large chunk of meat without meaning to. He couldn't exactly let on that yeah, Loki had recruited him.

Yet, despite Sigurd's insulting tone, he didn't feel like a lesser being. He thought that Zig was quite possibly talking shit and likely trying to get some sort of reaction from him but it wasn't working. " _Was_ he a coward though or did he fight alongside Thor?"

" _Barely_ ," Zig was chuckling to himself as he toyed with his own food. He was eyeing a red head who was walking on by. "Again, he let the warriors three and Thor take the lead. The _rumoured_ fallen God would never wield this sword in battle."

Jay wouldn't retaliate, there wasn't any point. Yes, he was sullying Loki's name but it was hardly the end of the world. Jay was vaguely aware that he had begun coughing and was quickly running out of air.

He'd been too busy thinking about how crass Zig was, in relation to referring to any protector of Loki as being cowardly, inferior and easy to manipulate.

A hefty slap on the back from Sigurd's heavily armoured hand had made Jay wince but it removed the blockage from his throat.

"Thanks." Jay wheezed, blushing. "For a few seconds there, I thought you were going to let me choke!"

Zig looked taken aback. A lock of bemused shock was plastered on his face, "Never, My Lord. And, do not mention it."

Jay noticed that Zig was smiling again but at whose expense he wasn't sure. Disconcertingly, it didn't look like a sincere smile. It gave him the chills, everyone here gave him the chills.


	78. Keep friends close & enemies closer

Sigurd the Everglorious, Zig or Sig as previously known, was tucking into a bunch of grapes, "So-" He mumbled whilst eating, "-as a protector of Odin, does he ever let you out on your own? I mean _other_ than this? Are you _ever_ given time off?"

Jay narrowed his eyes at the insulting tone. He even gave a half laugh at the absurdity of what Zig had uttered, "err yeah dude _, I'm not a dog!"_ He whispered and stole a grape from the huge handful he'd had obtained from some wench's platter.

And, although Jay had answered Zig's question, in a sense. He had purposefully avoided answering _the_ question in detail.

The minute he answered truthfully would be the moment that Zig would see him as that _lesser_ _person_. The type of person who would be easy to coerce, to manipulate and to control...the type of lesser being that Loki would choose.

But, was he really such a _lesser person,_ as Zig aforementioned?

He certainly felt like one now and, he was in two minds whether to tell Zig the truth and simply say; 'N _o, he never let's me out, so I run away!_ ' Or whether to just do what Loki does best, just skim the truth and fib or make up some elaborate tale that would sound effective and believable.

Then there would be the admittance of the truth and the resulting problem that he would be faced with upon admission. Embarrassment and humiliation!

* * *

"Jay, _does he?_ " Zig asked again. His curiosity piquing by the second whilst Jay refused to offer an immediate answer.

"Uhm, I-" Jay was thinking about the question, _really_ he was. And, he bit back the mounting disappointment he'd felt when he'd asked Loki the same thing, a few Asgardian weeks ago.

 _"Is that it, I get four days off?"_

 _"Jayson, the reason we went back to Asgard was not to cut your vacation time short but merely because the behaviour of your brothers warranted it."_

 _"Should I feel the need to remind you. This, was never a vacation, it was a chance for you to cut those ties..."_

 _"I need more time..."_

 _"How much time does one need to do something as simple as this?"_

 _"A month!"_

He had remembered asking just for a month...it was denied only a few hours later on that night that Amora interfered.

How could he forget _that_ night? It was the same night that Loki had told him how much HYDRA had paid Kai, it was Jay's _bloodmoney_ or the crude incentive that HYDRA had given to the fire elemental to see that he would follow through with the arrangements.

And it was the same night Loki told him ' _how it was'._ Choosing to spill those'supposed soul destroying' home truths! It was also the same night that Jay tried to take on two Asgardians, single-handedly.

It was also the very same night he almost died when Loki used his unrestrained Æsir strength to throw Jay into a wall.

* * *

" **The Gods!** Jay _,_ are you still in the realm of Asgardia or has your mind been spirited away by the wood nymphs? _"_ he teased and jostled the prince until he was sat upright with a startled expression.

"Hmm, wh-what?" Jay mumbled.

" **JAY** , does he let you _out?"_

Zig was indeed persistent but Jay wasn't fazed by it in the slightest. If anything, it was a breath of fresh air. And, it would appear that Zig was just as inpatient as Jay was, even when it came to simple conversations. The subject matter though, it wasn't something Jay _wanted_ to discuss in great detail, and he looked down.

Jay, eventually lifted his head to talk. He thought that Zig would shake the life out of him soon if he hesitated any longer. "H-he does, on both accounts-" He finally responded as he sat twiddling the stem of his mead filled glass.

He looked sideways with a visible frown, "I-I mean, to a _certain_ degree, he'll let me out on occasion." Jay purposefully avoided telling the truth and he glanced towards Zig's hip, watching intently as the enchanted sword shimmered.

 _'Haa, what do ya know, a truth sword that can seek out liars, cool! Wonder if it was always glowing when Loki held it? Like permanently glowing because of the lies he would hear on a day to day basis.'_

The golden armoured man noted that Jay seemed to be deep in thought. His lilac eyes were fixated on the dragon's blood sword...Eir Gram's sword, the sword of truth.

Zig had looked down at his sword on purpose and smirked. He _knew_ that Jay had lied. He could tell the young prince had chosen to forgo the truth because of how he answered the question and the lengthy delay. _'A lie for a lie, young prince?'_

What he didn't know was why he had lied. The white lie, Jay had just muttered had duly made it even, Zig had withheld the truth from Jay too.

He was just surprised that the Prince hadn't noticed that during his earlier diatribe, his sword was glowing constantly. He smiled wickedly at Jay's nervousness, stroking the pommel and plaited leather hilt with a sense of purpose, "Still early days though. And, I guess **_Odin_** would prefer to keep you close for the first few hundred years. Least until you are fully trained as his protector, hmm?"

He looked up momentarily at the questioning tone afforded to him, "Yeah, I guess you're right." Jay replied with a loose shrug. His eyes were still glancing back towards the blade. "Fully trained."

Zig lowered his head and leaned in with a smug grin, "Then, have you _ever_ had _any_ alone time on Midgard? Surely the _High One, Odin himself_ cannot be with you every hour."

Jay looked mildly offended at Sigurd's rather crude insinuation, "He's _not_ with me **_every_** hour **,** " he snapped in response.

He chuckled at that, but continued with his probing questions, "One can only assume you have your own chambers, unless you _sleep_ with him too?" Zig teased, not expecting a response or a flicker of a lie.

"I don't sleep with _him either_..." Jay hissed out and his eyes watched in horror as the sword shimmered yet again. "W-with _Odin_ , I meant." He quickly added but it was too late.

 _'Oh Fuck no, FUCK!'_ He was truly mortified and ashamed at the fact he couldn't stop talking. Normally it wouldn't have been an issue, had Loki been here.

Zig's eye's had widened, "Oh, ho ho, what is _this_? A lover, hmm?" He cast a crude leery glare up and down Jay's physique. Likely to see if the Prince exhibited any androgynous attributes or was a possible hermaphrodite. He saw nothing that gave him any indication that Jay was anything but a slender male. "Come now, I tease you, tis nothing more."

"I-I, uhm. I don't sleep with Odin." He replied, more subdued. Now his eyes were glued to the blade of truth.

In Zig's eyes and deep down in his heart, he knew there was something pertaining to the Prince and Odin. Something very close and intimate as the truth sword had noted when it identified a lie. Maybe it would hold the truth as to why this very obvious adult Prince had been accepted so easily into the family.

There was more to him than met the eye. Jay was hiding something important from Zig, from everyone. The prince was possibly even powerful, dangerous maybe that was why Odin had him as a plaything. Maybe the All Father _enjoyed_ this effeminate male. He was more than capable of seidr forced transmutation. Even his fallen queen, Frigga, she had used seidr to alter the appearances of her own person. Between the All Father and All Mother, they passed the skill to Loki. The young prince then, showed no interest in battle strategy nor brutality. And transmutation was a well known yet easy spell to create and manipulate. It was also cruel and a form of control when used on others.

Zig was pensive, And yet, the more Jay was keeping from him, the more painful the truth would be to reveal in the end. Zig patted Jay on the shoulder, a show that there were no hard feelings. "So-" he continued and leaned forwards, "-alone time on Midgard?"

Jay didn't want to say anymore about that. He was too embarrassed and he was secretly happy that Zig had dropped the subject and said no more. Choosing instead to divert the topic himself.

He listened to the simple question and tilted his head to better hear. What he was about to utter was the truth, it was as far as he could remember, "Sort of, it was uh, complicated." Subconsciously, Jay's gaze was drawn back to the sword that Zig held and the change in position gave him a chance to see where the book was at that moment.

It didn't glow that time and Zig noticed too.

Jay had told a partial truth and he was beginning to learn that lies were easy to reveal when in such close proximity to the sword of truth.

Zig still looked confused with Jay's vague answers but he had a plan that would be sure to work. The ever-glorious warrior was becoming restless and he began probing further. "So-" He said whilst craftily uncorking his hip flagon of elixir infused mead. He surreptitiously poured it as the food was being served. Pouring it secretly into Jay's tankard and flute.

The plan was to garner the truth from the young prince. It was easy to distract the prince, the food was being served and while Jay was watching the food being plated up; Zig took the opportunity to spice their drinks up a little. "Complicated?" He queried and motioned Jay to continue, handing him a new flute and drawing the mead tankards closer to both. This would be guaranteed to get the prince to relax, the talking would come later.

"Yeah, very-" he looked at the colour of his mead and raised his scarred eyebrow questioningly. Placing it down, he took the tankard instead, "-complicated." Jay replied and took a big gulp, placing it down gently.

* * *

That was the complete and utter truth. The sword didn't glow, it remained dull and lifeless, just like Jay.

 _The truthful reason? Jay's_ alone time had involved being ' _brained'_ by Loki. But he would never divulge why Loki did it, only that _he_ did.

It was the first time they had properly fought and, they were almost evenly matched until Jay had retaliated with his elements. But then it spiralled out of control, Jay had made Loki bleed. He had fought one of the Æsir, fighting him hand to hand.

He woke up as a different man, Jay had become darker, evil, ruthless, focused and so cruel. And, it could all be attributed to the blasted mind stone sceptre that had been used as a punishment. Loki was furious, his wrath was focused on his protector and he made Jay suffer for it. He tested his protector, pushing his mind and body to the limits. Sending him off on multiple missions over a period of five days without food, sleep, or his mounting wounds being tended to.

He'd been left _half_ _brainwashed_ and partially destroyed in the process….in his last ' _alone time._ '

He couldn't remember much of it, even now it was still sketchy. He knew he had lost a good few days with no _actual_ idea of the people _he_ had killed nor the fact that he had tried to kill his _own_ brothers.

* * *

Having only just divulged it to Gus, there was no way in Hel that he'd be telling Zig the same. He hardly knew Zig. Why would he want to start revealing his deepest darkest secrets to someone who thought so little of other 'lesser' lifeforms? Shrugging, Jay started eating, "I've had some time, _alone_ , I mean-"

There was a bitterness to Jay's reply but Zig shrugged it off. "-He doesn't own me, per se."

His braided hair fell forward. "Well then-" Zig muttered quietly as he slipped a piece of parchment into Jay's hand. It slid effortlessly under Jay's forearm cuff, "-The next time you go there, New York I mean or maybe Boston. Give me a call."

He looked at Zig with a strange expression. It was the first he had ever heard of an Asgardian mentioning ' _phoning people_.' He could remember having a modern upto date phone on his home realm but in his haste to get away from Amora, on the night of Kai's wedding, he had likely smashed it when she had assaulted him or he had misplaced it on the night of the wedding.

He'd not been able to replace it though.

It was a contract phone that had run its course. It was further tainted with bad memories and numbers he'd programmed in. All were from the run up to his well planned proposal. Then, his erstwhile life as lightning master was stolen from him, Zane had taken over the role of inventing and he made communication devices for the whole team. It's not like he was going to group chat with anyone anymore. Not like he could skype his Mum and Dad from Asgard.

The only family he had now were his brothers and Nya and they all had comms devices. Truthfully, that was all he needed too.

Giving a crescent moon sarcastic smile, he winked. "Haa, ya see Zig, I-I don't have a phone, how am I supposed to call you?"

He wasn't expecting a response from someone who claimed to despise those earth bound people.

Zig tipped his drink, belching loudly. "Just buy a burner, it's a cheap phone with enough on it to make and receive Midgardian calls, send and receive messages. The phone can't be traced either so no Midgardian contracts to adhere to."

"A burner phone, what the heck is that?" He looked confused at Sigurd, the armour covered man looked like he knew a lot more than he was letting on.

He smiled merrily, the mead beginning to take effect, "It's just a device that you use to make conversational calls. Specifically though, they are used for one purpose and then disposed of." Zig quietened down and watched as the hefty book was slid across the table.

Jay was beginning to slur his words but he leaned back and nodded, "Might havta, have...have to get a burner phone then, ha-haa!"

The golden armoured man struggled to sit up but he quickly did so when the athame was offered. "Do it, get one and then you have to call me. We could go out and teach those mortals a thing or two about life."

Zig took the obscenely sharp athame and looked at Jay first. "Nothing to it, the mead will give a little Dutch courage." He said and quickly cut into his own palm, squeezing his hand closed as more than a few drops of blood fell onto the sheets of blank parchment. Bright crimson red blood fell, a steady stream that was quick to fill the centre of the book.

He took the offered cloth from the castle guards and wrapped his newly wounded palm. Within a few seconds, Sigurd noticed his name in the book. He couldn't quite believe that after all these years he had never done this before as he had only ever been a close observer.

Jay nodded with a happy grin. A certain smugness to it. "HAA, YEAH,TOTALLY...WHOA, _that is one big book!_ "

Before the young prince knew it; the book was placed in front of him and Jay stared at in in awe.

Jay stared in apprehension when the athame was offered to him. Oddly enough, the ceremonial blade showed no signs of blood anymore. It looked as spotless as any other freshly cleaned ceremonial blade.

"Y-you can do it two ways, j-just close your hand around the blade but don't squeeze unless you don't want your fingers anymore. Or…." He said no more as Jay dragged the blade down his left palm.

 _" **FUUCK** , gahh."_

 _'That hurts.'_

He wasn't sure which part he shouted out or if it was in his head. He guessed the former considering a large amount of people had looked in his direction. He giggled at his new golden armoured friend, none more so when he realised that Zig was hiding his mouth. And, very obviously hiding a barely restrained chortle at Jay's choice of earth language.

"Strong stuff, this!" Jay giggled and noticed Gus casting a look of concern in his general direction.

He wiped his bloodied hand on his face without realising and held the other up to wave. "S'alright Gus, we've got it covered over here."

Gus cringed at the spectacle that Zig was further exacerbating. He should have known that Sigurd, above all was a literal troublemaker when alcohol was involved but, to involve the prince was wrong, funny but wrong. Gus was still attempting to hide his own face from across the large room, as a multitude of seated individuals faced him at the mention of his name.

It only served to redden his complexion further, notably when more females looked in his direction. The blonde Einherji palace guard was minus most of his upper clothes, shaking his head whilst trying to hide a grin. His tough facade slipped and he laughed at the Prince's humour, without looking directly at his Royal charge. He could see clearly that Jay somehow looked like a purple version of William Wallace because he had one half of his face covered whilst the other remained pale in contrast.

Zig had noticed too and was struggling to contain his laughter, his attempts at trying to pass a clean cloth had all but dissipated. The stern faces of the nearest seated individuals help to bring back that level of decorum. Clearing his throat and hiding his grin, "Jay, your face, please!" He adjusted his seated stance under further scrutiny.

Jay had taken the cloth, and wiped at his face, with a little more than mortification when he saw the blood. "So uhm, what's he doing over there?" He asked, squinting his eyes, "he's so buff. When exactly does he have time to bench press?"

The erstwhile ninja of lightning felt so completely drunk. He'd not felt like this since just before Iceland, and especially not on mead. "He's making me look bad with all that stuff on his chest. Just like Cole and his training regime pfft."

Zig smirked, he leaned forwards, "Tell you later, but for now..." he replied and pushed the book under Jay's still bleeding hand. The sight of blood wasn't making him squeamish in the slightest. Why would it, considering the amount of people he had slain over the years. Plus, Zig felt far too strung out to be bothered by the deep red that blood normally exhibited. This blood colour was interesting though and Zig remained watching, as each drop fell.

The young prince shakily handed the sharp athame back to the demonic guards. He tried not to look at the gaping open wound now residing on his palm. The page had been flicked open to a new sheet as Jay held his closed palm over the fresh parchment sheet. It filled quickly but never once spilled outside of the golden edged circle, from the middle of the page. It was most definitely enchanted.

He had never knowingly injured himself before and it was something he didn't want to do again. The feeling of the blade as it had travelled in quick succession from index to little finger, although three inches in total, it had felt like a mere paper cut. The only difference, was that this had sliced deep and meaningful as it travelled. Jay understood what Zig had meant, this athame was obscenely sharp whilst it had done its worst to his palm.

Feeling the blade as it sliced through into tendon and ligament from his once pristine skin, to a now open bloody wound was horrendous. The hand that had been holding the blade was shaking with the pain but he would never let it show, at least not on his expressionless face and slightly drunken face.

He squeezed his newly injured palm and watched as his blood squeezed between his knuckles and fingers. It quickly began to settle on the page underneath, not pouring out at a fast rate as he had caught no major veins, only a multitude of small veins and capillaries. He bit his lip but didn't say anything, because he was aware that Sigurd was entranced by the colour of it.

Jay had to bite back the feeling of nausea as his fingers dug into the wound further, he could swear that he could feel the bones and slowly repairing ligaments in his grasp. It made him shudder. He stopped staring at his blood, he'd seen enough of his blood to last a lifetime and then some...thanks to that _slut of a bitch_ , he didn't even want to utter her name for what she made him do.

Jay's mind was brought back to Nornheim again. Zig was mumbling loudly, like a giddy old man who had just won the one armed bandit.

Zig was duly astonished. He was staring at the colour with a wide eyed stare, "Wow, really?" He was like an excited school child, with the exacerbation of spiked mead. They were _both_ a little louder that usual. "Purple blood, now that is something you don't see everyday. Even humans have red blood, you're a whole different breed." He gently grabbed Jay's hand and opened it marvelling at the colour as it issued from his hand at a slow pace.

"It wasn't always _that_ colour, Zig." Jay replied as he prodded the wound and watched it bleed. He was still waiting for the inevitable. Jay knew that seeing this blood colour was nothing new to him but he realised that it could take some getting used to, especially for those who had never seen it before. "Sorta cool though, I guess. Only a pain if I need a blood transfoooosion because, I-I have the only blood of this, uhm, this type...haa."

"Someone changed it with seidr?" Zig queried and got a small nod in response. "Who?" His voice now low, almost a whisper.

Jay bit his lip and looked away, instead he had taken a cloth to stem the flow and watched as a part of him remained in that book.

He didn't answer Zig, he was too entranced with the book and the horrid feeling that this pact was something greater. He felt tethered to the realm, not being able to explain it in such words. ' _Seidr, what the Hel is that?_ '

The feeling of being unable to leave without it having dire consequences on his health and sanity if he did for too long. It was getting stronger too, with the further the book travelled away from him.

"What was _that_?" He gasped as his hand felt like it was burning. New blood loss suddenly soaking the bandage in a matter of seconds.

"It's a simple pact, you've become one of them now. By blood and honour, you will uphold the palace of Odin, you will fight alongside him until the end of time. If you choose to leave, well, the longer you stay away from here the more you will weaken. It's the only way to secure that the strongest warriors are always in their prime, if they remain here, they'll be strong enough indefinitely and better suited to fight in Ragnarok?" Zig looked askance at Jay's reaction. "Hmm, it figures that the old fool wouldn't tell you, I swear Tyr is losing his mind." Zig quickly passed another cloth to stem the flow.

Jay's face had dropped. Both were implications that he definitely didn't want, "fighting for _all_ eternity?" He took the long cloth and wrapped it securely.

Quickly thinking that all eternity was not a specific timescale he could work with. All eternity _versus_ when Loki saw fit to let him leave, he'd rather go with Loki and it pained him to agree with that considering how Loki treated him this morning. The weakening part worried him too, "How long are we talking about here, ya know...how long could you stay away before you would begin to notice?"

"A few earth weeks," Sigurd the ever glorious shrugged in response, "before the effects are physically noticeable... _hic_ "

Jay had looked to the sword, it didn't let off a soft glow. It made him feel that Zig knew more than he was letting on, like maybe he knew from personal experience.

"It's nothing serious, Jay. It's a simply a pact that allows for support in times of war. A prince would never be expected to fight until at least most of his soldiers had perished." He openly tested the younger auburn haired man.

"Uhm, surely they all go into battle at the same time right?" Jay asked. "I mean, if I waited till almost everyone had _perished_ it would look bad."

"Each to their own." Zig shrugged. "Thor gets right in there, into the battle, usually comes in and steals the show too."

Jay rolled his eyes, why was he not surprised. Thor sounded just how Loki had described him, brutish and recklessly barging into battle without thinking of possible consequences. Sometimes Thor even reminded him of Cole, a darker haired version of the thunder god, what with Cole's rippling muscles and unmatched strength.

Sigurds' curiosity had been piqued and he wanted to know more of this young prince. Mostly where he came from and how strong he actually was.

It wasn't a test of sorts, but being Sigurd the ever glorious meant that he wanted to know as much as he could about this new prince that had seemed to win the heart of his best friends' sister Kali as well as a handful of Einherjar, namely Gustav and the troop that accompanied Jay wherever he went.

"So what about you then Jay, you got a back story?"

"No, uh not really." He was suddenly quiet and withdrawn.

Sigurd was surprised by this. Considering how talkative he had been compared to how he was now, Jay had become guarded and secretive in the space of a few seconds and one solitary question.

"I told you everything about my father and myself. Come on, fair is fair."

Jay caught his curious glare. "I'm not from any of these nine realms." He finally said. Now judging by Zig's expression, he feared he had said too much.

That piece of information was simply astounding, he was not expecting that at all. He had never heard of other realms before. "Where did you come from then, which realm?"

"Just, another planet. _A whole other realm_ from here. We call it the realm of Ninjago, there's about 16 in total." He began to fuss with his suit.

"Will you excuse me? I have a feeling that a certain someone is trying to get my attention." Zig mentioned without even looking at Jay, his eyes were still staring at the same red haired female.

He was glad for the potential interruption, he really didn't want to delve into such intimate things as his backstory. "Someone I know?" Jay asked, but shrugged not expecting an answer.

"Only my beloved…." Zig grinned and stood abruptly as the red haired beauty came across. A wide beaming smile on her face.

"I don't believe I have had the pleasure." She said with her hand lowered to Jay's face.

It was getting a tad annoying at having to learn to kiss and shake hands to unknown people. This day was fast becoming boring because of these silly royal protocols. The only exciting bit so far was talking to Gustav and being introduced to Sig or _Zig_ as Jay had nicknamed him.

He wasn't drawn to her clothing, even though she dressed very respectfully. The only thing that made him look at her dress was the colour and it's familiarity, the one that was beginning to breed contempt. This female, that Zig had introduced as his beloved was wearing a deep green long dress with a slim golden corded belt that sat low on her hips, knotting delicately at the front. Her hair was loose and a deep vibrant shade of red that reminded Jay of Skylor.

He quickly straightened up and looked into her blue eyes. A small grin on his face as he spoke quietly. "My name's Jay." He said simply as he proceeded to lower onto his bended knee. "Just Jay." His eyes were drawn to her golden double serpent ring.

There was a familiarity there but he couldn't place her face as one he'd seen before. Yet certain things were ringing alarm bells. An overbearing stance, a derisive sneer to her voice, a snide look in her eyes.

His lips were an inch from her offered hand, until a firm grasp at his shoulder prevented him from going any further. "Nein, My Lord."

Gustav joined in and looked down his nose at the female who was expecting the prince to bow and kiss the hand of someone, who up until recently had been tethered to Tyr's foot by way of chains. He was quickly re attaching his working armour, covering his previous battle scars that were a stark reminder of his previous life on earth and his sacrifice to those men whose lives he had saved. The scars that guaranteed his entrance into Odin's army.

"Your title is one of importance, do not be bashful about it." His Germanic accent was slightly subdued as he spoke clearly, with a hint of pride. "This is the crowned prince of Asgard, Lorelei. Third in line to the throne no less."

 _'_ _Haa- like that'll ever happen.'_ Jay thought to himself but his face remained expressionless.

She looked askance at him and recoiled her hand quickly. Almost as if the mere thought of offering it to him would have some dire consequences. "Oh, I see." She muttered impolitely.

Jay shared the same distrust toward her when he saw her wiping her hand in disgust.

"You should be bowing to him, not the other way around." Gustav further admonished and pulled Jay back up from his almost kneeling position.

So there was Jay, thinking he was doing the right thing, only to be gently hoisted back up to standing. The only thing that was missing was Gus grasping him by the ear like a teacher would. "You do not bow to the likes of _her_." The way Gus whispered that word made it feel like she was dirty or tainted.

Jay still had no idea who she was, only the familiar facial shape and those blue piercing eyes.

"You only bow to your king or the woman you wish to marry, _My Lord_."

"Haa, th-thank you, Gus." Jay mumbled quietly. _"Sorry."_

"My Lord, was it not you that said to only apologise if you truly meant it?"

"Force of habit, sor-"

Gus put his finger to his own lips and shook his head with a smirk. "Don't…"

Sig was quick to speak for his beau, "Oh come now Gus, she didn't mean any ill will, she was just testing the young one, weren't you Lorelei?" He swept her into a tight embrace but she never took her eyes off the prince.

The moment was made even more awkward when she politely nodded at her beau and forced a curtsey toward Jay, but she didn't smile at either.

"So it was _you_ that got the All-Father in such a state?" She finally questioned, reproachfully. There was some vitriol in her tone. Some blame was being thrown in his direction.

"I wouldn't say it was _just_ me, uhm, not really." Jay smiled but it began to falter.

He hadn't been told of all the details pertaining to Amora's trial. Loki had kept that part secret, only a few knew of it. Gustav was privy to it but he too was sworn to secrecy.

Jay had only just found out about Amora's punishment on the way here, which made this meeting all that more painful for both him and Amora's sister. He remembered Gus mentioning that she was due for execution so there was bound to be _some_ animosity and blame heralded his way. But he wasn't expecting it to be face to face.

He avoided her death glare, he just kept a small smile on his face and turned to sit, offering her a seat to his right. "Please, can we at least _clear the air?_ "

She sat as if some invisible hands had forced her to sit. Zig chose to sit first and pulled her down onto his lap. Their hands intertwined, a show of solidarity and support.

Gustav chose to sit at Jay's left. The three remaining Einherjar were standing nearby, watching Gus for any facial cues. They stood cautiously watching the four individuals, knowing that Gus was more than capable of protecting the prince from any onslaught from Sigurd or his sorceress.

"I'm sorry, I-I don't really know about everything that happened." Jay tuned his head to talk to her. He noted their hair colour was almost exactly the same, although his was veering toward strawberry blonde now.

There was an uncomfortable silence as drinks were again passed around

"I was not there for the trial." She eventually spoke, it was strained and quiet.

"But she suffered because of you and you aren't even of Asgard, what makes you so special?"

She leaned into Jay's neck, her tone was belittling and cruel. Was she actually blaming him for her sister's behaviour?

He frowned at her tone, feeling Gustav squeeze his forearm in response to her baiting. " _I_ never said I was special, and for what it's worth _she_ was pretty cruel." He really wanted to go on and lay into her about how truly evil Amora was but he didn't know Lorelei, at all. At this moment he had no idea of her powers nor abilities. Sig hadn't even mentioned his girlfriend.

Gus was clenching his jaw at her audacity. But Jay's other hand was quick to settle his nerves. He didn't need to say anything in response, Jay was still in control, he'd heard much worse from Loki and Amora, this was nothing in comparison to their bitter retorts.

"I'll never divulge where she is. She's my sister and, despite all she was accused of, _I_ believe her innocent."

Jay though that Lorelei could have easily said that whilst skipping off with a smile on her face but the force it came out of her mouth had literally blown his hair to the side.

He simply sighed at her, looking down, he rolled his eyes. "Believe all you want, this is not a debate. She's guilty not innocent."

"You lie, even now, in this great hall you dare to lie in Asgard too? Perhaps you should be brought to trial."

It pained him to think that Amora had lied to her whilst Jay's name was being sullied in their household as much as Amora's was in Asgard.

They weren't even a couple and already rumours were flying around.

"She tried to kill me, I take it I was _imagining_ that." He turned to look at her, recoiling slightly as their lips were too close for comfort.

"You _were_ , she told me it was all a dream, that you were unstable with your powers. You tried to kill _her_."

"Haa, is that so? You realise she's _lying?_ …" He repeated quietly. "And no, I'd never go to trial, why would I need to? The proof was in her home along with a majority of my blood. It caked the fucking walls and bed, I think that speaks for itself, don't you?"

He chuckled angrily, his fingers were pulsing with tendrils of electricity Gustav noticed and again squeezed his forearm.

"My Lord, _please_ , calm yourself. Do not allow her to infuriate you, nor feel intimidation."

Jay was quick to calm down, he pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned across and away from her poisonous words. It looked like he was leaning back into Gustav, but he turned his head at the last second. "I-it's okay Gus, I've got this."

He squeezed again. "If you need me, I shall be over there. I need to discuss our later departure. We may to leave earlier than expected if she is here, for she is in close allegiance with Amora."

"Thank god for that, maybe I can get some training in today then?" Jay piped up. The thought of getting out of here was far more appealing than staying and listening to the poisoned words of Amora's sister.

Gus crinkled his nose, an awkward smile residing there, "Perhaps, but first things first...safety in numbers. We'll need to arrange our departure, so don't stray far."

Jay nodded discreetly and watched as Gus excused himself from the table. He leaned back in his chair and saw Lorelei. Her eyes were scrutinising his, she was still waiting for an answer.

This time he didn't lean in to whisper, he said it quite clearly so that even Zig would hear and everybody else in the vicinity too. "She's lying to you, to everyone. And, it's not my job to tell you this but she's kind of wanted by Asgard because she admitted the truth." He finally added and turned to face the front of the table again.

He was scathing, furious and now struggling to control his emotional state. His heart was racing, beating forcefully out of his chest. He struggled to contain his breathing rate and squeezed his eyes closed.

"Lor, tis probably best that you do not insult him," Zig soothed and sat more upright when he realised that his betrothed was rigid and tense. "We do not fully know the truth. You have only been fed one side of the story."

"His version of events is just that, a made up tale...a story. He has no right being here in Nornkeep nor Asgard. He's not of this world, his species is _inferior_."

Zig cuddled her closely, "You don't know this for certain, Lor. This isn't like you, you normally despise her anyway. So, why the sudden need for such sisterly love considering the unavoidable fact that you both have such bitter rivalry?"

Lorelei looked at the Prince with such hatred and distrust then back at her intended, her betrothed. "Because _she_ carries _his_ spawn." her accusatory finger pointing directly at the prince. "Amora thinks she's with child!"

* * *

 **Æsir - (Ay sir) The Norse Gods**

 **Athame - (Atha-may) A ceremonial blade used for magical and Wiccan rituals.**

 **Vanir - The Gods of Vanaheim**


	79. Truth be damned

Jay was coiling and folding in on himself under the scrutiny of Zig and his intended bride.

His stomach was in literal knots. Not that he was going to lower himself to outwardly struggle under this newfound stress or the pressure of being dealt a half truth. He just wasn't going to allow her to get him so riled up, at least not as much as her sister had.

The last time he lost control of his emotions was because Amora had been poking at him all evening on Kai's bachelor party...metaphorically speaking.

Her constant taunts and snide tone had eaten at him until he'd snapped. The resulting fall-out led to an all-out car park brawl. Jay initially fought her unrestrained, using only his elemental abilities and eventually his fists.

And how noble. Loki was there, after _she_ had thrown the first punch.

Jay never had a chance to prove his worth because Loki had intervened.

Loki doing a good deed, haa, how _ironic_ considering how truly evil he was. Not to mention, he'd crushed Jay's clenched fist in an attempt to garner Amora's love.

But no, this time he wouldn't lose control, he was adamant. With a little meditative guidance from Kali and personal reflection, he'd learned to control these new elements.

So, he'd learned how to partially harness them and he used the shield only when he was in pain or as a defence mechanism. The rest was child's play, it was easy. Jay just had to learn how to keep his emotions under control.

* * *

Now, instead of screaming at Lorelei, he lowered his head into his own hands and began counting to twenty. Outwardly and verbally Jay was groaning lightly at the news, even if it was untrue and wholly unfounded. The whole accusation had made him feel like complete and utter shit.

He knew for sure that he hadn't been the only man to plunder her depths in recent days. Cole had too a few months prior and Loki before that. But Amora had purposefully seduced Jay. And, she'd taken him every night, twice on some occasions! The bitch had kept him chained to her bed, plying him with potions to keep him up all night.

It was evil, pure torture and cruelty, and, she'd loved it. There was no denying how much because she kept coming back for more.

 _It was all she wanted, all she ever wanted._

"Even now, he doesn't deny leaving her in that state." Lorelei sneered.

Jay groaned at Lorelei's words. They were cutting. "In what state, Lorelei, it was less than a week ago?"

She had watched him and his reaction. The young prince she'd heard so much about was looking at his delicate frosted glass flute. Likely concentrating on not rising to her words. She leaned across to him and whispered into his ear, "Our anatomy and physical attributes are far more _advanced_ than your _inferior_ species."

His eyebrow raised at that. There was nothing about his home world or his brothers that matched that word. Still, he refused to look at her.

"Inferior _please_." Jay said, standing his ground, _metaphorically_. "Not everything boils down to density, bone structure or immortality."

Honestly, he could quite easily kill Loki about now. It was his fault for agreeing to that week of hell in the first place and now the whore was carring his supposed child.

She shrugged at him, a sickening level of nonchalance erupting in the way she carried herself. "We just know when it has happened."

 _Wow, you guys really are freaks then..._

"And that means what to me? She's not pregnant, she shouldn't be getting her hopes up."

 _She's probably barren anyway. She doesn't deserve children._

Lorelei cackled quietly, "We are more advanced. We know when conception has occurred because we become more-" She altered her position slightly, her lips brushed across his earlobe, "powerful!"

"Haa," He laughed darkly, mirthlessly. Completely devoid of any emotion. Jay finally turned to face her despite their lips being in such close proximity. Moving back ever so slightly with a sense of nausea. "Actually, I was going for more _psychotic_." He replied derisively.

His dangerous eyes were staring, testing her. "Honestly, you think yourselves above everyone else? You think it makes you better?" He replied, sneering at her obnoxious arrogance.

Lorelei smiled sweetly. "Of course we do," she said. "And yes, naturally." came her reply, openly laughing at his pretensions.

"Ya see, that is what sets me apart from _your_ kind. I'd never think myself above anyone and I certainly wouldn't brag about it, because it's crass, self-righteous and sanctimonious bullshit."

The atmosphere between them was so tense, you cut it with a knife.

"She told me about you." Lorelei replied, uncaring at what he'd just uttered, "Told me how you hurt her and left her crying."

Jay shuffled away a little. Wholly disgusted at what he was hearing while trying to think of a good retort. "She's a narcissist, I wouldn't believe a damn word she says."

"Tis true, Lorelei,". Gus said, staggering over. "Amora cannot be trusted! Not after what we saw. You'd be a fool to believe all she tells you."

Shrugging, she didn't care for what Gustav mentioned. Lorelei had one thing on her mind; _family_...blood was thicker than water. "She's still my sister. And, if she carries his spawn, I'll be the first one to help her get rid, upon breaching it."

Jay recoiled at her words. How could she be so cruel, it was a potential life a child, his supposed child.

"I wouldn't think _you_ that cruel Lorelei, but..." Gus commented with a look of obvious disappointment, "-knowing your ilk, I'm not really surprised. Tis despicable to talk of an inoborna in that manner!"

Jay was looking glum. Not even turning to face Gus, even though he could feel the Einherji grasping his forearm tightly.

"How do I know she's telling the truth when she claims to have achieved this great outcome that she'd planned from the start?" Jay said quietly. "-I mean, you've told me, pretty much the entire table. Yet you haven't given me hard evidence! It kinda means that, I have to rely on your word and your word alone…And, being that you're related to _her_ , I'd rather not."

" _Still_ -" she replied, "-it does not detract from the state you left her in! She was beaten and bruised, and she blamed you for that. She said that you had indirectly caused the injuries, said that if you had chosen to stay with her it wouldn't have happened."

Gus laughed mirthlessly. "Beaten and bruised? Haa, you might want to speak to Odin about that." He said, smiling. "The Prince fought honourably against her from what I had heard."

Something in Jay cracked. That hint of darkness and evil he fought to keep hidden and restrained. It was starting to surface, clawing its way into his heart and mind.

A bursting vein of pure energy crackled at him, causing him to snap, "SHE'S LYING-" he looked around, realising how loudly he had spoken. Lowering his voice somewhat, "I left her in a far better state than she left me-" he added in response.

Lorelei looked shocked at his words, ignoring Gus she leaned across to Jay and whispered, "She's not lying. Amora never lies, tis only the truth she speaks."

Jay laughed, it was dark in nature, "-she wouldn't know the God damned truth if it bit her on the ass."

"The reason _you_ of all, know of this?" She said with a slick and crude smile. " _Your_ certainty; _I_ do not trust for a second."

He sat upright, looking her deep in the eyes. His voice so loud and clear that the nearest would hear. "The reason I know she's lying? Well, she's a whore, for starters!"

Gus almost spat his drink all over the table. He wiped madly at his face and coughed, spluttering for a good few seconds. Zig was the same, both of them were shocked at what Jay had just shouted out.

The nearest noblemen and their younger heirs had also turned at the crude language. All astonished at what had just been said and the visible standoff between an angry elemental wielding Prince of Asgard and a sorceress.

" **How** ** _dare_** **you!"** She bellowed loudly and Zig had to restrain her flying hand from striking the prince where he sat. "What proof do your unfounded accusations hold?"

This was just too easy. An evil laugh erupted from his mind as those nights of wild mind-blowing sex came back to haunt him.

Jay, unperturbed by her verbal and physical outburst carried on despite Zig's and Gus's urgent and desperate facial cues and slit throat signs to stop. "Ya know Amora wasn't the victim in any of this."

Lorelei's gaze hardened, her lips twitching into a venomous sneer at where this conversation was heading. She fought and wrenched herself from Zig's grasp.

A quick but effective cantrip had Zig recoiling his hands faster than he would as if a snake had just bitten him. He removed them from her slender waist, looking across at Gus for urgent assistance. "Lori please!" He urged.

Jay wasn't scared anymore. He didn't care about anything, he had nothing to lose.

 _Test me then bitch, let's see how you fare._

He stood up and matched her stance, approaching her slowly, "Amora sucked me off, like she knew what she was doing, deep throat the lot…fucking whore that she was. She played up every teenage school boys fantasy." His dark grin resembled a look of homicidal joy, it was just as unsettling as the laugh that accompanied his dark stormy eyes. His element crackled within his soul, begging to be released and the only signs of that internal struggle was his eyes, the windows to his soul.

Now nose to nose, his grin widened wickedly. His eyes suddenly so dark and dangerous were enticing her to bite at him with those same venomous insults and retorts.

He ripped his arm out of Gus's firm grasp, proceeding on with his angry tirade, "Then, the cock hungry whore, let me screw her for hours on end, in all manner of positions even begged me to use the rear entrance-" He laughed, a half laugh and dropped his gaze as he thought back to that new experience….

 _That was damned hot, although it certainly wouldn't have got her pregnant_.

"Of course, I obliged her needs…How could I not?"

 _I was tied up, I had no choice did I?_

He looked down and bit his bottom lip. The hint of arousal hitting him with how degrading he had felt during that night.

"And, as a parting gift to say thank you for cumming, before she left me chained to her bed…she rammed her _precious_ golden blades through my chest and creamed over how good her magic was."

Jay smiled, it was pure and unrestrained evil, just as cruel as her smile was. "I don't remember her complaining when she asked me to tie her up and fuck her senseless or when she called out my name so many times that I lost count. Take it she kept that from you too?"

She was speechless, outraged but speechless.

"And, you're welcome," he said with the same crooked smile, tipping his head.

She struck at him but he was too quick for her. His moves were lightning fast, so fast she'd not seen him move his hands to hold onto her wrists. He could feel her spells though, but his shield was preventing them from hurting him. "Not this time!" he warned.

Zig had very quickly taken control of her hands and further prevented her from hitting Jay over the head or in fact everywhere her fists were aiming for. He held both her hands in his own in an attempt to calm her down. Restraining her and calming her seemed to work even if her breathing rate was elevated. " _LORI PLEASE-"_ He mouthed gently, looking around himself at the commotion they had caused _"-for the Norns sake_ calm down!"

Gus had finally grabbed hold of Jay, both arms restrained gently. Soothing him with calming words, "It's unfounded truth, Jay, please, you must stay calm. It can and will be discussed at a later date."

Jay groaned, embarrassed by his lack of restraint. "I'm fine Gus, y-you can let go of me now."

The blonde Einherji did so, he released the prince, feeling bad for doing so, "If the conception is proven so then we would need to prepare for that. But if proven a sham, the child will not be considered an heir to the throne."

Jay was only half listening, He didn't want to believe it himself let alone have everyone else know about his impending fatherhood.

He turned to face Lorelei. And, despite her tone towards him, he felt the need to apologise for his crude words, "I'm sorry-" Jay mumbled from his position in front of her as Zig lowered her into his lap. "I shouldn't have said that….Uhm-" He swallowed deeply and his shoulders slumped dejectedly. "-it's not easy to hear, but it's the truth."

Lorelei from Zig's embrace turned to face Jay. She was still outraged at his tone and how he'd just spoken. Insulting her sister, and, in doing so, insulting her too, "You are truly disgusting. And, I know you're lying."

Jay thought it was typical of Zig to not notice that his sword hadn't glowed once during his angered outburst. He sat and slumped back in his chair, waving at Gus, that all was okay. The young Prince was drinking so much now, he was surprised he had any energy to keep upright. "She left me to bleed out and yet you believed her version of events, just how blind are you?"

"I'm not blind to the truth, if that is what you mean…You wouldn't be the first prince of Asgard to lie!"

Still, he twiddled with his drink. Between thumb and index finger, he manipulated the stem of the mead flute. "And you wouldn't be the first woman to be so blind as to not see the truth when it's staring you right in the face."

"Hmph."

"Not _all_ of us lie ya know, some men actually have a heart, we tell the truth…And I just told you how it _was_ and how it _is_."

He thought about it, really thought hard and his shattered heart said all that he needed to hear. _'_ _I had a heart, once. Had love too, right Nya? We had somethin, somethin great. Wanted you so bad, I was always chasing you and we fit together so well. I loved you and you loved me….didn't you?'_

Zig looked to Jay but the prince seemed to be in a world of his own, staring at the honey coloured mead like it meant something. A memory of what once was. "Jay?"

 _No, she never wanted me, not really. She said no and chose Cole. She's the one I blame, along with that faulty true match machine and that stupid blue cube!_

There was no answer, no recognition that the prince had even heard him. And, it took a while for him to realise that Lorelei was speaking to him of how the palace of Asgard deals with royal progeny…notably the next heirs to the throne.

"Are you sure of this Lor?" Zig finally inquired and looked to Jay sympathetically. "Tis quite the statement of a royal matter that should not be jested with, if unfounded?"

She nodded and smiled a sickly sweet token at her beau, "You know of royal protocol Sigurd, you know what must happen." Again she looked back at the now silent prince. "It's not like Amora minds though. It is evident that she has accepted it."

 _Of course she doesn't mind. She wanted this from the outset. Why else would she question me incessantly about hereditary problems, strengths and disease? She flat out admitted that being naked was preferable for siring. It was all planned, she wants in on the throne and I was the easiest way in, thanks to Loki._

" _ **That**_ is only if it is a proven unity of the two," Gus stated, he knew royal protocol. After all, he'd just received tutelage in it, for the best part of three months. " _If_ the conception was _forced_ , it will not stand...Odin will not allow it, nor a forced marriage, the child will not be accepted."

Again, a look of complete and utter humiliation swept across Jay's face as Zig and Gus spoke quietly between themselves, yet loud enough for him to hear. "They must marry, if he is the father. If the truth cannot be denied, then it must be done to uphold Asgardian law, as decreed by Bor Buri-son." Zig argued.

 _NO way is that going to happen. I'd rather die than marry that manipulative slut._

"I'd rather she marry an earth bound man than _him-"_ She pointed at the Prince and watched as he scowled at her between large inhuman gulps of mead. "-He's nothing but a Prince who wants to be something else. A Prince who runs from his responsibilities, he would never stay for the child, he would nary stay for the wedding!"

 _I stayed for the supposed conception though, didn't I? She didn't mind that part._

"And, I'd rather say that the Prince feels the same, considering how she left _him,_ " Gus stated, coldly. Arguing Jay's case for him. "Odin did get a glimpse of his torment, courtesy of Kali and her sister who were able to share those images with the Seer's and finally the All Father himself. I'd rather he marry someone he loves, and that the woman he finally chooses loves him the same way."

Lorelei cackled at him, Zig shook his head, "Aww what is this? Is poor sweet Gustav in love too?..." She mocked, "Well guess what, Gus, we don't all have that happy little love story, except for you, Zig and I. No, some of them have to make up for their past mistakes. _He_ is no exception."

Gus narrowed his gaze as she had pointed at Jay,"You point at him with such contempt, Lorelei, I almost think you are plotting something?"

Again she chuckled, saying nothing.

 _"Regardless,_ he is the Prince, Lorelei, he can choose to marry who he wishes, there is no time limit. He doesn't have to marry Amora. In fact, I'd prefer he marry...anyone instead of her."

Jay snickered, smiling slightly. "Thanks Gus. Look, Lorelei, you don't have to talk so lowly of me, ya know. I'm not deaf and I sure as Hel would rather rot and wither than marry your slut of sister, any day of the week. And, for what its worth…The child would be innocent in all of this, I wouldn't expect you to understand that though, considering you want to get rid of it."

How Lorelei spoke of his supposed unborn child was leaving a putrid taste in his mouth. He dare not tell her that he'd had visions of this child. It wasn't a bad vision per se. The child was relatively normal, _in some visions_ ….but in others, the child had been raised by Amora and became just as manipulative and wicked as her mother.

It made Jay wonder how the visions he had could be like this. What could possibly make the child so different, from being kind and normal to being a headcase and evil…..unless, she hadn't raised the child herself. Maybe thinking that someone else might. But he shook his head, it wasn't possible, it couldn't be...it was only a dream, although it felt more of a nightmare.

 _'_ _What am I thinking? She can't be pregnant, it was only last week.'_

* * *

" _You_ are not Aesir, you are not of Asgard….You are not worthy to give the gift of life to the vastness and greatness of the inhabitants of the realm Eternal."

Rolling his eyes again, like it had been such a common occurrence that he might think that his eyeballs would be spinning now. "Yeah thanks, that makes this whole bitter pill thing so much better to swallow. And really, I had no choice in the matter, nor the conception."

Oh how he hated using that word now. **_Choice_** , just before he had gone on this two week journey of supposed truths with Loki, he found that having been given a choice; the other option was usually always more painful, some of them had ended in his death. There really was no choice, except to never have touched that cube. That was a choice he wished he could go back and change.

"Lorelei, _ENOUGH_!" Zig hissed into her ear, pulling her face back towards his. "He's had enough, can you not see what your words are doing to him?"

* * *

 ** _Calm down, for the Gods sake, otherwise I shall make you mute indefinitely._**

Who else would that voice belong to? Who else had admitted that was exactly what he had done recently?

 _What doesn't kill you right, Loki?_

 ** _Not quite in the flesh but, near enough. Yes, very Nietzche, Jay I'm impressed._**

Jay looked like he was staring into space, but he was chewing the inside of his cheek as his mind was open to his one true God _._

 _What the FUCK do you want?_

His breathing calming but only slightly as the memory of this morning came back to haunt him with a startling clarity.

 ** _Mind your tone boy…_**

 _Well?'_ Jay's mental tone was just as disinterested and bored. He was still unsettled after this morning and Loki's unexplained behaviour, now even more at Lorelei's supposed truth.

 ** _All of you seem to be trying my patience today, the black clad one especially. You know, he divulged to Tyr that I; Loki, am alive and well?_**

 _Well, you are…alive and well. He wasn't lying was he? And, he has a name!_

 ** _Names are unimportant. Although I accede, I am pleasantly surprised by your restraint this day, Lorelei is quite good with her mouth._**

Jay fought the urge to say anything spiteful, he also tried his hardest not to vomit. He was trying in vain to keep his eyes off her mouth as she spoke to Zig but it wasn't working. Now the accompanying images of her and Loki together assaulted his mind.

 _Her skilled mouth working up and down on Loki's cock...Urgh stop….both getting themselves into a sweaty panting mess and she's blaming me for Amora…..gahhhh._

 ** _Mmm, you paint quite the sordid picture hmm? Almost reminds me when I took you in the bathhouses. I have a spell for that gag reflex._**

He shook his head angrily, Loki wasn't helping, he was making things worse. The dry heaves subsided and Jay took a hefty drink of mead, far more than was healthy in his situation.

 _Filthy pervert._

She leaned in close again to his ear mumbling something that he was largely ignoring. It was in his favour to do so as all she was muttering was vitriolic hatred. If they had been anywhere else she would have ripped his throat out, but she didn't want to disappoint her beau, Sigurd.

 ** _Come now! Your mouth too, is just as good. After all, you know what I enjoy from the expertise of your natural aspect, of course. No-one knows what a man wants more than another man. One whom I change into a vixen at my whim._**

His mind spoke but his lips remained pursed. He wasn't even going to entertain that side of Loki's perversion.

 _What do you want Loki?_ He was persistent in questioning. Jay didn't have the energy for mind games.

 ** _Just the truth, tis all I desire._**

He slumped, he was still none the wiser about what Loki wanted.

 _I don't know what the Hel you're talking about. The truth about what?_

 ** _You know damn well what, I demand the truth!_**

 _What truth are you talking about Loki? You can read my goddamned mind._

 ** _I do not appreciate the tone nor repulsive language, young one…you will be punished for that misdemeanour..._**

 _Fuck off with the mind games and threats, tell me what you want Loki, what you really want?_

 ** _I WANT THE TRUTH JAY._**

 _WHAT, FUCKING, TRUTH, LOKI?_

 ** _GOD DAMNIT JAYSON, damn you and your filthy mouth._**

 _IT'S JAY…She called me Jayson...!_ He smirked at how irate Loki was. It served him right after this morning.

 ** _Why are you lying, keeping things from me?_**

Jay squeezed his eyes together. Having a God shouting into his head made his teeth chatter. The pain was becoming unbearable so he drank the mead like water, letting it flood down his throat like apple juice. It was surprising how effortlessly it flowed and how quickly the pain subsided.

 _You don't own me._ Jay yawned in response.

 ** _Actually…..I do._**

 _We've been over this remember?_

 ** _I apologise, did I forget to mention. I am a thief and a liar, teller of tall tales, silver tongue?_**

 _No, err what why would you say tha-'_

 ** _You know me by my Aesir name, Christians know me as another name. Evil begets evil, greed, lust, envy sloth, gluttony, pride, wrath. I brought evil and sin to earth, I taught them how to lie, every single deadly sin to help in their abandoning of their worship to their God's and Goddesses._**

 _What the Hel are you talking about? What exactly are you saying?_

 ** _Really? Every world and every realm knows who I am. Different names mostly._**

 _The short story, because this is truly riveting._

 ** _Deep down, you already know my name. Red horns, forked tongue. Although I do so much prefer these golden horns now._**

 _Pfft, yeah right._

 ** _And, as you have experienced, you prefer my silver tongue._**

 _God damnit, why did you have to bring that up? Like I don't have enough shit on my plate!_

 ** _I own you, you are mine to keep. I can and I will rip the truth from you painfully if you wish to incur my wrath? I assure you, you do not want to face that side of me-_**

He could quite easily get addicted to this mead stuff. _Yeah but you wont though_. Look, _I-I'm sorry, b-but I still don't know what you're talking about. Just like this morning, I told you all that I know…_

 ** _LIES will not be tolerated…_**

 _Whatever, where are you anyway?_ Jay asked rubbing his temples and dabbing at his bleeding nose. He had turned away from Zig and Lorelei. Both were eating each other's face anyway.

 ** _I am convening in Odin's Hall for this evenings order, therefore I expect your full cooperation upon my return on the morro. If you fail to divulge this truth you will be punished for your language and for lying…Betrayal carries a very harsh sentence._**

 _Don't threaten me Loki. I've already told you I'm not hiding anything. You already know everything I do._

 ** _If you insist on being stubborn, so be it._**

 _Bring it on, it's not like you can hurt me anymore Loki, you haven't got the balls._

 ** _You continually test me child, it shall be your undoing._**

 _Really? I cant wait for that, just more bad news._

Jay quickly tried to think of something else, something that would be guaranteed to cut the mind link between himself and the devil god of evil. He thought of his brothers, he thought of Kali and her sister.

It worked and he smiled in response, safe in the knowledge that Loki wouldn't be able to harm him here and he wouldn't harm him in Asgard either, they had promised an oath after all. Jay quickly scoured the table. He turned his head slowly and checked his surroundings again, how could he have forgotten the woman who had made him see red. Lorelei's position had still remained. She was in such close proximity to his exposed neck and he could have sworn that he felt like he was being stared at by someone else too.

Someone from earlier was desperately trying to get his attention as she made her slow but purposeful journey to his location. He hadn't seen her though.


	80. Twenty questions for him

Had this all been a set up? He couldn't help but think it had. For one: Loki said vehemently that he had not planned it. The whole day had been arranged and set out for him by Tyr and maybe another. And it couldn't be argued about the proximity of Yggdrasil to Nornkeep. Or the fact he'd been given such a small sentry of Einherjar.

Not that he could get used to it. It still felt alien to have such a large group of fully armoured warriors, follow him around as if he was royalty of some sort…..oh wait!

* * *

" **My Lord?** Are you alright?"

It hadn't registered. Nothing for the past few seconds had gone in.

Gus had been asking the same question with no response.

He persisted, growing more concerned by the second as Jay's mind seemed to be a million miles away, "please My Lord, have some of this," he grabbed the large tankard that Zig had spiked a few minutes earlier.

Suddenly sitting up, Jay noticed the large wooden drinks container in his peripheral, "I-I'm sorry Gus-" he took it gently, but his gaze was still staring into nothing rather than the intricacies carved onto the tankard, "I don't think I can do this anymore!"

'"By this? You mean Asgard or us?" He inquired. It sounded like a solemn admittance to Gus, one that made him worry anxiously about Jay's lack of courage through adversity.

Jay visibly winced at Gus's unsure and slightly hurt tone, "I didn't mean it like, I just-"

He was despondent and hid his face for a few seconds, wiping something away before Gus would notice, "I'm sorry Gus, I didn't mean to say it like that." He wiped madly at his face, "I-I meant _her_!"

He didn't need to point, Gus knew exactly who he was talking about. In fact the majority of seated individuals knew who he'd been talking about because Jay had shouted to all and sundry of Amora's sexual exploits.

"Do not be sorry," He replied, patting the much younger man on his back, "Lorelei should be taken with a pinch of salt," Gus mumbled heartily, "a bit like Ratatoskr!"

Jay recoiled. "Wh-what?" He slowly turned to Gus, "uhm, who?"

He wasn't shocked in the slightest. Jay hadn't been here long enough to learn of any Norse myth, it had only been a few months in Asgard.

"Sorry, Ratatoskr, the squirrel who lives in Yggdrasil, he carries slanderous gossip from _Nidhögg_ to _Vedrfolnir_ , all he does is provoke as he sees fit?"

It was evident Jay didn't know because he was pulling a strange face and shrugging his shoulders. Although he'd probably never admit to Gus how much he enjoyed hearing him talk like that. He hadn't the faintest idea of Norse myth really, Everything relevant he'd learnt from Gus but even Gus had to have time off.

The young Einherji gave a warm consoling smile, "It, it does not matter. What I mean; is to not let her get to you. She may gossip and spread rumours but her words have no truth, as yet."

He had let out a pitiful sigh, "Easier said than done, I mean, you heard what she said right?"

Gus nodded, "And I heard what you spoke too, very ahh _diplomatic_!"

Jay blushed red, "I-I didn't mean to say it out loud. Was more like my internal filter was set to the ' _I don't give a fu_ -"

The Einjerji's face was suddenly so serious, " _ **My Lord-"**_ He interjected, cutting Jay off, mid rant, "-no one wants to find out like that-" he replied, pinching the bridge of his nose, "-we had an idea what she might have subjected you to **_but we were sworn to secrecy._** Und, it _never_ left the troop." He'd added the latter, _quickly_.

The remains of Amora's broken magical chains had been laying; sprawled across the bedroom floor. It hadn't take long for them to figure it out that Jay had been forced to endure it. There had been some snickers too but the senior Einherjar stated that nothing more should be said. Because, at that time the prince was believed dead

"Only in this realm would a week of forced, uhm..." He paused, biting his lip, "-lead to a potential pregnancy a week later."

Now, Gus could tell that the Prince was being reticent. This was after revealing his true feelings mere minutes ago. He knew of the perfect distraction, at least one that wouldn't be frowned upon.

Jay turned cautiously to observe her. Feeling like he'd massively overstepped the mark by saying everything out loud relating to _her_ sister. He'd never done that before. Never had he outwardly stood up and chastised a near complete stranger for the actions of their kin. He'd never knowingly humiliated anyone before, except maybe for Cole and perhaps Kai, and most definitely Zane, potentially Lloyd...ahh who was he kidding.

He had never done it to a girl before!

And he felt lousy, even worse for making her cry. He'd said too much, pushed it too far and there was no taking it back.

She'd wound him up, pure and simple. So he wasn't solely to blame. He was sure of one thing though, she was a natural red head just like Skylor. Both of them were too sharp for their own good and both were hotheaded, speaking sometimes without thinking...And now he was being judgemental and cynical too.

* * *

Jay watched them discreetly, Zig was embracing her, calming her down and wiping her tears. Was that the love that Gus and Zig had mentioned? Because the sight of it made his skin crawl, or perhaps it was just her. He felt like he was going to be sick, their show of affection was a definite taunt directed at him.

Gus was well aware that Lorelei was still sitting closely but she hadn't spoken for a good few minutes. Both her and Zig were talking out their differences after the earlier debacle. "You wish to go back to the Palace, My Lord?" He questioned nervously.

Jay shook his head. He wasn't entirely sure what he wanted anymore but he was adamant he didn't want to be here, with her. "Call me Jay, Gus. Everybody else does."

Purposely ignoring the previous worrying admittance, Gus shuffled closer, "Where were you, I was trying to get your attention for a while then. But you were so far away in mind?"

Jay had turned to face Gus, but his heart wasn't in this anymore, "Sorry, it's something I learnt along the way." He replied, shrugging his shoulders loosely.

Gus was confused, "Learnt what?" he asked, leaning closer, "Come on, divulge this skill."

"Back with my old Sensei-" Jay started, "-he guided me with meditation and relaxation techniques because I was losing sleep. My element would always wake me up."

"So you learnt?" He encouraged slowly, his facial expression calm and relaxed.

He took a deep breath in, releasing it slowly through his mouth, like he'd been counting to twenty, "I could learn to switch off."

"So, are you telling me that you can just zone out, switch off to pain?"

Jay nodded,"Quite handy really, especially when I was dealing with the fall out from stressful situations."

Gus half laughed, " A unique gift then? Maybe you could teach it to some of us, it would be beneficial!"

"I-I guess it is and yeah, I could if you guys ever get the time off."

Nudging him gently, Gus moved in closer, "We get plenty of time off, I just choose to spend it with Aemilia-" He smirked and took a drink, "-I know it may seem like we're around you all the hours that The All Father sends but we do liaise in Valhalla, often. You should come and visit again."

The young prince had crinkled his nose at that gesture, "I could I guess, maybe enrol into the bizarre university you guys seem to have there. They do study from the Palace courses right?" He snickered.

Gus smiled, biting his bottom lip and nodded, "Actually they do, but they don't have any Einherji nor prince's enrolled from the Palace. You would be a first!" He drank a small amount from Zig's tankard, being that Gus didn't have a drink. "But you're still Einherji, so they wouldn't mind in the slightest, in fact I'm sure they'd be insisting that you enrolled."

Suddenly his face dropped, a deep frown etched on his face as he looked across to Zig suspiciously, "Hmm, this mead tastes-" he had placed it down, pushing it away, "-it tastes _off_."

* * *

Kali, _one of the blonde twin_ s, _was_ positioned across the large room. She was busy liaising with notable elders from the council. Yet her eyes were burning into the back of Lorelei's head. How dare she get so close to _her_ prince, the one she loved more than anything else. She saw how uncomfortable he was, or more precisely how uncomfortable Lorelei was making him.

 _'_ _How dare she, who does she think she is!'_

This would be her opportunity. And so, Kali excused herself from her guests and began to walk her way across to the large table that was currently seating about 300 people. Waltzing past the three standing Einherjar, only nodding at them when they recognised her as no threat. "May I?" She whispered to Gus.

He nodded, allowing her the room to pass before excusing himself. "I'm going to get something to eat," He stated, bending down to speak into Jay's ear.

Gus touched her shoulder gently, "-he needs a distraction, can you provide it?" He asked, turning to face Zig and Lorelei with a deep frown. "Kali, I'm getting some sustenance, the other men will remain nearby. Don't take this too far!" He warned, smirking at her with one eyebrow raised. "I don't want to be the one that explains to Karnilla of you and your sisters' rampant appetites with him."

Kali nodded with a fine blush on her cheeks. She had passed by so slowly and very deliberately. Bending down, her breath ghosted on Jay's neck and her hands were placed in front of his face. "Guess, Sire?" She whispered into his ear, staring daggers at Lorelei.

Her eyes were still glaring at the sister of Amora, whom she had noted was now sitting up with a smug grin, leaning back into Zig's arms.

Kali could have sworn that she felt her prince's temperature soar. She assumed that these feelings she was giving him was making it all the more obvious how he felt about her. Not thinking that his temperature was a mixture of alcohol and simmering rage or that potentially, he'd been so close to zapping the smug spiteful grin from Lorelei's face he might have had to have peeled her off the wall.

It took him a few seconds. The voice was familiar, soothing and one that he'd heard before, almost white blonde hair came into his thoughts and then her name did too. "Kali?" He finally breathed out, pulling her hands from his eyes as gently as he could.

She took the available seat to Jay's left and surprised him by holding onto his hand. He was trembling in her grasp, something had annoyed the Prince to exhibit these feelings. It reminded her of a few nights previous when she had been in his room with Dagr. He looked so ill that night, could only walk for the barest of minutes before he would pass out.

Eir had called it something similar to severe anaemia. Something that an earthbound man would deem as fatal. For an Einherji, it could at least be cured quickly

His attention was turned to her, finally away from Lorelei. His lilac eyes settling onto her impossibly white blonde hair, such a stark contrast to Nya's. Taking her in as a sight for sore eyes. "Thanks," He mumbled quietly.

Her hands were so soft and delicate in his own slightly calloused ones but yet so warm and soothing as was her touch.

"-I didn't even know you were coming?" He mumbled and then mentally face-palmed at his own stupidity. Of course, he knew she was here, he had waved at her, only an hour ago.

She smiled and tucked a white blonde strand behind her ear. "I work here too. Thus, it gives a good reputation to have more healings performed. But, I usually work with Eir in Asgard."

He straightened up quickly and pulled his hand out of hers as he realised what he'd just said, "I-I meant, uhm, I knew you were here because I saw you earlier and we waved but still, I uhm didn't put two and two together that you were working here or maybe even just here to join in the celebrations…" He looked down and let out a small but quiet laugh.

Shaking his head. Jay had leaned forwards again with his elbows on his thighs, his own fingers intertwined, "-Sorry, I'm waffling aren't I?"

Kali had leaned forwards slightly and smiled at him as he blushed. He was normally such a talkative young Prince and so loquacious, more than he had been at his crowning ceremony. That whole two-day celebration, he had hardly spoken.

Even in his royal chambers, he'd been largely quiet and considerably shy. She guessed he had been concentrating on his restraint and self-control.

Surprised at his own virility and sexual stamina. He had enjoyed that experience, it had left a smile on his face. He hadn't bragged about it either, except maybe to Cole. And, even that was because Cole was being crass about Sellie and their open 'no strings' relationship.

The silence was awkward again and Kali knew it had something to do with Lorelei, "I-I like it when you talk," She said quietly, "-I only dislike it when you are so quiet as to warrant concern, such as. . . _now!_ " she offered.

"S-sorry?" Jay had straightened up again, a small smile now visible, "-uhm Kali, I just had a difference of opinion with her. I lost control, you didn't hear it did you?" He asked nervously. He hoped to the God's that she hadn't heard what he'd shouted out.

"No," she said in a soft voice, "-I did not."

Her hand stroked his face and he was taken aback slightly. It was actually a pleasant feeling to have something as nice as this, than to be taunted or humiliated by Lorelei or the God. This was a feeling he could get used to.

"Besides, she only knows one side of the story. I'm sure she will come to hear both sides soon enough." Kali crinkled her nose. She had found out the truth from seeing it herself when she had helped to clean him up after Gladsheim. She'd helped Eir, the senior healer to view those visions that were disturbing his sleeping and healing abilities.

Jay hadn't even noticed that Zig had got up to walk around with his beau. He was too distracted by her, the woman who sat directly to his side.

"Kali, why do you need two jobs?"

"A job?" She thought about the modern word he used. "It could be seen as more of a chore really,"

"I mean no disrespect. Where I come from, we just call it a job or uhm, employment. You work and get paid, that sorta thing." He smiled at her, watching her facial cues to see if she understood that he didn't mean to question her, nor offend.

"Hmm," She mumbled, "-I like to show that I can provide for myself." She replied, shrugging her shoulders.

Kali smiled at him, watching his face and body language as he began to focus on her and her alone. She began to close the gap by pulling her chair closer still until their thighs were touching. Curious that he hadn't said or done anything to stop her and he didn't move his hand when she grasped it.

He was watching her though, working her out. He trusted Kali, she'd helped him to recuperate too many times to count. Sometimes he'd had no idea that she had even been there in his room to assist. But she had.

She was there when Odin had punished him for running away. Kali had soothed his injuries that night as he slept. Wiped the blood away, and plied his wounds with ointment and minerals to make him stronger.

Jay still had her hand in his own, his fingers seemed to interlock with hers, "I guess-" he looked at his hand and then back at Kali as she stood, "-judging by that reason that it's largely unheard of up here for women to _work?_ " He didn't move his chair away when she discreetly chose to sit on his lap instead of her own chair.

"Uhm, Kali?" Some parts of this position took him back to the night after he had been crowned. Kali had been the one that instigated the whole thing, and her behaviour soon spurned on her sister Kari to act in the same manner.

Her fingers tangled in his hair, and she grasped it firmly so he was looking directly at her, "You do not mind this?" There was no doubt, she loved the colour of it. So vibrant and healthy, as opposed to his skin which was so pale, much more so than she remembered it to be.

"I uhm-" He thought about it but having her in such proximity was clouding everything else. And he slowly relaxed into it, "-no I don't mind it."

Their hands were still interlocked in her lap but her other hand was messing up the back of his hair, purposefully avoiding his crown. He didn't seem to mind one bit though. He was a little taken by her forward nature, and he laughed at it, remembering just how cheeky she could be.

"Good, because I hate to see you like this!" She whispered as she tried to kiss his lips. Typically, he dodged her face at the last minute.

She groaned, pulling back again. Taking him in as she was close, looking him over, trying to work out what type of man he was. There was no doubt that she was falling for him. Although he still looked awfully ill. His pale features were a sure sign, he was evidently still unwell and certainly not well enough to be here. If he was her husband he would still be in bed.

She could picture it now. Of course, she would order him to bed. The retainers would do the rest. But she would not allow him the freedom of gallivanting for needless endeavours such as this event.

She cleared her thoughts of that, "A distraction-" She whispered into his ear, feeling him blush in response, "-for I know Lorelei and I know of her sisterly bond with the witch."

Both hands settling on his shoulders, she turned to face him fully.

"A d-distraction, uh?" He questioned. His breath hitched as she began to kiss his neck. He bit his lip and kept his grasp firm on the small of her back as he leaned back and exposed the rest of his neck. His other hand was almost healed, still tingling though but it remained on his own ceremonial blade. Apparently a warrior always had to be prepared.

"Kali?" His breathless whisper came out as more of a gasp.

She paused her ministrations, looking into his amethyst eyes, the same eyes that were so vibrant and full of life only a few months prior.

He struggled to form the words but they came to him eventually. "H-how do you know Amora?"

Her lips continued to kiss at his throat and eventually along his jawline, getting as close as possible to his lips to savour that taste she had long been denied. "We were all schooled together." She finally uttered, playfully biting his bottom lip.

She saw his eyes smouldering in such a close proximity. His expression was one of lust and she knew what he wanted of her in those few moments. He wanted to devour her, every last part and it made her want him even more.

"Do you know them both well?" He asked. His hand was still respectfully on the small of her back. "A-Amora and Lorelei, I-I mean?"

"Well enough, we're roughly the same age." She moaned at him and his reluctance to kiss her, being as her lips were so close to his.

Again, she gave those same sweet token's of love, peppering them on his neck and jawline. Watching his eyes as they dilated whilst she continued to assault that pale sculpted column of his.

He bit his lip with her gentle caresses. "Age? How old are we talking about here?"

"Oh, we would be 23 in earth years, I guess." She smiled sweetly, "Immortally some would say…here in Asgard, it's more along the lines of 985."

She giggled gently, "in comparison to Midgard or earth, we are ageing slowly." Her lips going back in for another set of quick kisses along his jaw, each one getting closer to his mouth. Pausing her kisses, she noticed his questioning gaze. "Their lives come and go in the blink of an eye. One year in the realm Eternal is almost ten years on earth. It certainly makes you think more about mortality," she whispered quietly.

It wasn't really a conversation that people spoke of in this realm, it was just accepted as a way of life. Jay swallowed nervously. If that was the timescale on earth it would be even worse in Ninjago.

"In some places that would be seen as wrong and uh, near impossible." He smirked and allowed her to continue. Now he knew her actual age and it was still a shock. He was her junior by almost 966 years.

Thinking more about it, the longer _he_ stayed here the older he would become, times that by ten for his home realm and his age would soon accrue.

He licked his lips as she closed the gap again, tamping down the beast within him. The beast that wanted nothing more than to put his hands all over her and rip her clothes off.

"You don't mind do you?" she asked, trying to place a kiss on his lips.

He avoided her lips, instead choosing to place the one delicate token on her cheek, "No, not really," He replied softly, murmuring into the crook of her neck, "I don't mind at all." he added. It was evident by her frustrated moan that she wanted more than what he was currently giving her.

She didn't have to wait long.

Jay had pulled her forwards gently. His hand had settled at the nape of her neck as he drew her towards him and his enticing lips.

He consumed her. The kiss he gave was insistent, carnal and dark, there was no other word for it. It was a slick addiction, a wild impossible ride and Kali couldn't get enough.

Holding her against him, Jay angled her head where he wanted it and he simply feasted.

The more she took, the more he gave as he felt the slickness of her against his own tongue. The kiss quickly turned from a smooch to passionate and demanding. Kali moaned and arched into him, pressing herself against his hard chest. Of course he allowed it, he'd never been kissed like this before, Hel, Jay had never kissed Nya with this much passion.

He eventually pulled away, although he noted that she was reluctant to stop as she bit his bottom lip, "Mmm, Kali-" He said breathlessly, "-you taste so good!" He couldn't believe how long he'd wanted that.

Somehow, that kiss had reignited him. Lorelei and her snide remarks were so far at back of his mind now, he was surprised that he'd been annoyed by her in the first place.

She teasingly ground against him and he smirked at her with a devilish glint in his eyes, she could feel him grinning against her lips and the hint of a reaction underneath her.

He knew that two could play at that game as her hand came down his armoured chest to rest on the waist band of his trousers. He questioned her with his eyes but allowed her to continue. Jay wanted to see how far she would take this, "This your idea of a distraction technique huh?" He asked with his boyish charm and a deviously wicked grin.

Jay thought how easy it would be to ruin her, to sully her name just for a quick grope or a damned good lovemaking session. It wouldn't be hard, well one part would be, in a sense.

It was getting harder to resist her, she was making it painfully obvious that she wanted him. But there was something else there too, something he couldn't explain. It was a feeling that was wrong and alien, one that was trying to cloud his better judgement. The one that Loki had warned him about.

"Kali, Can I play a game with you?" He mumbled into her ear, gently nipping her lobe.

"Sure, is it a table based game or?"

"No…" He grinned against her neck. He kissed her pulse point and bit down hard enough for it to leave a love bite.

"A game of twenty questions, where I ask you things and then you ask me." His lips trailed onto her jawbone, he placed kisses along her jaw until he got to her lips. "No interruptions…I promise."

"The meaning of this game is?" She said breathlessly.

"To get to know each other better, because I feel as if I hardly know you," He grinned at her, pulling her closer until their foreheads touched. "Honestly Kali, I'd give anything to get in that pretty little head of yours."

"Likewise, You can talk for hours but yet you never divulge anything of yourself."

Jay shrugged his shoulders he was still grinning at her. He cupped her face until his hand went behind her neck. His lips touching hers gently. "Defence mechanism I guess." The kiss was insistent, passionate.

"I can talk-" He kissed her again, breaking away to speak, "-and talk-" Another kiss, "-and talk." Finally, he broke the kiss leaving her begging for more. "-And you'll only know that I like talking but yet you won't really know what I was talking about or maybe would've lost complete and utter interest." He smirked as his tongue entered her mouth and his lips settled back onto hers.

Kali broke away from the kiss first, slightly breathless with the intensity and a certain heat pooling down below. How was it so that he, the young Prince of Asgard could have a voice that could drop panties with two syllables? Her own undergarments certainly felt a little more restrictive than necessary at this moment.

"Alas, I am sure I can cope with question games. Although it does not sound like such a game I have ever participated in."

"Can I go first?" She asked, wafting to cool herself down. She had a small smile on her flushed cheeks.

To Jay it looked like she had an afterglow but all they had done was kissed, he wondered what she would look like if he touched her somewhere else. He kissed her neck, so bold and naughty with his wandering hand as it settled on her derriere. "Sure, just twenty questions, anything you like."

She thought long and hard, trying to steer her dirty mind from the more provocative questions she wanted to ask, even though his cheeky smile told her that he was expecting at least a few provocative questions to make an appearance. "Do you play any musical instrument?" She gasped out as his hand squeezed her gently.

He grinned into her neck and paused his kissing. "Just the once, I played the guitar after drinking some weird tea."

"A guitar?" She whispered. Her right hand began to slide up between his tunic top and chest armour.

His breathing was becoming heavy. "It's uhm, a stringed instrument, with a-a….." His breath hitched as she brushed gently over his pectorals. "fret-board, bridge and uhm…Uhh….Kali?"

She suddenly realised what he meant. "Oh so, like a _lute?"_

He chuckled breathlessly, grateful for the fact that she had finally removed her hand. He was so close to giggling because she had no idea how ticklish she was. "Sort of, but this one was louder _and blue_."

"Your favourite colour and why?" She asked as she playfully tousled his shoulder-length hair between her fingers.

He looked at her eyes, her dress. Everything about her was exquisite. She wore his favourite colour and she didn't even know it, but damn, she looked good in it, even better out of it, from what he remembered. "Blue." He answered truthfully, pulling her back towards his lips as he trailed kisses down her neck again. "Because it's vibrant and it's all around us. The molecules are just so small we can't see them. It's why the oceans and skies are blue."

Her dress was as dark blue as the ocean on earth, Long and fitted. The whole thing was covered with a sheer black overlay.

"Do you have a middle name?" She asked. It was whispered into his ear, she licked his earlobe, her teeth grazing over it, just as he'd done.

"Edward." He whispered and thrust his hips gently.

"Favourite number?" Her hand brushed over the hardest part of him and he hissed at her teasing touch.

Drawing in a sharp breath, "Uhm, mmmm….121, Kali, d-don't." His seductive warning came out as a breathless whisper. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to stop himself if she carried on with her wandering hands.

"You wish for me to stop?" She questioned again and smiled when he shook his head as it remained in the crook of her neck.

She dipped a hand down and with expert precision, she undid the intricate leather stitches that held them together. She was more than pleasantly surprised by what she could feel with her own hand. The moan that left his mouth aroused her more so, as her hand remained. She could feel him growing in her grasp.

Such a warmth was radiating from him and Kali would've liked to watch him more as she continued. But it was evident that he needed more than a simple seductive look from her.

He searched for her lips and, with both hands, he cupped her face. Jay brought her towards his mouth with a fervent hunger. His tongue pushed straight in, moaning gratuitously into her mouth.

The soft moans from him were all contained in her mouth and she loved it. She loved these small sounds and gasps, how eager he was to couple with her or how he was struggling to compose himself.

Kali continued to rub him into a hot mess. The prince was certainly not lacking in that department, it was just as she had remembered.

This time it was his mouth being hot and demanding as she stoked the fires of Hel. His hips bucked involuntarily, pushing himself into her hand, trying to get more friction. He fought back with just as much insistence, groaning into her mouth.

"Mmm."

This place, this woman. He was so close to losing all control of his body as she rubbed him the way she knew how. His hand had grasped the table when his hips started to gyrate. If only to get more friction.

That coil within was so getting close to his release. His eyes snapped open, feeling the impending climax. "Ha, uh... mmm you...". Eyes rolling backwards. "You, you need to ha...st-stop!"

Her hand remained. Gentle, alternating between long drawn out strokes. She could feel his excitement mounting, knew he was close.

"I-I'm, mmm I'm going to cu...st-stop."

"Not here Kali….ha, uh n-not here!" He gasped, trying to calm himself down.

His voice was more a gasping breathless whisper, "Please, not here."

Jay calmed his breathing and looked at her. He was finding it difficult to see her without her clothes on, and he really wanted that now. "Sorry Kali, but uh, I'll have a lot of explaining to do if you c-carry on like that."

Hel, if this room wasn't filled, he'd have taken her then and there, maybe on the table. But he'd be thrown out for being lewd in such an ancient place. And, this was despite the fact that some men nearby were being far more gropey than _she_ was.

Now he had a very noticeable boner to contend with.

"Age?" She questioned.

He struggled to form much coherence. "Twenty f-four." He mumbled between kisses. "I'm twenty-four."

"So young, my prince…you are only one year older than I, give or take." She teased but didn't elaborate on the additional 900+ years.

"Any siblings?" This time her lips remained stuck to the right side of his neck and she sucked hard.

She didn't miss the sharp intake of breath as her teeth grazed over his exposed column, sinking her teeth into his skin. There would most certainly be a large love bite there in a few hours.

His breathing was laboured, struggling with her teasing touch. "No, I-I was an only child."

"Ah, so you were a lonesome child? Parents?"

His expression dropped, he didn't want to ruin the moment. After all, he said she could ask anything. "Not anymore, they died about six months ago, my real father, when I was about 19."

"Favourite sport?" She asked, kissing the bite she had just given him.

"This is a tame line of questioning-" he said coyly, "-endurance sports, racing, that sort of thing." He said, taking a swift and large mouthful of mead.

"Favourite position?" She said quietly, a slight blush creeping across her face.

He looked at her with a smirk. "Me on top." He laughed breathlessly. "Did you run out of questions to ask me that didn't involve sex?"

Biting her lip, Kali smiled. "Sorry, I shall not lie that my mind keeps wandering. It has been a while, since you know…..well, when we coupled last time."

Jay blushed. His hand settled at the back of her neck as he brought her back toward him. Lips parting slightly, his tongue pushed into her mouth.

She broke the kiss first, pulling apart breathlessly whilst fighting to control her body, "birthday, when were you breached?" She asked with intrigue.

"March 29th." He said with a simple shrug. He didn't let on that so far he had already missed three of his birthday's, on his home realm.

"So you were born on OSTARA?" Her eyes widened at that.

His eyes narrowed, having no idea what she meant. "OSTARA?"

Jay vaguely remembered Hawkeye mentioning something about _that_ name, back before any of this had happened.

Kali knew what it was, everyone in Asgard did, "The great summer solstice, the beginning of summer and the end of Spring?"

" _Oh_ , I-I thought it was something else…"

She noted his expression had dropped. He seemed to be deep in thought and no matter how many kisses she peppered on his chiselled features he didn't respond. "It is, something special. It's your birthday." She said.

Kali lifted his jaw and looked into his eyes. Her lips kissing him softly but he didn't reciprocate. "Any regrets?" She asked sorrowfully, unsure as to whether she should continue pushing the questions that he had instigated.

Grasping her hands as gently as he could, Jay looked into her eyes. "Plenty…Too many." He said mournfully.

"My prince?"

Quickly thinking that she may have misinterpreted him. Jay knew he needed to reassure her. He was certain that he had no regrets about her. "None about you though." His smile returned but his eyes only expressed pain. "I mean it Kali, you're a literal godsend."

Again his sour mood slowly returned. There was that same thing circling around his impossibly young mind. Why didn't Nya say yes, why didn't she accept his proposal, none of this would have happened if she'd just said yes. Then Amora and her deceitful plans, that were about to ruin everything.

"Your favourite sweet food?" Her hand settled back on his, fingers intertwining as he moved his free cloth covered hand from his drink to place it on his sword.

A small imperceptible grin appeared, "I've got a secret sweet tooth, love chocolate and the odd home-made cake."

Her hand now holding the side of his face. "Tis not a secret now, is it?"

His face was serious but mocking at the same time. A hint of playfulness about him. "Trust me, quite a few already knew that I could get super antsy when my pudding cups were stolen."

She laughed at him and his admission, her heart melted when he laughed with her. The laugh had finally brought back that same boyish charm and his wild streak of humour.

Her eyes remained burning with lust, staring into his own amethyst orbs. She was allowing him to stare wildly into her deep blue eyes as her pupils dilated, hoping he felt the same way about her as she did for him. "Your favourite feast?"

Their lips were so close, but he had to restrain himself. He could easily get carried away with her. "Anything roasted, I'm a carnivore so meat mostly but I kind of enjoy sushi too." He gave her a quick kiss, not able to pass up the opportunity at just how close they were.

Kali had changed her position, evidently aware that he was wincing with the weight of her on one of his legs. Now she was straddling his hips as she faced him. "Favourite things to enjoy on a regular basis, interests and pastimes?" She leaned into him again and attacked the other half of his neck that had been largely ignored.

He relaxed a little more, enjoying the feel of her hands in his hair, across his neck and his thighs. His heightened senses were almost transcending to a new level of obscenity. "Whoa! Three questions in one haa-! Uh, I like inventing, cooking and I dabble in a bit of poetry."

She unbuttoned the one clasp at his neck and his eyes rolled back as her tongue dipped down to his collar bone. "Poetry, that is Bragge's thing. You should meet him one day, he plays the lute exceptionally well."

"He's not vengeful then?" Jay gasped, struggling yet again to form any coherency.

"I still have four questions remaining…"She teased. "Tis not your turn yet, hmm?" She ground against him on purpose but this time his self control held back.

Narrowing his eyes at her, his mouth parted into a smirk. "Stop teasing me, otherwise I'll not be able to stop what my mind and body wants to do to you right now."

The promise in his words made her heart beat faster. Was he actually testing her to see how far she wanted to take this. "You think I'm teasing?"

He nodded and stared at her fiercely, both hands on her hips. "It's taking all of my self control to not rip your clothes off right now…" He bit his lip, trying his hardest to think of something else. He took a drink instead.

"Do you like having me all to yourself and have you ever been caught?"

Jay's blush returned. "Of course, I'd have you no other way and no, not yet…I'm normally quite reserved. I like to do that sort of thing behind closed doors or in private."

She leaned forwards and closed the gap "You'd _have_ me, would you be my _undoing also, in private…behind those closed doors_?"

He nodded, a smug grin on his face, "Totally!"

Smiling at her gently, he closed the gap. This time he avoided her lips, going straight for her neck instead. "You've got two questions left!" He uttered as quietly as he could.

Moaning gently when she felt his lips on her neck. "Do you want children, in the future?" She asked.

He could feel her heart beating rapidly, seeing the reverberations from her breasts that were, at this exact minute so close to his face. "I would, maybe, like a couple."

"Do you like a strong woman? Maybe someone who would propose an offer of marriage?"

He bit his lip and cupped her face with both hands. "I do, and yes, I guess it would be nice. Maybe, a little odd here though because it's a very masculine society."


	81. Twenty questions for her

This castle, the vastness of Nornkeep was Karnilla's home. It was her domain within the small Asgardian province of Nornheim. And, even though Nornheim was a part of Asgard it stood fiercely independent of it and the Gods who lived there.

Karnilla ruled over all who lived within the castle and surrounding keep. Strangely enough, she wasn't an overbearing queen, nor was she strict or cruel. In the past Karnilla had often proven to be an enemy of Asgard Prime, and acted in alliance with Loki. However, Karnilla was long in love with Asgard's noblest warrior, Balder the Brave. And on his request (on behalf of Asgard's previous monarch Odin), Karnilla allied herself and her demonic army with Asgard in the war with Lord Surtur, the fire demon of Muspelheim.

After years of resisting Karnilla's advances, Balder finally became her lover but some of his friends disapproved of the relationship. They regarded Karnilla as a figure of evil. Karnilla regarded herself, however, as _a harsh but just_ ruler.

She was the monarch of this place, a lonely loveless monarch.

Since then, she'd lived alone and free from fights, war and bloodshed. It's true that she was looking down a little on Asgard prime. Karnilla was curious to see what they were planning. Asgard and Odin always seemed to attract trouble and the same could be said for this young prince whom she watched with a level of intrigue verging on voyeurism as he pulled the young healer into his chest and planted kisses on her heaving bosom.

* * *

"Did Gus put you up to _this_?" He asked with a genuine curiosity, "-If so, I've..." His words were cut off and his lilac eyes rolled back un-naturally.

To any one else it would have looked like Kali was doing unspeakable things to him. But then, she was sitting on him and his hands were grasping her hips firmly as the God of mischief waltzed into his mind yet again for the second time this day.

 _ **'Some seidr to say I am sorry for my earlier tirade...One should not make you suffer needlessly, twas not my intent to hurt you.'**_

 _'Haa could have fooled me after that earlier argument, you made my nose bleed.'_

 ** _'You keep a truth from me, tis normal that I may grow resentful. You will forgive me for my short temper?'_**

It sounded more like an ordered request to Jay and he wasn't sure what to say in response other than the feeling that he should forgive or face Loki's wrath, _'S-sure, I uh, forgive you...I guess.'_ However, he couldn't fathom this hidden truth he was supposedly keeping from Loki, yet he had a horrid feeling that Loki wouldn't let it drop so easily.

 ** _'It was Cole and his weakness from the same blade that felled you...I had already divulged this.'_**

 _'Ouch...although, you didn't fully tell me anything because you started shouting.'_

He was still shaken up from that, truthfully, he was still shaken up from seeing all of his mirrors crack spontaneously when he was staring at them. It was like a scene from a horror movie, the only thing that was missing was blood and a psychotic mad man...oh wait!

 ** _'Do you know how much rune-lore I had to use to protect you from the effects of Tyr's blade?'_**

 _'You uh might have mentioned it on more than one occasion, yeah so?'_

 ** _'Cole felt the full force of the blade. Tyr said the pain of being run through can be a fate worse than death. So true is it that it does not take much to spill the darkest truths when you fall unto a blade of justice. I had a sword similar once.'_**

 _'So what you're saying is that Cole said something bad? I got the gist of that with your standoffish attitude earlier...'_

Jay knew the blade Loki was referring to, he'd seen it earlier. Zig had it. _'Eir Gram right?'_

Loki's alabaster face was beaming brightly. The smile that radiated was genuine and it spooked Jay to see the appearance of such an expression. It made him realise that he'd never seen Loki smile before. All those times he'd smiled had all been pure evil grimaces, but this...this was a happy smile and it was unsettling, although it aggrieved him to think that he could get used to seeing it on a more regular basis.

 ** _'You saw it...is it easy to retrieve?'_**

 _'Easy, define easy?'_ It didn't look easy in the slightest to Jay because Zig had it strapped to his waist. He stroked it on occasion, probably slept with it too.

 ** _'Straight-forward, an idiot proof-plan, simplistic, elementary, undemanding, facile...'_**

 _'I was being facetious. S_ _igurd has it, he carries it with pride. Says his father gave it to him and..'_

 ** _'FUCKING LIAR...By Urd's Well, I'll cut his damn throat out!'_**

 _'Loki?'_ Jay was astonished with Loki's sudden sharp tongue and the fact that he had sworn. It seemed so wrong for an actual royal prince who was Jay's senior by a good few centuries to swear and use earth bound dialect so easily, _'Uhm, are you alright?'_

 _'Care to elaborate on that little outburst? What part is Sigurd lying about?'_ Was it the whole story or just certain parts of it, Jay wasn't sure anymore.

 ** _'Can you get it back for me, this day?'_**

Jay thought that Loki's voice sounded desperate. This being besides the fact that Loki was more powerful disguised as Odin, he could've just asked Zig for it. ' _Wait,_ y _ou're asking ME to get YOUR sword back?'_

 ** _'Can you?'_**

 _'Can I?'_ Jay thought, asking himself, _'It could be risky, you don't mind that though do ya? A bit of collateral damage?'_

 ** _'I think you are more than capable. Prove yourself to me.'_**

Again with the orders and the testing. Jay thought he'd already proven himself but evidently not. _'Fine, I'll get it back not sure why you even need it when you have me around. Anyway, how are you, doing...this?'_

 _ **'Oh this?'** _ Loki questioned as he appeared in Jay's peripheral, _' **Good, is it not?** '_

' _No, uhm, well it's kinda cool, feels pretty good actually.'_ Jay opened his eyes and he could still see Loki. When he closed his eyes again, Loki was still there, echoing all around him. The visions of black, green and gold were increasing exponentially.

Then there was Kali.

He could feel Kali's mouth on his, her tongue was in his mouth and it felt exquisite that his body was reacting to her without him doing a thing.

 _ **'A trick of the mind. One such as powerful and arcane as mine is capable of full and complete control over lesser species...Mind control to you and I.'**_

 _'I'm not a lesser species, Loki.'_

 ** _'I was not referring to you. Alas, you are something entirely different and special. You realise you could do the same with your mind if you spent more hours under my tutelage?'_**

 _'Thanks, I think! But why do I have a feeling that you mean the o-other part of me though...mmmmph.'_

 _ **'Am I disturbing something important, young one? I feel that I am not garnering your full attention for the sole reason that relates to the woman who sits above your groin!'** _

_'Wait, you can see her?'_

 ** _'I can now...'_**

 _'Uh, no- I uhm, we're just talking...'_

 ** _'Talking with what? She governs your mouth as I do with your mind, thus making you airtight for the impossible task of verbalising. Unless you plan on ventriloquy?'_**

 _'Yeah, I hate ventriloquists though, ya know where they have their hand, right?'_ Jay could have sworn he heard a soft chuckle coming from Loki, the thought made him smirk.

 ** _'Hmm, I do so love your inappropriate humour Jay. Remind me to bring you to more social gatherings when we travel to earth next month.'_**

Kali had his bottom lip between her top and bottom teeth and his mind was being pulled in all directions. ' _Loki, I uhm...'_

 ** _'Are you, have you coupled with her? Hmm, one could imagine that you would bed her now if you had the chance, right in front of me no less, unbelievable!'_**

Her hands were upon him again, in his hair and on either side of his face. She was devouring him and he was moaning into her mouth.

 ** _'We could both have her...at the same time?'_**

A deep breath in gave him enough control of his body again and helped to rid him of Loki's most disturbing thought. The thought of which, Jay found oddly stimulating but didn't dare to admit. ' _I'm sorry Loki, was there a reason for this?'_ He questioned again and felt his body reacting to her. _'You seem to be all swings and roundabouts today?, Mmm Kali.'_

 ** _'You are aroused by her, I can see it for myself, hear it, feel it...why lie?'_**

 _'Why not?'_ Jay's face flushed red, with the feeling like he was being watched from afar as Kali was sat straddling him and wriggling provocatively. He tried to stifle the moan when she moved again _. 'Maybe I am. She's n-not a serious thing Loki, just a f-fling.'_

 ** _'Maybe? Hilarious...So sure of this are you? She ought not to get in the way of your protective duties, she has feelings for you no less?_**

 _'She won't get in the way, I-I promise.'_ Jay could see the arc of Loki's eyebrow, _'Stop testing me.'_

 _' **Prove it to me then, break her tonight and show me how heartless you can be. Of course, one isn't saying you cannot have some fun with her first.'**_

 _'You want me to break her heart?'_ His eyes squeezed shut tightly, he didn't want to do this to Kali. Maybe he could make it look real and lie to her without breaking her heart as much as Loki wanted him to.

 ** _'I want to see how cold you can be. Learn about her, ask her things that make you seem like you share an interest in her. And, finally...bring me my sword.'_**

Jay rubbed his eyes with his free hand, _'I can do that, talking is most definitely my forte and I'll try to get your sword back.'_

He knew that he didn't have be as cruel as Loki stated, Kali was a good friend and he was only just getting to know her. The sword might be an issue though, that would take some serious thought of how to get Sigurd to give it up , Jay thought he could play the dangerous game of revealing his secrets, least that way, Sigurd would know he was telling the truth.

He did mention that after all: A lie for a lie and a truth for a truth so perhaps Zig was a man of his word.

The feeling vanished just as soon as it came.

Having the God leave his mind like that made him feel like he'd had a warm blanket placed over him and said blanket had been removed slowly. Soothing and comforting, unlike the earlier episode, when Loki had been angry.

This was still wholly unsettling, Jay wasn't sure if Loki was angry or placated. If he was slowly falling apart or if he had gone insane. He knew one thing, He still wasn't looking forward to the face to face meeting with Loki later. Because, after the doors were closed, it would just be the two of them and Loki didn't always play fair.

* * *

He was vaguely aware that Kali was kissing him and mumbling sweet nothings into his ear. Some of what he heard made him bite his lip in anticipation of what she wanted him to do to her.

He gently smacked his forehead remembering what he had wanted to say before Loki derailed his train of thought, "did you both think up this distraction technique, You and Gus, I meant?"

She shrugged loosely, not giving away any direct answer instead choosing to plant a delicate token of affection on his cheek.

"I've got to hand it to you both, if you did..."

"He may have..." she replied, vaguely but with a naughty smile.

"It's kinda working to yours and my advantage!" Jay's eyes were roving over her mercilessly, lingering wholly too long on her bosom.

She sat on his legs and stared deep into his eyes. This was the man she wanted. He was her all, she felt safe when she was near him, she only wanted to be with him. She only hoped he felt the same.

He sat up a little and quickly grabbed two fine mead flutes, giving one to Kali. Tilting them together gently. His lilac eyes were surveying hers as though to extract the most information about her in the smallest amount of time...partially for Loki but mostly for himself.

"My turn." He grinned.

"So-" he began slowly, just as she had to begin with, "-middle name?"

His hand, none too shamelessly disappearing underneath her dress until he found what he was looking for.

It was unexpected. Not that he was expecting a chastity belt or anything of that material. These were silken and delicate, and so easy to pull to the side. "I like this-" he grinned.

She wasn't sure what had made him smile, it didn't take too long for her to ask, "what?"

"Natural, I like that-" he was still rubbing circles as he spoke quietly, "most of the girls where I come from; they wax it off!"

He paused his movements, "-are you going to answer my questions?"

"Edvina…" She moaned at his swift touch, the words mouthed breathlessly.

He grinned at her reaction, "far too close to Edward, huh?"

She nodded in response, "-mother told me that it means 'She who is beautiful, the beauty of royalty.' So funny considering I'm not of royal virtue."

Jay already knew that Kali had a sister, he wasn't sure of her brother though and he wanted to know more of him, "siblings?" He increased the speed of his fingers and thumb. Loving her reaction and the fact she couldn't do a damn thing about it for risk of being found out.

She wasn't exactly stopping him though, she was allowing it. Her face was flushed, she was panting. Struggling to control herself.

"Kari, and mmm Dagr, he's our br-brother…mmm."

He knew she was inexplicably close, obscenely so. From experience he knew she could be vocal too.

Jay knew who Dagr was, sheesh, everyone knew who _he_ was. The very softly spoken and yet somewhat reserved young looking royal aide was a genuinely nice guy. Dagr was _his_ royal aide for a short duration. The guy was as young as he was, at least in appearance. Although in reality, Dagr was probably 980 years older, another stark reminder of just how young Jay was in this place.

Everyone aged slowly, too slowly.

She had to give it to him, his self-control was impossibly strong and restrained. Even if he was as hard as he could be beneath her, Jay didn't move at all.

He teased her, that was all it was, "I'm sorry-" he mumbled, albeit shamelessly, "-but, you started it!" He removed his fingers, tasting just the one, "I-I don't know what's coming over me!" He had blushed again and removed his finger from his mouth savouring the taste of her into the recesses of his mind.

'Y _ou taste so good Kali, so fucking good, mmm Gods.'_

Kali was shocked by this and by the sudden and swift departure of his fingers, she was so close to the edge and she promptly vocalised her disappointment. Jay, however, threw her a dark look which told her she'd likely not be disappointed later.

He grabbed his drink and swallowed a large amount, "So, uh wh-what's the coolest thing in this realm, that, not many know about?" He asked quietly.

She looked into his eyes, no kissing for the moment. "There is a gap in the northernmost mountains. A route to any realm can be found there."

Jay's eyebrow cocked at that, "-really? What, you can just walk through it?"

She shook her head rapidly, "only a Skiff or something equally as fast. It has to be fast, well, as fast as Bifrost."

He kissed her gently on her neck. Feeling no shame in the love bite he had tried to leave. "So, what's the coolest place you've ever travelled to?" Jay was genuinely interested. Had she ever left this place, would she want to?

She looked at him and frowned. Thinking of an answer carefully that didn't make her sound desperate, "I haven't really been anywhere"

He smiled and pulled her towards his chest, embracing her gently, "-Well then, where do you most want to go?"

Again that question threw her and she was stuck for what to say. "M-maybe earth at a guess, or maybe where you were born."

"I_I'm sure I could oblige to getting you there," Jay took another drink from his half empty flute, "so, this one might be a bit deep but here goes anyways… If you found out your current life has been just a dream, would you choose to wake up?"

She looked confused for a few minutes, "-I guess it depends really."

He smiled at her vague yet truthful reasoning, "-haa, good answer, because you don't know if your real life would be better or worse! Honestly Kali, I feel like my life is a dream, only pain makes it real."

Her face and expression wore a frown, saddened to hear that he so often hurt and no one did anything about it. "The pain?" She questioned, stroking his face tenderly, "-I am sorry, nothing is worse than that, truly. Besides, have I not helped you to heal before?"

"It's alright Kali, you asked, I answered. And, yes, you've helped quite a few times after sparring and even under Amora's strict duress." Jay replied openly and finished his sparkling drink in one gulp tipping his head back to get the last drops.

Again she was too fast for him and her lips came into contact with his neck once again. He didn't attempt to stop her. "Kali, I've uh, still got some questions remaining!" He teased and grasped her hands, pushing her away from his neck gently.

He kept a count of his questions by pressing each digit down firmly, "-Uhm, is it okay to sacrifice one life to save ten?"

She looked at him gauging the seriousness of his tone. It would appear that his question was genuine and warranted a truthful reply. "I-I would say yes." She replied quickly, now largely unsure of her own answer.

Jay was quick to test her again, "Soooo, if you said yes, would you change the answer if the one life you sacrificed was a friend's life and the ten were strangers?"

She quickly thought why she had not thought of any deep and meaningful questions to ask of him. All she knew were the basics. Everything he had said had been the complete and utter truth, even down to the part where he could talk and talk. "-Yes, I would change my mind if it was a friend."

Jay took her hand and kissed it tenderly, "-tell me why?" He asked softly.

She smiled in response, these were additional questions if she was not mistaken. She was somewhat keeping count. "-Friends are invaluable, they are like treasures. A true friend you cannot be without, and they would hopefully feel the same about you."

Looking into her blue eyes, he lifted her chin again, "-tell me Kali, what is something you've done that you wish you could undo?"

She wriggled uncomfortably, blushing slightly, "-sharing you…" she said quietly, it was barely heard by her own ears but Jay had heard it and if anything he could certainly agree with her. Although, there was nothing about _that_ experience that he didn't enjoy.

Jay had learnt many new skills that night. Between them, they had brought him out of his shell, exposed him to the life that he had been missing. The one he had secretly wished for. The skills he learnt were multitasking being one of them as well as time management, delayed gratification and self-restraint. "I-I can understand that," he said with a smug grin.

"What is something that can't be taught and can only be learned with age?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and placed her lips onto his again. Breaking the kiss to give her answer, "-patience and love?" She replied, even she was unsure of her answer.

"-Ooh, good answer Kali. Remember, nothing is wrong or right!" He grinned against her lips and kissed her just as hard.

"Kali, how much do you know about the world outside this place?"

"Sadly, My Lord...I am not very well travelled. I have only ever been to Nidavellir, the home of the light elves, we share certain…" She paused and flicked a long tousled strand of hair in front of his face, "-similarities!"

"Are you elvish then?" Jay asked with an astonished look on his impossibly young face.

She smirked back at his question, "-you are wasting your questions. And no, not full Elven...only part. My mother is of the Elven race. My father is a worker in the palace."

"Haa, th-that wasn't really a question though uhm, j-just a query," He was finding out so much more about Kali, yet he knew that he had been purposefully vague with his answers. She still had much to learn in relation to twenty questions. "Kali, what is the most important thing a person can do to improve themselves?" He asked in a cool and even tone.

She thought carefully about that one, "to accept their weaknesses and focus on their strengths," she was never more sure about that.

He was impressed by her answers so far, "-what makes a person truly evil?" He asked quietly, although the choice of question was in a way his understanding of what made Loki the way he was.

She rested her jaw in her hand, "-I guess I have only ever known one evil and I believe it was because he was lied to. Lies have no place in our society, but for him, he became what he was referred to."

Jay frowned, he already knew some of what made Loki tick. The God had divulged it on more than one occasion on earth. "-Do you think they can be born evil or maybe their environment made them what they are?"

Her reply was quick and clear, to the point. "No, never. A child will always be innocent, and the environment has no bearing on the mind of a child only the things the child was or is subjected to."

He scanned the room on occasion.

Zig couldn't even be seen for the moment as Kali continued her assault on Jay's neck. He took the opportunity to keep calm and drink the stronger alcohol. He really needed something to dull his overly excited senses and he needed to know when they would be leaving.

As far as he remembered, Gus had mentioned that this wasn't meant to be an all-day event, but he had purposefully alluded to the time they would actually be leaving. Not that he wasn't enjoying Kali's company, he was. He was intermittently kissing her whilst unravelling her braided hair, "have you ever been caught?"

She blushed, "Once."

"Favourite position?" He asked quietly, his voice so soft and alluring as he licked his lips teasingly.

"You already know, but...I could show you again..." She moaned at his touch.

"What time do you finish here?" His voice was low and seductive. His thumb and index finger began grazing the underside of her tight corseted bosom, as he went in for yet another demanding kiss. His tongue was tangling with hers fiercely.

 _'_ _Heavy but firm.'_

"What time Kali?" He muttered again but received no response, just gasps and stifled moans.

She bit her lip at the swift contact.

It gave Jay an idea of just how sensitive she was to his simple touch.

"Do you want me to stop?" He threw her own line back at her as he whispered into her ear.

She shook her head as it rested in the crook of his neck. She couldn't argue, he smelt absolutely divine. She wanted to stay cradled in his arms, kissing and allowing his free hand to roam her body. "You smell so good."

Another grin, "You taste good!" He replied.

He pulled his tunic top momentarily and allowed the stiffened leather to pull it back just as fast. Thus allowing him to catch a small hint of the body spray and cologne he'd used.

"It's just aftershave…" He mumbled. "Tell me what time and we can make this a night you won't forget…or-" He paused and reached between the both of them. "-I could just take you here without anyone noticing." He fumbled with his trousers and her face heated up as she felt his bared flesh beneath her.

"You wouldn't dare?" She whispered into his ear.

"Are you testing me?" He mumbled back.

"No, I just didn't think you the type to devour me in public!"

"I'm not _that_ type. Not really, but you're tempting me to behave like a caged animal." He smirked.

Their foreheads touching, " I really like you Kali, you're the only one I can talk to. I mean other than Gus."

Again with the teasing, he wasn't the type to ravage her here, she was worth more than that. Even if he was ruining her for his own reasons and now those of Loki. To ruin her effectively would still require some discretion. She still needed that privacy so he could be her undoing, continually ruining her for her promised fiancé.

He wanted to ravage her though. Hel, it was taking all of his will power and self-control to stop his bodily urges from flat out ripping her clothes off and taking her on the table. His desire for this woman was burning at him from the inside out and alcohol was the only thing helping.

She was the only exciting thing about this place. So far, she was the only person to bring a little colour to his washed out face.

"A little after nightfall," She finally answered as she broke the kiss, "-but I shall get plenty of rest between my time in the healing rooms here."

"I want you Kali, so bad."

"I know…" She teased, slowly easing herself from his relenting grasp. "But I have provided a distraction for you and now I must get back to my duties." He was quick to fasten his breeches, she at least allowed him the opportunity to do that.

He opened his arms and gave her the freedom she so desired, allowing her to get up but immediately began missing her warmth, and her lips. "Later? You promise?"

She quickly pinned her hair and straightened her dress. Looking back at the man she wanted to marry and forgiving his cute boyish enthusiasm. "For you, anything…and I promise." She gave him the softest kiss she could muster and walked off with a spring in her step and a light blush on her face.

* * *

Kali had been with him for over an hour and not long after she had left. He was shocked to see more food making its way into the long black walled room.

Sigurd the everglorious was re-positioning his armour and ruffling his fingers through his dreadlocks. It was obvious that he'd just been pounding into Lorelei, hopefully putting that foul mouth to good use too, Jay had hoped.

Zig still looked dashing, it was hard not too, when he was wearing mostly gold with rich brown eyes and warm coffee coloured skin to match. Hel, Jay thought that Zig looked like a God too, in fact closer to Heimdall, both wore gold after all.

"No Lorelei?" Jay was quick to notice that the mad witch's sister wasn't stuck to Zig's arm as he sat down with a grin on his face.

"She is still here, just milling around and getting to know folk."

 _'_ _Ya right, more like sending secret messages to Amora about me.'_

Jay's expression turned sombre, he didn't want to tarnish both sisters with the same brush but she was just as shifty as Amora was and even knew where the psycho was hiding out.

Knowing that Lorelei knew where Amora was, filled him with dread because he knew she was ready to take that second step of her heinous plan to get him into her service, regardless of consequence to either prince.

"She didn't seem all that pleased to know who I was, and the fact that I was here or even alive?" Jay mumbled and scooped a moderate spoonful of steaming hot pudding into his mouth, "mmm this is so good."

Zig changed the subject abruptly, "So, tell me, have you met the Norns yet?"

Jay swallowed his hot mouthful of unknown pudding, "Uh n-no, should I have? Are they here too?" His voice sounded small and gave Sigurd the briefest hint of insecurity.

He had only really heard the Norns in passing, he stupidly thought it was just a saying, after all he'd heard it enough coming from Loki's own mouth when he was being overly sarcastic.

 _'_ _Oh the Norns, why didn't I think of that, oh that's right because it's a terrible idea. Why are you such a narrow minded imbecile?'_

 _'_ _Loki!'_ Jay thought. He spooned another mouthful and tried to stop himself from moaning out loud at the taste.

"Yes and yes. They're what you'd call fortune tellers."

"Hmm, never been a fan of people who read tea leaves or uhm, fortune tellers. That's fairground stuff, carnival people and so on, right?"

"Come on Jay, what's the worst that could happen?" He said as he tugged Jay to standing. "Come….live a little."

Jay groaned a little at being jostled, "-I hate it when people say that, it only leads to misfortune ya know?"

 _ **'Prove yourself to me...'**_ Came Loki's booming voice in Jay's mind. That damned telepathic link.

 _'Shit, now? But they've only just bought out the puddings?'_ Even in his head, Jay was whining and Loki thought it mildly endearing.

 ** _'I believe in you, just...be careful.'_**

Jay looked back up at Zig as he continued to speak of the Fated Norns. Naturally, they were known as the Fates, how so typical. Maybe they could give him the answers he so craved about his own mother too.

"They'll tell us our future, everyone wants to know what the future holds, even Odin has spoken to the Fated sisters of Norn. _Hel_ , everyone on this realm has. You've got to be the only one who hasn't." He gently chided.

Jay was still looking at his half eaten pudding. He loved pudding, it was his favourite meal of the day and he was about to leave this one half eaten, he didn't even know what it was but he knew that it tasted good and he was about to leave it and it was heartbreaking...

"Uhm, pudding?" Jay said as he scooped another mouthful despite Zig tugging his arm relentlessly.

"The Fates should not be kept waiting!"

It was sacrilege, "Uhm, well…I'm not s-sure about reading too much into it. I mean we make up our own futures right?"

"Futures are made for us by the Fates," Zig added, as he pulled Jay up to standing, "-only a few can alter their's and those ones that do, they can alter the Fates of others too."

* * *

 **This story is just over a year old now!**

 **Thanks for sticking with it xx**


	82. Afternoon scamper

Zig had motioned him to the back doors of the castle hall, "Let's call it an adventure of sorts, something to make you feel like you've lived a little."

"Are ya assuming that I haven't?" Jay stated, panting slightly.

Once through the relative safety of this impossibly large study, Jay had found himself walking arm in arm with Zig towards a book shelf. Although, walking was a strong term, Zig was pulling Jay along for the ride.

Sigurd's eagerness to be bold and rebellious was akin to a child being given birthday money and then free reign inside a toy store.

"How, what the?…." Jay gaped as the bookcase opened to reveal a darkened candle lit hallway just beyond where they stood. "Ya know this reminds me of those adventure stories where these tunnels lead to treasures and stuff. Or to a damsel in distress," he grinned with a cocked eyebrow.

Zig placed his finger on his lips to indicate stealth was required right at that moment.

Jay rolled his eyes, "But I guess we're not going to see either, judging by the fact that you're being annoyingly secretive?" He whispered and paused momentarily as the study doors closed behind him with a soft click. Now it resembled a solid castle wall, no signs at all that they'd just travelled through it.

Jay noted that it looked damp in the hallway. The walls were slimy with algae and additionally, small formed stalactites clinging desperately to the curved ceilings. Thus alluding to the fact that this part of the castle was likely the caverns and abandoned dungeons of Nornkeep. The underbelly of Karnilla's secret kingdom.

There were no guards around, just the ones that were hot on their trail. Jay's own troop were trying their hardest to keep up but Zig seemed to know all of the shortcuts to this place. That fact alone, intrigued Jay further but at the same time this felt like he was going against his men in sending his own troops on a wild goose chase. He knew that their only task was to keep him safe this day because Gus had said the exact same thing.

But this was exciting and so clandestine.

Jay was going to see the Fates, possibly even the world tree. And, hopefully once there, he'd be able to get those answers he so craved. He had no idea of the dangers...why would he, Loki had told him not to venture near it, Gus has pretty much forbade it. Neither had said why and then the slightest hint of reluctance came to bite him.

It held him back, his movements faltered.

"Come, it is not much further." Zig pulled with a huge grin on his face, "You haven't really lived until you have seen this nor the Fates."

"S-sure, I'll take your word for that," he rolled his eyes.

Obviously Zig had no idea of the life he had led previously, or the fact that he was an elemental master of lightning, now so dark and destructive a force. Jay was a multi elemental master, he wielded fire and earth as well as his own two. But Zig had never seen them, he was never on the battle field.

This whole rushing around without being spotted reminded him of being at home with his brothers. Using stealth whilst sneaking around whilst trying not to be caught or seen. Jay recalled that Zig had claimed that he was often Odin's right hand man, yet Jay had never seen him at Odin's side. He thought that it be attested that being as Jay was his right hand man, that Zig had been given more freedom to explore or to settle down with Lorelei.

Zig had pulled Jay to the end of the dark and wet corridor and had opened some grand old doors that looked like they hadn't been opened for over a hundred years or more.

They creaked and groaned with the momentum, and to Jay, it looked like Zig had to force the doors somewhat as he pushed them open enough to pass through. "Besides, we need to get something out in the open first!"

Jay gulped when Zig said that. Exactly what was it that he wanted to say, was this what Loki had meant when he said that Zig had lied? Or was he thinking that Jay was keeping something from him? Either way he was feeling nervous and apprehensive, not that Zig could tell. Jay's face was a picture of mystery, mischief and lies, just like Loki's...They could have been classed as twins had it not been for the hair colour and huge age gap.

* * *

Eventually after having traversed down many steps and along countless corridors he arrived into an open pebbled and sparse grassy knoll that showed nothing ahead but woodland and a thick fog of mist, alluding to the fact that something ominous lurked beyond there.

"Hey, I've lived a little, ya know!"

"You are not scared are you?" Zig mocked, pulling the prince closer still. "My Lord, I assure you, there is nothing to fear here."

" _Actually ZIG_ , I was told not to leave the keep!" Jay countered to Zig's childish taunt.

There was something grating about Zig's behaviour and now, more than ever, Jay felt really disconcerted about this whole leaving the castle under extremes of secrecy. Even his own troop didn't know where he'd gone, they were still searching high and low. Sure, Jay had weapons if he needed them, his own lightweight ceremonial sword strapped to his side versus Eir Gram, a cursed sword that was sharper than most. Not that he was expecting to duel with Zig, he wasn't sure of the reason why it was only the two of them...

This whole secrecy thing could have been explained by Zig's insistence to leave the castle as quickly as they had because he thought they were being followed. They were, for good reason too. Jay's troop had been hot on Zig's trail until he took an unknown detour. The Einherjar, unaware of Nornkeep's passageways had lost them, both of them.

Jay wasn't sure where this insistence had come from. Why hadn't Zig mentioned it earlier? Unless, someone had put him up to it, Lorelei perhaps. "But Gus told me not to leave. Uhm, are you really sure about this?" Jay mumbled and tried tugging back his purple cloak, to no avail. Zig was impossibly strong and seemingly determined to see this through.

Zig smirked, "You let Gus dry your eyes for you too? Dab behind the ears after you've bathed with the harem whores of Asgard Prime?" He replied derisively.

The sharpness caught Jay off guard and he cringed at the deliverance and belittling tone of Zig's cruel words.

Jay blushed. Just how many times had Zig been watching him in the palace, out and about? He hoped he hadn't been watching when Loki had done unspeakable things to his female side. "You're not jealous are ya?" he teased, with a smile. Muttering under his breath yet loud enough for Zig to hear.

Zig looked abashed, he stopped and quickly whirled the prince around by his purple travelling cloak, half garroting him in the process.

His eyes looking up at the castle on the hill, Zig was making sure there was no-one following, "Jealous?" He repeated, laughing darkly. "Why would I be jealous, I have someone to love."

"Just the way you talk about it..." Jay said with a coy grin,"It's like you're jealous."

Zig's lip was twitching, he was trying his hardest not to snarl, "I don't watch you fuck them either...much," he said the latter quietly. "-I am just curious as to how you can screw so many females without feeling remorse or a sense of compassion or love for at least one of them?"

Jay rolled his eyes. "Haa, love!" Finally he pulled out of Zig's firm grasp and he attempted to gather his bearings, "-I'm more than capable of walking ya know." He hissed angrily.

"And _I don't need love-_ " He muttered under his breath, "-not anymore!"

"So you just lead a shallow life, fucking and getting some of them pregnant."

He frowned when he realised he was out in the open. The castle or Nornkeep, as it was known was nowhere to be seen. It was likely hidden by the large hill they had climbed down. Jay had been pulled. "I'm careful and I use protection. Not that's it's any of your business...none of them are pregnant."

"You don't know anything, do ya?" Jay shook his head in annoyance, "-it's funny because you claim to watch me and you make these accusations but you don't know anything about me...about ME?"

"I know you flaunt that royal status," Zig uttered, unperturbed by Jay's eagerness to prove his innocence. "You demand and control it, in fact, the way you act is almost on par with Loki!"

"And, your point being?" Jay replied affronted.

' _I mean, it's not like I have a choice...'_

"Nothing..." Zig groaned, "even though you flaunt it, you are still a mystery to me and others."

' _Then why mention it?'_

"...Where the Hel are we going again?" Jay mumbled angrily.

Zig could sense some distrust coming from Jay, "we're going to see the Norns." He didn't elaborate further.

Jay took his crown off, looking down at it in confusion for a split second. It was actually hurting him. The enchanted regal headgear felt so incredibly heavy all of a sudden yet lightweight in his hands. "Yeah, I happened to be listening when you said that the first time, didn't realise it was a cross country excursion though."

"It takes as long as it takes,"

"The Norns-" Jay panted breathlessly, "-are you sure about this?" He frowned and laughed, looking behind himself worriedly.

His strength was waning quickly without any plausible explanation and he stopped yet again to steady his breathing, "haa, the thing is...I already got a glimpse into my future...a few times actually." Jay had loosened the topmost buttons to get some much needed breeze through his stiff leather plaited tunic. "Besides, I'm not so sure they'll be able to tell me something I don't already know."

"You had experienced the seers of your world?" Zig muttered, seemingly impressed. Although he didn't look at the prince, he continued looking out across the wide expanse of green rolling hills. "They are likely descendants, you realise?"

Jay recognised it as a question, "haa, no... hahaa," finally, he had caught up, "I didn't buy into it much because they were being duped by someone higher up. Haa, literally."

He laughed to himself, "It was called the Cloud kingdom, can you believe that?"

"Jay, I have seen things you would never believe. I am fairly sure that this Cloud kingdom is as real as you say it is...did they house royals?"

"Uhm, no... I don't think so. I can't remember," Jay released a loud pent up sigh, "-is it much further!"

Zig had started walking again, "You complain a lot for a prince so young and virtuous-" he stated as they climbed a smaller hill this time, rolling further and further away. "Although, virtuous when in front of the nobility of Asgard. The same cannot be said of Nornkeep," he said, his voice reprimanding.

"That was a mistake, you know how much she annoyed me." Jay uttered. He was having a hard time trying to keep up with Zig's long strides but he did. He sure as Hel didn't want to get lost here at nightfall.

The hill evened out and both young men stopped dead in their tracks as an eerie silence filled the air. No winged creature, nor insect. No animal was heard, all that could be perceived was the sound of their own hearts racing and Jay's ragged breathing.

The golden warrior looked concerned for a moment, "Are you ill, My Lord?" He questioned. Passing the Prince a hip flask and plying him with the strongest stuff possible, a drink meant for the Gods.

Jay eagerly took another large gulp, He couldn't seem to get enough of the taste. Even if the drink hurt after a few minutes there was something enticing about it. "What's in this stuff-" He wiped his mouth, passing it back, "-It's really sweet."

Zig smiled with a deceptive look on his face, "Well, it's got ambrosia in it…" He took the remaining mouthful and discarded the golden flask out of sight. "And, nectar too." He mumbled retrieving another.

Jay hadn't answered Zig's question though.

Not that Zig was foolish. He could see Jay wasn't well. He was there when Tyr had rammed his broadsword in. And Zig knew that Tyr had performed a 'just off' kill shot. It was meant as the first strike, Tyr had been playing with the unknown creature, until it transpired that the creature he was attempting to slay was none other than the young prince.

"That might explain why I feel so washed out. You've plied me with Apple wine and ambrosia nectar….Nnnghh." Jay grumbled, grasping his stomach as he fell to his knees. "Urgh, my head, mmm-" he groaned, "-m-my stomach is killing me."

"It's nothing really. A drink for some to relax, to give others an edge. Makes you younger, more virile and heals _ailments_." Zig soothed and held Jay's mouth open as he poured more in. "Drink it, you'll feel better soon. All these pains will vanish."

"Really, ya think?" Jay looked like he was having a hard time thinking. His sweaty visage looked back up at Zig and he winced, "I'm not ill ya know-" He replied with some difficulty.

"Haa, I mean I-I was a few days ago. But, I'm all better now, see?" He said raising his hands palms up, "-And, evidently, I don't need help with virility, do I? According to Lorelei, that is."

His bandaged hand was shaking slightly, the muslin cloth wafted in the mild breeze, "-really I-I'm not ill," he repeated, only half believing it.

This had been the most exercise he'd had in three weeks, and he still wasn't fully recovered from what Amora had put him through nor Tyr's unprovoked attack.

* * *

Zig was so fast Jay hadn't seen him approach. The prince was still on his knees, struggling to breathe. One of his hands was steadying his further fall, it rested on the dewy ground like he'd been beaten in a fight. It was now obvious to Sigurd that Jay was struggling with a hidden pain. Something he'd not disclosed but something that he knew about because of working in the Palace.

' _Tyr's sword and Amora's treatment._ ' He frowned.

Zig restrained the prince before he had a chance to lash out. His hands were quickly pinned behind his back easily due to his worsening weakened state. " _ **DO NOT FIGHT ME!**_ " He gritted out through clenched teeth.

Now Zig was feeling some of those elements that the Einherjar had mentioned unto him in the scant time he had been in the arena.

 **Lightning** , it was almost as powerful as the type that Thor wielded freely, but this had a darkness to it that left a fiery after pain and the desolate sounds of despair and loss. It stung hard and fast and burned his exposed skin, but Zig was powerful and he held firm. The fire and heat of Jay's imbued elements increased exponentially and Jay's body became supple and damp with the exertion of trying to free himself.

"I do not want to hurt you, STOP FIGHTING ME!" Zig grunted and pulled Jay upright.

Of course he struggled, Jay was madly trying to wrench his arms free but Zig had easily overpowered him. He couldn't understand why he felt so ill. "G-get off of me, Someone, anyone help!"

He was alone, his guards were at the black castle and to his horror, his mouth was quickly covered. All he had now was his eyes and he pleaded with Zig to stop whatever he was about to do.

Zig could hear him and the incoherent mumbling, Jay was pleading and begging him not to do this, mumbling that maybe Lorelei had put him up to it and he would owe him a huge favour if he just stopped what he was about to do. However, the ever-glorious warrior wasn't doing it for his intended. Zig grasped Jay's mouth with his free hand and stared into his terrified yet angered lilac eyes. He had no choice with this, it was either watch as the prince weakened further or ply him with elixir to strengthen him for ever.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" He muttered quietly, feeling Jay's movement's struggling and weakening against his own. Had he been a true enemy, it would have been so easy to snap his neck and leave him struggling for breath on the battlefield.

Though Gus would never forgive him if he allowed the prince any ill will. So Zig flipped the lid of his full flask and rammed it into Jay's mouth. Closing the prince's lips around the neck of the flask as it poured quickly down his throat. "DRINK IT, **_NOW!_** "

Jay struggled with Zig's strength but begrudgingly obliged as he choked and spluttered on the elixir as the entire contents of the new flask were poured down his throat.

Zig let him go, eventually, and he felt Jay slipping to the floor. He was almost there anyway, "It'll keep the immediate pain away, the pain of what might come and the pain of what you've already felt" He soothed and watched from his position as he towered over the _fallen_ prince.

"Wh-why did you do that?" Jay rasped, as he struggled to pick himself off of the grass. He was shivering and wracked with unending pain from what he'd consumed. But within twenty seconds, he had stopped sweating and violently shivering. The pain from Tyr's rune sword had gone completely. The pain from the forbidden godling he carried, unwillingly. Everything stopped hurting as he carefully got back to his feet. He felt amazing, numb in some places yet tingling in others. "I don't understand, why you'd..."

"I could not allow it. I only want the hidden truth, I do not want to kill you." Zig muttered and looked away. " _Even if someone else does..._."

The golden armoured man guessed if the prince was as ill as he'd looked then Gus would likely have Zig's ass handed to him on a plate. Thinking more on it, he had wondered why Gus was being so protective considering he was normally a brutal and ruthless fighter. He offered his hand and pulled Jay upto standing, "So, how are you faring now?"

"I-I'm, uh-" Jay mumbled and rubbed his face, "-feeling much..." He was walking with a newfound spring in his step, brushing himself down with a definite red hue to his face. "Uhm, did you know that would happen?" He asked as he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

Zig nodded, he had paused in his movements, teetering on the edge of something. He could travel no further and had only traversed a short distance, a few metres away from the prince who had looked like he was at deaths door only a few minutes prior.

He had done the prince a favour, had literally saved him from collapse. He also knew what treatment Jay had been receiving from Saehrimnir. Zig knew, in his heart that the prince would have been nowhere near ready for battle, in his current state.

But the God's own elixir was the perfect cure for what Jay would be enduring in the next few days. At least until it would begin to wear off, the strength though, that would always remain. Zig took a deep sigh, looking down at his feet. He really wanted to come clean. To admit the truth as the sword Eir gram would want him to. To start a meaningful friendship based on trust. Yet something was holding him back.

The reluctance of Jay to spill the truth. Then and only then would he be able to trust.

Jay had stopped at the side of Zig, "thanks, I guess," he muttered quietly. There wasn't any more he could say. A little warning would have been nice though.

The last time something was forced into his mouth was thanks to Amora before she subjected him to a week of Hel and all depraved sex. Then, thanks in part to some heavy handed goons who worked for SHIELD. Loki had forced Jay to consume the elixir, in order for them to escape the Helicarrier. It was either consume it or die at the hands of the God, there were no other options.


	83. Eir gram is MINE, not yours

"Would you have let me ply you with it, had I told you what I could see for myself? What you refused to admit was a problem?"

He rubbed the back of his head, confused. "-no, I-I guess not!"

"Your body will adjust." Zig soothed, finally allowing the prince to walk for himself, "-it takes time to digest such a potent formula. So one would hazard a guess and say you may not be sleeping this night, lest you find a way to burn off the excess."

Jay was sure that Zig was insinuating something crude with Kali but he didn't rise to the bait. If he was going to do that it would be a romantic setting like before, not rushed _._ He simply cocked his head at Zig's innocent yet devious suggestion, "Mmhmm..." he groaned, "I kinda thought I _was_ immortal?" He said drily.

"You thought wrong..." Zig replied softly though his voice was astute, "-not fully, immortal anyway!"

" ** _Wh-what?_** " Jay mumbled in stunned shock. He was so dumbfounded that speaking anything of coherence quickly failed him. Had he been fed lies for these last few months, because he felt like he had now. "I-I don't understand," he sputtered.

Zig rubbed his rugged jaw, he thought Jay knew this, otherwise why would he have given a blood oath, unless he was forced? "An Einherji hybrid, coupled with these elements?" He paused and thought more on it, "-having their increased strength as your own? The ability to heal faster than a mortal? These are mostly Einherjar qualities, are they not?"

"Uh, I think so." Jay didn't like where this was going.

"The qualities of what makes a true Einherji an...well, _an Einherji_!" Zig added, rolling his eyes. He struggled to find a better word to describe the young man before him. "I just made you an immortal, like me, you should be grateful..."

"I..." At a complete loss for words til he shook the red haze from his mind, "I-I don't..."

"You don't understand?"

Jay's eyes narrowed, he was searching for the answer that eluded his mindset until a majestic light bulb moment hit him. "Hang on..." he paused, "-an Einherji is a dead warrior though, that would mean..." his expression suddenly dropped like a lead weight, "- ** _no, I-I...can't be dead!_** "

"Were you lied to?" Zig asked, cocking his head. "As far as I remember, no _living_ _human_ creature I have ever slain has ever had blood the colour of yours."

He shook his head furiously. "No, I was told that I uh..." He tried his damnedest to remember what had transpired on that fateful night. Loki had mentioned an irreversible spell that bound them together, nothing else.

"Well, whomsoever changed you into what you are now, was certainly a powerful wielder of the arcane," Zig said, "-because, though indeed you are evidently _**not** dead," _ he stated clearly _, "-_ you certainly lack the same human attributes of one who is _**alive**." _

Jay almost fell over backwards in shock and he would have if Zig hadn't been there at the crux to catch him. "The thing is, My Lord..." he grunted as he heaved the young man back to standing. "-I know of the rune lore that keeps that scar from felling you like a sapling," he said, pointing at Jay's chest, "And, I know that you partook of Saehrimnir...only the Einherjar and the thanes drink from that beast, only they recover when they consume the flesh and blood."

"It becomes what they need most, or what they desire. Medicine for the injured and Food for the hungry?"

He shook his head, refusing to accept the preposterous idea.

"I am sorry," Zig stated, "-I thought you knew of this."

Jay couldn't find the words to express how angry he was. He'd been lied to, _on purpose._ But, was it really the truth? Still had a heartbeat, was capable of impregnating a sorceress. Surely the dead couldn't do that?

"I guess I do now..." He mumbled, looking back at Zig. His expression void of any human emotion, wanting to change the subject, "Can you tell me more about the blade?"

"I shall," he nodded gently, "-this sword grants me powers of truth and enlightenment," Zig unsheathed it from its scabbard and pointed it sky high. The golden armoured warrior had his eyes back on the blade again, "It is so sharp, it can cut through dragon hide _like butter_ ," he motioned Jay back whilst swinging it madly in a lethal arc at the nearest well rooted tree. "And, it cuts through solid oak like empty air...so sharp it is, that the blade never weakens."

Jay rolled his eyes, he'd have been more impressed if Zig actually wielded it in battle rather than creamed over how sharp it was. It wasn't like Jay hadn't seen his fair share of sharp katana in his time, sai too and scythe's because he had. Kai had revelled in showing all of his brothers how to sharpen effectively using stones and other such sharpening devices and their previous Sensei had shown the importance of looking after their weapons as an extension of themselves.

But still to show face and the fact that he was trying to pay attention, he stood there too and marvelled at the sharpness of Eir Gram. He knew his blade was mostly just for show. But like Loki's sceptre, it had been imbued with some magical enchantments too. He'd just never used the sword in battle...in fact, he'd never used the blade at all...He favoured his obsidian katana and for close combat, his nunchucks.

"Gram's blade-" Zig said proudly, "-steeped, as it had been in truth cursed essence. It is now as piercing as the truth itself."

' _ **Gram's blade, his blade, my blade.'**_

 _ **'Did you know that it cannot reveal truths that I do not wish to divulge. Therefore, only those truths I wish you to tell will sway him to relinquish it so willingly...'**_

 _ **'Trust me, Jayson, this way he shall leave you alone, he'll give you the blade because the truth will burn.'**_

Even in his mind's eye, Jay was sneering because of Loki's persistence in calling him by _that_ name. He refused to be beat down by this God and his bit his tongue at the undeniable fact that he wanted to destroy Loki right where he sat. He wasn't going to entertain him anymore, not after what he'd just found out.

"May I?" Zig asked, gently.

"Uhm," Jay stuttered suddenly, unsure of what he was being asked because, yet again, Loki had been in his head, "wh-what do you want me to do?" He asked, largely unaware of Zig's intentions.

"Only the truth hurts. The wound, although grievous, will not."

"Really? So this is common practice in Asgard then?" Jay asked, following Zig's index finger as he pointed to a flattened area of long grass that was just up ahead of where they were standing. He complied with Zig's insistence, although heavy with uncertainty. This was one of the vague times that he could have done with Loki giving him a little more relevance to what was about to happen. "Uh, is this the _only_ way?"

"It is..." Zig answered, his face stoic, now devoid of any emotion for what he was about to do.

"Because it seems really sort of macabre and kinda brutal, not to mention, a little _strange_?" Jay added as he knelt in front of Zig, "I mean, I don't even know what you're going to do with it."

"Fairly obvious, don't you think?" Zig smiled sarcastically, "-It's a blade, one that cuts, slices and _stabs_."

He gulped, "-so you can't just cut my palm like the the small blade in the hall?" Jay quizzed nervously.

"The _Athame_ , no," Zig chuckled and shook his head, his heavy dreadlocks swinging with the momentum, "-it would be a vile transgression to simply _cut_ with Eir Gram. This sword was made to be driven deep. Because the truth is always locked inside the soul...deep within each one of us."

"So, you have to run me through like a pig for slaughter, like in and out or is there more to it?" He looked up and took his outer garments off, laying them to his side, "Its not like I've done this sort of thing before _,_ ya know...willingly let someone take a literal stab at me. I was never taught to let enemies through my defences."

Zig laughed, "I am not your enemy, My Lord."

"Well you're not exactly a friend either...yet?" Jay replied, eyeing the sword with fearful apprehension that rivalled a child looking up at an impossibly tall roller coaster.

"Perhaps not yet, but I am not your enemy either..."

 _ **'Let him do it, Jayson.'**_

 _'WHAT?'_

 ** _'Let him...it is the only way to get the blade.'_**

 _'FSM, are you kidding me?...FUCK.'_

 ** _'Language!'_**

 _'English, apparently,_ ' He replied sarcastically, ' _You're completely insane and whilst I'm at it...we **are** gonna talk about something when I get back. Cos this isn't just about ground rules and stuff, this is deeper than all that...' _

_**'Small insignificant things Jay.'**_

 _'Fuck you..._ _How is_ _this small, this isn't like a little prick!'_

He really wanted to lay into the God of lies for withholding a truth as momentous as this. Jay rolled his eyes, unhappy with what he was being made to do in order to get a _stupid sword_ for his so called _master_ , "so, is there anything else I need to know before you stab me with your broadsword? The only reason I ask is because, _normally_ , I try to avoid this sort of thing, in my line of work?"

"I can imagine you _do_ try to avoid it, don't we all, as warriors?" Zig stared at Jay with a wicked grin, "All you need know is that it might feel a little... _strange_."

"..."

"My Lord, or should I call you Jay, to skip formalities?" Zig started, he didn't wait for Jay to answer, "-this blade has the ability to force the truth from any person it cuts," he said, practising his forward thrust.

The action of watching Zig practice his swordsmanship skills made Jay cringe. Zig's forward thrust was brutally ruthless, no doubt he'd had plenty of practise with the impressive yet powerful forward and upward thrusts that he seemed to be excelling at. His follow through was amazing to watch as he passed the blade through yet another tree trunk, some fast and some slow.

"The blade makes it impossible for them to lie. It also reveals truths that some keep hidden from themselves, thus forcing them to take a hard look at what they truly are...at what they've become."

"So uhm, did ya use it on anyone else and they lived to talk again?" It was a genuine question, tinged with some humour..

"It was used on Thor, so he could fight off the evil corrupting magic that ran through him, but rest assured My Lord, it does not kill it's target, even if they are stabbed right through the chest."

Jay cringed, "uh, r-right then..." He wasn't looking forward to this at all. The last time he was struck through the chest was by Tyr and then literally 3 days before, courtesy of Amora, he was stabbed twice. He was getting annoyed with being the damned pin cushion of Asgard.

"Fine, will this be it then?" He got back onto his knees and sat back on his haunches, "because you already know some of it, will it really matter about the rest?"

Zig undid Jay's clothes and pulled apart the topmost part of his tunic enough for the young Prince to remove his Under Amour. The first thing he saw was Tyr's rune sword scar. It was there, as clear as day with purple veins spreading out from it painfully. "The strange thing is, even though this sword reveals a lie has been told, it never reveals the true depth of deception that takes hold of one. The only way for that to be removed and revealed is for the blade to pierce the vessel."

 _ **'What a load of bilgesnipe...he does it because he can and because he secretly loves dishing out his vignettes about how altruistic he truly is. Ugh, I actually felt a little sick.'**_

"I need you to breathe calmly," Zig lined Eir gram against Jay chest. The point resting against the scar already residing there. "This is the only way to remove the truths we all cling to. Only the truth hurts and once this is done, you'll need no further shielding from Tyr's curse."

 ** _'Well, there is that.'_**

"You wish for me to do it fast or slowly?" Zig asked as the point of the sword started breaking the skin and the smallest bead of purple dribbled slowly down Jay's bare abdomen. The blood seeped past his stomach and was soon lost in the small expanse of darker hair that followed his navel downwards.

"DO IT!" Jay gasped, "-slowly," his fists clenched by his sides when the blade broke through his skin slowly as he had requested. He shivered uncontrollably with the coldness as the central ridge of the blade followed the initial trajectory of the point. Slowly penetrating through the muscle layers and into his thoracic cavity. Wishing away the pain seemed to be a wasted endeavour because there wasn't much, it was the initial shock of being run through and living to tell the tale.

"It's the Hero's blade." Zig said quietly. He held firm onto Jay's right shoulder and with a firm shove, he pushed the blade further in, stopping intermittently as Jay seemed to be struggling.

"It's..." He breathed slowly, "-I c-can cope." He said through clenched teeth, digging his fingers into the soil to grab at anything hard enough to squeeze the life out of.

Zig couldn't stop now, he firmly thrust the golden sword and twisted it, to avoid Jay's heart and then, as expected, there was the smallest resistance when it hit bone"

"Nngh…." Jay's eyes were squeezed shut, his jaw clenched tightly. _'So fucking sharp, just get through it, j-just get through this...motherfu,'_ **"Gahhhh..."** He shouted out, feeling every small twist of the blade, now wishing he'd opted for fast.

"I am not aiming to break a bone, just this truth," he said with a grunt as the fuller travelled through Jay's ribs like butter.

"I-I, can…t-take it," Jay said with difficulty and at the same time...A thought came to him about how a Katana was flat in comparison to Eir Gram. It was a relief to switch off to pain sometimes but other times it could be dangerous. ' _A broadsword_ ,' he thought, 'i _s long and sharp on both sides. On a katana, the yakiba is obscenely so but a sword such as this, is forever sharp...'_

The smallest amount of blood trickled from the wound as the blade made its slow journey through Jay's body. Another twist of Zig's hand and the blade came out of Jay's back with a hissing sound akin to a snake as the nearest lung was sliced through. "-It shows you the truths you hide from yourself, and from others."

A small cough and a hefty amount of blood was spat out. Jay used the back of his hand to wipe away the substance from his lips. Though the action of raising his arm felt akin to having a massive heart attack.

"A lie for a lie and a truth for a truth-" Zig pulled the sword out and with it came the darkest purple cloud that was slowly imbued into the blade.

"You serve _**LOKI?**_ " Zig stated loudly, now wide eyed, "Where is he, I thought him dead?"

Jay was grinning, such evil inside him that he had hid such a huge truth. "I don't know," he lied and the blade didn't glow, just like Loki mentioned.

A feeling of relief flooded over him once the blade was removed, but it was short lived. Jay had finally opened his eyes. "I did, I-I mean _I do serve him._ "

 ** _'Hmmm, this might just work, I mean we both know that Odin will be waking soon.'_**

Zig wasn't heartless, but having had Gram for so long he was cold to the pleas of those who had lied. "I work for Asgard," he stated without any emotion. He wiped the blood from the sword and took a final look at Eir gram, "-is Odin alive?"

"Yes," Jay nodded and looked up with a nervous glance, "as far as I know...You only saw him this morning, right?" He said anxiously.

Zig nodded and then smirked at Jay and at the same time his smile had dropped. " **You**..." he paused and his eyes widened fearfully, "- **you're the** **weapon of Chaos?** " his stance faltered slightly like he'd been hit with a brick.

"Wha-what?" Jay stuttered again, "I am?"

"You are Kaen?" Zig questioned, recoiling slightly. His hands now trembling as he held the sword with both hands, getting into a battle ready stance.

" _No,_ m-my name is Jay, _remember?_ " He didn't like where this was going. This new side of Zig was scary and uncontrollable, a complete contrast from his previous laid back relaxed state.

"I'm not threatening you Zig," Jay said with a small but nervous grin as he he held his hands up. Praying to the First Spinjitzu Master than Sigurd wouldn't attack an otherwise unarmed man, "-please Sigurd, just put the blade down...I won't attack you."

He'd reluctantly put his blade to the side and took on a different stance, "-of course, not unexpected-" Zig started, undeterred by Jay's pleas. Now the golden warrior looked back at Jay as more of a worthy opponent, "-Loki is spiritually damaged, too many lies soured him and turned him into the monster you work for!"

His expression and actions made Jay shudder. Zig was cleansing the sword and the visions of Kai doing the exact same thing, came back to haunt him with a startling clarity.

"Loki would think nothing of finding the weapon just to prove others wrong. Would also think nothing of ripping it from it's home world."

"You still think I'm a weapon right?" Jay mused, sadly, "-you speak about me like I'm an object."

"You are..." Zig stated,coldly. "You're a dangerous weapon. Kaen means chaos, and-" He paused and pinched the bridge of his nose tightly, "Chaos cannot be tamed...I just made you fully immortal... ** _Ymir's beard_** , what have I done?" His face crumpled until anger took over. "I just made you immortal."

" _ **Why did you join him?**_ " Zig hissed angrily and grabbed Jay by the throat, **"Tell me."** He ordered and squeezed tightly, like he meant it. His other armoured fist raised and ready to strike.

 _This your fucking plan LOKI?_

Jay was quickly aware of just how powerful Zig was. His grip was just as strong as Loki's, and just as unrelenting to the point of crushing his windpipe. "H-he offered me a-an ultimatum. One that I-I couldn't refuse." Jay mumbled quickly, his terrified eyes staring upwards. "He f-forced me to..." His voice breaking, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." his hands had shot upwards to protect his face and head from any incoming hits he was duly expecting.

He released the prince, not because he wanted to, more due to the fact that the pain of Jay's protective element acted as some form of deterrent. He stood back just as fast, now noting that Jay was tearful, struggling as much as _he_ was.

Jay was sobbing quietly at Zig's feet, "it was either them or m-me, so I-I offered myself for their survival." He said, wiping his eyes.

"Amora-" Zig said with sorrow in his voice, "-she tortured you, kept you there against your will."

Another truth revealed as it was ripped from his soul and another huge startling revelation for Zig to comprehend. He knew that Lorelei would be devastated with this. "So she had a plan, to tear you apart. To raise a child of royal virtue in order to stake a claim to the throne?"

Jay gave a nervous nod, "I-I tried to...tell Lorelei th-the truth."

Zig nodded with the reason, though it hurt no less to hear it spoken out loud, "Loki took your _love_ ," he said softly with a hint of pity to it.

Jay made no noise, he was sitting in silent contemplation as the wound closed just as quickly as it had happened. He was attempting to put his emotional state back together but it was all in vain, "he took my love, yes...in more than one sense of the word."

"He made you watch as he coupled with _her_ in front of you, in his home," his eyes gently observing as the prince openly sobbed.

This one hidden truth, was one Jay remembered vividly. Not so much the action of seeing Loki defile her like that but his face as he did it, that was what made Jay's skin crawl and his heart and soul to shatter. That look of male satisfaction and dominance as the god buried himself inside her...inside the woman Jay had once loved and would have died for...the woman he now knew he quite possibly _did_ die for.

"H-he did, he screwed her in front of me-" Jay admitted with a broken voice. His hands trembling as he pulled his clothing back across his chest, "-I loved her, we were meant to be together. Like you and Lorelei are." A part of him hurt at revealing that. He was so sure that he had once loved that woman. Had shared many a cosy night in and had even proposed.

Zig's face dropped again. These hidden truths were absolutely horrendous and torturous for even him to hear let alone for Jay to hear them uttered aloud. "Why did you let your brothers remain around you after what they subjected you to?"

Jay was struggling to speak, "I-I _forgave_ them, it's just what I do, what _I did_."

"You _forgave_ them?" Zig looked down at Jay with a newfound interest, "-It is a rare attribute of someone so young, especially someone who was once so innocent but now carries the soul of a murderer...a realm killer." His eyes seemed to be scowling. "You would still be forgiving of them?"

"I would, always," Despite it all and the tears that still fell, Jay looked up into Zig's caramel coloured eyes, "I'm obviously a murderer with a conscience," he admitted, wiping his nose, "I didn't have a choice, Zig...he showed me the alternatives..."

"And, now you are _he_ who serves all evil against his own will for the entertainment of another," The golden armoured man looked back down at the trembling man near his feet. "-Against your pre-destined fate," He sighed deeply.

Zig looked at the blade, how could he wield it now, knowing that the protector of Loki could retrieve the stolen blade without even fighting for it. It would simply come to him easily, the sharpness would fail, the blade would bend and bow. A dark frown adorned his face, "I am so very sorry to hear of these struggles. I truly had no idea."

"How would you, how would you even know what it's like?" Jay enunciated clearly though his emotions were clear to see. He was trying to wrap his clothes back up, "To have everything you've ever worked for, snatched from you. Maybe told that you're some damned prophecy and you that your whole life was a lie."

"Now that you know, what will you do with this?" Jay huffed in annoyance and fastened his tunic top.

"I lied to you specifically to garner the truth. I was selfish in my endeavour," he admitted, looking down at his blade, "-the cursed sword, the sword of Gram," Zig re-sheathed it and threw it at Jay.

" **I am Sigurd the Everglorious** , I am the one that history speaks of. I was the first hero, Sigurd the Everfree, the mighty and the glorious."

He took a deep breath in but didn't look at Jay anymore, "I am the dragon slayer, the slayer of Fafnir with this very sword. A sword that was created in Mephisto's pit to slay the Disir. I was the one that ate the dragon's heart of immortality and the warrior who bathed the sword in Fafnir's cursed blood."

Zig looked at the prince, he had a very distinct feeling that his future would be hard and testing but he would survive and they likely would meet again, maybe in better times. "I was there when Odin gifted this sword to Loki on his crowning ceremony and I was the one that stole it from Odin's vaults when Loki was disgraced."

"I was at Bor's side, I was his protector."

Jay said nothing, he was still shaking from the whole ordeal but not from the pain. That had subsided as Zig said it would. His eyes slowly turned to his side where Gram lay pitifully by his right hand but he lacked any courage to pick it up. "It's your sword," Jay mumbled, not daring to touch it.

Zig finally knelt down, "I won't tell any, of this. The High one will know soon enough of this treason."

"The treason of what? Having his wayward son gallivanting around with me by his side trying to make a name for ourselves?" Jay said, slowly attempting to stand again. "It wasn't all 'take over this and take over that', we brought peace to some realms but that was never seen was it?"

"Violence isn't always the key to Asgard's success, we've moved on from that now," He stated, helping the prince to stand as he thrust Eir Gram into Jay's right hand, "And now, you'll need all the help you can get when he finds out what you've both been doing."

"What do you mean?"

"Between you, you have created a trail of destruction. He'll not stop testing you, until you both serve time for your crimes."

"Serving time...right? Actually, I wasn't always like this...hard as that may seem to believe!" Jay stated.

"I saw it for myself, you were _innocent_ once."

"Just how innocent is a ninja who is trained to kill? Or trained to subdue entire clans of Serpentine who'd been banished to live underground, they who made a stand to admit their true feelings of being treated like lesser creatures? I was never really innocent, none of us were."

He took a deep sigh, looking around himself. Jay felt like the world was crumbling around him. All of those spilled emotions and revealed truths, they hadn't made him feel any better. Slight relief maybe, but even that had been short lived because of the likelihood of Odin Borson waking soon, meaning that Jay and Loki would likely be on the run in the not too distant future. "How exactly are you planning on telling him?" _'Considering you don't even know where he is? Because the man you think is Odin, actually isn't.'_

"I said I wouldn't tell the All Father because I, in turn, lied to you for my own reasons. The All Father will know, himself, when the time comes."

Jay wasn't scared, nor intimidated. He was dubious as to Zig's way of thinking. Did Zig think that the Odin who sat on the throne wasn't privy to everything that was going on? Or was this Loki's grand scheme to act all shocked and astounded at being regaled of all Jay's wrong doings as Loki would never show his face in Asgard, as himself? Would he let Jay take the fall, take one for the team?

Then his world came crashing down for the third time that day because that would be exactly what would happen.

Zig's face turned dark and angry, "Wait, did you coerce Odin to place you as a royal, to make you a prince? You blackmailed him, didn't you?"

"No, I wouldn't even...why do you think that?" Jay backed up slightly.

"Well, how else do you explain it?" Zig hissed, "-you're a prince and you sit next to the King, the man you've commit treason against and yet," He raised his hands up, "-Loki is nowhere to be found?"

"It's hard to explain?" Jay offered with a slight smile.

"Eir gram could not reveal this lie, you tricked me you bastard-" he punched Jay brutally around the jaw and the prince fell to the side with a pained grunt.

"Oww, the fuck was that for?" He raised himself from the grass.

Zig was about to go in for a second shot, he wanted to pummel some sense into this fake royal.

"St-stop," Jay's hand had risen lightning fast in defence and he had caught it before it struck him for a second time, "It's not a...mmmmph," he winced and cracked his jaw wide, "I-I wasn't lying, you could see it for yourself."

The truth sword hadn't lit at all during his answer and Zig felt some remorse for punching him so ruthlessly. "You told a truth?" He mumbled, apologetically. "I'm...f-forgive me?"

Jay cocked his head. "y-you'll figure it out," he said quietly. "And when you do, for what it's worth, I'm sorry." He sat more upright and shivered, saying no more, not even to the pain in his jaw.

Sigurd's fists relaxed somewhat. "Sorry, just..." He recomposed himself, turning away from the Prince. "This is **_your_** sword now," he assured, standing back.

"-Loki can only wield it if he be worthy...and he won't be, **_EVER!_** "

Jay held it with shaking hands until Zig strapped it to his waist along with his ceremonial silver sword. "-Like I said, I will not tell him, you have my word."

He hated this awkwardness. "We're not friends, Zig," Jay stated coldly, resetting his jaw with both hands. A horrific cracking pop later and his jaw was re-aligned.

"No, not yet enemies either...choose your next moves well," he said firmly, "-now come, there is something you must see."

He'd been pulled up like he weighed next to nothing and his travelling cloak replaced with the utmost care. It was as if Zig couldn't remember flat out belting Jay across the face in a fit of petulant rage. Or breaking the skin on his knuckles when his closed fist broke Jay's jaw.

* * *

 _ **Just a thought here...maybe you can furnish me with you current whereabouts?**_

 ** _Is this retribution for my earlier misgivings? You know my stance on lying, keeping important things from those who need to know._**

 _Idiom, if I ever heard it...paradoxical right?_

 _ **What are you saying Jayson?**_

 _Nothing, I'm not saying anything!_

"So," Zig spoke, shaking Jay from his silence again, "-the Fates, the other reason we came out here?"

The silence was to be expected after having the truth ripped from inside ones soul, being stabbed and blamed for blackmail and coercion. Jay appeared to be smiling though, nervously, "The next time we meet, you might be a changed man," his smile was genuine. "And, I'm sorry, sorry for what might happen to both you and Gus in the meantime. Neither of you asked for this!"

Jay stalled, he looked up at Zig fearfully, "Gus, what do you mean?" He said, finally finding his voice.

Zig was impressed, he wasn't expecting an unknown prince to speak and worry of others above himself. Loki never would.

"Odin still rules his army, the Einherjar are his to command and Gustav will be punished heavily for his involvement in treason against Asg-"

"He's innocent-" Jay was quick to state, cutting Zig off, "-I'll take his punishment as a covenant. He doesn't even know, none of them do."

"I feel sorry for you." Zig comforted, "You are but a young Prince from the royal Palace of Asgard, who will be taking a covenant for _all ten men_ who would be afforded the blood eagle, if the All Father saw fit."

Jay cringed in realisation. He'd only done this the once before, for Nya. Loki had been gentle in his own way then. Odin wouldn't be so forgiving, he would test him. But he couldn't let his troop of men take punishment for something they weren't even aware of. Loki wouldn't care in the slightest if the troop were slayed in front of him. The God cared for them as much as he cared for Odin.

"When, I-I mean when will it happen?" Jay couldn't think straight.

Zig shrugged, sorrowfully, "I cannot read nor see the future, the Fates can...but trials and what not can come in many forms, ego death, disease, pain, the most despicable ways of near death experiences and you have your answer to what he'll expect of you."

 _FUCK!_

"I guess, I better make sure we never get caught then?" He grinned but Zig's expression didn't find it funny.

"It takes a real man to accept his mistakes, to move on and improve. You cannot always be on the run, he'll find you himself...treason carries the most harsh sentence."

"Fine, so be it." staring in confusion, Jay was standing, at what appeared to be the starts of a pearlescent coloured pond. The grass was slowly making way for the shallows and reeds.

"Still," Zig said, with a rather hefty pat to Jay's trembling shoulders, "-you'll have plenty of time to sort out your affairs before this is brought to light."

This still pond was partially obscured by the roots of an impossibly large tree. And yet, he couldn't see much off the tree. He strained his eyes and neck just trying to see more than one fields worth worth of root.

"What is this place?" He asked quietly, "-and why is it raining when there's no clouds?" It was all he could do to save his mind from wandering into the depths of despair at hearing that Gus and his team of men would be punished had he not taken their punishment as his own.

"So many questions, you are loquacious." Zig chuckled quietly. Pulling the prince into a loose one armed embrace, "You'll see."

"Sorry, nerves...I mean I'm nervous," Jay could only see a wall of brown in the middle of the pond, the bark and trunk of the tree was huge. He had never seen something as big as this before, but again familiarity. He was sure he'd read about something similar before. A warning perhaps!

"You are not very well travelled around these parts are you?"

Jay shook his head, but remained quiet as they neared the pond, the water was almost milky white and completely still.

"This is the world tree." Zig replied, trying not to sound impressed. It was hard not to when he was showing the one true to someone who had never seen something as beautiful.

Jay stared at it in awe, "This is _th-the_ world tree?" He gasped, "it's HUGE!" His voice echoed loudly and he clasped his hands over his mouth.

"The one and only. This is she, Yggdrasil who holds all of the nine realms. Takes a certain _eye to see all_."

"No, I uh…..WOW." Jay was almost lost for words, "This tree holds _all_ of them?"

His eyebrow was raised as he observed the giant structure. He could only see the bark, couldn't even make out the first branch, it was impossibly high and the sound of a rapid yet heavy set scurrying was nearing their location.

"Fear not, it's just Ratatoskr, the squirrel of the tree. Though if he ever sees you, you'd be best to cover your ears, he will send you insane with self doubt."

The erstwhile ninja's eyes were drawn back to the ground for a split second and his gaze settled on a female figure. The more he squinted, the more he could see as they both approached. Now much closer, he could see three women of differing heights who stood next to the pond.

"Uhm, who are _they_?" Jay asked none too quietly.

" _They_ are the Norns, the sisters of Fate, the ones who control everything that happens in the nine realms. The future, the present and the past at the Well of Urd."

"Oh god, I thought that was just a name bandied around like a euphemism," Jay said, now mildly flustered. He had stopped, not wanting to go any further. "Ya know like when the Einherjar say stuff like uhm…'What the Norns are ya doing' and that kinda stuff, you telling me that they are real people, like uh, real fortune tellers?"

"No, not fortune tellers. These…." He said proudly, "-these ones only tell the truth!"

Jay faltered and cast a strange expression at Zig, "excuse me?"

Zig held his hands up gently, "Allow me to explain, If they were on earth, they would nary be paid sufficient to survive."

Jay's face screwed up further, confusion now apparent. "What?"

Zig grinned, but told it how it should be. He told it rather how it was here. "-People don't pay for the truth, they pay for lies," he paused, his voice was solemn and tinted with sadness. He ceased walking altogether and Jay turned to wonder why he had stopped so abruptly.

"People don't want the truth, it only brings pain." He responded with a heavy sigh.

"So they pay for lies, _willingly_?" Jay enquired with a frown. The idea was completely insane, "-surely people would rather pay for the truth?"

He couldn't shake the notion of how many scamming fortune tellers he'd bumped into at various amusement parks. Nya had even pressurised him to get his own read. Typically, and as he had fully expected, the fortune teller had taken one look at him and come up with the wrong info.

Zig nodded his head and let a small laugh escape, "They do and they love it."

"What, why?"

" _Fortune tellers,_ are just that. They are the best at telling tall tales, story makers with a good ending. Their charm brings more in, the trinket of luck leaves a pleasant feeling that just sends the people flocking back to them."

"Are you not coming too?"

Zig shook his head. "I already know of mine, so nothing will have changed. You can't always change your fate, but you can make amendments to the great design." He added rather cryptically, "I suggest you try to change yours, as a matter of urgency."

"This is just for you, your fate awaits you." He said moving away so as not to incur the annoying riddles of the Fates.


	84. Goodbye and good riddance?

"I must say, you showed remarkably good moves," The blonde fighter had paused, flicking his quiff from his eyes in an overly melodramatic style. "Good fight?"

"Lloyd." He said.

The smart leather clad warrior had previously introduced himself as Fandral. He was _one_ of the warriors three and with the famous Lady Sif. They had even battled with Thor, against the mighty frost giants of Jotunheim. Dark elves were the only un-vanquished foes, they hadn't decimated.

Fandral took Lloyd's hand and shook it vigorously. "Your self discipline is absolutely remarkable." He chuckled, flashing a daring grin and a dimpled cheek. "You rarely missed an opening and your blocking skills are superior."

Lloyd smiled with the ego boost. "Haa, thanks. You kinda kept me on my toes."

"I have seen a similar style of fighting before, _on Earth_."

"Really?" Lloyd questioned, replacing the dual katana on his twin back holders. "What style of fighting?"

"A mixture, from what I have seen. Of course, in Asgard, we are taught in mostly all styles of ancient fighting. Though, I accede, I have never really encountered _your_ style before. Only a close version of it."

Fandral shook the hands of Lloyd, then cautiously Zane and finally Cole. "You'll be joining us for food?" He said, wiping his brow. Pointing over at the small group of Einherjar who were converging. "Would be a shame not to, considering food and refreshments are in abundance here, as opposed to Svartalfheim."

"Where?"

"Home of the dark elves?" Fandral offered. "Desolate place, yet Malekith, before he perished, stated you'll find every precious gemstone you have ever heard of and many you haven't. All guarded by dull little Dwarves inside dull little mountains. And that, my dear friend is where you'll be staying for the seven day duration."

Lloyd remained silent, placing the smaller blades and weapons back onto the training rack. All of them impossibly and obscenely sharp, it was a small wonder that no one, other than Cole, had received any injuries. "I thought we were using the Skiff?" He said, pointing at it as a group of Einherjar climbed aboard.

"No, the Skiff is going to Gladsheim, we are walking elsewhere."

"I rather think the food there is quite, _poor,_ Not like the sustenance you shall find here." Fandral smiled, placing his own sword within its sheath. "Come, you must dine with us, tis only but a short walk."

Lloyd was unsure of the upcoming battle, not completely sure about the supposed foes they'd be facing.

At least Loki, despite his evilness and scheming nature. Had given the three of them the briefest of moments to acquiesce themselves with the fighting style of the elves. This was before Tyr came along with his own blend of _machismo_ and existential stoicism.

He turned to face his brothers, Zane was cool, calm and collected. He was taking this in his stride. Cole, he was pouring with sweat, a determined look as he manoeuvred around each opponent.

Sweating profusely wasn't anything new to Cole, it was something they were _all_ used to. Though normally, they'd have plenty of water to re-hydrate during their training regimes. But these warriors had nothing on offer, well nothing that passed up as aqua vita.

"Guys?" Cole hollered, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "Uh, time to get something to eat?"

He looked secretly hopeful, considering a handful of warriors were walking off in the general direction of the Einherjar banquet hall, rather than the palace.

"I believe it is of that time," Zane stated. "Your stomach has notified _you_ as many times as _you_ have complained at how unfair your female opponent was."

"I didn't know you'd been keeping count, Zane," Cole scoffed, following suit. He placed his weapons down with a relieved sigh. He hadn't even used his specialist blades since Tyr had left.

"Might just be tired though?" Lloyd offered, "-considering how beat he looks." It was true, Cole looked marginally better than he did earlier. "How fast do healing stones take to work, on average, Zane?"

Zane had walked over to Cole uninvited, and he proceeded to do a basic analysis of the wounds that the master of earth had. "You see, it really depends on the level of injury and the tissue damage sustained. Minutes to hours?" He surmised.

"Were you stabbed?" Zane frowned. The healing injuries were synonymous with a deep tissue wound that extended far into the internal peritoneal cavity. Though there was no visible nor inward sign of bleeding. Just bruising that went deep.

"Uh no. Not that I was aware."

"You are healing rapidly here. Healing stones, there are traces in your skin."

"What can I say?" Cole smirked and rubbed his stomach as it proceeded to rumbled yet again, "I'm a quick healer, don't think I used any stones though." He was looking at his own new blade with apprehension as what was expected of them as a team. Sure, he thought, they'd had some good practice so far today but the only valid bit of fighting style they'd been shown was a thirty minute session of fighting with Loki's astral projections whilst he sat idly by, watching from his own balcony.

"Unless someone else snuck in to your room and treated your wounds as you slept?" Lloyd snorted, "Maybe they probed you too!"

That was met with a dead arm, and an audible groan from Lloyd, then a distinct chuckle from Zane who had no doubt forgotten to switch off his humour switch.

"Fuck off, you _dick!_ "

"The female then?" Zane offered, knowing that Cole wasn't stupid enough to attempt to punch titanium, even with his earth punch. "She was with you, as you stated when you woke."

"Yeah, but we didn't _do_ anything," He replied, his mouth curling into a smile, "And, there was no probing," he said, reiterating the fact that nothing happened and it was all innocent.

"I bet you wanted to though. Come on Cole, admit it." Loyd teased. "You were staring at her ass every time you knocked her over."

Cole smiled shamelessly, remembering the fight vividly. "Hey, I'm a man, my manners deviate, so what can I say, _besides_ , where else could I look?"

"I do not recall there being an animal of the four legged variety in the arena? They are in the stables, no?"

Both snickered. "Yeah, I was looking at a horse, a real fine mare, ooooh." Cole pulled a saucy look at Lloyd and stifled a giggle.

"A horse he wouldn't mind mounting and getting to know better...pffft." Lloyd chortled **at** his own execrable pun.

"Quit horsing around Lloyd..." Cole mumbled under his breath, loud enough for his brothers to hear. "Gahh, Zane, I'm so hungry, I could eat a _horse_."

"I do not understand this conversation. You have lost me in this humour pertaining to the equine breed."

"It's okay Zane, I'll _filly_ you in later. Cole just wants to get laid, _bad._ Not that he stands a chance with her."

"Straight from the horses mouth eh Lloyd?"

"Quit _foaling_ around Cole!"

"Ugh, get off your high horse, green machine."

The nindroid had easily understood that they were messing around. They obviously hadn't understood his own attempt at humour. "I do wonder if you two have _stable_ minds at this time?" Zane stated, throwing them off, with a little pun of his own as he quickly realised they were at a stale mate with their play on words.

Now, they were all tagging along with the men who had been training with them. Having fallen into a lazy march until they found their pace.

Their voices quietened down to small talk and the general observation of silence as they marched _in a fashion_ to the Einherjar feast hall. They'd never really been taught how to march and it was hilarious to observe as Cole and Lloyd tried their best to put their right foot forward. Typically, Zane learned it within a millisecond, falling into the march with ease.

* * *

"At ease, warriors," Kiällar shouted. His domineeringly loud voice was heard from the back of the troop.

They halted abruptly at his order. The majority of men filtered off, all going in separate directions, most of them towards to the barkeep.

This place was different to that of the banquet hall as Cole and his brothers had already noticed. For starters, before they walked in to the humongous structure, they all noticed that it had large wooden figure head prows sticking out at intervals at the very front of the building.

Lloyd secretly hoped these prows were just there for decoration, and not to hang deserters off of.

Then once the doors had been swung open with a creaking groan, the ninja team were met with silence. It felt like an eternity that they were standing there for, just observing everything around them. This was until a few impatient Einherjar ushered them in, some had barged past. The three semi colourful warriors wandered in, eyes wide as they took in the interior of the place.

It was huge in comparison to anything they'd seen at home. This was a _mostly_ wooden constructed building, curved high ceilings with exposed beams. Shields lay attached to the bare stone walls amidst tapestries and various battle flag banners. There were the odd few spears and broadswords that were criss crossed here and there, alluding to the fact that this was where _all_ the Einherjar came to relax and unwind but, other than that...the majority of warriors here were peaceful.

Not all of them wanted a fight to the death.

It didn't take long for Cole to notice the food, rather than go in alone, he tugged and pulled both Lloyd and Zane with him.

This was evidently, a place in Asgard that was reserved just for the guards. The Palace guards ate in the palace, in the banquet hall, but being that Jay and Loki were away from the palace meant that the banquet hall was closed to Einherji. They were now stationed around the vaults and the dungeons.

Fandral was opposite them, a moderate sized feast of his plate that alluded to the fact he wasn't a big eater. He was more concerned with his physique.

"When Asgard was on the brink of war, Volstagg _my brother in arms...W_ ell, he managed to consume four wild boars, six pheasants, a side of beef and two caskets of ale!"

"Haa, big appetite then?" Cole smiled, and laughed. "The man likes his food."

"Possibly, I think he comfort eats personally." Fandral replied. "Nerves, if I had to guess."

"So," Cole grinned, with a unhealthy amount of food stacked on his plate, "Plans for later, guys?"

"I am returning home because that is where I live, you dear friend will be staying in your palatial accommodation, courtesy of the All Father?"

"Yeah," Cole replied, shoving a mouthful of lean steak in his mouth. Moaning at the exquisite taste.

Lloyd sat on his other side and Zane close by. None of the ninja brothers had mingled with the others warriors save for Fandral Staghelm who had joined without invite. They hadn't turned him away though. He was quite a friendly warrior, and, much to Cole's relief, this warrior was very much alive.

They didn't want to lose sight of each other, this place was huge and quite literally filled to the rafters with Einherjar and one of the 'warriors three'. "I'm thinking, that when Jay gets back we can call in on Kai and Nya?"

"We need to, uh, make sure they're still safe," Cole was quick to cut in. "Considering the whole corrupt government thing?"

"Yeah. We've got safe houses though. In case anything kicks off in the mean time."

"The temple of airjitzu is a possibility. Yang protects it and many are too afraid to wander into it, for fear of the previous curse that befell any who remained after sunrise," Zane stated.

"Heimdall, watches them, yes?" Fandral inquired, interrupting them as they conversed and ate as a small group.

"I guess," Cole replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Then you should not worry so. Einherji would notify you of trouble. Thus giving you enough time to intervene." He squeezed Cole's shoulder. "Fear not, brave warriors. You could say that our gatekeeper has your back."

Cole cocked his head. "Good to know, in case of any eventuality." He said, looking at Fandral with a small smile. "So uh, can we check in with Kai tonight?" He asked, turning back to Zane and Lloyd.

"We can," Zane stated, eyeing his food with trepidation as to how much they were all consuming. "I, for one, have brought my communication device."

Cole looked red faced, he paused eating. "Mine was in the house, I didn't get a chance to pick it up before I was brought here."

"Aww, don't be too hard on yourself dude, just because you couldn't handle a little stranger showing up on your door step."

"Fuck off. He wouldn't take no for an answer, he just let himself in... _he wasn't little either_."

 _He punched like a heavy weight._

"Haa, you couldn't have done as bad as Zane, he just let the dude in to my home."

"Excuse me? I observed him first, asked him many challenging questions. I did not just allow him free entrance." Zane replied, feigning offence whilst stating his innocence.

"Yeah," Lloyd shook his head slightly, a smile remained, "Well, Cole doesn't have his comms device and I left mine for Chamille." He shrugged, "she knows how to use it, right Zane?"

"She has watched me servicing it and I believe she took some notice in the inner workings of my device."

"Pfft, that means no." Cole smirked. He so wanted to make a joke out of that slip of the tongue. Zane's double entendre was ripe for the teasing. "So, we'll just use Zane's tonight."

"Cool, so we wait till Jay gets back and then we surprise them with a long distance call?" Lloyd confirmed.

"Yeah, just hope we can wait up for the time. Zane, you'll have to figure it out though...don't really want to wake them up at stupid o'clock with a newborn."

"I am sure I am more than capable of figuring a good time to call, though the relay of the message might be delayed at their end. Time travels faster there."

"Uh guys, you realise we've got to win this right?" Lloyd spoke. His face serious.

"Yeah, no pressure then," Cole frowned in response. "Not just for this place though."

"We still need to get back home, still got a huge problem to sort out." Lloyd pushed his food away.

Cole sensed the unease. "And we will, in a weeks time. We'll do this, survive this show of strength and then we can go home..."

"With Jay too?" Lloyd asked hopefully.

"Yeah, of course." Cole smiled ruffling Lloyd's hair.

* * *

 _ **Nornheim: The edge of all reason**_

 _ **Urd's Well.**_

 _ **Laeradr (Yggdrasil)**_

"Did anyone ever tell you that it's rude to stare?"

"I am **not** staring, merely _observing_ you." He continued to do so, crudely staring up and down. "Tell me Jay, did anyone ever tell you it was _dishonest_ to keep secrets?"

Frowning, Jay narrowed his lifeless eyes. In his minds eye, he knew it had been taught that keeping secrets in his previous line of work, was advantageous to their success. Simply put; the revelation of their true identities could have been catastrophic. "Sometimes secrets are best kept hidden, to keep people safe." It was the truth, the same could be said of Samurai X, until her secret was spilled.

"Ha, if you say so." He gave the most smug grin, "The sword won't work for you if you continue to keep secrets from others."

And yet, it insulted Jay that he was continuing to look him up and down. Sighing, he turned to the golden armoured man. "What are you expecting to happen? Wings to sprout or some sort of demonic possession to take hold? I told ya, I'm not like that."

"I can see it in your eyes. Such power runs through you and yet you have no idea what you could be capable of. No possible thought invades your mind that you could be partially responsible for Gylfaginning."

He wasn't even going to ask what that meant. He'd ask Zane later. He was, after all, the _go to guy_ for anything to do with legend and myth on this rock. The amount of hours Zane had spent reading was astronomical, when he hadn't been fighting, he'd been reading and if he hadn't been doing either, he would be tinkering with his chemistry set...whilst absentmindedly reading.

"The silver sword you carry at your side, _obliviously_." Zig spoke clearly, pointing down at it. "It is imbued with seidr, cantrips and kennings. And you don't even use it, favouring that of weak obsidian to do your slaying."

Seidr, he'd heard of that in passing, cantrips too, but kennings...that word was lost on him. Jay hoped that he'd be able to remember these specific words for later, maybe Zane could interpret their meanings. Turning away from Zig Jay looked at his empty kunai sheaths and throwing star pouch. He felt for them, then remembered that the demonic guards from the black castle had taken them. He'd never once have said they were weak though. "Obsidian isn't that weak." Jay countered, feeling slightly offended. The black blades were a gift and he cherished them, _to a certain extent_.

He looked at the silver sword, unsheathing it cautiously. It was true of course, he'd never used it once in battle; never needed to. He didn't want to tarnish the blade with blood stains which would be sure to discolour the metal. At least with obsidian you wouldn't see the stain, the sharp black volcanic stone had no grain to speak of.

Now fully unsheathed, it was like he was seeing it for the first time, truly marvelling at it for once. The thing was beautifully forged, it had been a gift, a ceremonial gift bestowed to those who would be worthy. The blade from hilt to pointed tip was silver down both sharpened sides, the centre ridge was pure gold. Although Jay wondered at the strength, gold in itself was weak, easy to damage. But then, his elemental weapons hadn't been. The nunchucks were strong enough to withstand skeletons and serpentine without so much as a dent.

 _"Tis bequeathed to you, use it wisely my prince."_

* * *

 ** _Months previous_**

 ** _Nidavellir (Svartalfheim)_**

 ** _Home of the dwarves and dark elves._**

Despite his visible unease of being in their proximity, Loki had a task to do. Something that may prove a valuable asset in the years to come. A particular thing that would assist him in his final endeavour to rule over all nine realms and the dead space in between. He still didn't see Jay as a person as such, more a thing to be molded into his likeness, to his way of thinking. To evil, disruption, cruelty and deception, to everything that would turn him against good.

 _And he was so close..._

The punishment dished out from fleeing his duties only severed those links further.

Loki pushed Jay greater than anyone had ever done so before. Trained him till his knuckles bled and the bones chipped. Stabbed and sliced him till he took on the defensive like his life was on the line. Showed him the basic principles of how to control and wield his elements as the weapons they were meant as.

It didn't take long. Jay was already a broken man, his supposed fiance had slept with his best friend and then Jay had been sent off to destroy a kingdom with no more than five men. So, with no reason to live and a blinding headache from mind control, Jay had decimated hundreds. Forgiveness wasn't a word he knew anymore, and he killed those who pleaded and begged. Men, women and children fell at his brutal order. When he'd found out, it broke him inside and he became cold.

Jay had been turned into a weapon, a killing machine.

But in that time, in Loki's head; the weapon never became a person, it was deemed as important because of what it was, _not who it was_. A weapon needed no love, it needed a strong person...a God, it required forging, tempering and sharpening.

So, on one dark and lonely night he had travelled to Nidavellir, or Svartalfheim as the elves had called it.

He was coming here with a request rather than an order or challenge. This time there would be no play on words, no wagers and no bets. First and foremost; this was a request.

He walked through the sticky wet caves after having evaded the grasp of the much smaller but deceptively strong guards. His true aspect revealing him in all his Aesir glory, though the warmth, in this form was almost unbearable for his frost giant side to withstand. He did well to hide his discomfort the deeper he went, until he walked into a small chamber. There in front of him were two dwarves, both stock still, not in shock, more curiosity at seeing him.

"I cannot believe you dare show your face around here, son of Laufey."

Loki did not smile, he held face. He wasn't here to argue either.

"I remember what you did to Brock and Eitri, you shamed them and their descendants."

 _Nothing less than they deserved_. He thought, gnawing the inside of his cheek. It could have been worse of course. What he did to the Aesir and Vanir was far more humiliating, in a funny, enlightening sort of way.

"I was forced into betraying their trust. I did not enter into that through my own volition. And, I do not threaten, I will not betray you...Bri."

"Like you betrayed Brock? Are you here to curry favour with the High One?"

"Brock saw through my play on words, he sewed my mouth shut with Eitri's awl, They both got their comeuppance, And, no...I am here of my own free will."

"What do you want Loki, son of Laufey?"

The way the dwarf said Laufey's name was funny. Loki thought it synonymous with a sense of fearfulness. But then, the frost giants were and once had been a strong and powerful race. And, had Loki not killed them all, they would have still been feared across all nine realms. Loki was the cause of their demise, he was actually the last of his kind, _by his own hands_.

His father was dead, Loki had stabbed him, having no fear of reprisals. "Ooh, you speak so lowly of him, is that fear I detect?"

"I do not fear Jotun, they never come here. I tire of this...speak it, mischief maker, then be on your way."

He noted the impatience, Bri was tense whilst Loki had much time to spare. "I need a blade, something suitable for sverða nesi and weorðmyndum imprinted. A blade for the same element that Thor wields, you can do this for me?"

"I would ask why but I fear you would lie, it is in your nature, sly one."

He was deep in thought, but smiling, a evil manipulative look on his face. "Are you not capable, Bri?"

"You doubt our skills? Need I remind you that our grandfathers were the ones who crafted Gungnir, and the gauntlets of infinity?"

"Gleipnir too!" Loki stated, licking his teeth.

"Indeed, a fine binding ribbon, it still holds firm I assume?"

He wondered why they were always so boastful of their skills. Biting back animosity, Loki simply glared at the dwarf, reluctantly pulling his gaze away from the ribbon that sat atop a dusty wooden counter.

"I do not visit him, he is still tethered, as far as I know." He wished he'd never mentioned that damn ribbon. They had overpowered Fenrir in Gladshiem and Tyr, before he lost his hand, had been uncaring of the wolf's plight, he had helped to bind him, downing the huge beast minus one hand, the other was in Fenrir's belly.

Loki, had later found out that the wolf had come to relay a message to ask why he, his father had been cast out, Fenrir had never expected to be treated the same by those betters, the ones who had fed him up from being an abandoned pup.

"It must hurt, to know that your own flesh and blood is tied to a heather covered rock, on this very same realm. Waiting just waiting for you to free his bindings."

Gritting his teeth, Loki didn't reply. He could feel his son's presence, it was so close, yet just out of reach.

The dwarf, knowing he had hit a raw nerve moved the conversation on. "So, what will you choose to pay with? We do not have need for more Asgardian gold, we have plenty of that."

His irritation grew. Green eyes wandering the underground mines that seemed to be awash with so much of Asgard's gold, that the unnatural yellow glow could have represented a large open fire. _Aye, well a dwarf and his gold are never far apart._ He snickered at his own thoughts _._ These dwarves and their ugly base appearances, unnerved him, but he wasn't going to be riled. Loki knew the dwarves would not do anything for the gods without payment of sorts, so it pained him to think of what they might request of him for this.

"What do you want as a token of payment?" His hands giving many suggestions, between money and magic, desires that some of these blacksmith dwarves seemed to like.

"For something as important as a shield kenning, we would require something of such importance that perhaps only the palace of Asgard holds in her vaults."

Loki's gaze narrowed. "My father's vaults are heavily guarded. He would not be best pleased if he knew that the, inhabitants of Nidavellir had so much as a trinket from that room."

"Come now Loki, you have done it before, have you not, Casket of Ancient Winters? If you want this blade to be imbued with so much power, would you not afford us with a payment to match the qualities you so desire?"

"It needs to be as powerful, to lead him to show him the way. If you can make the blade, as I have requested then I shall give you what you need."

"I find it entertaining that you choose to add controlling cantrips and pointless kennings to the sword. Only the person who wields this sword will be able to control the power that you wish to bequeath it with. Come now, enlighten me, why do you want a powerful blade that could well surpass that of your own?"

"'Tis just an ambiguous figure of speech, it may hold control in the wielder but what is Kaen without it?" Loki had stiffened, "So, call it a vested interest in personal protection and property."

"So it's true, you found it?"

Biting his lip Loki stared resolutely at the shorter bearded man. He looked like a complete halfwit, yet Loki didn't want to offend " _See_ , now you want to talk, for a moment there I thought you were eager to rid your planet of me and my accursed race. What do you care of Kaen anyway? All you crave is gold, gemstone and riches."

The shorter man spat on the floor, clearing his airways of some phlegm, a likely side effect of working with such potent fumes. "We have no interest in Kaen, what good would it do here? No, only the dark elves want it."

Loki seemed to think on that thought for a while. It worried him greatly. "One could say that Asgard has found a distant _descendant_ of Kaen, and it would be uncontrollable, if it weren't for a certain person, strong enough to bind and control it."

"You cannot control Kaen, no one can."

 _'You are so wrong'..._ "You speak as if you know this from personal experience? One never intimated that I would be controlling it."

"No, to do that would signify that you have the weapon in your grasp, thereby making you a target."

 _'You seriously underestimate me, it will be your undoing'_. His stance remained at ease. Loki was a master of deception, his face was poker straight as he regarded the much shorter man at his front. "Cut to the chase Bri, what payment do you require for the forging of this sword?"

Bri's eyes beamed brightly and his grin widened, revealing a set of unsightly and grubby teeth. "The eye of Agamotto."

"I can get that for you, though I question why you would need it, considering you don't use seidr yourselves?"

"So you know of it's properties?"

"Of course, I'm no fool Bri. Why do you want it?"

Bri was stood in his workshop, a cavern of sorts with a blacksmith's forge, currently powered with regular wood and runes. His brother Dvalin worked the bellows, creating a further blast of heat that was sufficient to keep the furnace at a solid temperature. "You cannot get it can you?"

Standing back slightly. "Oh I can get it alright. However..." Loki paused, "I know the true value of Agamotto, and I know for one, that the relic you seek is worth more than just one ceremonial broad sword capable of showing the true power of its holder."

The dwarf shifted nervously under the glare of the green eyed God, backing up slightly. "N-name it then..."

Smirking, Loki moved closer to the workstation tinkering with all the trinkets atop. The ribbon was indeed remarkably strong...annoyingly so. Loki was quick to check the tensile strength as he pulled on it, only stopping when the ribbon cut into his own skin. He noted that the pause in his answer only furthered Bri's nervous composure. "Hmm, I require a _crown_ , with the same binding qualities."

"What type of crown, is there to be a new royal? You wish to control the weapon don't you?"

Loki smirked. "Very presumptuous of you, but no." He thought more about the question, conjuring an image in his mind. "A crown fit for a prince and it needs to look something similar to this, strong enough to summon lightning, absorb and redirect it. Sapphires and black diamonds preferably."

"Anything else?"

Loki paused, thinking back to what the Fates had mentioned to him. Sighing deeply, "It needs to have a hint of positivity to it."

"Such as?"

"I don't know, a source of guiding light, if he ever needs it. Something like that, a protective enchantment."

Turning back to Bri, Loki noted the smaller man was drawing out the length of the sword to be cast. Gathering a selection of rune stones for the required cantrips, silver and Asgardian red gold. "Tell me, what do you want Agamotto for?"

His brother stoked the furnace, the heat growing exponentially in the forge. "That is for us to know...Loki. Your blade and crown will be ready in two days."

"I hope the intended realises just how much work these will have taken."

Loki smiled, snidely. "Oh, I'll be sure to make it aware that it comes with a request of payment." He already had the payment plan figured in his mind. Jay would indeed pay for this crown and sword. The debt would be his body...ultimate servitude to his God, the one he served.

* * *

He placed and sheathed the silver sword. It clanged against the golden one and made him feel like he was carrying a backpack with pots and pans on. Still biting his lip he turned to face the man in gold. Jay was glad for the distance between them.

"I am sorry, I reckon that must have hurt," Zig said, a few meters away. His embarrassment revealing itself at having lashed out. _No hard feelings_ , he thought, now so wanting to aid the large fist shaped bruise that marred the side of Jay's face.

He knew it was a damned good right hook too. It would have downed most and given others an unfortunate one way trip to Helheim. He was making the effort to approach, but he noted Jay's hand was raised and gently halting. Zig took it as a sign to stay back without so much as an uttered syllable from the prince.

Jay vaguely remembered Zig mentioning that _he_ didn't want to come any closer to the Fates, and, since there was no real reason to, Jay shook his head to stop Zig's further advancement. He didn't want Zig to approach anyway. The pain in his jaw attested to that fact.

Jay had been sent reeling with the force of the blow, it was ruthless, brutal and uncalled for. And still, hugely apparent that it was causing a level of discomfort, because he was gingerly poking it. He looked down, momentarily, feeling the slippery sparse grass and the squelching of the sodden earth beneath his damp leather boots.

He didn't need mothering, _especially_ not from the same person who'd flipped out and walloped him for an uttered truth.

"It's fine." He replied _, lying._ It wasn't fine, he felt alone defeated.

His eyes downcast in thought. "It makes me look a bit more _edgy_ I reckon." Putting on his best smile, then wincing when he attempted to flash his salt white teeth. "It'll fade, soon enough."

 _I hope._

Like all fisticuffs, provoked or not, this would heal up too. Then he'd need to think of a reasonable excuse for her too. Kali would no doubt enquire as to the new injury. He already knew this fact, his face was untarnished when he'd left the safety and confines of Nornkeep. But now, he had a feeling that the left side of his face was slightly swollen, and she would be demanding answers.

Jay glanced back to the women who were approaching steadily and an awkward silence fell between the men.

Turning to face Zig before he completely vanished. "Why did you give me this, Sigurd?" He asked, choosing to forgo the friendly, shortened name that he had been told to use. He pointed at the blade, the golden one that hung weightlessly, like it wasn't there hanging from his waist.

"I was, _coerced_ by another," he admitted. "I took you from safety against orders and led you astray, away from your men so I could test you. S _o I could end you_." He whispered the latter. "Thus, withholding my own secrets from the sword and lying to you, Gram stopped working for me because the blade can only be wielded by those who are worthy."

"And, you're not worthy anymore?" Jay deduced, holding the scabbard of the golden thing. Luckily, he hadn't caught the last part of what Sigurd had said prior, "Because you lied, it doesn't work for you...is that how _this_ works then?"

He nodded. "Because I told an untruth," Zig acceded. He couldn't admit to saying the word; the admittance of such a thing made him feel wretched.

The whole thing was a lie, even now, Zig was lying. He was doing this for some strange reason that Jay was yet to find out about.

"Odd," Jay mumbled. "Seems quite contrived, feigned, ya know, like you were hoping for this to happen all along." His hand rubbed his jaw, he avoided showing any pain, yet he could already feel the swelling where Zig's closed fist had struck. It had to be typical that Zig's impressive follow-through with his fist had also incurred the wrath of his wrist plating, too, and the subsequent feeling of metal on bone had been felt as the initial jaw-breaking feeling that had knocked him over. The punch had more than likely chipped something on his eye socket.

An uncomfortable silence passed between the two vastly different and now distant warriors, only the gentle lapping of the nearby well brought any noise. No wild breezes were wafting across the glade, nor cutting through them like a cold blast. The gentle and rhythmic momentum of each other's breath was all that served to move their hair with a slight gentle sway. The weather here was still, damp and depressing.

Then there was the tree in front. Sigurd had named it Yggdrasil, and this huge world tree was blocking all wind from hitting either as they stood in her greatness, basking in her shelter. All that surrounded them was silence, for those few endless moments.

Oddly, Jay noted two animals nearby. He had only spotted them because of the auburn coat and flash of white, his vision and concentration quickly averted. He saw a goat and a large female deer, he guessed it was a doe. The huge beast had no antlers after all, least it meant it wouldn't pose as much as a risk, unlike the goat who had two horns.

Jay stood and stared for a moment, perplexed, He wondered if they were wild or whom they belonged to. Both untethered creatures were grazing obliviously, at the dense and lush foliage that surrounded the Well and huge tree. His proximity and his voice had done nothing to stir the creatures at all, they remained grazing as if he weren't there.

He laughed softly. It was so surreal, a scene from a fairytale...all he was missing was a princess and he'd be set for a happy ending.

"Our paths will meet again, Jay."

The happy feeling had ended before it had a chance to come to fruition. The thought of meeting Sigurd again wasn't one that Jay relished, if anything, it filled him with dread.

"Maybe," Jay said, coldly. His clear voice carried across the open space separating them. And it was the type of conversation that you would have expected with two deadly enemies. Two men that knew right there, that they might meet again, but if they did it would be an uncertain outcome. "But then, I've always liked this whole _living life in the shadows_."

"That is Loki talking, not you!"

Jay cocked his head, licking his parched lips. " _It's not me talking?_ Heh, you're wrong," he chuckled darkly. "It's what I am and what I was trained for."

"Just remember," Zig said, "I just saved your life...so, as you stand there and hate me for what I've done, remember that I made you as you are now."

Jay said nothing, he was thinking of a decent witty comeback. Then, he turned and watched as Zig left. Biting his tongue at having missed his opportunity at sarcasm yet again, he rolled his eyes at his own internal delay.

When he observed Zig's face, he saw it...the look of fear and the unknown, Cole sometimes wore the same expression from time to time if they were outnumbered or had misjudged their opponents. There was something in Zig's look, that didn't sit right with his actions. Remorse, a serious look of panic and sorrow, a look of determination that made those ominous words stick.

"You saved my life, true..." he whispered, only hearing the words himself.

"I never asked you to..." Mumbling too quietly for the other to hear. His left hand was resting inside his inner robes, hiding something that he'd managed to swipe. A mischievous look on his face as he watched Zig walk away.

 _I never, really asked for this, for any of it._

The golden-armoured man, forever known as Sigurd, had mentioned his own fate, but he lied about parts of it. So now, Jay didn't know which bits to believe. Not like he could ask the sword. That would only work if he was questioning someone.

A final glance, Sigurds' evanescence was disappearing faster than his eyes could comprehend. A blink and the golden-armoured man had vanished into the same misty fog that he was standing in. A feeling of complete and utter loneliness befell him and he shuddered. Suddenly, Jay realised that he'd been isolated out here, left to fend for himself, he wasn't even sure how to get back.

He knew he'd be getting an ear bashing when Gus eventually found him, because he had expressly forbade him not to come here. Specifically not to come _here_ of all places, and Loki had also warned him to stay away. But what did he have to live for now? He was going to be on the run soon enough, for his involvement in the rumoured devastation. Not to mention, he'd be on the run for his life and that of Loki's.

Run or face up to their joint crimes, serve time and he already knew his would be worse than Loki's because; hey, Odin didn't even know who he was so why should he go easy on a relative stranger who just so happened to have been immortalised?


	85. Breaking you in

Totally ignoring the huge and visible branch of Laeradr, Jay turned to face the bare banks of the lake.

Still a good few metres from it, he stared, head tilted to the side. He could make out the water because it clearly differentiated from the earthy brown and cast a reflective sheen from the dewy fog above. The culminating effect left the water itself, to resemble a milky pearlescent fluid reminding him of milk, rather than the water he guessed it to be. _Oddly_ , it looked good enough to drink, and he secretly wondered if any had done so, expecting milk but getting something that smelled like a damp dog. Pushing that idea away, his mind raced back to Zig and how these fortune tellers were different from others, only revealing the truths. They were older than most, revered and respected.

Shaking his head. "Not fortune tellers, Zig called them the Norns, or the Fates and, there's three of them. I gotta be polite, even if they start talking in rhyme."

Jay was making a concerted effort to treat these Fates with the respect they were due. Constantly telling himself that he wouldn't swear, though he'd fallen so easily into that trap now. Damnit, he worked with evil, tasted it himself, it came with the territory, as did his new and worsening apathetic attitude.

Not to mention, another interesting thought that struck him about cussing...

It was uncanny how the cuss words were the same in Ninjago and on Earth. The only difference was the written word. He found that in his home world, they wrote in an archaic form of what he had been told was a mixture of ancient Chinese and Japanese hieroglyph. The confusing thing wasn't the understanding of either it was the mixture of both languages fused together. It reminded him of a quick detour they had no choice but to take, an unplanned jaunt from the USA when SHIELD had threatened to kill both on the spot.

A very _**painful**_ detour.

* * *

 **Japan -**

 **Three years prior, March - Street Parade**

 **On the run from SHIELD**

The majority of Americans Jay had encountered, had understood him because of his unexpected travel through an infinity stone. Told in no uncertain terms that his spoken words could be classed as similar to a crude version of English. He quickly found that there were discrepancies with certain vowel sounds. These inconsistencies hampered his true meanings and left him flustered and confused. Thereby explaining his reluctance to speak in front of his so called team mates before his capture.

Loki, once he'd accosted the weapon and brainwashed it; he procured some leather bound hard back scriptures that the weapon was able to read. He thrust them none too gently into Jay's stomach.

Once he'd recovered from the unprovoked attack, Jay picked up the aged books and stood. A look of grim determination to not offend his master again.

Opening them when he was given alone time, he peered page by page, flicking through the finely leafed paper until he saw some familiarity and his eyes lit up. There they were, the symbols of their shared elements, the only ones he recognised. Earth, energy, lightning, fire, ice, water and wind, the rest was all what he termed as _chicken scratch._

Loki had been quick and exceedingly patient to decipher the languages for him, after all Jay didn't have the luxury of a universal tongue nor All Speak, so he was, in most aspects, wholly reliant on the God to translate. Which is why Loki chose to talk to him telepathically, in a way, it kept Jay in the loop, but it was tiring to maintain the bond. Eventually, Loki had given simple language books to Jay and told him to study, _no time limit_.

If that wasn't warning enough

The God was as blunt as a rock, his tongue wasn't, that was razor sharp. If Jay fought like a ninja warrior then he would need to learn the languages of one too. This despite Jay's initial reluctance and further protestations that he wasn't of that realm and that it was grossly unfair.

When they'd arrived here, Jay thought back, he realised he had barely skimmed the first page of the Chinese scriptures. He had read the Japanese one from cover to cover because some pictures reminded him of of a certain female whose name escaped him. He had even doodled a female next to the coloured pictures of ninja, the female was wearing something quite provocative. Shamefully, because of his childish drawings, that book had stayed hidden next to his bed, under his camp bed mattress.

This was a time he'd wished he'd brought a book with him, if only to keep him in the loop.

Not once had Loki told him where they were due. They just arrived by stolen quinjet, that was all he knew. From the moment they had come off the jet, they had been surrounded by what Loki said were the Japanese Yakuza and one Ryuichi Asami who headed the lot of blank faced men, most of whom carried katana and handguns. Jay didn't even know the name of the place, just that it was a brightly lit city and, a stark contrast to New York. First thing he noticed upon entering the city streets; there was a festival going on and they'd been swept up in the procession.

It was hilarious, Jay had no idea what city he was in, paying no mind to the familiar symbols up on the billboards. He wasn't paying attention because he was wearing his ear buds.

Eventually, the battery wore out and he had to resort to socialising. Jay, alternately, was looking down at the road, then up at the starry sky whilst walking aimlessly. A single glare from Loki was all he needed, to know that the Aesir Prince wanted to talk. Tucking away his mp3, he looked up at the green eyed man. "So, where are we?" He looked around as he walked, impressed at the old and ancient structures they passed.

They reminded him of something important, the shape and style was so similar to something he'd seen before. Specifically, the one that he was standing in front of. The Shinto temple had red wood exposed beams, white painted walls, lit paper lamps hanging from each up tilted corner tile. Dragon art was everywhere, adorning the fences and painted onto the walls, though these ones he was sure he'd seen in the Japanese books, but then he'd seen a picture of a dragon in the Chinese book too.

"I can't help but think that it all looks familiar, somehow?"

Loki cast a disapproving glare. "One shall not divulge, neither will they." He offered, pointing to the armed men. "The books I gave you last week should have assisted you to decipher the language here, No?"

Jay didn't have the heart to tell Loki that he'd left them both back at base, he didn't want to incur the wrath of his new master. He remained quiet and subdued, _for the time being._

"You didn't have to force me to come here, where ever we are."

"Would you prefer that I throw you over my shoulder like the barbarians of old? Of course I'd not hesitate to do that, I may even enjoy it, _you_ may not though."

"You never said where we..."

"This is not a debate." Loki snarled, teeth bared, "You and Agent Barton accompany me, as and when required, remember?"

Jay frowned, looking at the armed men surrounding a tall smartly dressed man and his own master. "I-I remember," he replied, dolefully. Eyes downcast once again.

"There are no caveats nor negotiations, you have no choices here."

"Oh, sounds a little _ominous_?"

"Would you prefer it if I use sack cloth or tape for that ever moving mouth of yours? Tell me, would drugging you, appeal to that whole sense of victimisation you feel? You yielded to me, remember."

Frowning, he barely remembered it, or what he'd been before all this fighting. "Uhm, can I ask a question?" He asked, meekly, unsure if Loki would snap.

"Ask away?"

Jay, noticed the brightly lit lamps all around. Brightness and frivolity, coupled with the jovial attitudes of the people surrounding them both. "What is this celebration about?"

Sighing, Loki looked down at his walking and talking weapon. "Otaimatsu is supposedly the most famous and spectacular of the spring time festivals." Loki said. "After the useless sun leaves the horizon on this pitiful planet, the Buddhist monks of this Shinto Temple bring forth fourteen giant torches. The size, ranging in length from six to eight meters, would be carried up to Nigatsudo's balcony and held over the crowd." He pointed with disinterest at the balcony behind himself.

Jay stared in astonishment as the torches were lit and the resulting embers began to rain down onto the crowd below. Something about this fire, made him feel safe and calm. Yet he couldn't figure out why he felt such admiration for the sight of the fire and the colour of it. "How do you know all this?"

"I have watched over the many centuries."

"Oh, r-right. Sorry."

"The burning embers, that shower down from the balcony, are thought to bestow the onlookers with a safe year." Loki said, not taking any notice.

"Does it?"

"Do I look to believe in fairy tales?" His cold face was stern, uncaring. Loki had to be the only one who wasn't paying attention to the jovial proceedings.

"No, I just thought that," Jay paused turning to look at his new master. "I mean, it's a tradition that they believe in, so it has to have some bearing or truth to it?"

"Believe what you want, boy. I'll not be mothering you."

Frowning, at the snide tone. Jay's blue teary eyes were lit up with the colour of the burning torches. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Three reasons; to watch. We are here to observe how they live. They walk around us without realising that true power is walking with them."

"What, like they have it within them?"

"No you fool, we do...Well, _I do_." Loki pinched his black eye brows together. "We're here to make allies. _Just_ , follow my lead."

Loki, looking formidable as always, was carrying a black walking stick with a blue glowing top, a silvered tip. He wasn't using it as a cane, more as a fashion accessory, in fact, he'd already used it as a weapon on some poor unsuspecting museum curator in Dusseldorf only a week ago. The blow had killed the unsuspecting man outright, making Jay's job that much easier.

Looking down at his own clothing, Jay smiled. He was wearing his working armour, tailing Loki who was up front wearing pure black, he seemed to favour that colour. Jay actually looked like a warrior, one of Japan's own. He was revered as he walked amongst them. Given the utmost respect, bestowed with trinkets of luck. And, if it wasn't for Loki, pulling him along, he would have had more photos' taken.

"Are you deliberately trying to annoy me this day?" He asked, pulling Jay by his hair until a few auburn strands were yanked from his scalp in quick succession. "It's your hair, they've never seen blood orange before."

Jay, patted it down where Loki had ruthlessly pulled it. He stood back on his own two feet, looking mightily offended. "Hey, it's not orange. It's chestnut brown, verging on auburn."

He picked up on the tone and the new standoffish attitude. Jay's discomfort made him smile. "Oh, do not get me wrong boy, I like the shade. Tis my natural colour too." He smiled, and the appearance startled Jay. "You see, we have more in common than you realise."

"Great, so what are we doing next?"

"We are going to a showcase..." Came an emotionless response.

Eyes lit up bright. "Uh, what are we going to see there?"

"Hmmm, why do you think you are wearing your functional armour today?"

Jay hadn't paid that any mind. He looked back down at himself nervously, noticing his weapons were insitu, twin katana, kunai but no nunchaku. His eyes widened slowly, though his mind didn't want to accept it.

"We are going to be showcasing you. You will be fighting, for my honour and to show these fools how adept your skills are, 'tis after all how they do things here and it is the _second reason_."

The way he uttered it, made it sound like this was a roundabout way of saying things as simple as reeling off a shopping list or daily chores. Loki didn't beat around the bush, he said it like it meant it.

Jay choked on his bottled water. "Excuse me?" He said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

Smiling wickedly, Loki span on his heels, walking backwards through the crowds. Somehow, he was avoiding each person as he pulled Jay with him. Only the one walked in to him, looking instantly regretful of their decision. They said nothing, just stared at Loki's haunting face and backed away. The God wasn't overly happy at being walked into, he ignored the look of anxiousness. "Fear not boy, you have my power running through you."

Beside the fact that what Loki had uttered, came the undeniable fact that people seemed to cower near him. How was it possible, that without his whole regal setup, he was treated with a level of respect most mortals could only hope to get. That solitary woman who barged into him looked like she was about to lose control of her bodily functions, she looked terrified, for a split second.

The first time Jay met him, well the part he remembered, was waking up and looking into those green eyes, feeling a strong pull. No terror was there, but a fierce determination to prove himself.

"That sounds wrong, on so many levels..." Jay shuddered.

"My magic, and my elixir." Loki gave a sly grin. "If you allow them to get through these practised moves you have been perfecting with me, the magic will heal them."

"That sounds no better. And the reason for this would be?" He felt exceptionally cheeky asking. Loki wasn't one to speak much, unless he really had to.

"We need allies down here, do we not?"

Jay shrugged until Loki glared at him, he nodded in response.

"The other ninety-nine percent are mere slaves to the daily grind, weak useless. But they listen to the one percent of foolish greed ridden monkeys to do their bidding. Ergo, we build relationships with a select few, who will do our bidding when we are not here to do it ourselves. Run businesses, stocks and shares."

His mind still dazed from the mind stone, he didn't outwardly question that aspect. Jay had no idea why Loki would be so interested in trivial things such as businesses and finances. They were living out of an abandoned SHIELD facility, it wasn't exactly luxurious living. Not that Jay _knew_ or remembered what luxury looked like, everything was bare plaster walls, ammo crates and camp beds with mildew.

"But, how can you trust them? I mean you said it yourself, these guys are hardened criminals."

"As are you and I." Loki clicked his fingers and somehow Jay lost the ability to speak. "We do it because it is beneficial to have subordinates who are willing to watch our assets whilst we are away. Also, we have no choice. SHIELD are still trailing us."

 _What assets?_ Jay wondered, unable to speak. With shaking hands, he touched his mouth, it was still there. Feeling down his throat, he felt no hard lump there, prodding to see what was missing. When he realised, he stood rooted to the spot.

Loki pulled him. "Good is it not?" Lips curling into a crooked smile. "I control the things I own, **you** , _are no exception_."

"Come, join me." Laughing darkly. "It is rather annoying, your stance on this. I would think you would be happy to be out of our base of operations even for a quick journey to Japan, boy? Though, I cannot help but feel disappointment, your pathetic mind worries about a criminal organisation managed by a crime boss that runs this cesspit at night whilst maintaining a reputable high-end business during the day. These are the Yakuza, _boy_. I'm sure that you can put on a good show, yes?"

Looking back at his captor, Loki smirked at Jay's expression of shock. "Now, I know what you are thinking. You want to know more about the man you need to impress? Well, Ryuichi Asami is an extremely shrewd businessman. Composed, flawless in his endeavours and, often is shown to be several steps ahead of others. He is exceptional at forcing people to bend to his will. His skills of persuasion almost match that of my own."

"One would say, he is like my mortal self, save for the brawn."

Having no ability to speak was similar to having a blank mind, where no words would come. Jay could move his mouth alright, continue to drink, but lost the ability to say or verbalise anything. His voice box no longer existed, no matter how many times he felt for it.

"Yes, I think this tactic will work well. If they hurt you, you won't be able to scream out in agony will you? Thereby making you the stronger one."

And it hurt, the showcase was painful, so much pain was intolerable for any normal men. But these were hardened shinobi warriors against one elemental master. Blood, so much was unnatural to spill. A fight like this, was a fight for survival. And though they fought well, some battle etiquette was lost within that instinct to survive. Four on one, he endured at one point. Jay knew they were doing it to retain their master's honour. He had no choice, he had to use his spinjitzu to protect himself.

He had taken both katana and, upon entering his elemental tornado he tried a slightly different technique than he had before. Rather than using kicks, he held one blade firm and high above his chest, the other lower, protecting his legs. Blunt side toward his body. The best part, they never saw it coming.

But Jay should have.

The fighters had dropped back and one ruthlessly attacked him with a chain. He quickly realised it wasn't just a chain. The pain was what stopped him in his tracks. This chain had a soul harvester attached to it. A crude sharp looking axe with a cruel pointed and curved end. When it penetrated his body, it pulled him to a halt, the bladed weapon was lodged under his ribs.

Had he been given his voice he would've have shrieked in agony. But his voice wouldn't come, even as he pulled the blade from his side. The warmth of the weapon as it slipped from his shaking grasp, he wanted to throw up but that wouldn't come either.

 _'Pain, it makes you stronger, keep it in. Do not let them see your weakness. Use it, use it against them.'_

After a while, Ryuichi, the tall dark haired crime boss stood up. He was wearing his black yukata, raising the one solitary hand, he put an end to the barbarity. Some of these men had lost limbs and yet, this auburn haired nobody was still standing, he hadn't spoken a word, no battle cries, it was astounding and unnatural.

 _'Stand down Jay, the fight goes in our favour.'_

Loki was talking to the dark haired man, both deep in conversation. Sitting atop some sumptuous cushions discussing some sort of business partnership amidst the chaos and bloody bespattered room. Jay hadn't moved, his body was wracked with unending shivers as he fought the pain and stood, waiting for his next order.

Loki walked across slowly, purposely. "You fought well, I am impressed. Though you left yourself wide open at one point which allowed them the opportunity to hit you with that kusarigama soul harvester just here." He slipped his hand into the clothed tear. His fingers slowly came into contact with a steadily pouring wound. Though he couldn't see it, he could tell that it ran at least four inches deep, judging by the size of the crude weapon that was attached to the end of the chain. Loki's fingers grazed the shape of the deep incision. Without taking a second to think about it, he pushed two fingers in, four inches into Jay's side. "This would take far too long to heal."

No sounds left his mouth though his eyes showed a world of intense agonising pain. His grip tightened on the bound tsuka handles of his black katana. He wished he'd worn gloves too, at least then he wouldn't be able to see his exposed, severed tendons and ligaments, or the exposed bone on his sheared knuckles.

The flow of blood was beginning to taper off as Loki healed it from the inside out. "It will not scar, I shall not allow you that misfortune, _for now_."

His katana still in his grasp, the pointed kissaki end was touching the floor as the blood pooled off. Jay was injured, the wound should have been fatal yet he was still standing.

To the majority of wounded shinobi, it looked like master and student were embracing closely after such a bloody showcase. But the truth was far different, Loki had Jay pressed against him, so much so that Jay would have blushed at what he could feel. At the same time, the cooling relief he felt from those same healing hands removed some of the embarrassment and a shit load of pain too.

"Killing in the name of killing," Loki said, removing his fingers carefully. The crimson blood trailed down his alabaster hand. That same hand shot up behind Jay's head and grasped his hair so tight that his bloodied face stared into the overbearing eyes of the evil God. "You become complacent and injury is what will happen. Next time, read their moves."

His terrified eyes met the green ones of Loki's. He still couldn't speak, nothing came to him. Too stunned to form words, as the adrenaline continued to course through him.

Jay wondered why. Why he had no scars from the few battles he had fought at Loki's side. Scars showed that he had endured pain and had lived to tell the tale. But, it was ominous, that Loki mentioned no scars would remain...almost as if he was planning on giving him some injuries that could be hidden, no one would ever know how much pain Loki could inflict. Then he wondered if having a scar would be a punishment, because of how unsightly they could be.

He had no more time to think about it. Loki had begun speaking again.

"Focus on it, let the pain feed your anger and rage. Let it control you."

"Tomorrow, we head back to New York, we still have work to do. Which leads me to the third reason, Ostara, _this will be your last spring_ so what better way to celebrate it with a traditional festival, a fight and a death."

* * *

What had he learned from that? To learn different languages if given the opportunity, to be polite. And, that Loki was a ruthless, brutal leader who thrived on pain and domination.

Inside his head, he told himself repeatedly as the same things went over and over. _'Don't swear, don't swear, don't swear, be polite, don't raise your voice and uh, just relax...'_

Very suddenly, a ghostly voice felt like it was whispering into his ear. It snapped him from the painful memories and he span around reflexively. He wasn't aware that he'd been holding his side and grimacing when the voice took him by surprise. The fact that he saw nothing when he'd turned, spooked him, further exacerbating the fear. The feeling sent a shiver up his spine, hairs standing on end. "Show y-yourself." He said, _bravely_. Hand on the hilt of his sword, _just in case_.

"Step closer to the edge, child…"

There was a huge shadow, it towered over his own. Seeing that the three tall women were quickly upon him, _tall being a massive understatement_.

Rather than look at the ground or do their bidding he quickly turned and faced them head on. It took a moment to realise what he was seeing, though having them right in his peripheral didn't alleviate his fears any, he saw that they weren't too terrifying up close.

The fog that surrounded everything else seemed to be following them, enshrouding them in mystery. They walked like a blanket skimming the ground, hovering an inch from the floor with a fluidity to their movements which made them move as one rather than three individuals.

Jay had not been forewarned about them, let alone how tall they were. He wished he'd asked more about them, at least then, Zig could have mentioned their appearance and he might have had the foresight to shy away from visiting them to begin with. Then he inwardly cursed himself for thinking that. No, he came here for answers and he wasn't going to leave until he had them, all.

The whole thing was exciting though. It gave him a buzz of adrenaline to know that this was indeed as risky as Gus and Loki had stated. He'd only heard of the Fates in passing. The women were mostly the same height, roughly seven to eight feet, making Jay feel, quite literally like a small child. They all wore the same white cloaked hoods and what little skin he could see was mostly translucent and pale as snow. Jay had noticed that their faces were astonishingly beautiful to look at but their eyes were white, blank and hollow.

Their disembodied voices seemed wrong and aged, sounding much older than their faces looked. Unless, he thought, that these women were immortally young. He spoke first, though he could feel their presence surrounding him, the air palpable as their voices resonated chills. "Immortality," he asked himself, hoping they would answer for him, "can it be _reversed_?"

"Yes," came the disembodied voice.

"By who?" He asked, just as quickly.

"He goes by many names, Grim, One-Eye, Highest, and True-Guesser. He is known as Grimnir and the Hooded One. He has as many names as there are winds. As many names as there are ways to die."

A chilling sigh escaped his lips, the steamy breath adding to the mist surrounding him. "The All Father?" Typical, it just had to be him, the one person Jay didn't want to meet, specifically his real side. The real Odin sounded terrifying, or maybe it was just Loki scaremongering. Jay didn't want to take the chance though, to incur the wrath of an infinite being, that was capable of destroying realms with his mind. Hel, Loki said that Odin fought a battle using only his mind, and that was against Galactus. Jay wouldn't stand a chance against either, he'd be flattened into a paste.

Shuddering and blinking that horrid thought away, Jay lifted his gaze. "How?" His hand still firmly on the stolen trinket.

"A sacred staff he carries," a female answered.

Panicking slightly. " _Gungnir?_ "

He was relieved that he knew of the names of these weapons; that was four now. A magical spear staff, created by dwarves on Loki's orders. A spear that was a formidable weapon and more than likely packed a mean sting if it was ever shot at someone. The idea of being struck by it wrought feelings of anxiety to surface. He couldn't begin to imagine the pain, the sceptre hurt far more than he cared to admit and so, he hated to think what the Gungnir staff would feel like.

"Yes child."

"Wh-what about it?" His eyes were still pointing downwards, avoiding their gazes. He could feel their stares penetrating his broken soul.

"A strike from the spear."

"Haa, okay, not totally unexpected." He shivered with her spoken voice, it was so unnatural that it made the hairs on his neck stand on end. Jay retrieved the stolen flask that held a hefty amount of fluid. "Is this stuff permanent? Like, one drink of it and you become immortal?"

"Not for you..."

Now utterly confused, Jay bunched his eyebrows together, pinching the bridge of his nose. "So am I immortal or not?"

"As long as _he_ who lives _is_ , _you_ shall be too," the voice whispered.

"Loki?" Jay replied, all breath leaving him in response. "So what is _this_ stuff, then?" He said, his exasperation increasing. He held the full, golden flask, waving it in the air. "I was told it would make me immortal."

"Tis elixir, meant to restore, preserve and strengthen...it grants long life."

"So," Jay began again, "is it permanent?"

"Only to those that consume it, _often_..."

"What? Look, I was just given a whole flask of this stuff. I wanna know what it's done to me!"

"You are fully healed of your ailment, your strength replenished. Your healing abilities improved."

He wondered if it was a question, was he meant to answer them. "So, is err, _is that it?_ "

No answer came, just a horrendous cold chill that swept over him.

Thankful for small mercies, Jay was glad his dark purple cloak was wrapped around his back, keeping the biting cold from penetrating his suit."Right, sort of getting somewhere now." He shook his head. "Okay, I kind of understand it. So, I'm not completely and totally immortal?"

"No..." They answered in unison.

"Are any of my brothers, Nya?"

"We cannot read the Fate of another, if they are not here to see their own."

"Fine sorry, haa." He rubbed his head, "Still not used to this whole thing. Can you tell me what I am I then?"

"The answer is within you, you must not be afraid…" A delicate female voice called. The soft vocal tones were luring him in like the mermaids of old, the same ones that were rumoured to lure sailors and fisherman to their death. "Come…follow us."

"Y-you can't just tell me, like here and now?"

"Come, child."

The feeling was cold and dreadful. Truly terrifying to have icy, cold hands pulling him towards the milky waterfront. "I'm not afraid, not really." He said, softly, a smile on his pale freckled face. "I still don't trust you though."

"Can I ask you a question, child?"

He nodded, a loose shrug. "Sure." He wasn't going to move until he was ready to do so.

"You are cynical, you do not think us real?"

"I can _see_ you're real," he countered with a slight shake of his head, avoiding the biting sarcasm. "Just not entirely sure of _you_."

"Why is that, child?"

"Because you've not given me anything solid yet, ya know something concrete that I can analyse."

"All in good time child." The disembodied voice said, a cackle erupting from nowhere. "Tell us what you believe in... _truly,_ the beliefs you hold deep within..."

Frowning, "I believe in karma, what you give is what you get returned." Never a truer word spoken, he was certainly holding true that karma would be paying quite a few people their just desserts.

"Any others, child?"

"Yeah loads." Nodding, Jay tapped the side of his jaw in deep thought.

"I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned by it."

"That my parents did the best job they knew how to do and that we don't know what we've got until we say goodbye. I believe that family and friends are worth more than money or gold and uh, that a person's most attractive features are their heart and soul."

"What would you know of a soul, yours is not even in this realm, nor your vessel? Your soul is sought after, is it not?" The Fate of the past spoke, her tone overly harsh.

Jay nodded, shrugging. He knew this, it wasn't breaking news either. Jay's damned soul was circling Helheim, chained to the right hand of Hela and in pride of place of Baldur's. This, thanks in part, to a multitude of blunders. He didn't answer her though. He wasn't entirely sure of what he was supposed to say, unless she was mentioning it because he was showing signs of being oblivious, _he wasn't_.

"That the grass is no more greener on the other side? That the struggle for financial freedom is unfair and the only ones who'll disagree are millionaires..."

"You have money enough, what would you know of this struggle?"

He was taken aback by their response. Jay never thought that he'd need to argue his case. "I wasn't always rich and, it's not like I was raised as a spoilt kid. I had to work hard, had to lose things."

"Like what?"

A snide smile curled up the corner of his mouth. "You tell me, you're the Fates right?"

"Some childlike affirmations are to be expected, you are, after all, just a child."

He clenched his chiselled jaw, teeth grating. "I'm _not_ a child."

As a collective, the disembodied voice, lured him in. "Please, come towards the Well of Urd, you have much to learn of yourself."

"You shall find the answers you seek, from the past-"

"Present-"

"And future."


	86. Fates be damned

" _Come_...Seek and you will find."

"Yeah, haa like I've not heard that before." He replied, a definite cheeky swagger to his purposely slow walk to the waterfront.

One moment he was walking, he had a purpose, a reason to be doing this then the next he was still as an unnatural feeling wracked his body, causing him to shiver in response.

Rather than the biting cold that he was duly expecting in a damp place such as this. The unsettling feeling was caused by a warm breeze, blowing down his back. It started from his neck and behind his ears. Almost an instant reminder of having a large walliper breathing on his neck.

It wasn't the nicest feeling in the world, though he was thankful for small mercies. At least whatever had created these feelings of unease didn't have death breath, _unlike said walliper_.

"Ugh god, that's so eerie." Spinning around quickly to find the source, a moment of unease passed over him. "Do you do that on purpose too? Like, to make everyone feel at ease? Because, I gotta say, it's not giving the desired effect."

 _Damned creepy ghost breath, urgh..._ He shuddered _, pulling his cloak around him._

Though he had no idea of what to expect of this meeting, the idea of being led into the unknown by three tall Fates could have been construed as a bucket list item for some, possibly a personal achievement, of sorts. And maybe, Jay would have enjoyed it further if he knew what to expect rather than it all being hush hush.

"So," Jay started, trying to break the ice a little more. "Do you guys, Uh I mean ladies, have like a room or seats with a table and crystal ball?" He asked, a cheeky smile on his face. Whilst he goofy nature did its best to cover up his uncertainty, his nervous disposition was revealing itself for each of the Fates to see and hear.

A weakness, something to hold him back. Something that would, in time, be erased and removed.

"Uh, is this normal too?" He had visions of being gently pulled along as a child, to where he had no idea. It could have been any typical family outing as Ed and Edna were patiently smiling down at him. The little blue eyed boy, with auburn hair, insecurities noticeable, he gave a slight gappy toothed smile, revealing a few milk teeth missing.

What was this? A new blue animal toy under his arm, it was his favourite colour too. Strangest thing though, Jay had no idea why he loved it so much. None of his heroes wore that colour. Just that he felt safe and secure with that shade of deep blue, surrounding him, protecting him. He unsuccessfully shook the haze, now he felt like he was being led away from Ed and Edna.

Biting his lip whilst trying to maintain his crumbling resolve, his lower lip started trembling.

He never had a chance to say goodbye, to visit their gravestones or pay his respects and that hurt. Suddenly, his eyes began to sting and he clenched his fists in response. A likely tactic to prevent the flow of tears from progressing. _'Ma, Dad?'_

Shaking the haze from his mind, Jay felt like a little boy again. Being led on by two aunties and a mother figure in front. For a split second, he could have sworn she had blonde hair and familiar blue eyes too. He wondered if it was his mind playing tricks on him, because it sure as Hel felt like it. Besides, there was no other way to explain the phenomena, other than perhaps _magic._

"You'll tell me my fate? Past, present and future?" He said, clenching his jaw to prevent emotions from showing so soon and before this reading could take place.

"We will provide you with that of which you seek, what you _should_ know and hear."

"What you need to know."

"Uhm okay. It wont hurt will it?"

"No, child. Though not all fates told here are pleasant, be warned of this."

And with that, without putting up any fight whatsoever, Jay gave up freely. He was in their hands... _literally_.

The two elder Fates held each of his clammy hands, whilst the youngest in front, was leading him on. That was until he met a brief standstill, and a soft cushioning tuffet.

Looking about his person, there was no cushion, no seat, just a thick pile of grass bunched up under his buttocks. To his side, a sack of rope and twine and a handmade ladder.

"Tis for those who are chosen or choose willingly to perform a vigil."

They must have sensed his question before he had a chance to verbalise it.

"So a vigil...hmm." A face of pure pleasure, suckered in by their alluring yet disembodied voices. A little apprehension was surely to be expected and he knew this.

"Not for you, _yet_." They spoke, as one. "Are you ready?"

"For this?" He nodded, saying yes without a seconds thought. "S-sure, lead the way." Not that he had a choice, they were pulling him closer every second.

Somehow, even though time seemed to go by in the blink of an eye, they'd made him sit down. The Fated Norn's either had power unmatched by any or they were exceptional at having control over the minds of others. Because he couldn't remember sitting himself down, nor could he remember giving them permission to remove certain parts of his attire. But they had.

They had removed his boots and rolled up his breeches in preparation for stepping into the Well of Urd. His toes and feet bared, both being cleansed by a separate Fate. The youngest one fetched the water as the other two cleansed him. He hadn't noticed that either, just that he wasn't wearing boots anymore. Which were now placed neatly by his side

The way they spoke to him made him see nought but pleasant things surrounding him, nothing about this seemed bad. Jay wasn't sure what had gotten under Gus's skin so much that warranted him the need to poo poo the idea of coming here.

These Fates were gentle, impossibly tall but gentle.

Jay looked dreamily at his feet, wiggling his toes individually as each one was immensely grateful at being released from those front armoured leather boots. It was only when he focused on his feet, did he notice he was shoe less, he thought he'd dreamt it.

"Come Jason, join us," The youngest said, gazing into his confused, dazed eyes. She pulled him to standing, noting he was unsteady on his feet.

Taking a deep refreshing breath, Jay soon regained his stance and gently pulled from their collective grasp. Frowning at the name uttered. " _Jason_?" He shook his head in disbelief, standing firmly rooted to the spot.

"That's not my name," he said quietly with a deeper voice than before. "It's, ahem," He coughed, trying to clear his throat and the subsequent confusion. "It's Jay."

"You were given this name, at birth." The youngest Fate spoke, and as she did, a small and transparent birth certificate came into view accompanied by an original wrist and ankle band. "Says quite clearly…. _Jason_."

He was just about to protest and walk away feeling heavily embarrassed for falling into this trap when images began appearing in front of him. Now, this was something he wasn't expecting. He thought about how many stalls he and his brothers had visited, when they'd travelled to see local fairs. How many fortune tellers had head scarves and crystal balls, incense burners and mildly irritating music playing, for that deeply relaxing and sensual vibe. All it did was create awkwardness.

Another image swam into his field of vision and it made his eyes sting.

"Your kin named you this, yes? She who birthed you chose it." The eldest Fate spoke.

Jay had paused mid step, just away from the pond. So close to walking away because of how stupid this seemed. "I-I don't know."

"Please, Jason..."

"I never..." Jay stared at the ground, eyes closed briefly. He took a deep breath in, "I-I never met her."

"Only one elemental master of true chaos can survive at any one time; she passed her powers unto you."

Jay shook his head, "I sort of understand that. Uh, did sh-she leave because of me?" His eyes wide with shock, "How soon? How long did before she…?"

"She chose you over herself."

"HOW LONG?" He repeated, louder. "How long before she left?"

"Time is insignificant here." The eldest spoke. "'Tis the beginning,"

"And the end." The middle one spoke.

It was unnerving how they each finished off each others sentences like that. "Let me guess, it's insignificant because it's the realm eternal?"

"Tis Asgard, _the_ realm eternal," the eldest spoke.

"Time passes elsewhere in the blink of an eye," the middle one spoke.

"The flutter of a blue jay's wing," the youngest Fate spoke.

"Please, j-just tell me. I came to you, didn't I? The least you could do is tell me." He stopped himself from cussing at her or her sisters, both of which were waiting for their turn to give their own version of what his present and future held.

"Knowing this truth will not bring you closure…my child."

"It kinda does though." He countered, sarcastically.

The minutes were ticking by. It gave Jay the impression that he'd been standing there for hours already, he probably had. His feet and calves were aching from the amount of time stood standing.

Impatience was beginning to grate on him and they still hadn't answered. " ** _GOD DAMMIT_**!"

Fists were clenched as he looked her in the eyes, trying in vain to look for the pupils that should have been there. "Please, I'm sorry!" He said, taking her cold hands in his. He looked at her, at the youngest Fate and searched those pearly, white eyes for any hint of understanding, empathy or compassion. "I didn't mean to shout. Look, I don't want to carry on with this stupid journey without never knowing about her, _please_."

"I-I need to know,"

"Insistence, can be a weakness, if you let it rule you."

"Really, haa okay. Uh, _please_ can you tell me about her?"

"Name it?"

"What she was like, please." His face suddenly solemn and pleading.

"We cannot give you her name, only who she was, her element."

"Look, I shouldn't be here, I came against orders. Against orders for my own protection because I wanted the answers. I _want_ to know. Please," he repeated, quietly as he lowered himself onto his knees, "I-I **_need_ ** to know."

"A prince that begs to know of another's fate is a noble but naïve child."

"Cut to the chase. I don't know what you want me to do, I'm running out of time here. I just want to know about her and then I'll go. I don't even want to know about my future or present, I'm kinda living that," He stated quickly, apologetically.

"Storm," the youngest said, "of energy and light."

"I already know that," he groaned, shaking his head.

"She perished," the middle Fate said. "Of death comes life."

"She - SHE'S DEAD?" His face paled significantly. "How, why?"

"We cannot read of anothers..."

"Yeah, yeah okay... I get it."

"Twelve days of Ostara," the eldest spoke. "Storm produced the rains that sprang forth your new life."

"The day she passed, it rained."

"The day her body was interred, there was a bow of light."

"A rainbow?" Jay offered, flustered as he pieced together all of their answers, looking at each one to gauge if he was correct.

"A sign, to say she was still there, still with you, until you would find your own way."

"What?" His frown intensified.

"Surrounding you."

"Guiding you."

"Showing you the way."

"Sorry, what? This makes no sense?"

"Those twelve days," the eldest said. "Seem so much longer."

"2019 hours." The middle Fate muttered quietly, "in your own realm."

"Twelve days in Asgard, right?" He deduced as he listened and added together all three's mad ramblings with the additional verse they threw in for good measure. It took a few minutes to realise that they were indeed finishing each other's sentences and always in the same order, eldest, middle and youngest. He still didn't know their names.

The youngest Fate nodded, and proceeded to rub her water filled hands over his face to erase the bruising on his jaw. "Three months, she was given that time, she could have perished earlier but this Storm was strong."

"Three months?" Jay groaned softly, his eyes closed. He struggled to keep his emotions from spilling over. All he wanted to do was collapse to his knees and hide his head between them. "Then I was given up?"

"The loss of someone so full of life." The eldest started again.

"Is too much to bear." The middle spoke, finishing her sister's words.

"For some with sensitive souls, the loss of a true soul mate can forever break the heart."

"Look, it was a yes or no answer, simple right? YES or NO!"

"He passed..."

Angrily, he wiped the tear away. "So, what you're saying is that he died of heart problems, because of a broken heart? Haa, this sounds like fairy tale stuff."

"There is no faery tale to be told."

"If you wanted faery tales you have chosen the wrong people."

"We only speak the truth, maybe you require tellers of fortune?"

A cruel laughter rained down on his ears like the cackles of mad witches, and he shook his head fiercely to rid himself of their heckling laughter.

"I'm sorry, it's just hard to believe." His eyes were so distant, looking for more. He wanted to know of Ed and Edna, any distant relatives he might have had. He wanted to know more of his mother.

"Wh-what about Kai's element, his father was still alive at the same time?" He ventured, trying to tease more information from the youngest.

She soothed him and his over sensitive emotions that were so close to spilling over. Her hand came to rest on his face and she wiped the tears as they fell. "That child is not born of chaos."

"I don't understand, fire is very the definition of _chaos_? It's nature is unruly, not following any pattern."

"Controlled and created, fire is born of brimstone."

"Haa, but he's so much more than that. His parents were the masters of water and fire."

"We cannot read the fate of others."

"I-I didn't ask you to, it wasn't a question." Jay felt his feet moving without being able to do anything to stop himself. Something was wrong with this; he didn't want to know his future fate. "Wait, I wanted to know more of my mother." He pleaded, struggling against the unnatural pull that took a firm hold of his chest.

"As Spring made way for summer, you too changed. Born as _Jason_ , now known as _Jay_ , but soon you shall be known as Kaen."

"Really?"

"Sure as day follows night, you too will turn from light to dark, dark to light."

"Uhm okay, I guess. Look, was I ever immortal?" He asked, his tone sombre. "Was it all a lie to begin with?"

"The nectar comes forth From Idunn's orchard and the apple blossoms, spring eternal life," The eldest answered.

"But, you are not one of us, immortality comes at price," The middle spoke.

"Ughhhh, come on. Can you stop with the riddles?"

"At a great cost, of friendship and of love."

"Immortality is a burden. Do you know what happens when a weapon is immortalised?"

"No," he shook his head slowly. "I don't." Though he had a rough idea, the admittance of which, scared him.

"It becomes sought after, controlled, abused."

 _I knew_ _it_.

"So, not much difference then?" He replied, sourly.

They didn't respond to sarcasm, not that Jay was expecting them to. It would have been refreshing had they chosen to entertain him, instead of carrying on with this confusing way of communicating with the eldest, middle and youngest. That was why he felt like he was spinning and he hated it. At least with spinjitzu, he could control the speed and duration, this was unlike anything he'd ever experienced before.

"You are not one of the 10,000. You are different."

 _Hmm, obvious._

"Yeah, I'm not dead..." He stated angrily, "So, what am I then?"

"You are Kaen." Came the simple answer from the middle Fate.

His fists clenched at his side, jaw set firm. This was riddles at most, meaningless, enigmatic nonsense. Inconsequential rubbish that he barely understood. The more he listened, the angrier he became. "What? What the fuck does that even mean?"

Inwardly cursing himself for swearing. He tried so had not to, to keep those foul words hidden but these Fates were making it so difficult to keep his cool.

"An anomaly, an unknown...Kaen, a risk...A WEAPON."

"What?"

"Chaos rages within you, Jason." Hands, cold and damp started pulling him forward. "It is time, for your future."

"Ok, bring it." He said, struggling with this newfound strength of theirs.

"Augury and omens of old are told here, child, do not be afraid."

"Not afraid, you said it wouldn't hurt."

Again, he felt himself being pulled forth until he was on the verge of falling face first into the water. Yet something held him firm, steady and semi upright. He could see his reflection clearly.

"This is tame, I-I can handle this." He gloated, on accident. Rather thinking he should have kept that as an internal monologue.

"You are so optimistically sanguine, _child_. Tis not all faery tale and frivolity." The youngest Fate mocked.

"Come, look into the well of Urd… _Tell us_ , what do you see?"

"I can tell you what I feel, if that helps?... I can't seem to take a...breath." He wasn't smiling, there was panic there.

He struggled to stay upright. The feeling of being forced into an unnatural stance was creating aches in muscle groups he didn't know he had. Another unwelcome feeling battered his heightened senses; his feet were getting wet and the water wasn't warm in the slightest. It was icy cold, biting at his nerves as he slowly adjusted to the temperature.

Numbness, was all he felt, reminding him of being back in Iceland again, A memory of walking barefoot through the crisp white snow after his own brothers had turned on him.

The troubling thing that worried him and kept circulating around his head, the only real issue he faced; was how hard it was to breathe. He couldn't seem to catch his breath and the effect was frightening. Fists suddenly clenched in terror, Jay pleaded with them, maybe thinking that if they stopped mid-reading, he'd be able to breathe again. "St-stop…No, please don't do this," he gasped, it came out as more of a wheeze.

The voices speaking in complete riddle. Such smooth tones and poetic inspired verses were pulling his at his very soul. Jay couldn't see the Fates anymore because they were in his head and surrounding his aura.

The two elder Fates were reading who he was and why his own soul was no longer tethered to his body. The three Fates had begun chanting in unison as Jay's eyes grew heavier by the second.

"St-stop, pl-please...I-I can't...breathe!" He wheezed out.

The eldest was the first to speak. _"Here stands the ash, the world tree called Laeradr and Yggdrasil. The same mighty ash who is covered in ghostly, white hail."_

Her younger sister followed suit _. "From the hail comes the dew. Dew that falls in those valleys, it becomes the water, thus begins the Well. Laeradr stands forever green above this Urd's Well."_

 _"From there come three maidens who are wiser than thee."_

 _"One called Urd." The youngest spoke._

 _"One_ _called Verdandi."_

 _"And, Skuld is the third you'll see."_

 _"Jason, we all carve into the tree."_

 _"The lives and destinies of children who stand before us, as we three stand before the tree."_

His eyes had finally opened, he felt like he'd been stuck to the spot, unable to move. He could tell his hands were sparking, but he couldn't stop his element from revealing itself.

Was this it, his present and future? A deep-seated feeling of dread crept up into his stomach. Butterflies would have been preferable, but this was almost indescribable. Their faces had turned ominously dark and rather than seeing the look of calmness that they had initially possessed and lured him in with, all he saw now was disgust, and horror.

"Your number is zero," The eldest said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jay couldn't even make out their faces anymore, they were vaguely female though, judging by their shapely, yet slender frames as they drifted in and out of view. Something he was immensely grateful for, considering they were swirling around his head, a dizzying effect.

He had wondered if he was spinning, maybe they were standing still. "What? I don't understand, it's still a number though?" He didn't know what that meant in the slightest, his lucky number was one-hundred twenty-one.

"Your colour is black," she added, her voice now barely audible.

"Heh no, you're wrong. Are you sure you're not reading Cole's Fate?" He was vaguely aware that his breath was becoming a whisper, having not taken a breath for nearly twenty seconds.

His favourite colour was most definitely _not_ black. He knew that he had always favoured blue, it was the original colour of his eyes. Not that he didn't like the new colour, it was growing on him.

"You died, you are no more. You gave up your life for him and you accepted the fate of your past so that your future could be controlled by another." The eldest stated.

"You wished for it," the middle one spoke, "asked to be someone better than who you were?"

Confused, he snapped in response. "I didn't wish for anything."

"Your wish was heard and granted," the youngest spoke again. "All they needed was your touch to seal the pact."

"I _never_ made a wish." He countered.

"A spark of life on a Ginnungagap stone was the start of your journey," the eldest spoke again. "'Twas a stone made by a creator, but cast aside and lost in the void!"

"So, you chose to follow your wish and you paid with your life," the middle stated. "I watched you die, only Hveðrungr's seidr kept you alive."

"Who, wh-what?" That hurt, it physically caused him pain to hear. A clawing pain pulling at his chest, trying to pull him free. "I didn't die…" Jay hissed out, his jaw was clenched. "I chose to let them live."

"You died, you're Einherji. You gave your life for your kin?"

"No," Jay gasped, "I-I had a future. Uh, the Cl-Cloud Kingdom, Caves of Despair? That's got to mean something…I-I saw Nya, we were together?"

"You _were_ together, you have many futures. Only the beginning is the same."

"How do you explain your enhanced strength? These abilities you possess?"

"I'M NOT DEAD...I-I…." His breathing was shallow, rapid. "I'm still alive, _still alive._ He just made me powerful, changed me into something else." He was beginning to question himself.

"You keep thinking that, sweet Jason. That he who changed you was also responsible for your death."

"I-I'm not dead, I never died." He hissed vehemently. Silently cursing himself for thinking this had been a good idea. Now he was massively regretting it.

"Sweet boy…"

Licking his front teeth, agitation bubbling under his skin. He attempted to look into their eyes. "Don't patronise me," He said, darkly.

"Child of the desert, you will be chosen to hold his vigil, _she_ will choose it for you."

"Do you speak to everybody like this, in this belittling tone, or is it just reserved for me?"

"We are older and wiser."

"More in keeping with our spiritual side. In tune with what was, what is and what will be."

"And what's this talk about a Vigil?" Jay shook his head slightly, but carried on probing regardless. "You mention it like it's something of importance, is it?"

"You will hang from the world tree, bound and silent for nine days and nine nights, when he perishes." She pointed at the sack of ropes and twines.

Jay shivered at the thought. "He never dies though, he's a God," he replied, curtly.

"Even Gods die, child."

That answer threw him, he stumbled with his words. "B-but, if I hold his vigil, and he dies, surely that'll mean that I'll be dying too or dead?"

"Fates cannot intervene in irreversible seidr, we only read what we can see."

Now it all seemed like inconsequential babble, mindless riddles that he had no time for. Most of what had been said he couldn't understand. They were so vague. "What exactly does that mean?" He said, his tone dark and unforgiving. " **Tell me**. A-and, while you're at it, tell me why I can hardly breathe?"

"Your death will be at the hands of many." The slightly younger silver-haired maiden said quietly, her silver eyes observing him as he stood before them. She could see he was trembling, struggling with this reading of his future fate.

"What sorta answer is that? Are these those enigmatic proclamations I was warned about?" He tried his hardest not to laugh at the threat. He would have laughed but his oxygen levels were quickly depleting against his own will. His mind took over instead, eyes closed, he focused his all on keeping conscious.

 _Figures, tell me something I don't already know._

"Your salvation will be at the hands of your enemy."

 _Okay, interesting, so my death at the hands of many will also be my salvation! Intriguing._ He stifled a yawn, feeling incredibly tired, not realising he was struggling for breath.

"You could be the beginning _and_ the end, an infinite with many paths."

 _Ominous, gah, this is almost as vague as a university assignment._

"Everything about you is wrong. You should not be here." She spoke, and pointed to the water, manipulating the pictured visions. "You see this? _Everyone_ has an ending, you have interfered with your own."

"Take a look into the well, Jason. What _more_ do you see?" The youngest Fate spoke into his head.

He almost fell face first into it, but the same thing that prevented him from falling was squeezing his chest tightly, like a force field.

 _For what it's worth, I haven't interfered with anything._

"You did, fooled into the act. Others helped alter _your_ destiny."

As he spoke of what he saw, his eyes shed tears of pain for what was happening to his future self. The greatest pain wasn't seeing his life flash before his eyes, or at seeing his final form. He didn't collapse onto the floor, he just stared as the images repeated themselves, each time slightly different.

He shied away from the images of him slowly turning to dust after finally saving the one he was meant to protect. Watching in grim fascination as his arm just crumbled away at the impossible strength of his unfairly restrained elements. He soon realised that the power he controlled could not be held within, and, if it was, he would perish horrifically.

The power would kill him slowly and consume him from within.

He couldn't tear his own terror-filled gaze away from seeing his eyes and face, although he tried.

One of his final forms of life was stuck in the dungeons. Tethered to the wall for some serious crime his _older_ self had committed.

Though it was him, or a different form of such, Jay could still feel each whip crack and the subsequent pain that followed as his flesh was ripped from his back. It was most definitely a punishment of sorts, perhaps something he had yet to do.

Then was a haunting vision of his face with black, dry, cracked eyes and splitting grey ash for skin. The type of skin that bore a striking semblance to a burnt out charred piece of ember. His body, in those few seconds, looked so burnt and worn out that a simple gust of wind eroded half of his once fair complexion.

It felt more like a nightmare than reality, yet the more he looked the more he knew that this was going to happen. And a horrendous cold breeze settled deep within, shaking him, filling him with dread.

This was one of his futures, one that he hoped to the Gods; to any and all, that he could prevent it. _Please…make it…st-stop._

The rest of what they spoke was in verse. He couldn't make any more sense of it, he was still too transfixed on the images now burnt into his mind.

He was crying without realising, his jaw had clenched and his blood was boiling in anger. _Why sh-show me these…if I can't d-do anything to…change them?_

"You cannot always change fate."

"Though you can try."

 _What is this then?_

"This is your future, 'tis the constant where you are kept a moment from death, you cannot begin your life anew to wreak havoc with Hveðrungr."

 _So, wh-what did I do to deserve that treatment?_ His voice had gone, speaking from the mind was far easier, it only required minimal oxygen. Now just surviving on his residual air leftover in his lungs.

"You destroy a realm on the orders of another."

 _Not my home realm?_

Jay wondered, eyes wide with a terror filled gaze. That's all he needed to be told. If it wasn't bad enough to be told that he was going to be wholly responsible for killing and decimating an entire realm. It'd be even more horrific if it were his home planet. His body was trying in vain hopes to hold onto the barest trace of oxygen. _Ninjago, stays safe?_

"Unseen, that realm is hidden."

 _Will I ever g-get home? And,_ he struggled to breathe anymore. His lips became just as sluggish as his brain, _What happens to th-the other one?_

"It is not our place to mention the fate of another."

 _So, I'm fucked?_

He finally collapsed to his knees, feeling the milky, white water soak his trousers through. _What's the point…of…this?_

"Every beginning, has an end."

He shook his head watching a multitude of new beginnings; it was too much to comprehend, it all started from the same point in time. The pain from the beginning, the painful experiences he would face during each new life would end in some form of hideous death, but he would always be born anew.

"Every end, a beginning _."_

The beginning was the same as before, that house in Iceland. Something powerful had created a powerful paradigm shift. A literal temporal rift a constant flux originating from that fateful day. Each time the blade would pierce his chest as an old man, he would wake once again, renewed.

 _Make it…stop…_

A thin and hollow laughter trickled down onto him. Nails on a chalkboard, forks scraping on plates.

In all of the images, Ragnarok was just a far discussion in that it never seemed to happen, but Jay got older, so much so that his last vision before he passed out was of him, looking wiser, armed to the teeth with a look of apprehension on his ever young face. He looked like nothing would faze him, he even wore a wedding band.

Then, much to his relief, there was Gus, still in his usual battle attire. He seemed to be fighting the good fight with a smug grin on his face as he despatched one after another. He remained as Jay's right hand man on the battlefield and his left hand man on his wedding day. The view he saw was a picture of calm, of happiness. The best of friends and he knew right at that moment that he had at least made one right choice.

When Odin would wake in nine days and if he was caught, he would take the punishment to save his troop from humiliation, no matter the cost to his mind or body. He was screwed anyway.

Jay was painfully aware that he hadn't taken a breath in almost three minutes, not realising that his lips were going blue.

"Step away from the Well, child."

He only saw blackness after that, falling face first into the water. It filled him with cold, desperate emptiness. The mysterious Fates had gone, their work and truth seer telling done. They left him there disappearing the same way they came.

No breaths would come, no help. Jay was doomed. He felt his heart begin to slow, his life force was fading slowly but it was so peaceful. No one was screaming or ordering him around. There was no more torture, no pain...Just pure blissful nothingness, serenity and contemplation. He was laying on a beach with some very slow waves cresting, breaking and recoiling into the never ending sapphire blue ocean. The waves grew less and less with each passing second, until the waves too, ceased to move and time stood still.

'Til stillness itself was all that surrounded him and then the darkness crept in from the edges of his vision.

* * *

The last sense to go, they say, is the hearing. That the dying can still hear even if everything else is failing. The sense of hearing, still remains.

It was true, all Jay could hear was silence for a good few minutes. Then, the sound of rushing, which seemed more of a distant echo.

Everything sounded distorted, like he was in a tunnel, or maybe they were.

Dragging, then heavy breathing, which started the ocean waves with renewed vigour, breathing life back into the ocean again. Bringing light back unto the beach that he could clearly visualise. More things becoming apparent with each heavy breath. And he felt it, deep shuddering warm lifesaving breaths in a semi dark void, yet it wasn't his own breath, it sounded, felt and smelled like someone else's.

"I'll carry him!" The male voice spoke hurriedly, slightly out of breath. His golden cloak was swiftly removed and passed to one of the two females.

"If you insist, it would not look good for me to carry…" She said quietly before turning to her side as she knelt. "Kali, do you have anything on your person to heal him?"

"I do, My Lady," Kali answered. Quickly rifling through her small collection of phials, she found an acceptable essence, sufficient for revival and she poured a few small drops into his mouth. "Please, My Prince, you must breathe..."

The male lowered himself down onto his knees. Quickly and carefully, with the utmost respect, he rolled Jay onto his side. Lowering his hands quickly he began to scoop the wet fallen prince up off the shallow banks of Urd's Well. Placing one arm between Jay's legs the other went under Jay's head. He grasped enough of the prince's clothing to gain a decent purchase in order to lift the unconscious warrior.

It was done swiftly and without hassle. It was as if this stronger man knew how to lift an injured warrior. And, with one quick movement of his head, Jay was up and over his shoulders. His arm linked around Jay's leg and he held firm onto Jay's flailing arm as it swung lifelessly.

This allowed him the chance to stand, and with some help from the unknown female. She removed Jay's cloak from his field of vision and motioned him to follow her back into the Black Castle.

"Breathe...that's it keep breathing." Kali soothed, she was quick to grasp his crown from the ground.

He felt like he was being crushed, he struggled to hear anything except for two female voices and a heavy Germanic accent.

 _'Gus? Help...me.'_

Everything was so dark. Everything but those visions, they were still there. He wished for it to end, he wished he had never found that cube…he wished he had never been born.

But there was no pain…just torment. He didn't want to breathe, to think, and so he didn't. He just stopped.

* * *

 **Sorry, don't hate me.**

 **Tommy Andreasen, mentioned in a tweet in direct response to my question that he couldn't say that Libber Gordon was alive. He did stipulate about a tragedy, but for obv reasons could not elaborate. It gives the partial reason as to why Jay was raised by Ed and Edna rather than Cliff.**


	87. Seidr

A skiff had arrived, though this wasn't of Asgard. It was the queens own, decorated ornately with her signature royal design and helmed by a sentry of demonic warriors.

Carrying Jay onto the skiff, he placed him down gently on the deck, and knelt over him. " ** _ATMEN JAY!"_** Gustav's Germanic voice came through like a distant echo increasing in volume. "BREATHE, please _GODS_...just breathe for me!"

"My Lord," Kali soothed gently, wiping him down to remove the dirt and debris from his regally clothed body and face. "Please breathe."

"Least they dragged him from the water." Karnilla coolly replied. "Though drowning in Urd's Well will give him some wisdom, tis not good to ingest the water."

"He didn't ingest it, he breathed it in." Gustav interjected. He quickly remembered hauling Jay's body atop his shoulders and seeing a deluge of water that fell from his nose and mouth with the change of bodily position. "He didn't do it on purpose either."

"I am not saying he did, I am however telling you it is not a good thing that the water is within him." Karnilla was unsure of his current predicament. All that drank from the well, they simply died. This thought was further exacerbated by his skin tone. The prince was growing paler by the second, skin turning white.

"There was a saying that the water of Urd's Well is so holy, that all men whom go there into the water, become as white as the film which lies within the egg-shell."

He shuddered. "He is not like the others though, Jay's different. He's not of earth, like me, nor Asgard, like you." Gustav was adamant he could provide life giving breaths so he started in earnest.

 _Please Jay, prove them wrong. BREATHE!_

* * *

Moments had passed and with speed and discretion, Jay was carried swiftly from the balcony of a bedded suite to a large blanketed bed.

"You did well, _Kali_ ," Karnilla noted, nodding her head once to show her admiration for the young healers unique abilities. Her ornate silver headpiece jangled with the momentum and she stood back, lingering for a moment as she observed the fallen man, whom Gustav, the lone Einherji had placed onto the bed..

Kali had quite possibly revived him with that new tonic she had been perfecting during her time in the apothecary and healing rooms. This was the second time, without him even realising that she had assisted in his recovery. The first time was when Loki punished him for running away, she had been there when he had passed out on the bed.

 _Taking one pitiful look at him she saw nought but pain, his dressings were soaked through, his countenance; pale and clammy. The poor warrior was fighting the pain, but accepting of it. Though it felt wrong to be in his private chambers, uninvited, she was given a task to do and she had set about doing it as best she could and with what potions Odin had told her to use._

 _A thought had occurred to her during this first meeting; why was he injured so?_

 _Asgard was not at war, they hadn't been since the elves had killed the queen. Right now, they were a peaceful realm. The elders of Asgard spent their time watching as the lives of people on the nine or so realms beneath them; passed in a heartbeat. She looked back at him; Why was he so badly wounded with stab wounds to his stomach, lashes on his hastily covered chest?_

 _Was her King not telling the full truth of how his protector came by these terrible wounds? Was he keeping things from the people of Asgard too, or was this poor unknown warrior, the victim of some form of bullying regime that the Einherjar had been known to dish out?_

"Thank you My Lady, but it was lucky you thought to use a skiff to get to Urd's Well and back again."

She didn't answer, instead, Karnilla observed him as he lay. "I believe the elixir he consumed, may have preserved his _unique_ aura. Can you see it Kali?"

He was largely still, contented. In a semi alive state of breathing and pausing. A desperate fight going on within his mind, body and soul.

"See what, My Lady?" Kali asked, joining the queen's side.

"His aura," She repeated, _gently_ , like it was painfully obvious. "He is imbued with a force, lightning specifically _, amongst others."_

"Like Thor?"

Karnilla bristled at the sound of his name. "Not unlike Thor. A close similarity I accede." She knelt next to Jay's body and plucked a solitary hair from his head, making Gustav grumble in response.

Her magic wrapped around the hair, giving her a glimpse of the precise origins of chaos. "Ahh, intruiging." She smiled, lifting her head to observe Kali. "Rather than using Mjolnir to summon the element, this prince carries it, like a life essence."

"As opposed to earning it, through rites of passage?" Kali inquired, eyebrow raised at the news that her prince carried the same properties of a true Asgardian God without the meritocracy that Asgard seemed to pride itself on.

She nodded. "He must have been birthed with this chaotic element, as it runs so freely through him." Her expression turned dark. "And yet, I am curious as to how he can contain it, or, how he came to have this within him."

"My Lady?"

"Does it not trigger feelings of curiosity? Come Kali, watch this," She urged the young healer to her side and performed a simple a spell on the un-moving prince. "Gustav is it? Please, step back, this will be quick."

He grunted but complied. "Will it hurt him? I cannot allow for you to cause harm."

"I shall not harm another hair on his head, if that makes you feel better." Karnilla shook her head gently. "He may have a slight headache when he wakes, nothing untoward." Both of her hands began dancing in the air, tendrils of black smoke emitting from each as they permeated the air surrounding the prince.

His aura suddenly began to shine purple with the addition of piercing sharp veins of blue that wrapped and undulated around his form as a protective enchantment.

"Impressive!" She murmured to herself, having never seen this before. "How remarkable, what are you, hmm?"

Jay writhed on the bed, jaw clenching, teeth grinding.

She groaned, her magic faltering slightly. "He is being c-controlled by another." A nauseous feeling overwhelmed Karnilla, and she paused, breathless.

"My Lady!" Kali was quick to steady her. "Is everything alright, do you need to sit?"

"It surprised me, that is all. It was a-a power that equals my own." She brushed off the offer of help and unsteadily regained her balance. "There is only one other who knows the arcane and he is rumoured as fallen."

Her countenance paled significantly, she didn't need any more competition on this realm, she already had Amora.

"Dark matter manipulation, hmm, I have seen this kind before." Her shield raised, she proceeded again, delving further into his mind and to what the Fates had mentioned in relation to the element of chaos.

She found it, a jumble of emotions attached to each new memory. "He has learned to master it, you see?" Haa, even now, in this state, he fights my control with his elements, making it nigh on impossible to see into his mind; lest he permits it of course." She broke through a barrier of green and gold.

A whimper of pain escaped his lips as Karnilla pulled forth a glowing blue ball of light.

"You see this part?" She opened her hand, showing Kali and Gustav a pulsing ball of energy. " _The Fates_ mention that _this_ element came down his blood line, meaning he was born with it."

"Born with the ability of lightning?" Kali gaped, awestruck at the prince whom she knew the most basic of details about. "But even the mighty Thor did not have have that ability till he proved his worth on the battle field."

"Indeed, Odin saw fit to bestow that title on him when he showed maturity, but this one." She said pointing at Jay. "He seems to have been given no choice in the matter. Tis almost as if it were a challenge of some form, to hone these abilities they were born with." Frowning momentarily.

"There's nothing wrong with challenge, it defines us." Gustav replied, "Puts each of us to the test, shows limitations."

"Thank you Gustav." She cleared her throat. "As I was saying; despite all this and the underlying fact that this _was_ his original element, his newer darkened matter seems to have taken over."

"Meaning what, My Lady?"

"Who controls him, who does this prince work for?"

"The All Father, My Lady."

"Hmm." Suspicious of the fact that Kali didn't know. "Did you say he had kin with similar elements?" Her hands ceasing to show the power he held within, she returned the element unto his body from whence it came.

 _He has darkforce manipulation and he does not know how to control it!_ Her eyes back on Kali again. "Though I'm sure he'll learn in due course. Ahem, you may continue, Gustav."

Kali turned to face the queen. "His brothers, he speaks of them often, though they are not related by blood."

"Tell me of them." She ordered.

"He has a brother of earth bending, uhm geokinesis. One who is a master of fire, the other _water_." She paused, thinking of the rest Jay had told her about. "A metal automaton, a master of ice, and there is one brother that controls all, save for the dark energy manipulation that the prince is receiving tutelage for."

"How do you know of that ability?" She was sure she hadn't uttered it out loud.

"He mentioned it, a while back." Kali replied.

"Ahh, fascinating. Are his kin here too?"

"In Nornkeep, no," Kali shook her head, kneeling back on the bed to move Jay's muddy hair from his face. "They are not here, some are on Asgard. They train today for the battle that is due to commence shortly."

"Ha, the battle. It is not hilarious that Odin sees fit to send warriors from another realm to fight Asgard's war?" She chuckled under her breath. "How original, though I accede, it is no different than sending the Einherjar?"

Gus grunted, not liking her belittling tone at all. Turning away from her, he unclasped both swords before placing them to the side. The swords in question, he noticed had indeed doubled in quantity.

From what he remembered, Jay had entered this stronghold with his own sword, a silver one but now there was that one...golden and somewhat familiar looking.

"Tis Eir gram," Karnilla noted, eyeing the golden sword with a wary glance as Gustav's gaze occasionally wandered back to it.

Gus had noticed but hadn't spoken up. He would have done eventually, had it warranted the need of him to say something. After all, it was one of his many tasks, what with being the senior ranking officer of their Einherjar troop. He was the one that picked up on these small details.

Karnilla thought it because Gustav was battle-hardened, thus he only noticed things that needed to be seen rather than inconsequential nothings such as ornamental swords that had no place on the battle fields

But she was wrong, he knew what the sword was and who had wielded it. "Uh, it is?" He feigned ignorance.

Kneeling on the bed, he continued where he had left off before Karnilla had endeavoured to show Kali of Jay's hidden talents.

 _Not so hidden now_ , he thought as he lowered himself and grasped Jay's chin, raising it up toward the high ceiling. The art of resuscitation, it hadn't changed much, there was still the need to join lips and create an air tight seal for the other to breathe again. He had done it before, had watched others too, this was no different.

"Gustav," She said, shifting her position at Jay's side. "Pinch the nose together, lest you waste your breath breathing it all back out again."

Five breaths later, Gus took a breather himself. "Yah, tis surprising, My Lady. You have all these special gifts yet you cannot sustain his life without assistance."

"You question me?"

He nodded, un-apologetically. "Yah, I guess I am. You have any better option than me breathing into someone who is not responding because he drowned."

Karnilla, halted Gustav from giving any more breaths. "The phial Kali gave him, takes time to work, all you are doing is keeping him warm."

"And breathing for him." Gus countered, rolling his eyes. "Anything else that you can think of that will keep him warm, seeing as you don't believe I am providing any benefit with this technique?"

"He will breathe soon. He functions well because of the elixir within."

"What elixir are you meaning?" Gus asked, frowning. "You mentioned it twice yet you have not divulged. What has he been given?"

Karnilla smiled, a sickly sweet grin. "Ahh, well Sigurd is a firm believer of the elixir of everlasting life."

"Ugh, I should have known better than introduce those two," Gus cringed. "I guess you should notify Asgard of this incident?"

"I will in due course, when the prince has awoken, And, once I have spoken with him. Asgard will be informed."

* * *

A few seconds longer and he was reviving. A sharp inhale was heard as he took his own first breath.

"See, he is strong." Gustav breathed a sigh of relief.

"You proved me wrong, I am impressed. And it takes much to impress me."

She turned her nose up at his current state, as if seeing it for the first time. "He needs to be bathed, he is filthy."

"I think he prefers to do that in privacy," Gus said, unsure if his statement had been heard. "I rather think he would _not_ like to be bathed by females."

"Ridiculous, he is in no fit state to argue, besides, my kingdom, my rules." She turned on her heels. "Kali, Haag, disrobe him, clean him immediately."

"Yes My Lady." Both females nodded.

Gustav rolled his eyes and watched as the queen walked out of the room. Before kneeling at Kali's side. "You want help with him? I know how his uniform works."

Kali blushed, she sort of knew how it worked too because she'd easily removed it from him when they coupled for the first time.

Haag, the aged minor sorceress grunted in response. Kali gave a discreet nod.

"What happened to him?" Kali asked. She looked down at him and rushed around trying her hardest to undo the boot clasps that protected his shins.

Gustav removed the upper robes and tunic, revealing the palest white chest with the faintest line of hair that swirled from his navel downwards. "I have not heard of the Fates injuring someone so. When he wakes fully, you can ask him, I guess."

Karnilla had re-emerged, back from where ever she had ventured to. "One can only assume that whatever Sigurd gave him has prevented him from perishing. That and Kali's quick thinking."

Gustav cringed. "Sorry My Lord, forgive me." He whispered, undoing the leather strings that kept his trousers together at the waistband. Then swiftly, he removed Jay's breeches, leaving the prince in nothing but the skin he was born in. "This is embarrassing for both of us," he muttered under his breath, heaving Jay off the bed and into a steaming hot bath.

"This seems a high temperature, are you wanting to cook him alive?" Gus queried, cocking his head, his brow quirked.

"No, this will warm him." She stated. "Feel his skin, it's as cold as Jotunheim."

He had noticed when he scooped Jay off of the bed. "Why?"

"The water in Urd's Well chills to the core. Gives a feeling of emptiness if allowed the chance to enter a living vessel. Usually, it kills the person, as I was led to believe."

He shuddered with the lack of concern. This matter was to be taken seriously, in fact, it seemed suspicious that this had been allowed to happen in the first place. "Do _I_ need stay for this?" Gus asked, looking down as both Haag and Kali got to work cleaning him and the dirt from his face and body.

Very occasionally Jay's arm came up to rest on the side of the bathtub before losing the strength whereby it fell back into the water again.

"I am not forcing you to stay whilst he is bathed. But, if you want to leave the room, one may have a small task of you, lest to make you feel _worthwhile_?"

"Your Majesty?" Gus replied, eyebrow quirked.

You feel could take his clothes, get them laundered, and ready for when he wakens, should be an hour at most."

"Aye, as you wish." He bowed his head in thanks and took the soaking wet clothes with him as he exited the large black stoned bedroom.

* * *

 _Only Hveðrungr's seidr keeps you alive..._

His entire body was aching when he finally woke. Eyes glazed over, he squinted them to get a better look of his surroundings. It was strange, this wasn't where he remembered being. Looking from harsh line to soft moving figures, he shook his head. Why was he was in a private room?

"Wh-where am I?" He mumbled, rubbing his eyes. Unsure of the occupants in here with him.

"Specifically? You are in the castle, on a bed." Karnilla replied.

"Thanks." He said, sarcasm dripping from his lack of words. He didn't mean her answers to be literal. Jay could sort of see that for himself, yep he was on a bed within a castle. With a bleary-eyed gaze, he looked down at himself, hugely relieved to see he still had clothes on, and, even better; Kali was sitting at the side of him. "Why do I feel dizzy?"

Kali was wetting his brow, rousing him gently. Haag gave him something to remove the pain.

" _Apparently_ , you lost control of your powers my Lord." An older female voice spoke. She hadn't introduced herself as yet.

Jay struggled to focus on anything, his eyes were too hazy. They felt sore, like he'd been crying for days on end.

He really didn't want to cause a fuss, especially not here. "What uhm, what happened again?" He rasped with a wet moisture soaked voice box. He tried sitting up but Haag was quick to stop him, pushing him back gently.

"Slowly." She warned, removing her hand from his chest.

"I feel dizzy." He repeated. "Can someone tell me what happened?"

A dark-haired woman walked up to him and offered a drink. "The Fates happened," she said clearly, dismissing Kali and Haag from the room with a wave of her hand.

 _"Oh!"_ Jay watched as Kali left, their eyes locking for a few seconds and no more.

The black haired woman sat next to him as he raised himself up on the bed. Jay felt embarrassed to be there, to be in her company. Oh God, why did she have to be the one who was helping?

"I wanted to ask you of something when you woke and it seems the perfect time to do it, considering you are capable of understanding my questions Yes?"

"Uhm, y-yes."

She took his hand in her bejewelled one. "You know of seidr?"

Jay didn't look at her, he swallowed deeply and cleared his throat. Wanting to remove his hand from her firm but gentle grasp. "No, I don't."

She seemed confused, his powers indicated that he possessed some form of seidr, that she was sure he was hiding the fact from her or that he was simply unaware of the power he possessed.

"Drink this." She urged and held a small crystal goblet, passing it to him, watching his eyes narrow.

He hesitated and held the small goblet away from his mouth.

She saw the reluctance in his impossibly young mind, so untrusting too. It was a good thing, there were many mages and magic folk out there who would take advantage but she was not one of them to use potions as a form of control.

Looking at him, her eyes roved over his form as he lay on her bed. He was ripe for the picking. So impossibly young and in his prime, he had barely scratched the surface of his true capabilities. "It will help you focus, nothing more." She calmed and motioned him to drink.

"Drink it, you'll feel better, I promise."

Jay lifted it to smell it first, some things he had drunk, potions wise, had often tasted vile. The most recent was the blood of Saehrimnir, he'd only found that out a few hours ago, then whatever Loki had plied him with after he had eaten his breakfast.

He had guessed it was likely strengthening fluids and shielding potions to protect him from Amora. It certainly seemed to help with the Godling, keeping it from taking his own element. Still, he looked at it. "It comes with the territory," he replied with a small grin as he tipped it down his throat, laying back on the bed.

"Indeed, you know of seidr?" She asked again and watched for his reaction.

Jay shook his head and twirled the small crystal goblet between his finger and thumb, "Seidr, should I?"

"It is a form of magic, found within most on the Realm Eternal."

"Hmm, _okay_."

"I know you are not of Asgard. That doesn't mean you don't have this ability within you."

"I'm not, and I don't." he shook his head slowly. "That's not a problem is it?"

She could sense it, something small, imbued with seidr that he was hiding from one and all. "Not at all, it was a curiosity more than anything. I was intrigued to know how you possess not one, but two powerful elements within your body. I know now of course, I took a glimpse into your past."

"Wait, what?"

"Do not worry yourself, I put it back whence I found it. You are a remarkable thing though."

"Uhm thanks, I think?"

"Jason, do you mind if I try something? I assure you, it will not hurt in the slightest."

"Jason?"

He turned to face her. "Wh-what exactly do you mean?"

"You will speak and I will remove the visions that haunt you. Answer those questions that are clouding your mind, your better judgement?"

"Okay, so, uh, forgive the forwardness, but, uh…" He stopped and tried to think of a better way to start a conversation. "Can I ask you something first, like, maybe about…Amora?"

The queen sighed deeply and lay next to the young man. Respectfully keeping her distance.

"She was my protégé, a young maiden born fair of face, to one of the most noble families of Asgard. She was expected to go far, to surpass even that of my own level, a sorcerer supreme, she has it within her. But something changed in her heart, she became cold, turning to the arcane, to the dark. She sought to take advantage of mage's, Eldred and sorcerers whose power she craved above her own. So many great sorcerers lost their lives to her because she cast seidr on herself."

"What did she do?"

"She cast an enchantment, upon her body, her lips. Her feminine wiles were used to lure in men and women of power. Once ensnared, she would drain them of their essences, leaving them for dead. After her antics gave her the wrong attention, she became a wanted criminal and had bounty hunters after her. So, she sought protection, finding that ultimate protector in Skurge. Alas, I do not know of anymore, I cannot sense her whereabouts, only that she is not on this realm."

"Lorelei too, had the gift of seidr, of magic and glamour."

Jay bit his lip, he didn't want to interrupt but he wanted her to focus purely on Amora, he needed the inside scoop. "I'd never met her sister before today. Only heard about her, uhm, being tied up with chains and uh."

He shied away under her strong red eyes as she neared him, "Haa, when she was a captive of Tyr, I meant."

"Lorelei is, and always will be innocent. Her and Zig are coupling, they work so well together." She lit a few candles in the room and Jay's temperature rose slightly. "They compliment each other, he seeks justice and she seeks the truth."

"Ugh, how noble." Jay rolled his eyes.

"Like you and your last love?" She said with a gentle stroke of his face. "You were meant to be, were you not?"

He tried not to recoil from her touch and nodded from his position, but she was the queen, she required verbal answers. "Yes, until…"

"Until the Fates got in the way?" She interrupted. Her offered answer made him look at her askance.

"Sorta." What did she know that he didn't?

"They intervened, they always do."

"Yeah okay, figures." He turned onto his side to face her. She wasn't wearing her crown at least.

His seemed perfectly molded to his head. It never came off because his element kept it in place. "I didn't come to talk about me. I learnt all I needed to in twenty minutes." He harrumphed, rubbing his emotionally distraught face. Hoping to at least keep the tears at bay.

"Oh, but I like this." She grinned wickedly. "You see, I get to learn so much more about the quiet prince, the one who is always busy or attracting unwanted attention from my own students."

Her magic was stronger than he had anticipated, it was all around them, a swirling red mass, like a cocoon of red mist. "I, uhm couldn't help it, she hated me from the moment she saw me."

"It doesn't look like a dislike to me, she seems to favour you almost as much as the second born." Her mind helpfully supplied the slew of images in question.

His cheeks turned from pink to red and he bit his lip. "She took advantage, how was that fair?"

"Love is never fair, tis fraught with twists and turns, heartbreak and forgiveness, trials and understandings."

 _Chains and swords, potions and being forced to make out from dusk til dawn_. He didn't have an answer for her that didn't have insults attached so he refrained. An unwanted emotion stung his eyes, it came from nowhere, likely spurned on from seeing the vision of Amora again. Using his hand to wipe his stray tear. "Sorry..." He felt shame. "I can't seem to stop. You probably think I'm stupid or weak, for showing emotion?"

She shook her head. "It is a side effect of what you witnessed. It is never easy to see your own fate. I'm guessing _yours_ , was no exception?"

He shrugged, slumping his shoulders. He felt awful, thinking that he was at least nearing the tip of the Matterhorn with Loki, when in all facts, he hadn't even started climbing the foothills of servitude. Hel, he was still knee deep in the peat bogs. His life had barely begun.

"So you saw your fate, and judging by this you saw many different outcomes, yes?"

"I did," he answered dolefully, releasing a pent-up sigh. "On both accounts, and I can safely say that even though I'll live to a ridiculously ripe old age; I'll look the same."

He looked at his hands, "Those HYDRA guys were right. Hung drawn and quartered is the way to go nowadays."

She said nothing in response to that most barbaric way of uncivil death afforded to the most dreadful of Midgardian society. The Bloodeagle was a bad enough punishment thought up by Bor Buri-son, the Vikings of old had adopted said tradition too.


	88. Karnilla

"Hmm….it is interesting that seidr runs through your veins yet you don't wield it openly." Karnilla noted, tapping her finger against her cheekbone.

 _'Hmm, it's also interesting that your civilisation claims to be vastly superior to any others yet you run your castle on candlelight, magic, oil, pulleys and man power. I'm technically more superior haa.'_

He smirked at her, glad she couldn't read his thoughts like Loki could. At least he hoped she couldn't...she was casting him a rather questioning look.

Looking back up at her, he thought of the posed question. Evidently, she was waiting for an answer with her eyebrow raised so far up, it was nearing her strangely shaped crown.

The headpiece she wore looked akin to a snake on either side of her head. It gave her crown that elongated shape rather than the traditional circular style given to others. Then there was Loki's, he looked like a literal interpretation of Aries the ram with his huge horned helmet that looked more phallic than regal. At least when Jay had seen Thor's helmet, the thing looked relatively decent...even if it did have wings on and reminded him of another earthly God, Hermes.

"Jason?"

Still finding the use of his name an oddity considering the sheer amount of years he'd been simply known as Jay, or more recently Jayson. His head shot up to hers, thinking that perhaps her question was directed at a power he could not control, something attributed to Loki, that he didn't want to divulge. "I-I don't know about the magic, my element was my own at one part, blood lines, ya know. It was passed down from my mother and so on."

"I know of bloodlines, I saw that too. But your mother, you never knew her did you?" Her voice was soft and soothing.

"Not really." He shook his head solemnly and wiped at the tear that threatened to fall. "I never got a chance to explore that avenue further, because everything changed…" Stopping mid sentence. Jay knew he couldn't divulge anymore for fear of being found out.

Swiftly, he diverted it back to the dreaded Fates and their divulging of his never ending suffering. He wasn't sure which subject wrought the strongest feelings at that exact moment, but being as his future recurring deaths were still attacking his mind, he chose to talk about that. _Sharing was caring after all_. And, at least it would avoid her finding out about Loki being on the throne...Unless she was that good.

"What did you see?"

"Well, mostly I got the abridged version of events," he said, pausing as he took a few seconds to recompose himself. "It was an extreme way of showing me how my suffering will never end, something I'm supposed to learn from?"

He hid his face in embarrassment as the emotions poured from his eyes. "I didn't know what to expect, I'd never have accepted it, if I knew what it would've entailed."

"It was foolish of you to stand so close to the well, others have perished in your state." Karnilla stated coldly.

"I was lucky then? Did Zig come clean, tell you where he took me?"

"He told your Einherji _Gustav_. And yes, you were lucky, Sigurd meant no ill will, I assure."

"Was it Zig though?"

Her eyes narrowed. "What are you insinuating?"

"Maybe someone put him up to it? I mean, he said it was a straightforward thing, you went, you met them and left. It felt more of a test to me, like someone was watching and waiting for me to fall?"

"Despite what you may feel or think, Sigurd was quick to notify. There was nothing suspicious about him nor his behaviour."

Jay thought her tone was a little protective of Zig, icy cold to the idea that another tactic might be at play here. "So how do _you_ explain it?"

"I cannot be sure, curiosity perhaps, you wanted to go and he took you." She took his hand again and turned it palm up, as if she was reading his fortune. "This mark, when did you come by it?"

He had a gut feeling she wasn't going to entertain the fact that he thought this whole day had been a set up. She wasn't even on the same wavelength, thinking it was just one of those things. Annoyingly, Jay sat up and looked at his palm not seeing anything remotely interesting except for his excessively chained life line.

"You have a very strong fate line right alongside your life line. One can only guess that the Fates intervened when you were in your early prime?"

She used the scantest amount of magic that revealed a tiny selection of rune marks on his palm. These were so small he thought they were just creases. His first thought was that she was quite literally missing something important, like her sanity and her brain, until he looked for himself.

"This one here," she said, touching it gently until it hovered in the air. "This is Kaen, you were birthed with this."

"Uh, I guess. But it's just a few wrinkles haa."

"No." She said bluntly, she held his hand firm. "Kaen means chaos. The element of chaos in which un-tempered lightning is thus created."

"Zig mentioned that, earlier." Jay replied, pulling his hand from her gentle grasp. "I though fire was an element of chaos too."

"It is, but not all are Kaen." She looked back over the young man who sat on the bed brushing away the tears as they fell. "There were only ever two men with this rune mark."

She passed him a cloth for his eyes. "One is Lord Surtur, the leader of the fire demons. The other…" She said slowly as she placed her hand on his chest, pushing him backwards. "Is rumoured to be…fallen."

"O-oh."

"So you see, only those powerful enough can wield Kaen effectively. In your current state, you lack the direction." She smiled at him as the potion began to relax him as intended. "You need a spiritual distraction, so I can clear your mind of the pain, will you allow me this, to help you?"

"I uhm..." He looked at her and noted his vision was providing a very different set of events to what she was supplying his mind with. His body felt nothing at all, but in his mind she was kissing him...passionately.

Her voice became an echo, it seemed to bounce off the walls. Instead of sounding loud and intimidating, it gave off a mellow soothing sound, exacerbated by laboured deep breaths, which he came to recognise as his own.

"Lord Surtur, the Demon King, the feared one and ruler of the black fortress. He too has the Kaen stone, bigger and more noticeable though; he wears it with pride. Around his neck it hangs, like a trinket."

"This mark is Yr, it means protector." She stared into his dreamy eyes as his pupils dilated.

"What's going on, what is this?"

"Relax your mind, I'm removing the pain." Her other hand began roving over his body and her magic entered him.

"Nauthiz, can protect us from ourselves, but its lessons are often harsh."

He looked down at and her and his eyes rolled back. "This, I-I don't...understand."

"You have two further rune marks, by some as yet unknown being? Strength and shielding. Dagaz and Algiz?"

"Yes..." He gasped out loud, struggling to hold on to his sanity long enough to regain coherence.

"What do you want to know? Speak it and I will answer truthfully."

"I-I…" He slowed down and allowed his mind to think rationally. "How to stop her."

"Her mind can only be bound if her mouth is silenced. A sorceress is nothing without her spells."

That seemed awfully easy. Surely there had to be a catch?

"Her hands, she uses them too…You must wrap them to bind the power. It is but a simple spell, it can only be read by one with seidr."

"Can I do it?"

The apparition of Karnilla shook her head. "A protector will not be capable of reciting any spell." Why are you here, Jason? Why else did you come?"

"To find answers." He replied, quickly.

"To find lost love?" She offered.

"I-I don't need love."

"Everybody needs love, Jason. Allow me for this one other thing I can do for you."

Try as he might, he couldn't shake free from her control. It wasn't unpleasant, mind, just oddly irritating. "What is it?" He groaned, eyes growing heavy by the second.

"I can restore your love."

"How can you...?" He paused, utterly confused. Until her magic seeped into his body, forcing its way through the reinforced barriers that Loki had placed before. Jay fell back onto the bolsters, his expression was of pure bliss with eyes closed tightly and a smile spread across his face.

"Can you?" He gasped out. It was a struggle to even get those words verbalised.

"Seidr knows Seidr, You do not know that I trained with Queen Frigga, and her son, Loki. I have taught many in the dark arts…."

"Show me." He bit his bottom lip in his euphoric state. "Pl-please."

"It comes with a simple warning, one that cannot be ignored nor controlled. The simple act of restoring it comes at a huge risk to the mind. Are you still willing to go ahead, if you are knowing of the possible risks?"

Jay nodded, he seemed to lack any coherence anymore. Even saying a few simple words was becoming hard. "If it restores love, what's the worst that could happen."

"If you keep your feelings in, if your feelings are hurt; you _will_ fall into the loneliest despair, forsaking all others." Her magic was slowing down, the room was coming into focus. "If you feel any love, but lie about it you will feel the pain of withholding it from another. Jason, these will be small, insignificant hexes, thrust upon you, if you place your love in peril."

She kissed him, opening her mind to him. Whatever she had just done had allowed her into his mind as she sought out to find the spell that had cursed him.

"Do you still want me to restore it, that which makes you capable of love?"

"I-I do." His body began to tremble as her hands roamed over his chest.

"…I-I can't hold it back…" He whispered into the crook of her neck.

"Desire becomes power, power becomes surrender." She held on tightly whilst he rode it out, his breathing had become deep and laboured. His hair plastered to his forehead, sticking out at odd angles. "Let it go."

He gasped out loudly, feeling a release of some sort as his mind spiralled into a purple vortex, that made him want to vomit rainbows.

All the misery he felt at seeing his death had just vanished, everything else had gone too. All that remained were the fleeting images, they would simply linger to torment him as he slept. Now he had all that he needed to succeed and that was all he had left, determination and the motivation to see it through until the end.

A few minutes later he sat up feeling like he'd been sleeping after being hit by a truck. Thankfully full dressed too, though he had the feeling that he'd been bathed too. Judging by how tight his clothes were. A pounding headache throbbed relentlessly as he scoured the room for her, expecting to be sitting on the bed, as was he. But no, he saw her transcribing a note of importance which she then handed to her retainers.

"You are well rested now? You took a bad fall at the well of Urd." She spoke clearly, keeping her back to him. "Remember, you lost control of your powers?"

"Uh I did?" He looked down at himself. "Wh-what just happened?"

Jay looked out the nearest window, the sun was barely in the sky. He took that to mean that hardly any time had passed. Although he felt like he'd been very busy for the best part of thirty minutes.

"You needed a distraction, what does your mind tell you?" She asked as she turned to face him.

"What each recipient sees is unique to them." She only ever enquired if their mind was overcome with emotion as was his.

He blushed, fumbling with his words. "J-just what I needed to know and uh focus on, I guess." He cautiously got off the bed and stretched his legs.

"You are well rested?" She asked again, noting he hadn't answered the first time.

"I-I am, well rested. How long was I sleeping for?" He smiled coyly.

"You did not sleep, we spoke for an hour, no less. You should have all you need to prevent what may happen, alas if you fail; her powers will only increase."

She stood up and was about to bid him a farewell before turning to smile discreetly. "You only believe what your mind wants you to, but _your_ mind was heavy with emotion. Think of this as a gift, I removed the worst of what you saw, some will still remain."

"Remember young prince, you had no love in your heart. All you desired was lust itself." Her hand was firm on his shoulder as she spoke.

"Haa, uhm, wh-what did we do?"

"You seem unsure? All we did was speak, Jason and your mind supplied the remainder, it showed you what you truly need or what your poisoned mind thought you needed, at that moment. This corruption will be your undoing if you let it control you."

"My mind is not poisoned or corrupted." He said with a darkening frown. "You put it in there, I sure as Hel wasn't thinking _that_."

She smiled coyly at him, "I would never commit such a thing, why would I need to?"

His head tilting to the side, "You trained her, you're almost the same."

"Hmm, that is almost as rude as mentioning that Eldred taught Loki all that he knew and Eldred being just as cruel and evil when he was not. Jason, you cannot tarnish the master and the student as one and the same, they are individual, one unique look and stance on their own magical abilities only enhanced by their mentors."

"I didn't say you were, I said _almost_. Considering what you just did."

She turned to face him, a scowl on her face, her red eyes were narrowed. "If I wanted to…." She paused and thought deeply, she could read his mind so easily, it was such a busy place.

Jay started panting, he fell back on to the wall as his mind was attacked by her. All he could see was what _Loki_ would desire, whips and chains, and hot mind blowing sex. "St-stop…" He gasped loudly. Struggling to form coherent sentences as the feeling of a climax was so close to erupting from his body. "I-I'm s-sorry."

Jay surreptitiously checked himself and his clothing. He could have sworn he was naked as the day he was born. Not just that but having red hot wax poured on his body with a blind fold. It wasn't exactly his idea of fun, although some parts had been, thus explaining the royal flush on his face.

"Did you just mess with my mind?" Jay recomposed himself

"If I deem it so, I can put things in there or take them away, as I see fit." She was smirking as she said it, but within a second she had averted her gaze toward her handmaidens.

He looked back at her, a shocked expression on his face as he fought to cover his shame at how his body was reacting to her magic. "Is that how you lured Baldur, you planted things in his head?"

She shot him a look of pure contempt, calming slightly at the sound of her once true love. "No, **_he_ ** came willingly, to join the kingdoms as it were. Let's call it, a treaty of sorts."

He wasn't sure if she was speaking the truth or not. Sadly, his prolonged exposure to Loki had made him cynical of even the most honest and trustworthy, that he felt an overarching need to question them, sometimes to the point of philosophising and arguing a damn about trivial things.

"Willingly?" He questioned, eyebrow raised.

"Until Odin saw favour to overturn said treaty. All is forgiven now though." Her own aides were still busying themselves around her and she looked to be just as busy with them.

He had no idea how long they had been in here, he just remembered seeing them when he opened his eyes.

"Do you understand that even though, yes I trained her, we are not one and the same. She used her skills for herself and not for others."

"Yes," Jay nodded discreetly. "But she took advantage, I…."

"I know, I removed that from you too, unless of course you want it back."

He shook his head slowly but his expression dropped again as reality came crashing down. "She might be carrying my child." He said with a resigned sigh.

Karnilla looked up at the young prince, a sympathetic smile on her face. She quickly stood and took both of his hands into her own. "You coupled with her, when she was most fertile?"

"I guess." He nodded sorrowfully. "She forced me, I-I was a prisoner." It was embarrassing to admit, even more so to tell another female.

She stood there, no judgement passed on his valid excuse, for Karnilla knew of Amora's cruel tactics. "If Lorelei states it, then it is true."

And for the third time that day, he rubbed his face in frustration. Groaning lightly.

"Jason?" She said softly. "Look at me."

He lifted his head, face straight and emotionless, though he was hiding the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"She does carry your child, and only time will tell, if the pregnancy will be a success. We have not encountered _your_ kind before."

 _My kind?_

His shoulders slumped. "It wasn't intentional," he added, pinching the bridge of his nose. It seemed to be the only technique to give him something else to focus on. For that moment, he was exasperated and annoyed with the news that he was going to be a father. In a previous life, he would have loved to have had children. But this was forced upon him by Amora, the psychopathic, power hungry witch with a penchant for blood lust.

Her arm wrapped around him gently, Karnilla slowly ushered him from the wall and to a nearby seat. "But, it is what it is, the child will need a father, tis only fair."

"Whoa there..." Jay flinched under her gentle embrace, but allowed her to remain. He was tense though, still angry with Amora. "I won't marry her, I'm not being forced into this." He was quick to state.

Her smile was there, gentle and not judging in the slightest. She would never force a marriage, even if a baby was due, Royalty was no exception. "Unless you marry another first, you mean?"

"I-I guess." He said, hating that idea even more.

She noted his slight apprehension and discretely ushered her handmaidens away as she turned to regard the young man in her midst. "What is it about love that inspires you?"

"Nothing, haa, ha." He blushed, thinking for a moment. Why was he struggling with the question? "I-I don't know, really." His mind had gone blank.

"So tell me of them, there are only three who held your heart."

He shook his head. "Only two."

"Hmm, love can seem very one sided sometimes, but it is often the coming together of two very different people. Tell me of the first…"

He took a deep shuddering breath. "Nya, I thought that we were in love, but something happened and now I'm not even sure if she loves me or if I love her….Same with Kali."

"Confliction?" She passed the prince another small crystal phial. "Drink it please, you'll feel better in no time."

He took it and sniffed it as before, this was all he seemed to be doing now. Fighting, bleeding, being tortured and plied with damned potions. The worst was the fact he was taken advantage of because of his age. One of these days he'd get his own back.

"Showering the same love and adoration to more than one is enough to break any man's emotional strength. Do you feel a connection to any of these three?"

" ** _Two_** ," Jay corrected, firmly. He sure as Helheim didn't have feelings for Amora. Baby or not, her brain was as mad as a bagful of cats on catnip.

"What do you want in a woman? Do you want her to speak from the heart or from the mind? Is it truth or happiness, love or lust you seek?"

He was unable to answer fully because he didn't know himself anymore. Nya had cheated on him twice, once when they were still supposedly boyfriend and girlfriend and the time after was when he was taken in Loki's servitude. Course he didn't blame her, Nya was alone, they obviously thought him dead, a lost cause.

"I-I guess, I want truth and love."

"You see Kali, she is a strong woman. She is fiercely independent, trained in the arts of medicine and healing, never one to shy away from confrontations. She was one of my best students, better than Amora in apothecary."

"Nya?" Karnilla frowned, it gave Jay a fleeting glimpse of her age as her frown lines remained stuck to her forehead. "I never really knew of this female, you were to be her intended, were you not?"

It seemed like a question but Karnilla regarded it as more an observation. She only questioned him to gauge his enthusiasm to talk of it with such depth. His answers would no doubt, give her all that she would need to play matchmaker.

"I was," he nodded, tilting his head to the side. "I proposed to her and everything, set up a semi secret date, worked hard to make ends meet."

"Indeed, I saw that part for myself, but she didn't say yes, did she?"

He shook his head. "N-no, she said nothing." It still grated on him.

"Then why did you still pursue her on your return to that home realm you so claim to cherish?"

Her words were cutting. "I-It was a moment of weakness, I guess."

"Hmm, I have a strong feeling that the next time you go, you will seek the answers you need. She will provide, _willingly,_ these basest desires you have of her body, for I see no love there at all, just lust."

"It's a mutual lust." He countered with a cocky smile.

"But your relationship with this normal woman, was not of a healthy one? She treated you unfairly, pitted you against another."

"Yeah, and we worked through that..." Jay stated vehemently. "She's most definitely, _not normal,_ in a good way, I mean!"

"She is, all of them are. They are no different to the beings on Midgard."

"That's not what I was told. I was told she was immortal."

"Do you believe all that _he_ tells you?" She laughed at his naivety. "Please enlighten me that you are not that easily fooled to be taken in by such things?"

"Who's he?" Jay queried, nervously.

"The silver tongue, the one you serve."

Jay was near enough speechless. "I-I had to take him at his word because I didn't have anybody else to talk to."

"He lies for a living, even wears the title proudly."

Jay was beginning to feel hot under the collar. "I believe some of what he tells me is the truth."

"You should not believe everything. Especially when it relates to your brothers, and her."

"Well, he bragged that he raped her. Saying that he killed her and then brought her back to do it all over again."

"And you believed him? Again, I rest my case." A firm squeeze of his shoulder ensued. "Jason, you must not always take what he says as sacred and binding, question him, if you must. You'll never survive this, if you don't."

"Wh-what are you saying?" Jay stood firm, jaw clenched.

"All I can see is the addition of a strengthening potion, mind control and nothing more. She didn't die; Nya, is what Midgardians would call _normal_. Nothing special."

"She is special, to me." He mumbled in response.

"Indeed, and at what cost are you willing to endure this repeated heartache? Or the cost of your sanity, of being unable to trust your best friend around her when you are not there?"

"I trust her."

"But, you were soft to complain, too meek to utter or attempt to question her morals as you heard from afar as he coupled with her, _repeatedly_?"

His eyes squeezed together tightly. "I forgave them, moved on."

"Jason," she whispered, voice low. "Kali would never test you like this, _ever_."

Jay remained speechless, not that he wasn't grateful for the wisdom of this sorceress. He felt it a little odd coming from a spinster, who obviously wasn't married and lived her life as a cougar, preying on younger men.

"She would make you a good wife. Amora however, hmm I am not so sure of. She seems to be quite the dominant one. Sure, she fights well, is a ruthlessly keen sorceress, though she lets her future goals blind her, and, she is a little too focused on power and control." A small smile came to her face. "Thor"

"She favours him above everyone else and if you were to stay with her and raise your child together, she would have you fight everyday to prove your worthiness." Her face turned sour. "Kali, however…she is one of a kind." Her voice trailing off, the prince's attention was wandering.

"Jason?" She finally spoke again, looking casually over her shoulders at him, she turned on her chair and placed her crown. "Love is what _you_ make it. I suggest you find her before the night is through, she will help you fulfil those basest desires you seem to need at this moment. But when the times comes, you too will need to choose wisely. Remember; do not let lust guide you, only love can do that."

He needed no further encouragement, he shot up off the chair and bowed in her presence, he paused before he left completely. "Th-thanks, I guess."

"In your current state, this love you feel and the relationships you have partaken in…." She paused and turned to look him in the eyes. "Are and were, a means to an end. And that, My Lord, is not love, that is dangerous territory, even for a young misguided man like you."

"Okay!"

"And, another thing…" Karnilla stood and walked across to Jay's form as he leaned gently against the sandstone archway.

Her face was shooting him a warning glare. "The fallen one, he will not be happy that I have removed his curse. So, perhaps, you may need to hide those feelings that will be sure to surface soon enough; for he will think nothing, of turning your heart to stone for going behind his back."

Jay gulped nervously and nodded with her warning. "I-I will, uhm, I'll try." He smiled but it was pure nerves at hiding a further truth from Loki when the God could so easily read his mind. "How do you know about him?"

"I know his seidr, it is so easy to distinguish against others. Difficult to break, I accede Eldred taught him well, it was to be expected though."

"Do you know how to take him down?" He asked, unsure if she knew.

"Not without killing you too." She noted the depressed look, she heard the sharp intake of breath.

"How do you know all of this?" Jay stared, mouth partially agape.

"I have my ways." She winked. "I also know that he is infinite because of a past indiscretion. Thus, because of that; he has no end, no morals either, all he cares for, is himself."

"Why me though?"

"Because of who you are and what you possess, he covets you and I guess, he owns you too."

"He likes to think he owns me," Jay replied, a dark laugh escaping as he looked down the empty hallway.

"Regardless of your future journeys, good luck Jason. I'll bid you farewell for now." She said, closing the door. "Until later."

* * *

 ** _This was a difficult chapter to write, please forgive me if there are errors. Thanks for the continued reviews too...MNC, MoC, BoomletStudios, plus any others I may have missed._**

 ** _This will begin to pick up soon because some ninja warriors are waiting in a certain ale house, drinking themselves into a stupor._**


	89. Lust and power pt1

Not looking back, he went straight to the main hall, with direction from the creepy effervescent castle guards who were posted at intervals on every corner.

Then, after scoping out the vast room, whilst trying to remember what she was wearing, he found her, _eventually_.

To be fair, Kali wasn't the hardest woman to find, not the easiest either. Yet there she was, standing in the great hall, well actually, the more he looked, the more he could see she was gliding across the floor, _rhythmically_.

Naturally, he watched her, Kali was dancing with another man, and his filthy brutish hands were all over her, grasping and groping in a way that Jay found offensive and crude.

Still, biting back his annoyance, Jay walked up to her, leaning in so as only she could hear.

"Are you enjoying this?"

He was expecting some response, but got nothing. And, for a split second, he thought it was the wrong woman. Jay quirked an eyebrow at being flat out ignored and casually, he walked on by.

Jay tried his hardest to ignore the man who was continuing to grope her derriere, squeezing it tightly, making Jay bite his knuckle hard. Truth be told, he wanted that, he wanted to be as close as the man was, touching, squeezing and everything in between. It was taking all his self control to not flat out punch the man into next year.

Sadly,he figured if he did that, _here_ and this man just happened to be a part of a larger sentry; his small band of five Einherjar would be overpowered. It was a beating he didn't relish the thought of. Besides, if she wanted help, she would have said something, turned her head and acknowledged him.

Instead, she'd ignored him…

 _Well, two can play at that game,_ he thought. And this was the prime opportunity, Jay ordered a small drink, one suitable for a female and one for himself.

Turning occasionally, his eyes looked in her general direction, but he purposefully avoided her questioning gaze this time. His attention had been piqued by another beautiful young female who walked up to him with a purpose.

Suddenly, Kali felt a pang of jealousy when Jay's hands grasped the female's waist and pulled her closer. All the time, he looked at Kali as he moved closer to her neck.

This so called ' _loose woman'_ was stroking Jay's arm, but it was apparent that he wasn't interested. Kali watched him as he awkwardly smiled at the female, flashing those salt white teeth, whilst rubbing the back of his head. They were joking about something trivial initially, but when he bit his lip in response and leaned into her neck. Kali's expression grew dark.

It had worked, Kali had seen him.

To be fair, it wasn't that difficult. Jay was a vision in dark blue with a long purple travelling cloak that now bore elements of soil than luxurious fabric because he'd taken a fall not that long ago and had collapsed onto the sodden ground at Urd's Well. It was the only part of his attire that didn't feel starched and stiff, he still had no idea why his clothes felt like they'd just been washed.

Typically, their eyes met for the briefest of moments. That was, until he turned away from her with a raised eyebrow, his head cocked to the side, looking up and down her profile as she swept graciously across the floor.

She waited, kept up the premise, continued to dance. It wasn't often that she had the chance to enjoy herself like this. And he was such a dashing young man that had chosen to ask her hand. She knew it had been him, his voice was unlike any other; higher toned than most, with an air of mystery surrounding it.

It was mid evening, the brightness of the stars outside had lured the many warriors in from their shows of strength that most had participated in, Gustav included. And, among the crowds of converged and rowdy warriors stood one very different man. He was donned in a smartly cut outfit, very obviously cut and tailored to accentuate his lean athletic figure. Layers upon layers of sumptuous dark blue leather, entwined with silver armaments that only served to make him stand out amongst the muscular leather clad men whom surrounded him where he stood.

When he turned to face the bar, his purple cloak fell effortlessly without a crease, barely trailing the floor. A hint of silver sat atop his slightly longer auburn hair, the whole colour scheme seemed to accentuate his pale countenance.

It was the first thing she noticed.

The alluring combination of soft and shiny mixed with rough and smooth, contradicting each other yet complimenting too. Whomever had designed his outfit should have been commended on their skills. Kali was certainly impressed. She could see every curve and contour of his upper body. Sinfully and shamelessly, she could clearly make out what side he was dressing to. That was owing to the fact that his trousers were exceedingly and very temptingly tight.

He wasn't even looking at her when he felt her hand come to rest on his. "Having fun, Kali?" He said, his seducing voice teased.

"You free now hmm?" He felt her hand tremble a little. "You looked like you were having loads'a fun with that guy; to need to think about little old me." He said, still looking at the tankard the barkeep was filling up.

"We were just dancing, My Lord, m-my Prince." She corrected, nervously. Struggling to form that coherence because she quickly remembered what he'd promised her and how he'd made her feel a little over four hours ago.

The nerves only exacerbated when she kept forgoing his name. He smiled nervously with the formality afforded, he hated it, the pompousness was something he'd never get used to. "It's Jay-aaames," he corrected with some difficulty that sounded more like he was trying to hold in a sneeze. To be fair, he wasn't entirely sure he liked this new name, even if he had been born with it. "J-just called me Jay," he chuckled, rubbing the back of his head as he faced the barkeep and took hold of the flagon of ale.

"N-nothing was meant by it though, was a dance." She smiled, and rather than standing at arms reach, she came and stood right beside him. The other female, had soon lost interest after Kali had thrown her a look of contempt. Thankfully the other female wasn't in the mood for a fight over a man, though for the majority of men here, that would have been entertaining.

He'd been passed the drink before turning to face her and when he did, her stared her straight in the eyes and smiled his cheeky grin. "I-I was joking." He faltered, under her questioning gaze. "About him dancing with you."

Feeling his comfort waning, she wanted to remove the awkwardness between them. "Do you want to dance with me, my Prince?"

"Uh, y-you're asking me?" He shifted his stance, tensing up.

Usually, it was the guy to ask the girl to a dance, that's how it had been at high school. Jay wasn't really the dancing type, he favoured talking and cuddling, or discussing other such things that were far more interesting. Dancing was more Cole's forte.

Another issue; he didn't know how to, well, he knew a little about choreography, thanks to Lou and the fang blade cup. "I uh, don't know how to." He admitted, blushing whilst biting his bottom lip. "I might lack the agility of a dancer. I mean,unless you want to talk about other things?"

She observed him, narrowing her eyes, Kali smiled in sympathy. "Do you dance?"

He shook his head. "I-I'm a whizz with tech and various forms of uh, fighting an…"

Kali shushed him, placing her fingers on his lips. "Come, I can show you," she smiled, grasping his hand gently. "I'll lead."

Reluctantly, Jay cooperated and followed her. It wasn't a specific dance floor or the type's he had been used to. Specifically, the chequered black and white versions. This was wooden, it reminded him of that Copacabana nightclub, the one he took a tumble on because of Karloff.

"You don't need to use formality, I was joking with you Kali," He repeated. Somehow he got the feeling that she was trying to make amends, which only served to make this more awkward. "I don't mind if you want to dance, just that he had his hands all over you."

"Well, you would not want me to fall upon the floor would you?"

Jay gulped nervously. "No." He shook his head fast.

"Good."

Now he had one hand on the small of her back, she had placed it there. Jay squeezed gently, his breath hitching as the music changed to a slow stringed tune.

"So, was that a hint of jealousy, when you saw his hands on me, as you now have?" She noted, giving a small giggle at his boyish antics.

Kali pulled him closer until their bodies were flush. She could smell him again, though now he smelled more earthy thanks to his impromptu bath. A manly musk about him rather than his usual citrus and spiced scent, the one she caught this lunchtime.

Jay had bit his lip and looked guilty for a brief moment, "Jealousy, I guess. I've never been good with sharing things I like. Plus, the same could be said about you too." He smirked. "I mean, I saw how you looked at that girl, the one who was trying her hardest to proposition me, you should have heard what she said she'd do to me."

"I admit, I was annoyed with her persistence to fondle you so."

"Is that how things are done here, you just walk up to someone and you flat out tell them what you want, there's no getting to know one another first?"

Kali shook her head gently. "No, some females here are just purely for the pleasure of men, to provide a service."

"O-oh, right." He shuffled uncomfortably, his free hand rubbing the back of his head. Jay didn't want to admit that he had been forced to take that kind of woman before, back on earth.

"So you _do_ like me then?"

"I thought that was obvious from earlier." He grinned at her, pulling her so close that she was now snug against his chest and her bosom heaved at the lack of space. "I felt you come undone around my fingers, Kali." He grinned devilishly.

The dance was slow, no silly high turns, nor ridiculous spins. He wasn't sure what to expect. This was his first dance since his crowning ceremony. It was almost an expectation, to dance with a few eligible females. That was, until he couldn't stand anymore, the moment he met Kali and Kari. The dancing took on a whole different form, turning from vertical to horizontal. A sweat inducing dizzying mass of entangled bodies that lasted a few hours, between rest and cuddles.

Leaning into nibble at her ear, Jay kissed her neck, feeling her shudder in his grasp. "I told you what you needed to know, then found out some of your darkest secrets, what makes you tick," he said, kissing her hands softly.

"I _really_ like you." He kissed her gently, avoiding her lips. He trailed the kisses across her jaw bone before attacking her neck. "You're so beautiful."

Pulling her away from the dance floor, he felt her shudder slightly in his grasp and he loosened his arms in response so he could grasp his drink. Jay was going to need some serious Dutch courage to pull this off.

Never mind how much his body wanted her, his mind was still conflicted with the whole day. It had been the longest day of his life, full of such incredible emotions. Truths had been shared and revealed, He'd been bequeathed a cursed truth sword. Even had Loki's curse reversed by a powerful sorceress, the very same who taught Amora all she knew.

Before he got too carried away, he remembered something important. He remembered her voice and then seeing her face when he woke up. "I uh, I wanted to say thanks. For-for what you did earlier."

"Why are you saying that now?"

His hands were tight on her waist, pulling her against him so she couldn't move back, "In case I forget to tell you later. And," He looked at her with a cheeky grin. "Because I'm grateful."

"Why did you go there?" She asked, watching him as he took a small sip from his drink. Delicately drinking it, unlike those of his male counterparts who were throwing theirs back without a care in the word.

His eyes, had been looking into the bottomless tankard until she had questioned his reasons for visiting the Fates. Suddenly, looking at her again, he lowered the hefty thing that was near enough the size of his forearm. "I wanted answers." He replied, simply. Shrugging his shoulders, it was, after all, the complete and utter truth.

"So, did you get those answers you sought?"

If only he had. Jay had barely scraped the surface because of that unknown loophole, the one that stated that only the one whose fate was being read could learn of their past, present and future.

He laughed softly. "No, not really, well, sort of. I got some answers I didn't want." Biting his lip, he took a slow drink. Holding it with both hands, he closed his eyes, wishing to never experience that again.

"How did you find them, I have never visited the Fates." She said, kissing up his neck, biting his ear lobe which quickly turned red.

His breath hitched. "Haa, a-annoying," he replied, struggling to speak and focus. Her hand had found bare skin under his tunic and she was proceeding to trace the contours of his abdomen. "Some of it didn't make any s-sense, mmm."

"Only those who want answers seek them out, but, they are often disappointed with what they hear. I was concerned though, you are the first from another world to stand before them, you drank from the well."

"Haa, well I didn't do it on purpose."

"What happened?"

He had leaned his forehead against her and only now could she feel his heart beating through his chest. His breathing was deep and laboured and his eyes, which held those pure lilac glowing orbs were closed serenely. "It was a mixture, good and bad."

"Are y-you sure you want me to do this with you, uhm, t-tonight?"

"It's all I've been thinking of, since you left," She replied softly as her lips brushed over his. "I want you to take me, now." Her words seemed to increase his heart rate further. She didn't miss the audible moan of male satisfaction he made, nor the feeling of his bodily response that she was pressed in to.

"Gods!" He bit his lip hard and snaked his hand up to the back of her neck. Drawing her in for a deep and demanding kiss. "You know anywhere private?"

She broke the kiss breathlessly, feeling her body heating up in preparation for him. "I know of some places." She said, pulling him gently away from the bar and the dancing nobles.

All she did was move him away, her eyes leading the way.

He was the deer in the headlights, being led to a something quite naughty and he followed willingly.

A different route this time, not down and out like last time, no study rooms or expansive sized libraries with secret passages hidden, here there and everywhere. Kali stopped intermittently and pushed him up against the wall, taking her time with him, stroking him all over and teasing him into a stupor until he began panting and needing more.

"Mmm," Jay moaned as her lips smashed into his, though he could feel something hindering his space against the wall. It was too dark to see anything, let alone her naughty expression. Holding her face with his hands, he flicked his errant hair from his eyes and his head collided with a wall mounted crate. "Oww, mmmph" Groaning miserably, a frustrated laugh left his lips when he simultaneously lost his balance in the process. "Haa, we-we need better lighting in here."

She couldn't even see him, she only heard his sudden fall to the floor. His long limbs sprawled, had inadvertently tripped her too and she landed hard on top of him, knocking all of the wind out of his sails in the process.

"Nnnggh." Jay had grunted out in response,"Oww…Kali, ha, uh haa, are y-you alright?" he edged up onto his elbows, feeling her impossible weight on his chest.

"I am," she said, trying to find a place to put her hands. "I have to agree with you on the lighting."

Though they remained on the unforgiving floor for a good few seconds, she could feel his grin against her lips. It wasn't the most comfortable place. Kali got up, eventually and straightened herself. "I am sorry, My Lord, maybe somewhere else?"

She had wanted to pull him up but he'd clambered up and pinned her back against the wall before she had a second to react to what had just happened.

"Can we drop the formalities, Kali?"

"My Lord?"

Jay shook his head and a small chuckle escaped. Perhaps he could bring her round to the idea of using his name rather than this title he'd been lumbered with.

"Maybe somewhere without obstacles?" He suggested, now grinning against her neck, one foot still stuck in the small wooden crate.

She was about to pull him gently but he stepped backwards and tripped over the unseen thing that was stuck to his foot and fell over spectacularly.

"Haa, s-sorry," Jay mumbled red faced as he fell backwards with Kali on top after they'd stumbled together this time. "Health and safety here's not like it is where I come from."

"You should take me there one day?"

"I guess I could," he replied, feeling for her face in the darkness. "You okay, not hurt?"

"I am fine, no harm done."

This area was too busy, there were too many noble people milling around and too many things that had been strewn on the floor. Jay had tripped over every single one so far, luckily and oddly he'd received no injury.

"I think I know of an alcove that overlooks the stables, it's private?"

Jay nodded and allowed her to lead the way, all the time watching her body, imagining it naked and on top of his. "I'm in your capable hands." He stated, biting his bottom lip lustfully as he watched her move, allowing her to pull him along for the ride.

* * *

 _ **M RATING from here on out...**_

Now finally in a darkened alcove, Jay couldn't see a damned thing. It was exceedingly dark and he could hear her struggling with something. She had quickly put something soft into his hands and he gulped when he realised what he was now holding. And what she was about to do to him.

His breath held, he wanted to kiss her first before the main event, so he felt for her and raised her off her knees. Jay clasped his hands around her face and he brought her toward him.

The kiss was gentle, building up to a deeply, passionate one that quickly took over. Jay was vaguely aware that she was undoing his trousers as he devoured her mouth, he didn't mind; he was grasping her firmly, moaning into her mouth as the hardest part of him was pressed against her.

Breathlessly, Kali broke the kiss, a pink hue upon her erstwhile pale complexion. Bodies pressed together, she whispered into his ear. "Can I?"

"Mmm, uhm s-sure." Jay replied, breathlessly, his knuckles clenched hard.

Her hand slipped down, happy to find his rising interest for her. She thought it must have been tight and uncomfortable for him, as she loosened each leather strap. He was almost free, no longer restrained as Kali grasped him, earning a hiss in response as she pulled him free, keeping her hand firm.

Jay paused his kiss, his eyes were smouldering as he observed her undoing his tunic top with her free hand. "Y-you sure about th-this?"

"I am." She replied, baring his chest and rubbing her hand over it as the other remained lower. Kali loved the sounds he made, none more so than the ones he made with her ministrations of him. She had one hand rubbing across that oh so sensitive chest and neck of his as she kissed him again, the other, keeping him in the moment.

The torchlight played upon her skin, her kiss lingered, pulling him in. She was insatiable, Jay was breathless, pulling away to gather his thoughts. His exposed skin bristling with the coldness of the mid-evening.

But she seemingly knew what she was doing and Jay leaned forward with his forearms resting against the black stone walls of this inner alcove.

"Come toward me, My prince." She beckoned. "Watch me, teach me how you like it."

xxxx

The stars and brightness from the lit flames of Nornkeep was giving some brightness so the young lovers could at least see each other's faces now.

And what a view it was.

His face, up until that point, had been pointing upwards towards the ornate swirling patterns on the stone masonry, eyes slowly adjusting to the dimness that surrounded both.

That was until he felt her mouth caressing him gently, tugging and pulling him towards her repeatedly. And he closed his eyes in response, panting roughly, letting out a sinful moan as he felt her tongue and lips smoothing over him.

"Oh, g-god…" Jay was opening his eyes slowly to the sight of her, he released a deep male growl of satisfaction in response.

Wickedly, he watched her with rapture as she continued to blow his mind. "Cover your teeth, Kali," he ordered gently and further hissed as she attempted to cover him.

Unable to keep his eyes off her, he further struggled to contain the noises spilling from his mouth.

"Mmmm, that's it, just like that," he groaned whilst his hands clenched until his knuckles were pure white underneath. His stance remained firm and unmoving.

He was doing all in his power not to push into her mouth further. "Mmm, that's, good." He replied in a breathless whisper, drawing each word out slowly. Watching as her pink lips and jaw adjusted to his size.

She complied, slowly caressing the smooth but hard skin with her hand and mouth.

"Harder, _please_ ," he growled, voice deep with lust.

Smiling, she did as he said, tasting him yet again. Her warm hand gripping him and taking as much of him as she could.

He bit his bottom lip but remained stock still leaning forwards with both forearms on the wall, "Slowly, Kali, _please!_ " His eyes closed blissfully and a small smile came to his face.

The feelings she wrought with her mouth and tongue had his right hand subconsciously coming down to rest at the back of her head as he brought her closer. This was good, sinfully so and he began moving gently with her. He threw his head back, allowing his auburn hair to cascade down upon his cloaked back. "Mmm Kali, that's it, use your tongue."

She moved her hand as ordered, following his instruction raptly. Her confidence and speed building up with each stroke. Feeling his grip on her hair tighten, she carried on.

Jay sucked in a deep breath and blew it out between his parted lips when she grasped his glutes and pulled him towards her.

The first thing she noted, his backside was soft and smooth. Warm and free of hair. His cheeks were hard, rounded and oh so toned. She could tell he was tensing up because his stance was solid too, rocking slightly.

His legs tensed with her continued ministrations, Jay was using one hand on the wall to steady himself, an attempt from falling forward.

That one moment of weakness piqued when his eyes trailed down to her again and he felt himself twitch in her mouth when their eyes met. A deep throaty groan ensued and he picked her up quickly, pushing her against the wall with an urgent need.

She looked at him in shock, "Did I do something wrong?" Her voice small, worried that she had hurt him in some way.

Yet, it was obvious she hadn't because he became ravenous with her and pushed her, none to gently up against the same wall, he'd been leaning on.

His hands were on her instantly, roving all over her. His eyes burning into her own, "No," he laughed softly as he continued to kiss her neck and chest, revealing more flesh as he pulled the corset undone with a desperate need to free what was hidden beneath.

He was breathing heavily, almost struggling to find coherence. "Quite the opposite actually."

"You can finish what you started another time." His lips joining hers rapidly. "I'm the only thing you need, right now," he licked his lips and devoured her mouth with such a longing desperation that he moaned when he pressed himself against her.

Passion was driving his dark romance as he slammed her against the wall. His touch was spreading like wildfire across her body. It was almost electric and she felt it travelling down as his hands grasped her firmly, a certain insistence to how rough he was being.

He lowered himself, looking at her for a reaction. All he could see was natural beauty, she wanted him, that much was clear to see.

"Can I?" He asked, watching as she pulled up the sumptuous layers that made up the underskirt. " _Pl_ - _please_."

Her answer wasn't verbalised, instead, she used her hands, bringing him closer.

Jay didn't need to be told twice. He licked his lips in anticipation because the sight of her pink bared flesh before him was utter heaven. It was intoxicating, and he knew, right there and then, he needed to have her, to taste her and to enjoy her, that was exactly what he was intending to do.

So, without further delay, Jay none too gently hoisted her leg up at an angle and once free of the perilous limb, he closed in, trailing his lips down the expanse of pale flesh, nearing her every second, peppering her with kisses to add to the excitement. When he was there, at her centre, he simply feasted.

Kali thrashed against him, biting her knuckles to keep from shouting out uncouth obscenities.

Jay squeezed her thigh in response and increased the speed of his fingers and tongue. Her groans and increase in movement made him go faster and soon his own pleasured moans tipped her over the edge.

* * *

This, for a prince, for a man, or her future king; was a position of vulnerability and surrender. To his mate, or to his queen, this would be the same lowered stance he would assume, to pledge a loyalty to his kingdom and to ask for a hand in marriage.

It was erotic, _then_ , to know that in this exact moment, he was in her hands, _literally_.

She had such a firm grasp on his auburn hair, entwined and wrapped around each finger. Kali pulled it tight, feeling him groan into such a sensitive place that she pulled tighter in response as each cresting wave pulsed to signify her climax.

His hot breath, ghosted her skin as he continued with renewed vigour. This was a man, a young prince, and a warrior who was trying his hardest to make her happy, to please and satisfy her needs, as she had done for him.

He kissed his way back up with a smug grin, uncaring about the dress at that moment. "Kali, mmmph, you taste good." He mumbled, licking his fingers.

So much pent-up lust had been bubbling up in readiness for this night. Both were past caring now, the levels of pleasure were approaching sinful extremes.

Jay stared at her, his lips already felt bruised, but he still went back in for another. Slowing down to deliver gentle kisses as he adjusted her dress.

Her hands had quickly entangled in his hair as she pulled him as close as possible. The action of grasping his hair in such a close proximity to his crown, had her recoiling her hand as she received a literal buzz. "Oooh," she giggled, touching it again to the same effect.

She broke the kiss, leaving his lips to trail her neck instead. "It tingles."

Jay smirked at her. "Sorry," he mumbled, removing his crown before it fell off completely. "Is that better, hunh?" He said, holding it in his hand and moving it further up his arm so it didn't impede his other hand as it squeezed her exposed flesh. His mouth soon latched on and her eyes closed in euphoric pleasure.

"Mmm, much…."

His lips had locked back onto hers when Jay closed the gap between their bodies, he placed one hand on the small of her back and the other was gently stroking her face, working its way behind her neck, to pull her closer to him. His tongue was teasing at her lips to gain entrance.

She allowed him and reciprocated with just as much lust. Kali moved his hand, which, at that moment, was placed in a very respectable place to between her legs.

"Is that a hint?" He broke the kiss and grinned.

"Say my name…" She whispered into his ear. Allowing him to prepare himself as she hoisted the dress up.

"Kali, I've missed you." He whispered in response and pushed into her gently, feeling her tense around him. "Missed this."

It was true, no lie. This was genuine lust, not tainted by magic in the slightest. This time, there was no Amora and no potions, his mind was his own. Just as it had been when he had shared this same closeness to Nya.

Her head had been thrown back, a hiss ensued as she felt him, tempered, controlled and oh so hard. For a good few seconds, it felt like time was standing still. All she could feel was him and nothing else. He was deep inside her, body and mind, un-moving but breathing heavily against her chest. He felt warm whilst exuding nothing but calm, likely trying to not get too overwhelmed with the situation.

He still hadn't moved, he was letting her adjust slowly. "Tell me what feels good to you, Kali." He said, into her ear as he pinned her gently against the wall. Eyes closed serenely as he fought the urge to move, he knew his own body and he was desperately fighting it, every step of the way….until she was ready.

Soon, she realised that he had severely limited her movements. Judging by his mischievous look, he'd done it on purpose and she had no choice but to begin some slow and soft circles, grinding herself against him. She was doing something right because he bit his bottom lip and his mouth opened in unbridled passion, he released some very sinful moans as a result.

Jay growled in stark male approval, with more deliberation. "Let me help you with that," He said smoothly, a look of need in his eyes. "Because I really need to move now."

And with that, he began, tantalizingly slow, sinfully moaning at the exquisite feeling as he withdrew.

Adjusting slowly to the intrusion, Kali had begun panting without realising. "It-it was so h-hard seeing you hurt. All th-that time you spent away from Asgard. I thought that your intentions w-were not pure." She said, holding firm onto his shoulders.

He kept a firm grip on his cloak and squeezed it between his fingers, holding onto the wall for support. The other hand was holding her tightly as they moved together. He watched as her expressions changed from lust to pleasure to need, fairly sure that he too, exuded the same look about his person.

"My intentions might be pure." He smirked with a face so full of concentration, he licked his lips bringing her closer still. "My mind and my thoughts though, they're a different matter." He chuckled, despite the amorous situation he'd put them both in. He was moving slowly as he kissed her neck, she wasn't protesting in the slightest.

His eyes momentarily glancing down the golden sword at his waist, the cursed sword was flickering when he spoke his last words to her, luckily, she had been too preoccupied to notice such irrelevancies.

"Dammit, you feel so good, but this is wrong, it's all wrong." He moved so slowly against her, tantalizingly slow.

"Nnngh…" he grunted out, struggling to keep it restrained. His breath was catching in his throat as he struggled to keep himself from blowing so quickly. Jay was loosening his upper clothes with one hand, the other remained firm on her hip as he continued, likely leaving finger-shaped bruises where he was gripping her tightly.

He was unable to stop the moans falling from his own kiss-bruised lips. "God…so good" He mumbled into the crook of her neck, grasping her waist tightly before delivering a passionate and demanding kiss.

"It is not allowed, for you?" She asked softly, breaking the kiss in an almost breathless whisper.

"No, it's not that…" He paused his movements when he heard talking, it was nearing their location. Again he placed his mouth over her lips as he felt her reaching her climax.

It was always a quick thing for Kali, experience had told him as much as usual. She would be vocal too. So he quickly and effortlessly placed his lips over hers and muffled that climactic release, feeling the vibrations of her pleasure spilling wantonly into his mouth.

It felt so good, to feel that. Too good because she'd brought him that bit closer. "Next time-" he panted and continued, upping his speed, "-Next time, I don't want to muffle the sounds you make. I want to hear them for myself." He whispered into her ear.

She bit his lip in response, almost drawing blood as the feeling had sent her spiralling out of control. "Y-you promise?" She whispered and held firm onto his shoulders. Her fair face was flushed red and her hair had fallen out of its plait.

Holding her firm between both hands, the prince continued and tried a little longer to hold onto his sanity. She felt so good, everything about this felt right. Yet he still couldn't get some of the overarching guilt from his mind that Kali deserved more than a vigorous and fervent romp in a darkened alley. She really deserved privacy and respect.

But right now, all he wanted was this. He was getting close too, her body was coaxing him in her own special way. He had pulled her up backwards by her wrists and used his free hand to turn her face slightly. "You're beautiful Kali," he kissed her neck softly, "-so beautiful."

Jay had angled his hips differently and she groaned loudly in response. "I told you that," he panted, "that this would happen if you teased me."

He moaned her name at the same time and muttered some incoherent expletives under his breath as he took in the beauty of her body…The part that he could see as clear as day, each controlled thrust sent ripples upwards, resulting in a satisfied moan from both. "You're beautiful, stunningly so." His hand had strayed to her front and there it remained. Moving in time with him.

"Kali, I want to feel you come undone," he whispered, "around me." He bit her earlobe gently and no sooner had the words left his mouth, she had obeyed his command. He could feel it, she almost capsized the both of them with the feeling. "You liked that, hmm?"

He wasn't ashamed, not really. He knew she wouldn't mind the finger-shaped bruises on each hip and thigh. It was as if he had marked her as his own, and was continuing to do so.

No shame, from her either. She could easily mask the marks that her lover had left. It wasn't like her intended had seen her body in its natural state anyway. At this rate, he would never see it, at least not like the prince had and _was_.

Kali could hear him. The way he took in a deep breath and pushed it out, timing it with each fast stroke. Occasionally, his lips would part and his head would tip back as he breathed and moaned out the feeling that no words could possibly describe.

"Then do not hold back." She gasped, whispering the words into his ear of what she wanted him to do.

* * *

 _ **You remember that unplanned jaunt to Iceland?**_

 _ **It happened after Sigyn cast her spell. And the subsequent fallout that ensued was Loki's doing. He tried to destroy something that night and he succeeded. (Let's call it a paradox or a paradigm shift)**_

 _ **This isn't to say that Jay will never get a chance with Nya because now, with Karnilla's help, he can start anew.**_


	90. What awful badluck

For that moment, neither could get enough of the other. Both taken over by some insane desire that left them needing more.

And though this might not work for either, they were still desperately reaching out for something that they would likely never have. Kali, was the daughter of nobility, she was promised to another. Then there was Jay, a so called weapon of chaos, with no knowing where his true future would lead. Besides, if Loki had his way, Jay would never be allowed to experience this new feeling of love until the God would release him from servitude.

It hadn't always been like that, before Iceland he was relatively normal. Thanks in part to Sigyn who attempted to repair the fissure that Loki had caused. After Iceland, it changed. He'd grown cold, distant, wary of love and all the power that it supposedly held. No one had noticed though, he hid it well. He wasn't stupid either, he knew when it had happened. The potion he consumed whether forced into his drink or not, it had begun to destroy him from the inside; the innocent life he took, well, that was just a cruel necessity, a means to an end of his former bonds.

Sadly, Loki had poisoned his mind so much, that all Jay had yearned for was the physical aspect. He wanted the wrong part of it, the desire, the lust. Hel, he wanted to feel closeness from such women who would happily sell their soul just for a night to remember; the ones who were as shallow as a puddle on the sun.

That was what he wanted, wasn't it? Had Karnilla just freed him from that burden, if it could be called that. Maybe, he thought it was a possible aggravation he could do without, either way, he wasn't sure anymore, everything was still so muddled in his mind.

What did he want anymore over what he needed. Did he love anyone? Kali? Nya? At this moment it was all he desired, no matter how wrong it seemed or how good it felt. She wanted it too, her body language was all he needed to get that answer. Kali had quickly and easily melted into him and his strong grasp. And then finally, when she had called out his name in a moment of verbalised weakness, he followed her right over the edge.

A slow, hot and shattering finish that had both out of breath and crumpling to the floor in a tangle of limbs.

His legs had given out and he had slid down the wall, sweat beading on his forehead. It had taken a few minutes of them both getting their breathing under control, before either was capable of speaking again.

"Your heart beats so fast after we couple, it did the last time we did this."

Jay was panting, smiling as he looked up and out at the night sky. "That's normal though, for guys." Each word breathed out slowly. He really needed a drink of water now, all that strong alcohol was dehydrating.

"I mean to ask you why. Some men here barely break a sweat when coupling."

Jay cocked his head, looking directly at her as she straddled his hips. "Men burn more calories." He offered, not entirely sure that she wanted a round two but going along with it regardless.

He then noted her frown in response to his words, meaning she really had no idea of what he was uttering. "I mean, we expend more energy?" Jay didn't think it would be the right time to say that the men do all the work. He wouldn't be sure how she would take that, she might have even agreed with him or hit him over the head to state that in fact, no, women do all the work.

"So many distractions today," she said, tousling his hair. "So much emotion, this is a good outlet yes?"

Cocking his head to the side, he nodded slowly. "Well, it's an outlet sure." He chuckled breathlessly as things began to heat up again. "Haa, I've had so many distractions today, you probably think I'm weak?"

"You are not weak." She said in response. Her mouth insistent upon his neck, biting and sucking hard, leaving love bite after love bite. "Not at all."

"Kali, I-I'm not supposed to…" He whispered, pausing as her lips trailed down his neck. "I need to get ba…"

"So sensitive my prince…I am sure Gustav will be rounding the troops up soon."

"Kali….please." Biting his lip, he began to tangle his fingers through her almost white hair. He wasn't allowed to fall in love, to feel it for himself. Loki had tried to destroy that part.

"I-I'm not allowed to…." He hissed, looking into her deep blue eyes. Sure, he was eligible, but Loki would never allow him the time to look. If anything, Loki would probably choose a mate for him, and that thought made him shiver inside. In fact, he wasn't even sure what love was anymore. The idea of it had been erased from his mind a good few months ago.

And now, it was all to be a new experience. The feelings, the rejection. Jay would have to go through all of these things again. This time, they would come with a severe hex for each time he got it wrong.

"You're making this very hard for me," he mumbled, peppering kisses along her jaw bone when she leaned forward enough. Jay closed his eyes, fumbling with her dress. _Nya would never wear one like this_ , he thought.

She stared down at him with bright blue dilated eyes. Kali was falling for him and she was falling hard. "I know, but this is all we have, that first night then _our_ first night and now this."

"But we, we shouldn't be doing this, because it's disrespectful, to you," he said, pulling her in for another kiss.

"You did not complain last time?" She hitched her dress up and lowered herself onto him watching his face as his lips parted once more.

"Mmm."

Hissing gently, Kali adjusted again until they were joined as one, having that all consuming feeling of depth and fullness that only he could provide at this moment. The soreness she felt would surely linger and be indicative of this nights activities.

"So, you're just helping yourself, huh?" Jay smirked, panting without realising. His free hand moved his errant hair from his face so as to get a better look at the female who was bringing out his naughty side. The other hand holding firm onto her clothed hip as she set the relentless pace.

"It is no better here than Asgard my prince." She took control this time, holding his shoulders firm. "The philandering is still the same, wherever mead and fair maidens are found."

"Philandering haa, sounds like pirate talk." He snickered, watching her face as her eyes closed. It was a sight to behold, the way she gave herself over to her body. How easy it was for her to release wave after wave and how damned difficult it was for Jay not to follow her over that precipice into the same feelings of white hot passion. He could feel her climax coming to an end, her movements slowing.

"Did you enjoy that?" He asked, finally seeing her open eyes. They seemed to glisten with vibrant energy, as if she had taken some of his power and used it to feel that electrifying release. In fact, come to think of it, he did feel a little _drained_.

"I did." She leaned towards him again, kissing his forehead. "I love you," she whispered, finally coming back down to the realm as her breathing calmed.

Cole would probably laugh at Jay now. This definitely wasn't a one night stand anymore, Jay was addicted, he wanted her body just as much as she wanted his. The lustful feelings and the pent up frustration at being denied what his cursed soul desired. His broken heart had wanted to feel closeness for months, yet he lacked the desire to maintain it. He had been poisoned that much that he foolishly believed, that relationships were a waste of time, even mocked his own brother when he mentioned St Valentines for a wedding date.

His euphoric haze was rudely interrupted with the mention of those three strange words. His lilac eyes shot open, but he didn't reciprocate. "Ya know, I've wanted this to happen for a long time." Jay said with a breathless moan. "Just you and I."

"How long?" Kali asked, tentatively.

Jay grinned against her lips. "Since the last time, and," he seemed to smile and bite his lip. "There's a whole list of things that I want to do with you too," he said, running his fingers over her lips.

Suddenly Kali seemed shy and self-conscious as he moved slowly within her. "Tell me of this list then?" She asked, looking at that devilish smile that seemed to come from nowhere.

"I want to _have you_ in my shower, on the table in my room, on every surface in your home." He kissed against her neck so gently and she moaned along with him.

"I want to kiss each inch of your body, to taste you, and," he paused again. "I want to watch you touch yourself."

She climaxed at his words and shouted out until he muffled the noises yet again. When Kali was capable of speaking she wondered what else he was thinking. "And when everything off your list is complete?" she whispered between gasps.

Jay could feel her mounting excitement and damn how he was struggling to contain his own. "Don't worry about that," he said, biting his lip in concentration, "it's a very long list."

"Mmmm." She bit her bottom lip, "You don't know how much I love you. But, it surpasses the stars and Heven."

He knew at that moment how much she wanted him, how much she craved some attention. He increased his speed with the ego boost and his eyes closed when she dug her fingers into his back.

"You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love you."

It was a mutual attraction to him. But to her it was obviously more. It was all she was muttering, the same three words repeated over and over circling his thoughts as he fought to control his own urges. Self restraint cracking by the second as he thought of what she said, and the meaning those three words held. _I love you..._

"I, I need you... _want you_ ," He had to stop himself before he revealed his vulnerable side. The part of him that he was struggling to keep hidden the more she probed. And it hurt so much mentally as her embrace cradled him, with such warming affection he allowed himself to fall deeper. Truthfully, he hadn't felt this close for such a long time so he held onto her as tight as she was, Now moving together as one until that soul crushing pain made way for a burst of temporary pleasure to take hold.

 _I shall not discard you like broken glass, nor abandon you, my prince._

She looked at him as he continued, in the moment of semi private intimacy. She saw how guarded he had become in past months, something had changed in him, he had become darker somehow yet she didn't know why. Once, when he first arrived with Odin, Kali though that the young protector was unsure of himself and what he was capable of. He lacked any confidence around the Einherjar and it took time for him to break out of his shell.

According to her, Odin All-Father had done it. Yet something had still changed in Jay, when he'd come back a broken man. She knew something was awry when his brothers had been sent to bring him back. He was dark, untrusting and cold when he returned from Midgard. A part of him was missing and she couldn't place it.

But, at this exact moment, as she looked into his heavily lidded eyes and saw the lust in them. She saw something else too, he was vulnerable, unguarded yet beautiful in his lack of restraint. Those walls of protection that he had built high and unrelenting around himself and his feelings, were crumbling. It made her wonder, if after this, he would attempt to build that up again, to hide his true self.

She had only known him briefly and already she knew that he probably would. Jay wouldn't want to reveal anything private about himself, he would choose to keep it locked away. Even the questions they sought from each other much earlier, Jay had told her the barest information about himself, she knew he was holding back, keeping more than a little held inside.

And even now, she had only learnt of a few of his wants and needs. Nothing about what he truly wanted, about his future and his dreams.

* * *

Both hands came to rest on her as he directed the pace. It was his turn now, his backside had lost all feeling, making him wish he'd used a bedroom instead. Moving together as the pace quickened, this night was coming to an explosive end.

" _Mmm, that's it_ ," he moaned quietly. "J-just like that."

Jay was panting with exertion, close to begging her for mercy to let him find that pleasured end. He looked up at her as she rode him hard, watching as her braided hair finally unravelled and cascaded down her exposed front. He watched as she tilted her head to the ceiling, looking at every part of her face, her dimples as she smiled in euphoric pleasure, her kiss bruised lips and those sumptuous mounds of flesh that he just had to grab.

"You're close?" She asked.

Jay didn't say anything cheesy. His erratic breathing probably told her everything.

"Mmm, I-I..." he gripped her hips hard, moving her against him to gain more friction. And only now, could he feel himself building up to the shattering finale, he was close. Her body, writhing against his, pinning him in place beneath her gyrating hips.

Almost there, he could feel it...His jaw was clenched, gritted teeth as that coil within him tightened.

Head tilted back, eyes closed and lips parted in unbridled passion.

It carried on like that for a few seconds until someone walked past, the footsteps paused then backtracked, likely spurned on by the vocalised sounds of pleasure spilling forth, emanating from this darkened alcove.

And then...

His world came to a shattering halt when he felt an unwelcome hand disturbing him. Kali's head quickly snuggling into his shoulder, so as not to be seen.

"My Lord, your men and horse await your imminent arrival."

Jay paused his fast movements, feeling so close to the edge. He blushed massively, speaking over his shoulder. "Just uhm, o-okay, thank you." His cloak not obscuring the female at all.

"I am so sorry. I apologise for the intrusion, my Lord." He mumbled with a hint of shame at having disturbed an intimate moment that looked to be nearing it's end. "They wait for you, in the courtyard." The guard had walked off silently, his footsteps could be heard diminishing, mumbling to his accompanying sentry.

Jay cringed, with the double entendre. He sat still. Well, as still as possible. This was despite her getting as close as she humanely could. Her heat was sending him over the edge, it completely surrounded him.

His movements were slow and languid. He nuzzled into her neck, repeating the same thing over and over. Lazily moving, having lost the moment.

"I'm so sorry, Kali, really, _really sorry_." He sighed, mentally chastising himself for his lack of restraint. "I shouldn't have forced you to..."

He felt like a teenager again, being caught by an older adult, doing something naughty which wasn't far from the truth. These people were much older than he was, by at least 1000 years, give or take a few hundred. He couldn't remember what had happened and why he felt so energised. Why he had a massive head rush that felt similar to a brain freeze and why his finger-tips were dancing with tendrils of lightning, or for that matter, why her hair was slightly static.

Kali hadn't responded, her head buried in the crook of his neck.

"I'm _sorry_. I uhm, maybe we should have used a room or something?"

She was quick to silence his apologies. This was partially her fault for being so bold and forward during dinner. "It's fine, it happens all the time." She replied and pushed herself against him.

His scarred eyebrow rose, but she didn't see much of it as his lips trailed down her neck. "Does it?" He questioned her statement with a teasing grin.

"I-I meant not with me." She chuckled, allowing her hips to close the small gap, earning a gasp from Jay as he fought to control the feeling.

"I-I didn't mean to embarrass you, or uhm damage your reputation. I'm s-sorry."

"Stop." She said with her finger over his lips. "Don't apologise." She pulled him back towards her and watched as he struggled to contain himself.

"I-I can't I have to go." He kissed her neck, her jawbone and her lips, withdrawing from her gently. "I can't stay, God I'd love to though, stay and finish _this_." He looked back at her apologetically. "Again, I'm sorry."

Kali put her arms around his neck and pulled him close. "Another time?" She thought he was about to cry. It wouldn't be the first time this evening. The poor prince had already seen so much this day, his mind should have been destroyed with what he was rumoured to have seen.

Yet all she wanted to do was to take him home and keep him safe from further harm. She never wanted to see him like that again.

"My prince…?"

He placed his crown, no smile on his face, just mortification at having been caught.

* * *

She was terrified when she saw him earlier. No breath and blue lips, un-moving and listless. Being carried by Gus like a wounded soldier. Whilst she carried his crown. Of course, Kali had only heard snippets of his visions courtesy of Karnilla. And that was only because she had been busy liaising with Odin whilst in Gladsheim. One of his two ravens, had been flying back and forth for the past two hours. Huginn was his name, the raven of thought had been chosen to relay messages from the God to the queen in quick succession.

It was a blunder of gargantuan proportions. One that Loki has been trying to avoid ever since Jay set foot on Asgard. It was the whole reason he went to the expense of speaking to the creators and asking a small favour to create a time paradox.

He looked up at her, once he had removed his face from her neck. "Jay, please."

 ** _'_** ** _That's it, let her in to your heart….'_**

Oh God, that voice, Loki was in his mind again. Had he just witnessed what Jay had done? Had he been a idle participant to this show of rampant lust? He really hoped not, because that would be completely overstepping the boundaries of his own privacy and dignity. Though both were slipping from his grasp the longer Loki aimed to control him.

 _Leave me to do this myself._

 ** _A weapon has no feelings_**

 _That's so cold and callous._

 ** _What is a living weapon if it has feelings, Jay?_**

He didn't answer, just sighed in frustration. Loki loved the sound of his own voice and he knew he was about to say something boring or vitriolic or pointless.

 ** _A weakness in the fold, a weak link in the chain._**

Kali had stood, relieving the pressure from Jay's legs and pelvis. "It is not how it should be My Lord, one should be afforded the correct formality and title…. _Jay!_ " She said the last part quietly, so as only he could hear it.

In gratitude for allowing him the use of his legs again, Jay stood up unsteadily and readjusted himself, grinning at the sound of his name from her lips. Their current state alluded to what they had been doing so Jay turned his back to the alcove entrance and used his cloak to shield her as she straightened her gown. His own cloak helped to hide the both of them as he adjusted his own trousers, blushing at himself and the fact he'd been caught.

It also gave him the time to adjust his stiff collar and formal tunic, his cloak and stupidly tight trousers that, at that exact moment showed more of his manhood than he cared to admit.

"Kali, no-one is going to shout at you for calling me by my actual name, are they?"

She smirked at this. "Audunn might… _Jay_." She had more courage behind it that time.

 ** _I will, her family will be shamed._**

"Really?" Jay asked both to Loki and Kali.

She nodded at him. "Tis not the done thing in the palace nor when your guards are nearby. Audunn would think nothing of shaming me and my family because he doesn't get on with my brother."

 ** _Audunn knows royal protocol, to be expected….He is the All Father's aide after all._**

"You mean," He had to think of the name, it had been a few hours and a heck of a lot of mead since then. "Dagr? I thought they got on fine?"

"Acquaintances only, they work together because they must." Kali shook her head slowly, saying no more as she too attempted to straighten her attire and re-pin her hair.

His trousers seemed to ping back together effortlessly, molding to his body yet revealing his need to all and sundry. He pulled his tunic lower but it still didn't hide it, his cloak was used instead. He groaned, turning to look at her again, her long platinum hair had fallen down her back, which she was attempting to braid. Her cheeks were flushed with an afterglow. Her kiss swollen lips that he had nibbled and sucked were still calling to him. Heck those same lips had attempted to surround him entirely about thirty minutes earlier.

She looked coyly at him, biting the edge of her bottom lip. "That was certainly intense and pleasurable."

"Which part?" He teased, shaking his head in jest. "I aim to please." He said quickly with a hint of smugness about it. "Several times actually."

Her rouge was smudged, trails of it were on her neck, clear to see against her chalk white skin. He guessed some of it would be on his neck too and around his groin, but it was so dark now, it wasn't going to be a dead giveaway.

She fumbled with her dress, and retrieved something that Jay had no idea about, nor where she had hidden it.

"It's nightfall, the return journey can be treacherous. Here, take this with you, it'll light your path in-case you lose your way." She passed him a blue tear drop shaped bottle.

It was so small he was unsure of its purpose or if it held any power. He looked it and stared some more, he was perplexed by the small thing he held. " _Can be! W_ hat sort of things are likely to attack in the dead of night, huh?"

"Rogues mostly, but if you remain with your men and ride together you should be fine. The Einherjar are well trained and more than experienced to handle some potential rogues and, other creatures."

Jay already knew this, it was nothing new. Those men, were tight. They prided themselves on their strength and male machismo, never ones to step down from a challenge. He knew all of them well, and now he guessed, he'd be taking punishment for all of them too, a thought that he had forgotten about until she mentioned them.

 _Haa, Odin would have to catch me first._

"Uh, creatures, like what?"

"Just trust me on that," giving him the bottle, she placed it in his hand, closing his fingers around it. "Shake it, if only to guide your way. If you need it, take it with you to the dark world, may it be your only light."

"Sounds like some horror flick, stay to the paths?" He looked back at her and tucked the bottle within his inner clothes, "But, uh thanks." Reaching towards his Under Armour and finding the smallest pocket near his chest, he stowed the trinket for safekeeping. "Safe and sound," he winked and smirked at her. He had only caught a little of what she had said. "Uhm, Kali, what type of creatures though?"

"Wolves mostly, just recently, there have been a spate of wolf attacks. Some say it may just be the one but however many wolves there are, they leave nothing of their prey." She looked worried for a split second. "Please, be careful tonight."

"What do you think I'm gonna do? Go off on my own for a quick recon mission?" He chuckled but stopped, he deadpanned when he realised she didn't understand his wit nor retorts. "I would never, uh go on my own. Not anymore."

"MY LORD _PLEASE._ " The palace guards were mildly insistent, having returned once more to find him in the same position, un-moving.

"Just a few more minutes, please!" He rolled his eyes, mouthing a silent apology to his female companion.

They stood waiting for an order, not moving with eerie green glowing eyes that looked ghastly in the dark corridors.

Refusing to glare at them, they were only doing their job after all. He turned his blushing face to observe them. "Uh, can you give us just a few more minutes?" He asked.

It had worked, _partially_. Jay heard them shuffling nearby, out of sight but not mind. They knew where he was and he figured they were standing around the corner to give privacy but it was apparent, they were becoming antsy.

She looked at him in confusion, his modern language was still a thing of intrigue. It was evident she didn't follow his train of thought nor understand his colloquialisms quite yet.

"What about you, will you be staying here tonight?" He asked, kissing her neck passionately against the wall.

"We can take you back safely?" His eyebrow quivered. "You could spend the night with me, in my room and, we could tick of some of those things on my list?"

She shook her head and leaned back against the wall, pulling him back with her until their bodies were flush. She could still feel his desire, it only served to make her hot again. "I will be back tomorrow, but…you'll be going off to Svartalfheim shortly thereafter." She replied and kissed up his neck, feeling his laboured breathing.

"I shall come and see you before you go, maybe we can finish this then, or start anew." Her hand rubbed against him and he fought the feelings that began to pool at his groin.

He looked back at her with fire in his eyes, and she shivered in anticipation with the look he was casting her way. The way he looked at her, made his intentions perfectly clear. She knew exactly what he wanted to do with her, and she blushed with the anticipation and the promise in those amethyst orbs.

"Now go, safe journeys, _all of you_ and if I do not see you tomorrow, may your endeavours be as abundant as the grains of sand." She kissed him on his forehead, his crown sparkling in the moonlight.

"I love you, my Prince, be safe." She whispered gently and watched as he turned to leave.

 ** _Do it, break her heart._**

 _I-I don't want to hurt her…she's special to me!_

 ** _She is nothing but a whore, a concubine._**

Castle soldiers and two Einherjar were stationed only a few metres away, waiting patiently for his imminent departure.

His fists were clenched by his side. Teeth gritted until he relaxed enough to formulate his words, "Yeah, uhm thanks Kali." He replied, hating himself for saying so little, it made it seem like he didn't care. In a way, it was disgusting, he felt like he'd used her. He just hoped that she'd think of it as nothing and not push it further.

She frowned at him when he didn't return her well-intended sentiment, her head cocked to the side. "Do you not want somebody to love, my prince?" She inquired.

His back was turned to her, his movements stilled. Jay paused mid step thinking of what she had just asked him and how best to answer it. He faltered, turning slowly, the pain had returned to his face. A tear had rolled down his cheek. "I-I want to…" He paused, deep in thought for a few seconds. What was it that Karnilla had mentioned about this replenishment spell?

 _I want to feel love, to be loved._

"I love you," she repeated as if to make a point.

He stilled, not knowing what to say to make it right. The feeling of being speechless was something new, he felt like his words had just dried up in his mouth. He looked at her, observing her face and body language unsure of what to say that didn't involve a complete lie.

"Can you not return the sentiment?" She asked, walking back up to him. Sh frowned, wondering why he was backing away slightly, the confusion growing on her face.

"I love you my prince, love is a many precious and splendid thing, do you not feel the same of it?"

He could feel her pressing the subject further. "Kali, please… _don't_." he wasn't going to beg, this was more of a plea, a desperate one at that.

She approached him and saw his frown growing darker by the second. "My prince, this love is nature's way of giving a reason to be living. Those marks on your neck are love letters written on the skin, like our love, they are special."

"No," He gently grasped at her wrists. He could feel something like a blade, deep within his chest, the feeling was similar to a twisting motion, tearing into his heart, causing him intense pain. "Kali, st-stop…." He gasped out, pain clouding his normally calm demeanour.

"Do you know love, do you not need somebody to love in return?"

 ** _BREAK HER_**

 _LOKI, stop_

He closed his eyes and panted harshly, as unseen flames licked at his skin, finding a way into his heart. whilst sending him up and over the pain threshold. He grabbed at his chest and stood his ground. "NO!" He growled squeezing her wrists tight.

Teeth bared in aggression, he towered over her as the pain took over. " **I don't need anyone to….. _love_**." The words were spoken with some difficulty. And yet, he felt something for her…why had he just lied, why had he shouted?

Jay released her and recoiled into himself so quickly as a sense of confusion took hold.

She had turned away from him, removing a discreet silk kerchief which she proceeded to dab her face with. Kali was shocked by his outburst and venomous tone. Never had he shouted at her before. And now, after this evening of lust and no more, Kali felt used and like the lowest of females, a _concubine_. The pain was truly unbearable. It felt like he had ruined her, for some stupid dare or bet.

Kali walked a distance away and paused, not allowing him to see the tears fall, not giving him that pleasure. _"You have done it on purpose, ruined me for your own selfish reasons?"_ She whispered it so only he could hear it.

Remorse and regret, he looked downcast when he observed her silhouette. His chest pain had subsided enough for him to attempt to calm her down. Yet the words she had just uttered had cut him deep, he thought this was what they both wanted.

"Kali?" He mouthed gently but received no reply. "I'm sorry, look." He walked back up to her slowly.

She didn't turn, he hadn't expected her to either.

Jay could hear her sobbing and it made him feel all that much worse for his careless actions. He had upset her, that much was evident. Furthermore, he'd never made a woman cry before and the feeling hurt him more than he cared to admit. Because now, he didn't know what to do, he felt like a bully, a player, someone uncaring of the female variety.

 _'_ _Damn it Loki…'_

He cautiously wrapped his arms around her front, unsure if she would allow it or not. Jay continued to link his warm hands until they interlinked with her own. His leather clad chest rubbed against her back as he lowered his head, placing his chin on her shoulder. "I'm _really_ sorry," he whispered, meaning every word.

In truth and nothing more, Jay didn't want to hurt her, Kali was the only one that listened to him and offered him support when no others were around. She was all he had when his own brothers were billions of miles away. But, in the processes of doing what his king wanted, Jay had done what he said he would never do to her. He'd hurt her by saying those words.

"Then why do you not reciprocate my love?" She asked as she turned in his arms to face him, the tears, still trailing down her fair complexion.

She pushed him forcefully against the wall behind him, the force of which blew most of the wind from his lungs. "Maybe this will change your mind?" She said with hurt in her eyes, she got back onto her knees and attempted to lower his trousers against his will.

It felt wrong, violent. Nothing like what they had just experienced, as a couple. Kali was becoming possessive of him and it was suffocating. Biting back the pain from within and the sounds of amusement from the nearby guards, he squared up to her. Jay had to make this right, somehow. "Kali, I-I can't do this..." Jay, being the exception to the rule, and completely different to every other male on this realm, stopped her from going any further. She was already shaming herself just for him, now she was willing to do it in front of the Nornkeep guards who stared at her show of vulgarity.

"Y-you don't need to do that, to prove a point," he said breathlessly, raising her to her feet. His hands began trembling as he watched the tears fall from those oh so blue eyes. He cupped her face and gently wiped her tears with his thumb. "Please, don't cry." He said, though the plea sounded more like he was begging her to stop. He turned away from her face, from the hurt and the pain he was causing. Biting his lip, Jay looked up as high as he could to avoid his own spilling again, revealing his sculptured column to her.

She watched as his Adams apple bobbed up and down. He was really struggling with this but why? She pushed against his body, her lips trailing on his exposed neck. It was torture for both to be denied such a natural thing. "Then why?"

"Why what?" He sniffed, looking up to avoid showing any emotion.

Painfully, she didn't feel his embrace, there was no closeness. She couldn't see his eyes anymore, just a pure wet line that had travelled down his face, and made its way down his neck. Exasperated with his lack of answers, she looked at him in confusion. "Why do you not say it, say that which you truly feel?" She said against his neck. It was so obvious he was keeping it in, but for what purpose? What could he possibly say that would be so bad to warrant such a held back secret, pertaining to his true feelings?

"It's really complicated, it's uh, hard for me to explain." He replied truthfully, avoiding her eyes. Even the Einherjar troop were becoming impatient with the time he was taking to say his goodbyes, though nothing was said, he could hear disapproval. He bit his lower lip to muffle his own moans as her hands roved over him yet again. "Please Kali." His hands shooting up to hers to prevent her from going any further.

"Yet you will not divulge it, you do not feel the same for me?" She inquired, feeling hurt.

"I-I can't, look, it's not that easy to explain." Jay stumbled with his words, he held her upper arms firm in his grasp and looked into her tear filled eyes.

Faltering in front of her, unsure of what to say as he held her close.

Kali wasn't buying this excuse, and she wrenched her hands from his weaker grasp. "Is this a game to you? Am I just a conquest?" She asked, her voice breaking with emotional strain.

Jay didn't respond verbally, he shook his head instead. He looked out into the dark night. He felt his heart pounding, his mind was desperate to tell her the truth but he feared rejection and humiliation if he did. "No, it's not a game." He mumbled, not returning her gaze. "Never a game."

"Why can't you tell me?"

Again with the persistence, he wasn't sure how much more of this he could take. "I-I just can't explain."

"Why? Why won't you tell me?" She pleaded, hitting her clenched fists on his front.

It didn't hurt but he grabbed her fists to stop her from damaging her knuckles on his armour. "Please, Kali just stop…..I told you I can't explain just yet."

How could he possibly explain it? It was absurd, he served the God of lies that everyone but two on this realm thought to be dead. The God had then altered him for his own reasons, a punishment of sorts, humiliated him and put his life in perilous danger.

"My prince?" She asked again, she was standing back, not touching him at all.

"I can't, I-I'm sorry Kali….please."

"Do you love me?" She said, staring menacingly with tear filled eyes, the tracks of which were shimmering against her skin. "At all?"

A frown settled as he faced her question head on. Biting his lip, thinking perhaps he should he tell the truth, he owed her that much rather than hurt her feelings further. "N-no." He opted for a full soul destroying lie. One that would be hard to come back from, to repair. "I don't love you."

Maybe the partial truth would have been better after all. Perhaps her face would not be exhibiting such a hateful glare towards him as he stood in her midst.


	91. Love bleeds and love dies

Suddenly she was scrutinising him, getting into his personal space with her finger pointing accusingly. Jay stepped back naturally and cautiously, owing to the need to preserve himself from her advancing threatening behaviour.

"Did you have _any_ feelings, for me?" She said, observing his every movement.

Stutter shocked, he stared into her dangerously alluring blue eyed gaze, noting the expression on her face was scowling at him, daring him to push those buttons of which he was desperately trying to avoid. Never had Kali looked so angry, sure she'd looked jealous earlier, never like this though. Eyes were narrowed, one hand on her hip. Her mouth had curled into a wicked sneer and Jay wondered where this new side of Kali had come from. Suddenly, she seemed so cold, it was unnerving how quickly she had changed from beautifully intoxicating to downright deadly in the space of a few minutes.

Kali's eyes glistened in the candle lit alcove, they were laden with un-shed tears which she was desperately fighting from spilling, therefore revealing her true feelings. And, no matter how hard it was to restrain her feelings; it was written all over her face. "Did you _feel_ anything?" She uttered, finger poking at his chest.

His expression dropped with the physical taunting. "I did," Jay mumbled, barely heard." I-I mean I _do_ ," he corrected quickly, mentally slapping himself for the slip up. The first thought that came to his mind; was she the type of girl to take his first answer as solid, concrete or would she give him that chance to redeem himself? Right at this moment, she was hard to read, more so than he ever thought possible, for starters she looked a shade of angry that could have rivalled Kai on a bad day.

Kali's face was expressing nothing but anger and regret at being so obviously played, even if there was no malice on Jay's part. _Then,_ this, should have served as dire warning for him to back away. If fact, any mortal man with half a brain cell would have raised his hands in defeat and backed off from their spurned lover, whether right or wrong in their stance. Therefore, this young prince should have made his own worthwhile escape, he should have attempted to put this behind him... _but he didn't_.

And it was quite possibly the worst decision he would make this night.

Jay stood strong, facing off against a fiercely determined Asgardian woman, one whose feelings had just been hurt in one the worst possible ways. Her heart had just been broken...and he no idea why.

Loki had messed with Jay's mind so much that he wasn't sure what love was. He barely remembered what he and Nya had, all he saw was the passion. The hard times, the romance and the getting to know each other didn't exist anymore. It was as if it never had in the first place, inadvertently, Jay had been operantly conditioned to think like that, to think that romance was dead, a waste of time.

Loki had said it himself on more that one occasion; **_love was a children's rhyme, it had no place in society, women were but pawns_**. In _his_ eyes, love was pathetic and the idea of it soured him more so than ignorance did. Truthfully, the god of lies said love was sentimentally weak. _Amazingly_ , this had all been said before he'd begrudgingly proposed to the one and only Sigyn. So there was no small wonder that Jay's mind was so incredibly conflicted now. He watched his master marry a woman he didn't love or care for, he only ever did it to save face to show Jay what he could never have.

* * *

There she stood wide open, her true feelings having been revealed to this solitary man, who stood so carefree and casual; like butter wouldn't melt. This was the man who had fooled her so easily into believing his lies,making her believe that he was different from all the others.

"Or was I just another conquest?" She spat. With rage in her eyes, she stared him down with clenched fists at her side, wanting so much to wipe that smile from his face. The answer she was expecting never came, why was she not surprised by this?

Painfully, she accepted the silence as truth, though nothing had fallen from his lips to either deny or accept her flying accusation. "Then, y-you used me?" She half screamed, her furious rage struggling to remain hidden.

"You used me, made me believe your _lies_ , your _deceit_." Kali got closer, second by second. "Your intentions were to ruin me, to make me out to be your whore, whilst you cheat with Amora, behind my back." She exclaimed, finger pointing threateningly.

A painful pause in the air made the tension grow further, both feeling the distance spreading further apart, an almighty fissure between them becoming too large to repair.

"No, I.. _Kali_?" Such a frown formed on his face. A look of complete and utter shock at the drivel she was spouting. Why hadn't he noticed how sharp her tongue was before? Oh that's right, he had been kissing that same mouth earlier. Plus, she'd never actually thrown these wild accusations around before now. Was this how she truly felt, how'd she'd felt all along. Were these some sort of repressed emotions that she had kept so close to her, waiting for the right moment to attack him with them?

Still frowning, Jay bit back the venomous retort that he wanted to say in response. No, now wasn't the time to be petty, _besides_ , she was no one to talk. Kali was cheating on her fiance; talk about throwing stones in glass houses! Seriously, what she had just uttered was so below the belt it was circling the drains. How could she even think that he wanted Amora; after all she'd done to him, what she still wanted to do?

It was beyond absurd.

He shivered. Not wanting to stand there and take this personal attack, especially whilst she was continuing to insult him and his loyalty. Furthermore, it was preposterous to think that he was going behind her back with Amora, of all people. That freak was the evil incarnate, the bitch with a penchant for blood and wide spread domination. Worse still; she was the mother of his unborn child.

Shaking his head slightly, a dark laugh erupted at the irrationality of all of this. Considering what he had already been through today. "So that's how you feel?"

"Was it your intention to make me with child too, then profess ignorance and run away to the King?"

Another cruel jibe. An unfounded accusation, one which he wouldn't forgive her for. "St-stop, before you say something else you can't take back" he urged, a warning tone within his words. This was dangerous territory for her to throw around cruel accusations that she knew very little about other than hearing such things in passing.

To his surprise, she didn't let up. _Unexpected..._

"To dishonour my name as you have with hers?"

That hurt, it stung and it cut him. Why couldn't she see the damage she was inflicting with these words, was she blind to it? Frustration began biting at him, eating at him from the inside out. A part of him wanted to snap back, to say something he too would regret, maybe Kali would regret most of this, but it was too late now, there was no taking these words and accusations back. Jay looked back at her, shocked. "What? You think that's what I did, how deluded are you?" He rubbed his face, anger boiling inside him.

"YOU USED ME."

The loudness in her voice startled him, but all he could think to say in response was nothing remotely helpful, in fact if he had given in, she would let rip further, then it also pained him to know that whatever he was going to say now would never be good enough.

Eyes finally drawn to the floor, Jay was backing away from this fractured coupling painfully. "Actually, I didn't." He countered with a calm voice despite how agitated he was. "I didn't use you."

 _Not that it matters now..._

Kali was being far too scathing for this situation to improve. And he wondered, as he looked into her eyes, seeing that same mouth spilling vitriolic nonsense, the same mouth that he'd been inside of, fingers, tongue and another body part. He wondered how that same mouth could suddenly be so vile. Truly, Jay hadn't used her because Kali had instigated this whole thing, and he had simply gone along with it, from day one.

This was the culminating result of two like minded individuals who had wanted to share a closeness. Both having been swept up with those good feelings that had flowed between potential lovers.

"You betrayed me." She repeated.

His words were drying up in his mouth, tongue rolled up so tight that he was unable to say anything beneficial to this situation. "I-I would never…" He looked at her, still shocked by her words and actions. His heart was breaking by the second at what was now seeming like a messy breakup. But he couldn't really remember what that entailed either. The feelings and memories having all but been erased and removed.

"You used me, like a…" She didn't want to utter the word that made her feel disgusting and low, like a degenerate.

Jay didn't want her to utter anymore, the tears that trailed down her face was painful enough to watch.

"Kali, _please_." He wanted her stop already, she'd said too much to attempt reconciliation. Why couldn't she see that her words were cutting him to the quick? Why did he want to embrace her, to stop her from saying anymore. And this, despite the vile accusations that were continuing to spill forth. It was just who he was, Jay was the sensitive and caring one.

"You used me like one of them... _a_..." She looked at the floor, feeling like a piece of dirt. "A **_concubine._** "

Kali pulled out of his gentle grasp, watching him attempt to think up an excuse. Her eyes narrowed and the scowl on her face should have given him warning enough. "Your intentions were never pure, _were they?_ " She snapped, tears finally falling from her angry reddened eyes.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't tr..."

The open handed handed slap came out of nowhere and the thunderclap that ensued directly afterwards had created a ricochet echo of each bare stone wall.

He hadn't seen it coming either, his ninja senses had let him down because his emotions were so heightened and shaken up. But then, he wasn't expecting to be hit by a woman, in particular, someone he had been kissing tenderly, sharing a passionate moment with only minutes before. And because of the unexpected strike to his cheek, Jay hadn't been able to finish his sentence to state his innocence, though, like before, it would have been a vague excuse.

Jay soon realised that she had hit him as hard as her wrist could have mustered. This purely based on the pain he was feeling directly after the blow, additionally at the same time; he'd heard a crack when his head had been forced to the side with the force. Never had a slap sounded out so loudly in such an enclosed space before, not that Jay had ever experienced.

The strike had been so hard across his face that her jewelled ring split had his lip. He didn't say anything after that, the shock prevented him from uttering a single syllable. His hand instinctively covered the bruising welt and the stinging cut beneath, the blood trailing down his inner wrist, unseen by her. Of course Jay had felt it, even Loki would've felt it, pain was what kept them together, too much of it would tear them apart.

Somehow, with such an injury, he was still standing, although dazed, confused and staggering until he grasped the wall behind him for additional support. Now barely maintaining his stance, Jay leaned heavily against the pillar, turning his head so slightly to the woman who was standing too close to comfort. Spitting blood, Jay didn't know what to say or do to make it right anymore. Sure he'd tried to apologise, to make her see his perspective on this and it hadn't worked, in fact, it had massively backfired.

It gave him one option, a painful finality, and he knew she wouldn't like it, plus; it wasn't like he had anything else to lose. He'd lost everything anyway, there was nothing else he had left. But it needed to be done, a slap was the last straw after all, there was no place for violence, it didn't even belong in the same sentence as lust and passion. Jay's hand was still covering the bruising welt, the sticky wetness trailing slowly down his inner wrist from his split lip. It was shocking to receive a hard slap, more so, to receive it from a powerful female who exuded more strength when angered. Even Loki had only playfully slapped him, never something this hard. Moaning softly at the immense neck pain and the incessant ringing now plaguing the one ear, Jay slowly turned to regard her with a look of confusion and a rather inopportune smirk on his pain soaked face.

Now crownless, Jay stiffened his stance, almost imperceptibly and as much as his sore neck would allow, he squared up to her one last time. "I give up, Kali." he said, tone emotionless as angered lilac eyes burned her to the spot. "I-I can't do this anymore."

Kali, in her emotional outburst had somehow forgotten that Jay wasn't of Asgard. His Uru crown had flown off his head at the same speed as the slap had near enough felled him where he stood. But that wasn't what annoyed her further, it was the damned smirk that made her see pure fire. The only way she knew to get rid of that was a follow through with a painful knee between the legs.

It had the desired result. The action of which, sent him spiralling to the floor in a panting heap of arms and legs, the nervous smile which she mistook for a smirk was replaced with a look of sheer horror and a sharp grimace of incredible pain.

"I did not fall in love with _you, **the imposter**_ ," Kali snapped, tears falling from her eyes. "I-I fell in love with the person you pretended to be." Then, turning on her heels, she stormed off, sobbing as she went. Despair evident in how she carried herself, her anguish at being played like a fool had guided her angered outburst even if everything she had uttered had been hearsay, not a single word of truth in it.

* * *

But despite it all, there he lay on the floor, unable to move. A broken man inside and out with the wind knocked out of him. The woman he had shared a passionate embrace with, was running away in an overly emotional state because he dared not reveal his inner secrets or face revulsion.

 _If this is how love feels, I don't want it anymore._

This new set of events would have been sure to show Kali all the ways he was ripped wide open and how close he had been at telling her how much he wanted to stay with her. His weaknesses, sensitivities and that all important diminishing humanoid side; it was so clearly written across his face, now with a scorching hand print too.

So now, after all they had shared this night and those few encounters before. After Jay had painstakingly put himself on the line for her, and revealed his vulnerabilities, he quickly and effortlessly began to build up those defensive walls around him again. Slowly, closing out everything and everyone in the process of shielding himself before there was nothing left to protect anymore.

"It's-it's over." He mumbled regrettably, with a pained finality to it even as he lay on the floor, holding back the urge to vomit. There was no coming back from this, She would never forgive herself and he wouldn't allow himself to suffer the same pain, if this is how it felt, he didn't want it.

"MY LORD?" One of the two Einherjar shouted at the uncalled for treatment they had heard after Kali had scarpered. Though not being aware as to what had transpired, it had been known for men to hit women before. This, they couldn't take any chances with, and they hot footed into the lengthy darkened alcove.

"Nnnngh, fuuuck…" he hissed. Laying on the floor cradling his family jewels, ashen grey as all the life had been knocked out of him.

The Einherjar had brushed past her as she ran. They didn't give chase, the Nornkeep guards would be sure to bring her out for questioning later. These Einherjar were from the palace, they were only here for Jay. "My Lord?" An Einherji knelt at his side, looking over him for noticeable injuries. "Let me help you."

"Where is she?" Jay mumbled, brushing their hands away gently.

"At a guess, being consoled. The castle guards will apprehend her, she will be brought forth for her crime."

"Her crime?" He shrugged, largely uncaring. Slowly, attempting to sit up.

"What happened? We were told you were saying your goodbyes?"

"I was," Jay hissed, avoiding all eye contact. He was rubbing his face in confusion, intermittently massaging his temples. Tentatively, he touched his split lip with his tongue, and gave an impossibly evil snarl as the sting alerted him to the pain.

"Are you alright, My Lord?"

"Mmm, just peachy." Jay hissed sarcastically, his eyes narrowed.

"So what transpired here?"

"She wouldn't stop, kept pushing me. I-I…." He paused, frowning at having been a fool in the first place by revealing too much of himself earlier today. Those walls he had built, the ones that Kali had crumbled so effortlessly were being reinforced as each second passed. A change of heart, no, he wouldn't blame her for hurting him, he would blame himself for letting her sway his decisions. "It-it was my fault, not hers."

Jay watched as the single Einherji picked up the Uru metal crown that was laying in the corner of the alcove. His lip was split and he had a headache looming from the blow as well as an awful neck and groin pain that made it almost impossible for him to stand.

"M-my neck hurts…" He mumbled half to himself and half to one of the guards who had bent down to assist him in standing. "Where's Kali?" He whispered as a steady trail of blood flowed from his mouth, collecting on his neck line, giving him the appearance that he'd slit his own throat.

"The castle guards have gone to find her, they will bring her forward for your assault."

 _Assault_... _pfft_

"Kali?" Jay lamented quietly. He groaned at the neck pain as it continued to throb and ache. "She needs to know it wasn't all her fault." Jay repeated. Though he was adamant that he wasn't solely to blame. She was partially responsible too, fairs fair, she should be accountable, after all she'd stared the whole damned thing.

A wet cloth was offered and he took it when it was at his own level. "Damn it…" He hissed, taking the material, holding it against his mouth, dabbing intermittently, aiming to staunch the flow. The pain clouded his judgement enough that he could barely think straight anymore. Part of him wanted to scream and shout, another part of him wanted to fight with someone, the remaining part of him just wanted to sleep it all off.

The pain was throbbing in his neck. For sure, Jay had never broken anything there before, it certainly felt broken as he rubbed around the back of his neck, feeling a protrusion that thankfully hadn't broken the skin.

Just about to reach across for his crown, the Einherji brought it over for him, kneeling to pass it. Jay winced as he shakily grasped it from the Einherji's hands.

Then, he checked it for damage, cringing when he saw a slight dent in the rare dwarven made metal. Typical, he'd had it for months now, only dropping it the once when he was poisoned by Cole, and, in all his time with Loki, the irreplaceable Uru metal hadn't received any damage; up until now. Thankfully no stones were missing and nothing had broken off. The only damaged thing was him and his male pride and quite possibly, his neck.

 _Kali….I'm sorry, I never meant to say that._

All the colour had left his face, he felt like literal death. The last time he'd received a blow to the groin was after a miscalculated training session on the Bounty's obstacle course. A misjudged strike from the Bo staff had knocked all the colour from his face, even his brothers had winced, specifically Kai who had been the one to strike him. But that felt like nothing compared to this; Kali had meant it and it hurt like Hel. It was executed to precision, just like the slap had been; totally and completely unexpected.

"What happened, My Lord?" The demonic castle guard enquired, kneeling down to Jay's level and offering to help him to stand.

His offer was quickly refused by the nearest Einherji who stood next to Jay's seated form. "He will not stand until he has been given something for the pain." The Einherji spoke quietly, his hand placed gently on Jay's other shoulder. Holding him firm as the prince leaned against the wall pitifully.

"Look," Jay edged up further, wincing slightly. "It was a misunderstanding, that's all." Truthfully, he felt empty inside, Kali the woman he had shared many a cosy night with had stormed off because he'd insulted her by not returning her sentiment. And, in no uncertain terms, he hadn't fully denied that he'd used her either.

* * *

 ** _That hurt the both of us._**

 _You told me to break it off with her, idiot..._

 _ **One remembers advising** **you NOT to get involved with her, Jason. Therefore, this is the fallout, is it not, did you learn a valuable lesson?**_

 _You just want me to be alone and unhappy, like you._

 ** _Chaos can not survive with another, listen to me boy, I tell you this for a reason you are evidently blind to._**

Jay's face fell further. He didn't respond to the fact that he would be forever alone. It wasn't fair, maybe Loki had got it wrong…The Fates showed him with a wedding band. _You can't keep me alone forever Loki._ _It's inhuman, unfair._

 ** _Look at yourself Jason. What do you see? A prince, a warrior, one of Odin's army? Who could love a killer such as you?_**

A healer had quickly come to his aid, he couldn't stand he was sat on the floor leaning against the wall for support, his neck lolled to the side with a glassy expression in his eyes.

 _Nya liked me before you turned me. Kali too..._

 ** _They never loved you, they played you for the fool you are. Let them go, Jason, put them behind you and move on._**

 _Move on..._

Biting his tongue, he clenched his fists hard. He couldn't do the same with his mouth because of the blinding pain that emanated from one side of his neck.

Another female had lowed herself into his peripheral. She had already introduced herself, but in his pained state he wasn't taking anything in anymore. Names were irrelevant, as was his supposed future love life, according to Loki.

"You need to drink this, I believe it will help." She smiled in sympathy, waiting for him to consume the offered phial before grasping his head firmly in her hands. "Your Highness, look at me, focus on my eyes."

He did so, with uncertainty. She hadn't really told him what she was about to do. The more he attempted to look, the more confused he became. Her eyes were such a deep dark blue, of the likes he had never seen before. They were stunning to look at, mesmerising in fact.

"You may feel a quick sharp pain." She said, though not having seen the scene unfold, she could not be sympathetic toward his plight, instead she did her job and aided his pain best she could.

"Kali, is she okay?" He mumbled, staring deeply into her midnight blue eyes.

He saw as she nodded her head and with a swift tilt and lift of her hands, Jay felt a sharp pain as she had forewarned followed by a loud click and the same ache as before. He groaned in response and sipped the remainder of fluid she gave. "Thanks."

An ever increasing amount of guards were convening nearby. "It will heal in time, but you must rest and-" she whispered some other worldly advice. "-mead sometimes helps too." Her smile was genuine, her concern too.

Nodding in acceptance of her advice. Jay attempted to stand unsuccessfully, but his legs gave way underneath him, forcing him back towards the hard unforgiving floor with a pained gasping groan.

Kali had literally run off, sobbing as she went. Jay had simply stared at her because he knew and felt guilty that she would be mortified at hitting a royal out of frustration. It was mostly unheard of, no-one had ever laid a hand on the royals, except for enemies of Asgard or the odd Einherjar troop that got a little too carried away with orders to subdue. And maybe Loki, on a bad day, though Loki had never hit him hard enough to break a bone...yet.

"It s-sorta hurts…" He mumbled to his guards as they remained by his side, one lowering onto his knee.

"Can you stand?" A castle guard asked.

Jay protested as their hands came to grasp him. "Just a few more minutes and I can try again."

He thought to himself that maybe his bad timed words may hold certain truth. Jay had never broken up a relationship before, least doing it himself. This though, he could have a choice with because it was affecting both to the point of frustration and now, physical pain.

Jay knew then and there, that it was the right thing to do; they both needed time apart. Not that they were together anyway, at least not officially. They had certainly been having fun, many secret rendezvous since his crowning ceremony, much to the chagrin of her twin sister Kari.

The Einherjar, being astute, had partially heard the sorry thing unfold and they were quick to help the prince up and off the floor, offering him something stronger for the pain, noting that he could not stand straight nor hold his head.

Jay had accepted a stronger than usual vial of something and the pain went almost immediately.

"A lover's tiff?" One asked.

"I think it was." Came the embarrassed response, not from Jay.

"We're not lovers, _not_ _anymore_." Yes, he was certainly mortified for being caught having sex and then being assaulted by the same woman. It was beyond embarrassing it was totally and utterly humiliating. Jay looked up at his Einherjar troop pitifully, it was like they could read his mind, knowing exactly what he wanted without verbalising a single syllable. The puppy dog eyes definitely helped.

"You want more pain elixir?" One Einherji enquired.

Jay nodded slowly and hid his emotionally drained face. "Pl-please."

"I and the ones who saw what happened, will not speak of this. Unless…"

Jay wiped at his face, the pain slowly subsiding. "Unless what?"

"Unless you wish to press charges against her and have her brought to justice for striking a prince." The youngest Einherji spoke quietly, his voice lowered on purpose, the situation was sensitive as it was.

Before Jay even had the opportunity to answer, he could hear a tearful and angry commotion coming from just out of his peripheral. He turned slowly, as slow as his strained neck could bear. What he saw made him feel exponentially worse. Kali had been apprehended and was being brought out to answer for her accused crime against striking a prince.

Jay refused to look her in the eyes, he could hear her as clear as day in one ear. How it pained him to hear her sobbing in such a way but her words...they were so cruel. "Please-" he said to his nearest Einherji, "let her go, this was a _misunderstanding_."

 _A massive misunderstanding..._

Never a truer word was spoken. She hadn't given him a chance to rectify the issue before she flipped and lashed out.

Of course, Kali looked immensely relieved at her impending release, then remorseful at the pain she had caused. She looked upon his face, his frame being supported. Only then did she see the damage she had inflicted upon him, the steady trail of blood that dribbled from his mouth as he spoke, the pale complexion wrought from pain, the hand shaped bruise on his defined jaw bone, stretching up to his eyebrow.

Never had she felt remorse like she was feeling at this moment. The prince looked ill and weakened. His eyes were incredibly dull and almost lifeless, not that he was looking at her anymore.

Jay was being held up by two Einherji, they frowned at her saying nothing in response to her verbalised and continued apologies. Their allegiance was to the occupants of the palace and none other. The thing is; Kali and her sister were not of the palace, they would be treated as the rest of Asgard prime. They would have to seek an audience with the King or the Prince.

But because of this bad decision made in anger, it would be unlikely that the palace guards would let her near either royal, forgoing her place as a healer, she would be shamed for her actions.

The Senior Einherji looked at Jay questioningly before looking back at Kali with a disapproving look.

"You strike a prince of Asgard, you know the punishment of this is severe?"

Kali nodded her head, her hand covered her mouth when she saw his purple bruised neck. "I am sorry, I-I never meant to-"

" ** _Silence woman, know your place!_** " The Einherji cut her off mid-sentence. His voice easily booming over hers. He looked back at the Prince who was cringing at the harshness of the tone.

Jay had said nothing in response.

"Odin will not like this, you risk his wrath. Your family will be shamed for this crime!" The Einherji warned, he wasn't gentle in the slightest in his restraint.

Kali was struggling, trying to look at her beau, seeing the damage for herself. "I am sorry…truly."

"Forget it." Jay hissed, trying his hardest to suppress a pained wince. "It's nothing, _right_?" He looked at his men, avoiding her gaze altogether.

"My Lord, Majesty?"

Jay rolled his eyes, dabbing at his mouth releasing a dark laugh. "Please, let her go…" He repeated quietly, not wanting to cause more of a scene as was already happening. He cracked his neck, standing up a little more on his own.

"It's nothing, just another thing to tick off my list." He felt grey, ashen with the all-consuming pain from that knee to his groin.

She knew that those words were meant for her, least they felt like they were. A crushing blow, had she ruined it, her chance of happiness and excitement because she had pushed him too fast for an answer, for commitment? Either way, now she was going to have to go ahead with the marriage that her parents arranged, all the while knowing that it was only the prince she had true feelings for.

Kali looked completely bewildered, having reduced him to a stumbling weakling. And at the worst time possible as Lorelei walked past, looking him up and down, hissing something snide into his direction. It was obvious she was going to be telling Amora of this little spat. Just like playground whispers, catty remarks about how weak Jay really was.

Sighing, he attempted to stand. More successful this time. "Let her….. _go_." He repeated, ignoring Lorelei's catty remarks about his lack of male strength.

Exasperated, the senior Einherji looked at Jay with an astonished look on his face, "My Lord, she struck you!" He repeated, as if Jay hadn't heard it the first time.

Jay gave the cloth to the handmaiden at his side. When the female had walked to the queen's side, his eyes had followed her, until they eventually burned into Kali's blue orbs.

His painful gaze roved up her beautiful body. This one final time, he looked at her because from this night on, he would refrain from pursuing her, as his king had told him to. He would accept this life and if it meant no Kali, or no Nya, then so be it. His jaw set firm, face hard and emotionless as he let go of the potential for love.

"I won't mention it, if you don't." The minute he accepted it, he stumbled as a debilitating pain began to tear at him. His men steadied him again, looking at the queen in confusion.

The queen wasn't smiling. She looked worried for a few moments as she knew he was beginning to learn from his mistake at shunning his chance for love. The seidr used was indeed a powerful hex, that restored his love, but at a cost. "He accepted the terms." Karnilla said in response. "He knew there were risks involved, there always are."

Kali's face turned white as a sheet when she saw how much more pain he was enduring. "What terms, what spell did you use?"

"The queen does not disclose personal seidr, even you know this Kali?"

Jay looked worse as he stood, pale as a sheet, sweat gathering on his brow. "I-I'm okay," He lied, standing with difficulty again.

"My Lord?" Kali asked, meekly. The queen's handmaidens were quick to quieten her.

"His actions or lack thereof have made it perfectly clear. You, my dear have been let off, be thankful he chooses not to take this further, lest you be punished for striking royalty." Karnilla spoke, looking directly at Kali as she wept, heartache tearing at her.

It wasn't enough, she wanted to show how sorry she was at hitting him. Kali really wanted to use his name, the name he had told her to use. The name she was calling out with each orgasm he helped her achieve. But now, she was too shamed and remorseful of her own actions. She'd hurt him, badly. Besides, it was unforgivable to do that to a person from the house of Odin, adopted into the family or not. "My Prince?" She mumbled sadly, breaking down in tears. "Please, I'm so sorry."

He couldn't do it, Jay couldn't bring himself to look at her that final time. Simply, he'd said what had needed to be uttered, there was nothing else to do but leave. Plus, he'd been told that Gustav was outside with the troop for the ride back, all having been notified of the newest events. Then there was Sigurd, who was, as usual sitting with another elder, drinking happily whilst avoiding the furore. He did make a phone gesture with his hands though which Jay caught from the corner of his eye. Not that he would plan on phoning Zig. Maybe if he was the last man standing, then sure, he'd hit him up.

One of the Einherji was tapping his shoulder. "We really need to go my Lord." He seemed insistent as he stood on the outer castle steps.

"Okay, I'll be right out." Jay refused to look at Kali. There was no point, he had taken that final step for both. He took the choice out of her hands and it felt good to be given something as simple as that. As a gesture of appreciation, he winced slightly as he bowed before the queen and rolled his eyes as he was asked to kiss her blasted ring, yet again.

"Thank you for having me, uh I mean for hosting this event today. I enjoyed your company and meeting everyone." He stood back up feeling sheepish at his un-practised speech. "And, I wanted to thank you for what you did after the Well." Jay reached into his cloak, into the inner workings of his uniformed attire and retrieved the bottle. "Can you give this to Kali, please?" He passed it across. "I-I don't need it."

"It's a trinket, to light your way." The queen spoke, nodding at the same time. "She gave it to you for your safety?"

"I don't need it, I've got these guys."

Karnilla didn't like skating over the same topic in depth. If a trinket of love and adoration was not wanted, then it would be given back, as would a token of marriage. "As you wish." She nodded the once and took the light from the prince, bidding him a farewell.

A few minutes later, after he had solemnly said his goodbyes to the Queen, he turned to wave, seeing a tear-soaked Kali being comforted by a handmaiden of Karnilla. She reached out for him but was held back, it was likely now that they would never see each other again. Indeed, this relationship had been severed before it was ever given a chance to grow.

And now, Jay's heart was beginning to hurt in response for letting go so easily.


	92. Homeward bound

Jay was assisted with getting onto the large horse. And, as expected as soon as he sat on the large wide saddle, he winced as the throbbing pain returned. He did wonder how a knee between the legs would allow him to walk so soon after? _Oh that's right…the pain elixir, go figure!_ Who knew it would be good at removing some of the pain from breaking his neck as well as taking a purposeful knee to the balls? Inside, he was thinking he really needed to get some of that stuff, it would certainly prove effective.

Maybe it would be good for mental pain too, considering the day he'd had. For sure, this whole day had been a whirlwind of interesting, naughty and downright cruel. He honestly thought it'd been a setup because there was no way any normal person would've put up with it. He was now privy to an impending pregnancy, his so called Fate was read right after being given a cursed truth sword, then he'd deftly swiped some elixir for his brothers and finally had managed an evening of hot sex which ended abruptly because they were interrupted. It further deteriorated because she wanted something he couldn't give.

 _Commitment.._.Jay thought to himself. _And it was because of love._

Love... Something that held confusion for him, yet such veneration to Kali. In fact, this night Kali had said it repeatedly as Jay took her weight, moving smoothly as one. She said it when he broke the kiss and placed his lips on her neck and breasts then when he had made love to her.

 _Made love._

Whiling away the evening's events, Jay questioned himself as to why their parting had to be in such sweet sorrow, why was she heartbroken at his words? Had he truly ruined something that might have been?

 _"_ _Was it your intention to make me with child too, then profess ignorance and run away to the King?"_

 _I can't believe you'd think that...I thought we had an understanding._

 _"Did you feel, anything?"_

Had all of those heartfelt words meant nothing to her? Instead, choosing to believe those lies of Amora? Could she not have come and spoken to him first, at hearing these things? He would have set her straight once recovered of his ailments. After all, she came to his room three times a day, she could have spoken up at any time, he would have answered her.

 _I did, I mean...I do._ Then finally, it had hit him like a punch to the gut.

He _had_ well and truly screwed up because of Loki and this, despite Karnilla's sage advice on what not to do when love was involved.

 _"When the times comes, you too will need to choose wisely. Remember; do not let lust guide you, only love can do that."_

It was his fault, and he felt wretched for it, because only now did he fully accept the blame.

* * *

The ride out of the keep had been awkward, an uncomfortable silence had fallen, no one wanted to speak up except for a certain blonde haired warrior who had near enough taken Jay under his wing. So, as they passed from Nornheim into the open stretch of rolling hills, the dark forest to their sides, Gustav came alongside the large beast _Sleipnir._

Cautiously, with respect Gus rode sidling up to Jay who at that moment, seemed distant in mind. "My Lord?" he said quietly, waiting for any response, frowning when he received none. Honestly, Gustav could beat seven bells out of Sigurd for taking Jay to see the Norns this day.

Instinctively, Gus reached across and pulled the edge of the bridle to keep the sombre Prince on the right track before letting it slack. He wasn't entirely sure what to do in relation to snapping Jay out of his trance. For starters, the MP3 player was sodden and even that couldn't be used to rouse. At present, the device was secured in a small grain pouch because Karnilla said it would prove beneficial in drawing out the water from Urds Well.

"My Lord?" _Truthfully_ , Gus had only heard brief mentions of the lover's tiff between them, but this blank stare had to be something to do with that.

 _It was my fault, all my fault..._

"My Lord?" Gustav called, getting nearer seeing Jay slipping head first. "EINHERJAR, Halt!" He shouted, instinctively leaning over to grasp Jay's clothes firmly as the Prince started slipping. It would have been quite a drop, Sleipnir stood at least eight feet five inches at withers.

"Jay, _please_." Gus struggled, pulling Jay into him. He was contemplating climbing onto the same horse to steady him further but instead rode that bit closer, holding him upright. "Are you, _are you well?_ "

" _Markus_ ," Gus's voice boomed from the middle of the troop, still solely flanking the Prince. He really needed someone to cover both flanks.

"Sir?" The brown haired Einherji nodded.

"Markus, ride the other side." Gustav ordered, keeping a firm grasp on both bridle reins and Jay.

"Aye," he nodded, complying implicitly as he slowed.

Gus had leaned over to Jay's side. "You must not let these things in nor the words you heard this day. They mean nothing from Lorelei, her nonsense is unfounded and furthermore from the mouth of a traitor. The Fates, again, Jay, take their sage advice to heart, but do not let it govern your direction. **my Lord,** can you hear me?" It was certainly loud enough to break his depressed thoughts in half as that strong Germanic accent came through clearly.

" ** _Wh-what_**?" Jay snapped, looking at whom he had been unnecessarily harsh to. He didn't know where he was anymore, he could have sworn he was still in the castle grounds having just said goodbye. He looked but Nornkeep was long gone. And this was a new set of events too, rather than riding two abreast he was being flanked with one on each side. He rubbed his eyes disbelieving. "I don't understand?"

"You really need a strong drink and good rest my friend, and, " Gus continued. "You were incredibly difficult to rouse?"

"S-sorry, uhm Gustav…I didn't mean to shout."

Gus understood, besides, how could he be mad at someone who had very nearly died this day? "Forgive me, but Kali?" He asked, teasing a cautious smile.

Jay kicked himself mentally. Gus didn't know what Loki had made him do or the fact that Loki had told him to break her heart. He hadn't wanted to of course, it just happened when he chose to hold back on how he truly felt. "Don't say a word!" He replied, sarcastically. His tone was rough, cutting Gus off before he had a chance to pry.

"My mouth is sealed. As you wish." He said, with all seriousness. That was, until his expression changed into a boyish smile. "Although, you gave the stable hands a showing." He hid his smirk with his armoured hand.

Cringing, Jay turned slightly. "Oh god no!" Dawning realisation, he blushed in further embarrassment at just how many people had seen what he thought was a private intimate moment. _Just how much did they see?_

"You'll be her _ruin_ if you're not careful, _My Lord!_ " Gus lightly admonished, shaking his head with the hint of a crooked grin.

 _I think I already am_. "Gus, she's never gonna forgive me if this gets out…"

"Too late for that, it already did!"

Jay rolled his eyes, a small smile came to his mouth and he bit back the laugh. He was impressed with how quick witted Gustav was,, in fact, they rivalled each other in that aspect. "Haa, yeah hmm, _real_ mature." Shaking his head at the witty humour for it had brought a smile to his face. "Back home now then?" he enquired, stifling a yawn.

There was just something about this ride that was so smooth, it was actually sending him to sleep. In relation, he could remember riding on Wisp, his first lightning dragon. It was so different in comparison, a bumpy ride always ensued until they soared through the skies, gliding with the thermal air currents and even then, the momentum of flapping wings would be quite jarring, nothing as smooth as this.

"So where are we going then?" Jay yawned again, partially whining. "I'm exhausted, I did my Princely deeds for the day, I just want to go back and sleep."

The blonde Einherji chuckled, he wasn't sure he'd ever heard that term before. _'Princely deeds.'_ Gus simply gave him a hefty pat on the back that woke him from his sleep like state.

"Ack." Jay winced. "Y-you ever thought of becoming a chiropractor? Oww" He groaned, straightening up.

Turning his head slightly, Gus was revealing a knowing smile with raised eyebrows having not received an answer to his previous question. "Forgive me, my Lord, I know Kali was with you for some time after I left and then this evening, I sensed a palpable tension between you?"

"Haa uh, no." Jay argued, blushing. "You're imagining it."

Gustav raised an eyebrow at Jay's denial, not that the latter could see it as his golden Bor helmet obscured his expression. "'Tis there, you think me at fault? My eyes do not deceive?"

"Wh-what?"

"I saw the burgeoning beginnings of hope and love spring forth."

He rolled his eyes with the sickly sweet expressions that Gus gave. "Nope, there's nothing there, I _swear_." Jay smiled, breathing out the hexing pain through pursed lips. He cussed at himself for accepting Karnilla's assistance of reversing Loki's curse. Slowly remembering that the more he denied it, the more it was going to hurt.

"You have made prior acquaintance, I presume?"

Jay bit his lip, grateful in part that the dark night hid his blushing countenance. "Uh, w-well we've bumped into each other a few times, so to speak…yes?" He replied sheepishly, fumbling with his words. He hid his face in dire embarrassment, realising that the chosen phrase might've been a bad choice of words.

" _Bumped into each other_? I bet you have." Gus laughed jovially, a huge smile on his chiselled features. "The stable hands can certainly agree with that." He snickered. "Yes, yes…give it to me…mmm!"

Hiding his face in further humiliation, Jay cringed. "Shut up, Gus." Not only had he been caught, but they had seen the whole thing down in the courtyard. God, could this get any worse, he was never going to live this down.

"Nein, don't be bashful, she certainly enjoyed it; judging by the colour on her fair complexion."

Jay had bit his lip, gently, not daring to look at Gus's face because there was no way he would know what colour her face was, had he not been in the vicinity. Come to mention it, the afterglow on her face was a beautiful pink tint, her lips were the same after he'd had his fun with her. He swallowed deeply, pushing that to the back of his mind.

"She's the only rest and relaxation you have?" Gus questioned as a gentle laugh spilled forth. "Though not so much rest?"

" _ **Had**_ , being the operative word Gus, and it didn't _mean_ anything. She was just a fling. A ship I passed in the night." Now he realised how cold he was beginning to sound. Kali didn't need this negativity because, this wasn't exactly a private conversation, there were other troop members listening in.

And, as with his harsh and cruel words the pain returned each time he denied those true feelings as Karnilla said they would. He gasped, holding it in... _Nope, wrong choice of words, sorry Kali._

"A ship you _boarded?_ " Gustav offered gently. "Tell me, was she a luxury cabin or more like steerage?"

" _G-Gustav?_ " Jay spluttered on his pouch of travelling water. He looked mildly shocked with the words spewing forth, was Gus referring to how good she was in bed? Because that would be something he'd most definitely _not_ divulge.

"It wasn't like that, honestly," he shook his head. "Besides, she's uh promised to someone else." Jay replied, though he regretted saying that too because it made him feel worse.

"Nefarious too, _My Lord!_ " Gustav sucked in a deep breath, making a shocked noise in jest that rivalled his expression. "You dirty hund,"

"I know, I shouldn't have." Jay replied, shamefully.

"Well, my Lord, in that case…would it not be better for her if _you_ were to propose? You mention she _is_ promised to another."

Jay sighed loudly, thinking about a potential proposal. He shook the thought from his head as fast as it had been suggested. "No and yes in that order."

"I fail to understand why you would not make an honest woman of her, considering you deflowered her too." He said, looking disappointed.

Oh gods, how could Jay forget that night? It was pretty damned special to be _the one_ , to be her first and so far her only lover. He had been so gentle too, letting her adjust to the intrusion before waiting for her cues for him to move. When she had motioned him to begin, it was blisteringly hot and so incredibly erotic.

"Imagine her future beloved, on their first night together, expecting to see her intact. Angered that she has already had another man, _multiple times_ and she prefers your touch over others." Gustav admonished scathingly, at having to spell out the obvious.

Jay remained silent, biting his lip.

"You've ruined her for another, _you_ are her undoing, my Lord." He cocked his head to the side and pulled back slightly. He figured his words were getting through because Jay's posture was slumped. "Her marriage would be over before it could even flourish."

"I _haven't_ , haven't ruined her." A tremendous feeling started niggling at Jay's chest, it felt like pins and needles or white hot knives stabbing into his heart. Every time he thought of her, he felt it.

 _Please, just drop it already…..I-I can't, I just can't do it._ He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I-I hardly know her. I mean, we know each other intimately haha, but uhm we've not had any real time to get to spend with each other. Besides it would look kinda wrong, don't you think?"

Gus's expression turned serious, not understanding why Jay was being so _one_ _sided_ and _immovable_ in his thoughts and stance on this potential relationship. "She visits you _every day_!" He replied exasperated. "'Tis evident judging by your actions alone, that there _is_ a mutual attraction, she has fe…"

" _My_ actions, _excuse_ _me?_ " Jay cut him off mid stride. "Sure, I agree that there is or _ **was** _ a mutual attraction, but that's all." Sitting up more, he looked directly ahead. "Not to mention, she works in the healing rooms, doesn't have all the time in the world to see me and and has her _own_ things that she has to do, _that again, don't involve me._ " He took a deep breath in, huffing it out in annoyance.

"You mean like _you_?" Gus laughed again, now trying to lighten the mood, considering his well intended words had been mistaken for chastisement.

Jay frowned. "I-I don't follow?"

"Her own things she _has_ to do?" Gustav placed his calloused hand onto Jay's softer one, feeling how tense he was.

This was uncomfortably awkward, like speaking to a much older brother about different terms for coitus. "I... _What_?"

"Come now, _enlighten_ _me_ , you see her _all_ the time," He added.

"Look, can we drop _this?_ " Jay sighed, thoroughly miserable at having been caught.

"The noble and valiant thing to do would be to at least propose." Gus admonished. "It would have been the first thing I would have done, prior to bedding her. Such things as bringing her family a gift, telling them of my intention to marry their daughter, before leaving tokens of love every morning on the fair maidens doorstep."

"Refraining or abstaining until the wedding night, so it all feels special for her intended. The barrier is only there for him, tis sacred"

He almost guffawed at Gus's statement because it was so outlandish and archaic. Though, thinking on it more, there may have been some reasoning to what he was saying considering that back in the day when Gus was still living, it was quite possibly a whole other time with stranger traditions surrounding love and marriage. _Painful more like! Losing your virginity isn't always nice…_

Then, of course, Kali hadn't found it pleasurable at first. The smallest hint of blood was to be expected but they took their time and the pain had eventually made way for pleasure and lust and finally need to take over.

But still, Jay was gobsmacked at the strange things Gus was saying. " _Sacred_ , are you even listening to yourself?"

Gus frowned at the tone afforded. "I do not _jest_ , My Lord." he admonished, eyes narrowed as he squared off with the Prince, locked in an argumentative stance as each rode side by side. "Tell me, will you know what happens when she marries her intended?"

" _ **No**_." Jay snapped quickly. "Why would he be mad. Surely all unwed females up here aren't virgins?"

"Hmph!" Gustav sneered down his nose.

Jay took on the new and somewhat aggrieved look on Gustav's face. Evidently, he had said something wrong and he had a horrid feeling he was going to be given an unnecessary lecture.

"Then I shall endeavour to tell you, young Prince, who knows so little about this realm you are now bound to by blood."

Sometimes he hated being right, this was so degrading.

Jay's expression showed annoyance at Gus's belittling and uncalled for tone. If he'd wanted to be told the correct way to do something he would have stayed home and had Loki berate him for his actions and the consequences.

"When her husband beds her for the first time, but she sheds not a drop of blood for him, you think her nobility will stand?"

"I uh, yes?" Jay answered, voice uninterested for that moment. Though the question had thrown him a curveball.

Gustav sat upright, head cocked to the side. "Perhaps her new husband will not punish for her past indiscretions, but he can still talk, and words can have far more hurtful outcomes in such this small realm."

"I'm sorry I didn't - _I didn't_ _know_." Jay bit his lip. "Look, Kali said we can be together if I _open up_ and _let her in,_ but she doesn't understand what a dark, loathsome place that is."

Gustav shook his head, tongue in cheek, almost to the point of looking like he wanted to shout and let rip. "Sometimes, **_Liege_ ** you can be _Pathetic_!"

 _Hmm...ouch Gus, I do still have feelings ya know!_

"My Lord, you need to get over yourself. Pluck up some courage and stop hiding behind these excuses."

" _Excuses_ , ha _no_ ," Jay shook his head slowly and groaned. He couldn't even tell Gus the reasons why. "What I need is time,"

"Why?" Gus queried. "Time is irrelevant, here."

"Yeah, so I heard earlier, the realm eternal and all that." He wasn't going to divulge to Gustav too about how time would be beneficial to his _own_ plight. "Time makes everything better? Besides, everything feels kinda numb right now and maybe I wasn't meant to be with anyone."

"Rubbish..."

"Gus, I heard what she said about me. She'd made it painfully obvious that I'd planned it, even going to extremes and accusing me of cheating with Amora."

"AMORA?!"

Gus bit his lip shaking his head slightly. It was a hard and bitter pill to swallow. "I doubt she meant most of that, My Lord. What she said was as a result of you breaking up with her, an over emotional outburst, she said things she did not mean."

 _She meant every single word because I couldn't tell her what I felt._

"She hit me, that the kind of future I have to look forward to?"

"My Lord, she did not mean to cause such harm, of this I'm sure."

Jay's top lip curled into a snarl, remembering that conversation with Nya before jetting across Ninjago bay to retrieve that fucking cube.

 _"Look, what I meant is that, it's going to look pretty bad if I hurt you, imagine what the hospital or doctors will say!"_

 _Putting on his best voice, Jay cleared his throat, "Excuse me Miss, how did you come about these injuries, 'oh uh, my husband to be, did it, but it's okay because we love each other', Damn it just sounds like domestic violence."_

And oh how the tables had turned. If it hadn't been Amora torturing him then it had been Kali, who had been unable to control her emotional outburst.

Gently grasping Jay's hand when he seemed to be exhibiting signs of failure and self-loathing. Gus was quick to soothe. "I'm sure there is such a thing as a broken heart, and both of you are showing signs of this. You never really gave it a chance did you?"

 _How could I? She made it perfectly clear how she felt._ Jay shook his head, no words spoken as he looked down the dark empty road.

"So, while your heart is healing, have some patience with yourself and do not be so quick to throw her love away."

Harsh but true. He was lying to himself if he said he never thought of her because he did, most of the time. They had spent a fair amount of time talking and exploring, both the realm and each other. Some passers-by would say that they were in love from the little they had seen. Jay groaned and shook his head slowly. "I-I'll think about it if you stop _fucking_ talking." He replied angrily, indignant to the tone afforded.

"Yah, as you wish," Gus muttered something derogatory in his native tongue and dropping back a little, he allowed more Einherjar to take up the forward flank surrounding Jay.

Head flopping forwards shamefully, Jay perfectly understood what Gus had said and the disrespectful attitude, but he didn't rise to it. He looked dolefully around him, casting a glance behind at the distant scowl on Gus's annoyed face. His troop, as always remaining professional against both superior officers, himself and Gus. None of the troop dared to admonish Gus or the Prince now they were at a standstill. Gus had remained at the back of the troop.

 _I'll think..._ Jay paused in his thoughts having spotted Amora's burned down homestead.

His stomach lurched at the sight and his heart race quickened, though this time Gus wasn't there to assist as he had been this morning. Of course, he'd never divulged what had happened at her house, nor what he'd endured there because the embarrassment of being unable to fight off a woman's advances no matter how strong she was had only served to make him look and feel weak, none more so than when she had so ruthlessly stabbed him as he was chained to her bed.

 _I'll think about it._

* * *

A long and uncomfortable silence ensued, they had long since left the castle, having finally reached the shiny golden expanse of Asgard's boundary palace gates.

Jay thought about the idea more, a fleeting glance. How would he explain the godling, would he have to wait until it was born and _he_ was adequately recovered? He rid his thoughts of that most unnatural thing and instead focused all he could on her, it was a vision he saw, thanks in part to those damned Fates.

He envisioned the both of them on the day, her twin sister looking slightly annoyed. The whole day's celebration had been never-ending, then there was the wedding night where he saw himself stood behind her. Jay was gently unbraiding her hair whilst kissing her neck, unravelling her gold ribbon ivory corset, which her handmaiden had done up to be more like a gift, wrapped intricately just for him to undo.

He allowed it to skim over her curves before it fell to the floor, revealing her in her delicate lingerie that looked like some confusing puzzle, again with the laced bows and ribbons.

Her natural beauty was unfair, she was simply stunning in her own right. Her hair so blonde, it was almost silver-white, her eyes such a deep vibrant blue, staring up at him from her kneeling position at his front as she grasped his hips bringing him into her mouth.

He saw himself as he raised her off the ground and ran his hands down her sides slowly before spinning her gently in his arms, planting a passionate and demanding kiss on her shoulders and neck. Then spinning her and kissing her deeply on her lips, that were now just for him.

Placing her so gently on their marital bed, he resumed with his duty to consummate the marriage. Her body was instantly reacting to his electrified touch, sending tingles of lightning to her core. Moaning at his sensual touch, her face revealed nothing but adoration for him. Why did it feel like her body was now so in tune with his? "Damnit Kali, you taste so good," he said, smirking from between her legs. "I could get addicted to this!"

" _My Lord...?..._ "

Her body was craving his touch, responding even when they finally joined as one. Moving in time, bodies entangled in the sumptuously soft bridal bed. He just saw himself providing gentle movements, nothing harsh or fast, just the same love and adoration for her, and then the sounds of deeply satisfied pleasured moans and gasping breaths.

The petals from her own handmaidens had been scattered across the bed, some were in her hair. His lips locked on to hers as they continued with their first night of marital bliss. Then after the envisioned consummation, Kali lay in his arms. Both of them had become entangled in the sheets with rose petals in their hair. He looked down to her and stroked her long tresses from her flushed face. _I love you, I mean it. I love you so much…_

 _I love you too…_

This wasn't just any vision, nor a daydream. It was his future, possibly a different one than the one he was currently living only because the images switched from Kali to Nya in a heartbeat.

"…. _Lord?"_

He was thankful for the interruption…his mind came to a screeching halt at the Germanic accent that was trying to get his attention.

" **MY LORD?** " Gus's voice boomed. "No hard feelings about my stance?"

Jay shook his head, having not actually listened to the scant apology. "No, none." He squeaked, rather unmanly with a massive blush on his face that rivalled Kai's older red gi.

"I thought once we get back we could celebrate your first solo outing as a prince and your blood pact?" Gustav suggested.

"S-sorry?" Jay mumbled, pressing his uncomfortable bruised bulge to the side, hiding it with his cloak.

"A drink in the inn, a celebration…yah?"

"Nah, I'm too beat, I'm exhausted," Jay replied half-heartedly and yawned loudly to prove the said point. "Today's been kinda emotional, _to say the least_." That was only half of it, he got to see his own death, multiple times over and in truth, it had soured him.

"You need it after what you saw today," Gus realised he had been too hard on Jay and this was his way of trying to say he was sorry. "Besides, what if I said that your brothers are at the inn and in need of some assistance, having drunk too much fine ale this night?"

Jay almost choked on his water. "H-how would you know that?" He had been expressly told that he wouldn't be seeing them this day because Loki wanted to see him as soon as he returned.

"Because" He started slowly and increased his tone as they single filed through the overgrown shrubs. "Some of the Einherjar who are leading us back, were there earlier. Your brothers were just getting started on our finest ale."

"But these clothes,". He pointed to his attire, the whole ensemble was too much. "They're too formal for the inn. I don't want to look out of place, do I?"

"It makes you look appealing Yah? A hit with the ladies."

Jay rolled his eyes, fighting the urge to say something. Gustav knew he was still a little shy, he never made the first move. That was what made him such the adorable conquest. "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you're trying to set me up?"

"What makes you say that?" Gus asked with a sly grin.

"Because you're meddling and I'm not interested." Jay said with a huge smile on his blushing face. "Seriously, knock it off."

"Well if you will not make the first move with Kali, then maybe some confidence building would not go amiss."

"It's not a confidence issue." Jay stated quickly, turning to face Gus with a look that said the opposite of what he was trying to express. "Uh, do you think we could do something really quick before we join my brothers?"

"Sure, name it."

Jay pointed to the late queen's garden and the white roses he'd been told about. The enchanted flowers that once cut would never die nor wilt, her own private garden. Something from here would be the perfect gift. "Can I take some roses?" He said quietly.

"And, uh…" Jay bit his lip again, unsure if Gustav would allow it. "Take a super fast journey to deliver them?"

He smiled in response to the innocent request. "For a certain someone?" Gus gave such a heartbreaking smile that it was no wonder that Aemilia was so in love with him. "Bifrost, you mean?"

Jay nodded, a shy countenance largely built on uncertainty as to whether his request would be allowed. "For a few, no more."

"How far are these places apart that you wish to deliver so?" Gus looked at the flowers ahead that were only visible from Odin's bedchambers. "And, how many?"

Looking sheepish, Jay raised his fingers and displayed five digits with a cheeky grin. "My mum and dad," he replied, "One for Skylor, for my real father and...and one for Kali. And, they're not far from each other"

"You realise we will attract unwanted attention like this?" Gus had dismounted, assisting Jay to do the same. Both were allowed into the garden with a nod from the small sentry that stood guard, though had Jay still been a solitary protector he would've never been allowed in.

"I do, and I'll take the rap for it."

It was remarkably easy once through the locked trellis. And, as expected with a forever blossoming garden of the likes Edna would have personally loved in her window box. This garden was awash with colour, white being the predominant colour, evidently, the late Queen had favoured the purity, according to Gus. Roses being her favourite. Jay had to agree with her, they would be the perfect choice for a strong everlasting flower.

He retrieved a small blade and passed it to the Prince as they both knelt. "They say that he who cuts the flower, gives it life, he also takes it away."

Jay nodded understanding the sombre meaning as he sliced into each rosebush. Cutting five in total whilst leaving a good eight inch stem. "One for each." He said as he passed them to Gus. "Th-thanks and can the guys drop Kali's off when we get back?"

"I shall send a few upon our return." Gus had his arm around Jay's shaking shoulders. "You know they shall never need water. As long as you live, they shall."

"I know, if I die, they die!"

The flowers would eventually because he saw his own death, still, they'd outlive their soon to be living owners.

* * *

 _ **A few minutes later upon arriving in Ninjago city park**_

A good few people had stopped to see the spectacle of ten golden uniformed horsemen trotting out of the city park with a huge grey eight-legged horse leading the way. A Shamanic spirit that seemed to clear the path not just because of his huge gait but the godly aura that surrounded him and the deathly black eyes that reflected the stars of the cosmos that the people of this realm could not possibly comprehend. More people were gathering having never seen anything this regal before, Heck Princess Harumi may be the current royalty here but even so, no one had seen this Prince. He could have quite easily marched up to her homestead and no one would have questioned him.

What was even more surprising was the Prince who was assisted off his huge steed was someone they hadn't seen before. Furthermore, it was astonishing to see him move so respectfully with dignity and pride to then place two pure white roses on each headstone.

They further watched as the younger auburn haired one crumpled to his knees, head in hands and began sobbing, he appeared most definitely heartbroken at their gravestones.

The taller man removed his helmet, _respectfully_. His hand running through his blonde flattened down hair before grasping the two solitary roses, as he too kneeled by his Prince's side, both silent. He was consoling too, as he emptied the water and wilting flowers.

The one with the delicate crown was clutching them tightly, looking contemplative as he placed the roses on the ground, saying something unheard by the onlookers. All they could see was that this auburn haired man was tenderly rubbing each headstone, laying one solitary white rose in each vase.

It was apparent that none here had really given these two gravestones much thought before now. Only that they'd been the blue ninja's parents, the owners of the junkyard in the Sea of Sand. But now, a face they hadn't seen before was standing there, _deferential_. It was only then, the people here gathered to watch this sad moment realised who this person reminded them of. He was a person who hadn't been seen for almost a year, and two whole years before that.

Only, he didn't look like Jay anymore, _to them_. There were subtle differences now. The eyes, no longer a vibrant blue, the crown; _a dead giveaway_ and the troop that surrounded, keeping a watchful eye on him, like he was more valuable than a Prince; like he was irreplaceable.

Heck, in Ninjago city, it was mid-evening on a busy Friday evening when all ten had arrived after a light show that resembled forked lightning in the local park. It had certainly piqued some interest having seen something so bright followed by this royal procession. Luckily, Gustav and Jay weren't going to stay long enough for chopper nine and Gayle Gossip to gather their news teams. They were literally staying long enough for Jay to say his goodbye's to his parents and his childhood home.

"I'm so sorry," He muttered quietly, getting up to look at the white marble headstones perhaps for the very last time. "Ma," He said with a small broken smile that must have resembled his first uncertain smile as a little boy. "You'll never guess where I got these from, just know this... _they'll never die_."

"Pa, _Dad_ , thanks for being my inspiration. All I ever wanted was to be like you, _in fact_...I felt proud to be called your son." A small tear fell and he wiped it away.

"And, both of you thanks...Thanks for being the best parents a boy could ever wish for."

He had wanted to say more, felt _he needed to_ but he couldn't stay, _not like this_.

A brief moment of silence only interrupted by the flashes of cameras in the background and the ever increasing crowds.

"Where next, my Lord?" Gus whispered, turning discreetly away from the gathered people.

"The Gordon family Mausoleum," Jay replied, turning to his men, noticing that a large congregation had gathered, owing to the fact they were now garnering unwanted attention. "Kai's last, I need to leave something for the mother of the firestone baby." He smiled, wiping the tears from his face as he straightened up in preparation to get back on Odin All Father's horse.

* * *

A good few minutes later, like no time at all had passed on Asgard, whereby four hours had passed on his once home realm. The troop of Einherjar had stopped and Gustav was the first to dismount. He rushed to Jay's side and allowed the stable hands to take all the horses away. "Trust me, you'll be fine."

"Not too formal then?" Jay walked with Gustav, thankful for the fact that none of their troop had said anything about his bruised face and busted lip, unlike the inhabitants of his former home had. Again, no one had mentioned anything when he broke down at his parent's grave. Now nearing the inn, having not spoken to his brothers for eight months, he stilled nervously. Instead of using his trained moves he simply disconnected his cloak from his back and draped the long dark purple robe over his forearm as the door was opened for him. "Better?"

Gustav simply shook his head, he was smiling. "Cloak or not, they'll still know who you are."

"Well, it looks less intimidating though?"

"The majority who grace this bar are often wearing their working armour, cloaks and all. Thor was the same, Loki never visited this place though."

"So he wasn't a social drinker then?" Jay asked.

He already knew the answer. Loki only drank when he was exceptionally stressed and the resulting fall out from that would be deadly. Loki had divulged that he had made some of his most deadly potions when he had been inebriated. For some reason Loki hated the tawny golden mead, it was something to do with Odin using it as a tool of control. Simply, Loki had stated that if anyone were to offer Jay three shots that he was to refuse it.

One shot was traditional. The first shot clouded the judgement of whomsoever drank the first of three. It allowed the All-powerful All-Father to take over the mind of the weak. The second shot was the bargain and would render the drinker under the god's control. Then the final shot was the agreement and typically the one that gave Odin all the power he needed. The final parting gift was a damned firm handshake that lasted far longer than the standard five-second gesture.

 _Never shake hands for longer than three and never accept three of honey mead._

He walked into the dimly lit oak bar and took a quick look around without walking any further. He spotted his brothers easily. They were seated in a booth, a flagon of ale in Cole and Lloyd's hands whilst Zane appeared to be staring into the unnatural blue waters of his equally large drink. Never had he been so happy to actually lay eyes on something he cherished as much as these three guys.

Gustav noticed Jay's lilac eyes light up in recognition. He didn't even attempt to hide his smile as he flanked the Prince whilst he walked across casually to join his brothers, pulling him along too. "See, I told you they might need your help,"

Jay chuckled breathlessly. "Haa, wow. How much did they drink and how long for?"

"A few hours, Tyr and Sif kept them busy in the arena, this at least, will allow them the rest and recuperation that they need. I reckon they learnt a harsh lesson."

"Tyr is ruthless though, he didn't hurt them too bad, did he? I know how much he roughhouses." He didn't bother mentioning about how Tyr hadn't spoken to him since Gladsheim. Or the fact he recognised Jay, it was all a show for Odin when he ran the sword through his chest.

 _"_ _I know you, the blade does not lie. You work for evil but will not divulge. Prince, the next time, I'll aim it for your deceitful heart for betraying your king."_

It was said as he was pressed up against the pillar, teasingly into his ear as the blade came through the front and scraped against the solid wooden doors. Had he truly meant it, Try could have just thrust the sword in and up, he knew Tyr was perfectly capable. Jay released a pent-up sigh. Tyr's sword was one of the only other rune swords of Asgard, the other was held by Frey, known as Summerbrandr. Both swords were infinitely powerful. One sword could kill without even being held, the other, Tyr's sword revealed darkness within.

"Tyr is here too, over in the far corner, keeping an eye on his new recruits and his own troop." Gus noted, nodding toward a dark corner. "eight flagons of ale barkeep."

Jay looked around but saw no-one that even resembled the God of war. "Does he command you too?" He remained at the bar as the server poured the golden ale into some large flasks, one tray loaded up, Jay carried it waiting for Gus to join him like an excited boy.

"No," He shook his head and picked up the second tray full of flagons from the bar. "We are palace guards, meant to protect royalty. We are all yours, you command us…oh great one." He chuckled.


	93. The brotherhood of man

He looked around and as he'd imagined, the bar and interior hadn't changed all that much. Sure, it'd had a lick of varnish, but other than that; it was no different to how regular medieval aged inn's looked. This one wasn't like the majority in Ninjago, they were either family places or themed. This one had a definite masculine feel about it and was heavily accentuated with macabre mace's, rusty broadswords and cracked shields. The only bit of contrasting colour here was the odd few huge skeletal heads of centuries dead wild hog or some animals that Jay wasn't sure of, other than them bearing a striking semblance to a walliper.

The two mounted skulls were purposefully placed above the entrance of the inn and the bar itself. Additionally, they both held tattered pennants of the fallen from each battalion that hadn't made it back home, to Asgard. Jay had heard Gus mention a small unknown fact that any Einherji who fell outside of this realm would perish. It was only Asgard and Odin that kept them from passing over.

Places like this sometimes gave him the creeps, or perhaps it was the whole immortal aspect; considering, he'd been thrust into it head first. Yet other times, Asgard and places like this inn, provided him with much needed privacy and a place to hide, to collect his thoughts. This time however, Jay wasn't here to hide, he was here to see three super special guys and make a very long distance call to a certain hotheaded fire ninja, his beautiful wife and their newborn son.

Turning to his close friend before sitting, Jay quirked a brow. " _Please_ , can you drop the formalities?"

"Of course," Gus nodded, looking around seeing only Einherjar and a docile God of War with females draped over him. He then realised that he was the only palace guard in here, having sent the others off to deliver Kali's pure white rose

Now that could prove an issue.

"Seriously, it's awkward, _for them_ ," Jay mumbled, knowing full well that most weren't fully accepting of it.

"I shall try. Though, if I do it for one then I tend do it for all," Gus replied, placing the ample tray of ale on the table, eyeing three for himself. "Like I said, _ahh Jason_ , 'tis difficult to refrain."

Jay had to agree. Passers-by were the same, they bowed, curtseyed and remained respectful whenever the palace guards were near, likely because the appearance meant a Royal was in the vicinity. Still, he wasn't going to bite Gus's head off for forgetting, he might smirk at him or raise a questioning eyebrow as he'd done with Kali.

"Just try, and it's _Jay_."

Looking around slowly, Jay took his seat on the soft leather that made up the booth's seating. Most of the chestnut hide was over stretched, torn in places where previous others had sat carelessly with armour and chainmail insitu. In truth, it was like he'd stepped back in time, having come in here. Though it wasn't his first visit, it was the same inn he'd wandered into when Loki had changed his gender for a harsh covenant.

"You like this inn?" Gus asked, squeezing in next to Lloyd and Cole. Noticing both warriors were comfortable with their current seating arrangements, that he felt no need to ruin their moment of slumber.

"Yeah, it's okay." Jay said, fussing with his drink. He was staring at something over Gus' shoulder, something that to everyone else wasn't there.

"Can be quiet too, _sometimes_. The feast of Jul, not so much." Gus offered, lifting his first flagon of ale while pushing Jay's towards him with a strong mead drink in what resembled a miniature wooden barrel. And on that subject, a thought came to his mind. "So My Lord, uh _Jay_ are you planning on celebrating the feast in Asgard this year?"

"I-I don't know. What is Jul, is it like Christmas?" He was generally curious, being as he was incarcerated.

"Well once, Germanic and Norse children alike would leave their boots out by the hearth on Solstice Eve, filled with sugar and hay for Sleipnir's long journey. In return, Odin would leave a gift for their gestures. Alas, in modern times, Sleipnir was changed to a reindeer and the silver-bearded Odin became the kindly Santa Klaus. A tale that has spread realm wise, far spanning that of Midgard alone."

"Whoa, wow!" Somehow it had reached Ninjago too and likely lots of other places in between.

"You are more than welcome to join me and Aemilia, to celebrate?"

"Haa, really?" Jay said, smiling at the idea. No one had ever asked him, it was just expected that before all this, he would go to his adoptive parents and spend Christmas with them. So he was excited at the prospect of being part of a celebration as opposed to being locked up; like last year. He was still keeping his options open though, Christmas was far closer in his home realm than it was here.

"Yeah, thanks. Haa, it would be nice to celebrate it in a moderately _normal_ environment this year." Jay replied, eyes narrowing as he saw a flash of green, gold and black just out of his peripheral.

 _Don't think I can't see you watching me...Loki._

As usual and to spite Loki's disgust at him drinking alcohol, Jay took both his drinks from Gus with an imperceptible smile on his slightly freckled face. He stared dead ahead at the flash of green as he began to drink the impossibly strong beverage. Taking a final look at the green flash, Jay threw the large tumbler of mead down his throat like it was water, cringing at the sweet taste of fermented honey before placing it down gently, hand raised to order another one.

 _ **You shall regret that Jason...**_

 _Hmm, like I've not heard that before. Honestly Loki, do your worst, not like you can beat today._

 ** _Really, you are challenging me in your state? No violence I assure, though I expect you in my quarters before sunrise. Utmost importance...we must talk._**

 _I'm busy, ya know. About to socialise with the brothers you kept me from today?_

 ** _You are not safe with that blade. Return it promptly and I will guarantee your safety._**

 _You should be guaranteeing it anyway, you asked me to get this blade, remember?_

 _ **This is not children at play Jason, that sword is coveted by many, would be safer here with me as would you.**_

 _What, by staying with you for the night? Uh, no thanks._

* * *

Gus smiled, shaking his head at Jay's antics as the barkeep brought forth another drink of mead. "Tell me, why do you like it so much, when there is privacy in the banquet hall?"

True, there was privacy, but Kali would've been shamed if she was seen throwing herself so wantonly at him. Obviously, had it been a well known celebration where everyone was so drunk they didn't care, it wouldn't have bothered anyone.

"I like it because it's close, there's privacy but at the same time I feel safe here."

 _I did feel safe..._

That was probably the first time he'd admitted it too. Loki had never come looking for him in here before now, even in his old man disguise. It had also been the perfect place to meet up with Kali, _once._ Mainly owing to the fact that no one seemed to mind if she got overly touchy with him or if he chose to take her over the table, he never had though.

 _There were no words uttered when Kali had found him here with tear tracks on his face, his crown removed at his right side, head in his right hand. She sided in next to his left and closed the gap quickly. Her hand had found his under the table, their fingers intertwined almost immediately. Then she stroked his face, bringing him round to look in her eyes. Only then did their lips join and she kissed him in near privacy, wiping those tears away that brought her emotional pain to see him shed._

 _Intimately as they could be in this place, Kali straddled his legs and ground down hard until he released a throaty groan in response. She was begging for entrance to his mouth, to drink him in, to taste that fountain of youth and finally, for him to deepen the kiss._

 _Passion and the starts of love were beginning to show as he pulled her closer for an embrace that simple lust filled flings wouldn't provide. He tried so hard not to give in to what Loki had said. He kept his hands in a respectful place, the small of her back and under her arms but even that ignited his darkest of fires. The slightest move had her soft curves wobbling. His resolve so close to cracking as she pressed herself against him purposefully circling her hips to gain friction, allowing him to breathe in her intoxicating addictive aroma from between her breasts._

 _She saw the intent, the smouldering look he gave. And only then could she feel his excitement growing beneath her as the kiss turned from passionate to demanding spurned on by him. The pounding of his heart as she pulled his hair and bit his lips gently, imitating what she wanted to do with her hips and tongue._

 _In desperation, Jay had grabbed his crown with his right hand and both had made a swift departure at needing to find somewhere with far more seclusion to slake their sinful desires._

Jay smiled fondly at the one positive memory that this place brought. Of course, not all of his memories up to this night had been bad where Kali and Gus had been involved. Strangely enough, men were looked after better than women were, in Asgard, that was also true as to how Kali had been treated at having slapped him hard across the face. The guards had been heavy handed with her, he could see bruises on her skin, ones that hadn't been caused by him, Jay never bruised her and if he did, he always apologised, profusely.

But then again, Asgard was absurdly patriarchal, as Loki had attested. He had mentioned that even the Lady Sif was deemed an unlikely candidate for a competent warrior in Asgard because she was a female. Even when disproved of this fact, the nobles stood strong in their prejudiced minds. Additionally, to solidify the patriarchal kingdom, the queen would have been the first in line to inherit the throne of Asgard if Odin had fallen into the Odinsleep but she was bypassed for one of her sons. The simple fact of the matter, Frigga would have proven level headed and intelligent in her rule, had she been offered the opportunity to reign over the nine realms.

Gus gave a soft laugh, shaking his head with his eyes pointing downwards, that was until a soft glint of shimmering gold caught his eye and he looked up hugely surprised to see Jay being so secretive all of a sudden. Watching with some intrigue as he discreetly began pouring a straw colour liquid into three flagons, one of which was his own.

And he poured with deliberation until there was none left. Tipping up the small jewel encrusted drinking vessel to get every single drop and then tapping it, completely unaware that he had been spotted when he stoppered the flask's golden lid.

That was it, the intrigue had become too much to bear. Gus couldn't contain it any longer, nor the rumbling in his stomach that was about to let rip at having finished his first flagon of ale. " **My Lord** , _**Uhm Jay?**_ " He cupped his hand over his mouth, no real shame in belching here to relieve oneself of gas, even though his voice had been amplified by the trapped air, making him louder than he had anticipated, the alcohol numbing the senses.

Jay immediately blushed at his given name being called at such a deep based timbre, especially from Gus. On the way here this night, Gus hadn't been this loud, so it would've been hilarious if Jay hadn't been doing something so secretive, having now just been caught in the act… _again_. Looking around, biting his lip as a few heads had risen with the loud outburst.

"Wh-where did you get that?" Gus stated.

"Shsh, Gus" He gave the universal slit throat sign as well as nervously placing his index finger over his own mouth to indicate silence. He breathed a sigh of relief when Gus complied. Hastily, Jay concealed the flask under the table and between his legs, now shrouded with his unclasped cloak to avoid it being seen by any other patron. He was getting attention as it was, he didn't need any more, not because of who he was but because of the golden truth sword he carried, that too was glinting in the candle lit room further exacerbated by the fact the cloak wasn't hiding either.

It was dangerous to carry such a coveted blade, one such as Gram's blade, the blade of heroes. The second most famous blade in Asgard, the one attached to Jay's leather breeches along with his own Uru silver blade.

"I got it from Sigurd _the everglorious_." Jay said, heavy with sarcasm at using Zig's given name. The scowl and nonchalance was to be expected, considering that whole given diatribe of who Zig's father was had been a lie to begin with. He sighed deeply, taking a look to Cole and Lloyd, both were lightly snoozing and it looked like Zane was in some sort of standby mode. All three looked thoroughly worn out from training and though he felt immense sympathy, Jay had grown somewhat accustomed to it. Though fighting dead warriors who had no real weakness was never an easy sparring fight, there would always be injuries, defeat and the occasionally horrific bloody win. The Einherjar didn't stay dead for long either, some rose quite quickly after losing a limb and bleeding out.

Shrugging, having been caught red handed. "He didn't notice me taking it when he was trying to wrestle me to the ground. Because he was too busy trying to ply me with a whole flask of it, mumbling incoherent nothings about how strong this is."

Slackjawed at Jay's blasé interpretation of something so precious, Gus frowned in response. "Why was he trying to take you down, had you angered him in some way?" Actually, he was still annoyed at Zig, this would just be another thing to add to that list; the one titled 'Broken promises'.

"I wish," Shaking his head, Jay's eyes remained glued to the wooden tray. Fingers grazing the engraved patterns on it. "I hadn't annoyed him, not really."

Still frowning Gus placed his hand atop of Jay's. "Honestly, I can understand the whole Lorelei outburst may have cause a scene. Perhaps he may have wanted to clear the tension between you both, no?"

"The news of Amora being with child?"

"No," Jay shook his head, laughing softly. His voice lowered in respect of his sleeping brothers, not wanting to disturb their lengthy nap. "It wasn't anything bad, _per se_."

A silence between the pair as Jay took his drink, sipping it slowly to memorise the taste. "I wasn't feeling too good when we left the castle. Maybe it was all the sneaking around, trying to get out without being seen." Or without realising, it might have been his very own drink that Sigurd had tainted with an elixir that weakened him. The stuff had rendered him momentarily speechless and then quite suddenly, Jay had become louder and obnoxious for a good few minutes where his profanity filter was switched off and everyone in the banquet hall at Nornkeep had heard some incredibly offensive expletives.

Gustav quirked a brow at that statement, a smirk tugged at the side of his mouth. "The Einherjar were doing their job in trying to protecting you."

"And I respect that and I am grateful. I didn't mean to make them look bad," Jay replied, looking a tad guilty at having made them run around. "It's just, it was so _clandestine_ to do this because I knew that I had been told not to."

Gus nodded, he already knew that Jay had wanted to find some answers. Though he had tried to persuade other ideas that wouldn't prove quite so dangerous. Meeting the Fates was only for the strong of heart and mind, Even Baldur the fair had crumpled in anger at the Fates.

"Though I accede, Sigurd knows us well, our weak points." He watched Jay's face contort into a frown, not understanding his meaning. "Basically, our armour is too clunky for continual frolicking around. Tis meant more for show, for when we are accompanying to events such as we did today."

"Look, I'm sorry Gus. Zig suggested it to me and being that he'd done nothing but go on about it, I thought why not and I went along with it." He raised his hands, giving up.

"So, tell me this, how did you come by Gram's sword?"

Jay's eyes darted everywhere, trying to find a believable excuse to explain the sword that didn't involve him having to spill the truth. "Zig lied to me, told me this whole story about how the sword ended up with him because his father handed it down. Then he asked me loads of questions that I answered truthfully." He cocked his head, skimming the best bits.

That was the partial truth, he just didn't see the point in admitting how he'd spoken about whom he served or that the sword in question had been rammed through his chest as the truth was pulled out. Because, as Zig had uttered; "there would be no scar, and no underlying wound, only the truth would hurt". And it did, it hurt like an acid soaked bullet would, it had so far been the worst pain he had ever endured. Though true to Zig's word; it'd left no scar to speak of and Eir Gram had healed the rune sword scar too.

"Then he said the sword had stopped working for him, and that maybe I could take it and put it in the vaults, back in it's rightful place. I dunno, sounded kind of contrived." He bit his lip out of the direct questioning gaze of Gus. The truth sword wasn't glowing at all with his vague answers, _a huge relief because he hadn't told a lie, he chose to say rather what he was going to do with it_.

"Hmm, it does seem curious. I think there may be a deeper meaning, Sigurd was the original and rightful owner after all." Gus seemed concerned, though he said no more. He simply took both swords passing them back. "Hide it in your cloak, don't let the Einherjar see it."

Shamefully, Jay nodded lowering his head. Was this how he treated friends, by keeping things from them?

 _Ugh Gods, Jay...you suck at this. I need to get a better poker face._

"Is it time yet?" Gus asked, having asked the barkeeper for another tray of ale to replace the two he had drunk himself. Leaving the three tainted ones alone. "I reckon we've been here a good few minutes, any longer and they shall be snoring or worse, Meinfretr?"

Both men were startled from their haze as the barkeep appeared, wooden tray in hand. He scooped up the empties and replaced them with overflowing flagons of fresh ale, bubbling frothy heads atop and another mead.

"So who's gonna do it?" Jay asked quietly, looking at Cole, drool gathering slowly under his chin.

Gus smirked, raising his eyebrows intermittently, having already downed two drinks, swiftly moving onto another. Completely avoiding the tainted ones that Jay had spiked with amber nectar. **"What say you need some company dear friends?"** His voiced boomed again as he belched loudly in their general direction, startling them to wakefulness in an instant.

Cole sat bolt upright, gripping the table so tightly that it creaked and groaned, staring dead ahead with a look about his person that resembled a dear in the headlights.

Zane was seemingly rebooting, his cyan eyes brightening by the second as he lifted his head and body up to a straight position that rivalled Asgard's very own destroyer.

Lloyd too mumbled, righting himself quickly while rubbing his eyes, taking in the table's newest guests with a huge beaming smile when he realised who it was sitting in his midst. "Jay?"

"H-hey guys?" Jay smiled nervously, standing up to reach across the table to give a firm and incredibly emotional hug to Lloyd, then Zane who just wasn't as squishy and supple, finally he embraced Cole. He held so tight, not wanting to let go.

"It's been ages, _w-weeks_." He corrected whispering, trying to keep it together, excitement, nerves and anxiety.

Cole pulled back from the tight embrace. Huge relief flooding over him at seeing Jay again. He took a second glance, disbelieving his own eyes. Jay looked well, apart from the bruising to his face and neck and the split lip. Taller; if that was even possible and a strange aura about his person.

"It's only been a few days, Jay?" Cole said frowning with a chuckle to express his near delirious drunken mirth. "You came over to see us and we went to the club. You don't remember? You hit your head or something?"

As expected, Jay stalled at Cole's words. If anything he had been trying to lighten the load by uttering a _few weeks_ , actually it had been seven months what with the whole one day being one week and Jay being stuck here for just over a week, earth bound for two, then back here recuperating for a few days.

"S-sure a few days, y-yeah of course." He sat down, more nervous than ever. Well, the good thing which could also be construed as bad was that at least he knew where Amora was playing. And now, he was extremely grateful that he'd had ten Einherjar with him when he had travelled there earlier this evening. He shuddered to think what would've happened had she come across him, visiting any of the places he did tonight.

He didn't miss the looks on Lloyd and Zane's face. Nor Zane's ice cold hand as it came to settle on his own trembling one.

Gus took that as his cue to divert Cole's attention, allowing Lloyd to shuffle past and sit on the same side as Jay. Some machismo was going to be needed to capture the attention of this earth ninja, enough so that Jay could talk to the only two brothers who knew more of what was happening on his home world.

"Jay, it is good to finally see you. It has been quite a while for us, I understand? Yet only weeks have passed for you?"

"Likewise, you'd be right, you always were." Jay nodded slowly. "Which brings me onto a really awkward convo, specifically what Cole just said?"

"Ahh yes Cole does not know of Amora, I apologise we have not had the time to tell him."

 _You've been here for hours, really?_

"What's time huh, apparently it's irrelevant up here? Seriously, it doesn't matter, I'm getting good at lying, maybe I can keep up this premise and lie to Cole too." He didn't mean to hiss it out or the way he worded it. Releasing a pent up sigh, Jay let it go, along with his nerves, his home world, parents and the knowledge that Amora was still making a name for herself back in Ninjago; in his image.

"What happened Jay?" Lloyd whispered, watching as Gus motioned Cole to an arm wrestling challenge.

 _What didn't happen..._

" _Amora_..." Jay replied curtly. "Amora happened." He shrugged, sighing deeply. "What did she do to you guys, nothing irreversible I hope?"

"No, nothing really," Lloyd shook his head. "I mean, she tried but we saw through her, eventually."

 _Figures..._

Bitter resentment biting at him. "I must be the lucky one then huh?"

Zane nodded recollecting the memory. "It was a ploy, to weaken us as a team and she failed this attempt."

"Doesn't mean she won't stop, and with what Cole just said, means she's still there." Jay surmised, miserably. Hoping that she wasn't living at his father's house and trashing the place. That was one of the reasons he needed to sell it, he needed to get rid of it, no paper trails to lead back to himself. To live so far under the radar that she wouldn't be able to find him.

"Are you currently aware of our political struggles?" Zane asked, metal eyebrow raised.

 _Hmm I'm totally aware and I don't give a flying fuck while she's still there._

"In Ninjago?" Jay quizzed feigning confusion. He raised an eyebrow at Zane's question. " _Kinda_." It sounded like he wasn't bothered one bit. He was really.

"The newly corrupt government that seems intent on causing misery and degradation to those same citizens we once helped?" Zane offered.

"Making everyone's lives a misery, the ones who won't conform?" Lloyd added with a grim expression, waiting for Jay to shows signs of comprehension.

 _I know, because I caused the whole thing, this is a backlash at being discovered and I thought you guys could handle it alone._

"So, I was kinda kept up to speed with someone who can see all." Jay finally stated and, at the same time he cringed, offering the drink to Lloyd, shamelessly pushing Cole's across the table as the latter had come to join them again. Jay wasn't feeling guilty for spiking them before passing them to his wholly unsuspecting brothers, but because of what Zane had just uttered.

"I know about the whole mayor thing too." That was only the half of it, Jay had instigated it, having made it public knowledge by setting the place ablaze with the drug cartels still inside. The only evidence was a charred blacked hand and a blood trail that belonged to Jay and his bullet wound.

He looked at Cole, passing the drink to him too. "It's a free one, on the house." Jay nodding as he started on his own spiked drink. "Lloyd if you want a good battle story, Gus is full of them." He motioned to the only other tall blonde haired warrior with an army cut hairstyle.

"And this one's for you Zane." Jay smiled, passing his nindroid brother a goblet with pearlescent water. "Haa, the only oil they have here is for the lamps or keeping the Destroyer in peak condition."

"Actually, the corruption will probably peak out sometime next year." Lloyd stated, getting up to join Cole and Gus. "New Mayoral elections are due to take place soon. In fact, they'd already begun the party political broadcasts the night before we got here. Some good candidates too."

"Don't get your hopes up, green machine." Jay took a small sip of his ale. "This one's not like the other law abiding candidates or like the late Mayor Eamon Brady. Ya know he suffered a fatal heart attack while in office?"

"You sure this mayor didn't take him down?" Lloyd piped up drinking his drink like he was enjoying it despite it being laced with amber nectar.

"No, dude the late Mayor Brady was succeeded by the vice Mayor. He was the ruthless type, you know the sort that gives election promises, and then breaks every single one of em? My father told me what a scumbag he was, I'm sorry but I'm kinda glad he was removed from office, _in a body bag_. Sadly though, it left the government wide open and Senor psychopath took over, now we got this douchebag as Mayor."

"Wow, Cole you're so cold." Jay smirked. _Almost as cold as me..._

"What, he's a slimy motherfucker, so was the one before him..."

"Cole language? Not in here dude, there's females present!" Lloyd taunted, middle finger over both lips.

"Barely!" Cole smirked. The only females were draping themselves over Tyr. Not that Cole was jealous, _much_. He figured he might have stood a chance with Sif today until the dashing Fandral had stolen the show and whisked her off to God knows where. _They're probably dancing horizontally somewhere, not that I'm giving it much thought. Her fine hips in that swaying leather battle kilt, mmm the tight chain mail top...The way she handled that blade gripping the handle, rubbing the ...fuck I need Seliel..._

Lloyd was quickly engaged in Gus' enthralling discussion about battle strategy and both Cole and himself were occasionally glancing back at Jay with a relieved smile, almost like they couldn't believe they were face to face with Jay again.

"Did you bring your comms device, Zane?"

"I did, we needed the ability of communication. Not that we will be able to do much with where we are due to be sent."

"Are you up for a long distance call then, say to Ninjago, Jamanakai?"

"We had spoken of this earlier being that an entire week passed in one day."

"So what day is it down there now, _oh wise_ _one of the ice_?" Jay smirked. "Considering firebaby was born on the 21st?"

"Ahh, that is something I was not aware of." He paused for a moment.

Jay thought he might be saving the date for future reference.

"We left on the 21st, when we were settled it was the 23rd. Now the date is the 30th of September, early morning."

Jay nodded, taking the device flicking it on before hushing his brothers. "Gus, could you pull the curtain across, for privacy?"

"Indeed I can My lord... _Uh Jay_."

"Pfft, **_Lord_**..." Cole laughed, quickly placing his hand over his mouth at seeing Gus' stern expression. "Uh, sorry haa, still weird."

"Respect Cole. Up here you will do time for speaking out of turn to a Royal."

"What, I was just..."

"But you wont will ya Gus?" Jay said looking between the two noticing that Cole was looking mildly nervous at the thought. "Gus is just teasing ya. Am I right, my main man?" Jay said turning his gaze from Cole to Gus, high fiving him in the process.

 _Ouch that hurt_. Wow, at least Cole knew where he stood now as he literally and figuratively slumped down to wait for this long distance call to begin.

* * *

It was momentary.

"Hi Kai..." Jay said in unison with his brothers. "Hope we didn't disturb you?"

"No, you didn't." Skylor mumbled fast, walking past the screen in a blur. "We've been up for hours, no point in going to bed at 6am."

"We were woken up by a ridiculously bright light, a few hours ago?" Kai yawned, holding his newborn son in his arms. The fire master looked worn out with the relentless amount of sleepless nights. "Not been able to sleep since. I'm assuming that was something to do with you, _Jay_?" He said, smiling widely which quickly turned to a grimace when Skylor began screeching in the background having just checked the front door step bringing the milk in and a somewhat frozen rose too.

"Why does every bright light make people think of me?"

"Hello, lightning master, duh." Cole shook his head.

"It's dark, there's no light there anymore. Just pure black devastation that I don't use."

"What?" Kai and Lloyd chimed in. "You don't use your elements, either of them?"

Jay shook his head. It was too dangerous to attempt to use either unless he had absolutely no choice, like his life depended on it. Simply; black lightning had made way into his soul when he was broken in Iceland. "I lack versatility, I can't hack, control devices or manipulate power currents anymore."

"How do you defend yourself then?" Lloyd gaped.

Jay rubbed his face. Not wanting to get into a full scale discussion about how he refused to use his destructive elements anymore, the last time he'd used them properly, he'd killed men and women who had been doing their jobs, working. "This conversation, it isn't supposed to be about me. Can you just turn it back to Kai?"

An awkward silence ensued as Jay took his mead drink, drinking the entire contents in one go.

Gus joined his side, patting his shoulder gently. "Take it easy, don't push them away. They have come far, you can see they are worried for you."

Jay nodded, taking a deep breath. "I-I'm sorry guys." His attention back on what Skylor was currently holding gently and so delicately that it might break in her soft grasp.

"Oh it's lovely Kai," Skylor beamed, marvelling at the partially frozen frosted white rose she'd found in the milk crate.

"It wasn't from me, I've not left the house have I?"

Jay was smiling from ear to ear.

Skylor put two and two together. "Is this from you, _Jay_?"

"Yeah," he replied shrugging loosely, blushing as all eyes remained on him. "I was there an hour ago, took four hours Ninjago time. It's a rose from a special place."

"What were you doing for four hours?" Cole asked, eyebrow raised. "How did you even get there and back?"

Jay shrugged with a cheeky smirk and additional wink. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"My Lord?" Gustav whispered. "It's much more than that. Do not be so quick to undervalue your gift, it has _far_ more meaning than you are letting on."

"I-I know Gus, I've never been good at explaining how things work. Things get lost in the communication process."

"Just tell her. I am sure she would be honoured to be the receiver of such a thing as this rose."

"Thanks," Jay replied, rolling his eyes away from the screen.

"My Lord? Our late queen, was the last to bestow these flowers and those who she gave to have long since perished. But the roses remained still on the tombstones, in a state of perpetual blooming, that was, until she too passed."

Jay nodded with Gustav's whispered explanation. "It's a token, Skylor. A gift unlike any other." He said timidly, looking at the screen and then at Skylor's expression of appreciation verging on confusion. "I-it won't die and it only needs the smallest amount of moisture."

"I love it, I absolutely love it Jay." She kissed Kai, hugging him tightly, placing a tender kiss on her son's forehead before walking off to find a vase.

"And I love you Kai, for having such a thoughtful friend to leave something as precious as this, as well as the little blue and silver rattle, _Jay_."

He smiled in response, Jay hadn't forgotten about that. He quickly realised that she had probably sent a thank you for it but having not seen him, she hadn't been able to thank him personally. Amora wouldn't have had a clue either. She more than likely would have blown her cover at showing zero interest in such a trinket.

Initially, Jay had found it, hidden in a box, further wrapped in blue silk to protect and then just left there in a safe, behind a multitude of personal photos of his father and whom he assumed was his extended family. An heirloom that had been his own brought or maybe handed down from Storm's family, maybe even Cliff's mother. The delicate thing had been found in a box entitled "Jason". He had opened it carefully, a slight frown as he sifted through the box feeling like he was prying.

Then were the flowers he had recently cut. Jay always put so much thought into the gifts he gave. He wasn't always so sure how to accept the praise afterwards because the people were usually so blown away with his gesture that he sometimes found it embarrassing.

So, Jay had selected these five roses, and, all of them were at all slightly different stages of blooming. The reason being; he wanted to signify something important about each stage, something Gus had whispered before he cut the first stem. So, for his parents, Jay had chosen the almost open flower. To him, it gave the impression that though they had lived their lives, there was still a part that was taken from them violently. And that was the part of the flower that would remain forever hidden within the rose.

The one for Skylor and their child was a double budding rose, both flowers opening revealing healthy growth, thus signifying her young age and that of their newborn son.

* * *

"Well, everyone's wide awake because he seems to favour the night time. That and the real bright light that woke us up for good."

"Yeah ha. S-sorry about that." Jay apologised again. "He got a name yet?"

"We do..." Skylor chimed in from the background,stipulating that she was going to divulge as soon as she'd made a coffee for everyone there.

"It resembled lightning without the thundercrack." Kai said, smirking at his own humour.

"Pfft..." Jay was chuckling, holding his gut to avoid laughing so loudly as to disturb the majority of drinking patrons.

"You, Kai are _incorrigible_ ," Skylor smirked, leaning down to kiss his cheek as he held their son.

To Jay, she looked the picture of health and happiness despite having giving birth a week ago.

Skylor peeked around the screen with the same long stem white double rose, vase in hand. She gently held the near frosted flower to her nose and smelled the delicate fragrance, worried that if she dropped it the rose would disintegrate. "And that light show, was that the rainbow bridge?"

Jay smiled, he allowed himself that. "Nearly, it was Bifrost. The quickest and safest way to travel the..."

He mumbled it out as if he was a permanent resident of the place, until it sank in, technically he was now. Jay stopped talking, he was sounding more and more like Loki.

"Well," Kai said with a frown at Jay's lapse in concentration. He passed his, as yet, unnamed son to the proud auntie. "We assumed it was you."

"You should never assume, but, you'd be right in your assumption." Jay smiled, "call it a never ending gift. Haa, the gift that keeps on giving."

Jay could see Nya in the background, even in the corner of his eyes she was watching him, _intently_. She was trying to capture his attention by standing and straightening her tight office clothes evidently about to go to work He knew it would be the end of him if he fell for her like last time. Her chocolate brown eyes, her black hair. Such a sharp contrast to Kali.

* * *

 **Thanks to the Mayor of Ninjago City for letting me use the Late Mayor Eamon Brady in this chapter.**


	94. Fire, amber, stones and hammers

It took a good hour for Skylor to clean the kitchen, prep the breakfast items and for Kai to bargain with her as to being given the smelliest task and it being unfair. Therefore, in the mean time, while they were going about their daily lives, Zane swiftly pressed a button on the device that made Lloyd's eyes widen.

Jay was intrigued, he remained silently watching from the sidelines as Lloyd and Zane conversed, wishing that Cole had more to talk about, like how he'd got all his injuries from the night before.

"You have not noticed this setting?"

"Nope!" Lloyd shrugged. "I've never used mine."

 _Figures..._

"It is on _all_ of the devices."

 _Pfft...not mine._ Jay eyed it curiously, having never seen this function. Besides, his device was shot to shit, broken and hadn't worked since he'd been in the dungeons. Not thinking to ask for a new one, he hadn't had the time either because there'd always been something that cropped up. It'd been so far at the back of his mind, that he'd forgotten to mention it altogether. Honestly, what was the point of asking for another, it would prove too much of a hassle, and it wasn't like he needed it anymore.

"How does it work?" Lloyd asked, noticing that everything in Jamanakai was speeding up. The accompanying vision of seeing Kai, Skylor and Nya being fast forwarded while going about their daily lives was disconcerting, _to say the least_.

"When we pause our talking, there is a setting we use." Zane said, pointing at the device. "This was achievable with extensive engineering and advanced technological assistance."

"Really, when did you have time to do this?" Lloyd asked, confused.

 _Yeah do tell, Tinman. Would it be when you could've told Cole about Amora?_

"They were adapted when we returned here, _for the wedding_. The master craftsmen expertly tailored these devices to adapt and interact with the extremes of time zone manipulation in the larger cosmos, with or without the interference of cosmic radiation found in and around this realm."

 _My mistake..._ Jay took a mouthful from the last of the mead, finishing it in one gulp that made his eyes water and his throat clench in protest.

"It is a fascinating place really." Zane mused _wistfully_.

Lloyd was only seeing half of it, _literally_. He saw the realm, the bar, the booth he was seated in and his sombre looking crowned brother with his arm draped across Cole's shoulder.

"Asgard is not a sphere like Earth or Ninjago, but a relatively flat landmass suspended in space. It does not rotate about its axis, nor does it revolve around a sun. The gravity apparently radiates from somewhere below it. At the edges of Asgard's landmass, a being or object can fall into a void, but some unknown force keeps the edges themselves from eroding. The same force also prevents the bodies of water along Asgard's boundaries from pouring into the void, preventing Asgard's atmosphere from escaping. You could say that we are floating on a Sea of Space."

"Hmm," Lloyd yawned, "You went off on a tangent. Could you explain it in _Layman's terms?_ " He mumbled apologetically.

 _Wait, what? Hang on beansprout, I understood it perfectly._

"I thought I had explained it well?" Zane's eyebrows remained high. "In lesser words then; so when we are here, we are seen to be speaking slowly to them, _apparently incoherent_ as our vocal patterns are too slow to pick up."

 _That makes sense..._

Zane continued. "To us, those in our home realm would be seen as speaking at an accelerated rate, therefore difficult to comprehend. So, the advanced technological intricacies in these devices, as provided by the very people who preserve and maintain Bifrost, finely tuned it and gave it to me with express conditions to use it carefully. Not allowing it to fall into the wrong hands."

"The _wrong_ hands?" Lloyd quizzed, perplexed.

"Not for earth-bound citizens. This is _far_ too advanced, pertaining to the fact that the people of earth need to come by this technology in their own time."

Jay's eyebrow rose slightly though he remained completely silent. _I think they're more advanced than we think, more than you're aware of..._

"What does this mean for us, and them?"

"It means we cannot speak to them for what might seem like minutes to us because where they are, it is in fact, hours. To simplify; they have lives to lead in Ninjago, a baby to care for. When I last conversed with Jay, we spoke for no more than a few minutes at most from Ninjago. Though from here, I suspect it felt like mere seconds."

"So," Lloyd turned to face Zane, his expression glum. "This is what it's like when _he_ calls you, he has to watch us living our lives in super speed, idly?"

 _Yeah, obviously..._

"Jay learned to mute it, then he stopped using it all together. We lost contact for months."

 _That's because it's broken._

"Why was there a sudden change?"

"Surprising you ask, considering you and Cole..." Zane narrowed his gaze. He paused, not wanting to utter anymore for fear of bringing up the harsh truths of the past. "I can pinpoint the exact moment when it occurred."

"You think we're losing him?"

 _Excuse me, I'm right here, you can see me can't you? Jay_ mentally cussed at his brothers for being ignorant, keeping up with the premise that he was an idle bystander in this conversation that should've been private, considering the subject matter.

"I," Zane's LCD eyes narrowed. "No Lloyd, what makes you say that? He shows no signs of defection, he is here, joining us and conversing in a healthy manner?"

"Well..." Casting a wary glance at Jay, it suddenly unnerved him to see Jay staring back with an aggrieved glare. Instead of dropping the conversation like any normal person would, Lloyd lowered his voice, leaning in to Zane's auditory microphone. "He doesn't argue anymore, seems distant and his mood fluctuates minute by minute."

" _So would yours_..." Jay muttered under his breath, loud enough for Lloyd to hear. " _Your mood_ , I mean."

"What?" Lloyd blushed turning to face his brother. Realising that his conversation had been heard, every bit of it.

Now mildly irritated at the general discussion being about him, Jay nursed his drink rather than choosing to drink it, fearing he'd drunk too much and he was becoming grouchy. Sure, he knew that for some people, alcohol numbed the senses. It had the ability to make others loud, obnoxious and completely oblivious. Some would become quietly subdued and sleepy. His brothers, they were the former and it was more than slightly annoying. "I can hear you, ya know. I'm right here, across the table. And, for what it's worth, you'd be the same if you were here too, 24/7 and having to put up with..."

Jay stopped speaking abruptly and looked across at his brothers.

"I apologise Jay, it was rude to speak of you in this manner."

"Out of sight, out of mind?" Jay held his right side temple, rubbing it in slow circles. Looking around at two of his brothers who were drunk enough to preserve their organs, save for Zane who was on Aqua vita Asgard. And to make matters worse, it his was his and Gus's doing. So, biting his cheek, Jay shrugged it off. Whispering across the table at his two mortified companions. "It's alright, you kinda got used to me not being around for nearly seven months. An easy mistake, unlike Cole who thinks I was around _all the time_?"

"I'm sorry, it was incons inciderate..."

" _Inconsiderate_?" Jay corrected _gently_ , feeling bad for doing so. "Don't worry about it, no harm done."

Sure, Jay would've laughed at any other time, but this was just cringeworthy and he was wishing he hadn't been coerced to join them tonight. To be fair, they'd already drank enough, he'd made it worse by adding amber nectar; an incredibly potent formula.

In all honesty, Jay wished he'd gone and lay down, then maybe talked out this whole shit heap with Loki, the one person he thought he had been making progress with. Secretly hoping that whatever transpired this morning between him and his elder Prince had eased off. He'd never seen Loki look that evil before, his eyes and the green burning flame behind them, then the unsettling feeling of hearing every single one of his mirrors crack.

"Hush, silence please." Zane said, effortlessly flicking the switch when he caught a glimpse of Skylor placing a tray of coffee and breakfast items for herself her husband and sister in law; Nya. "They are ready."

Kai had sat in front of the screen having had a complete change of clothes, now with a cleaned up baby in arms, a new set of clothes on his son too. "Sorry about that, the diaper change took longer than expected, didn't it Sky?"

Skylor nodded from the sidelines, smiling with glee at being the one who'd made the breakfast rather than having to deal with the mess.

Kai was sipping the coffee, looking a paler version of his normal self. His usually 'on pointe' spikes were lacklustre and floppy. He hadn't even had the chance to reconstruct his hair or have a shower. "It's a learning curve okay, I can't remember much of seeing this done when I was little and I sure as Hel don't remember this stuff from the parentcraft classes at the hospital. Took about a couple of hours because he needed a bath, a change of clothes and a power nap."

"So did you Kai." Skylor neared the screen, looking at each of her closest friends with a smile. Cole looked like a happy drunk, Jay looked pensive and Lloyd looked like he was trying his hardest to stay awake. "So you want to know the name we've chosen?"

All seated were eager to hear. They hadn't even met the little guy and at this rate, he would be getting on for two months old when the majority would be meeting their nephew, despite not being blood relatives.

Kai smiled widely, turning his son around in his arms, supporting his head of wayward brown hair so his face could be cast across the cosmos. Beautiful amber eyes reflected, despite his tiny size. "So, we chose Blaise Kaen-Kohaku."

He was quite easily the cutest baby, _considering Kai was his father. Jay_ could only hope that this little guy had got his momma's looks. Though, never would Jay outwardly admit that Kai was attractive, sure he was exceptionally fit and took good care of his physique. But he'd never go as far as saying he looked good. Kai didn't need any more of an ego, it was already over inflated.

Skylor being the fussing mother smoothed her son's hair from his face. "We had wanted to use Kaen-Blaise, might still since we've yet to find out his element, so we've covered both in one name, Kohaku means amber, and Blaise and Kaen means fire."

 _Kaen means chaos..._

"I've heard it before," Jay uttered, after giving it some thought. And without specifying further or correcting the proud parents, he smiled and nodded.

"You chose well, it's a good strong name." He said no more on it, instead Jay lifted his hand and stared at the same named symbol on his palm. Raising his mostly full drink, ready to toast the baby's health, wellbeing and wealth all those billions of miles away. Disconcertingly, Jay had seen those eyes today, in a vision. Those incredibly similar amber eyes belonging to a warrior of Surtur.

"Indeed, a good strong name for the unity of fire and amber. Congratulations Kai and Skylor." Zane said, raising his glass of water.

"Congrats all of you, he's a gorgeous little kid. Proud auntie too, All of you congratulations from all the way over here." Lloyd raised his glass, waiting on Cole.

"The same from me, congrats guys and welcome to the world Blaise. I'm gonna look forward to seeing you grow up to be a strong man, just like your daddy and uncles."

Gus raised his flagon, hand on heart. "Sællifðr, it means to live happily. And right now, for the last hour we have been drykkja. _I apologise_ , we have been drinking to excesses to celebrate the safe arrival of your first born son and heir. I wish you both congratulations."

Kai looked away from the screen, a moment of weakness had found him. Skylor noticed, and she hugged him, wiping the tears with her thumbs as she held his face gently. "Friendship is the greatest gift. Honestly you guys, we love you so much."

"Thanks guys and Gustav, thank you too. And please, don't drink too much tonight?"

 _Haa, too late...These lot are hammered._

* * *

Kai had turned his attention to Cole and Lloyd who were regaling him of the differences in how they got here. Though he found it hard to believe that Cole was as injured as he claimed, considering he had no bruises to speak of anymore. The master of fire was nodding in agreement with their tall tales, attempting to drink a coffee without spilling it down his chin as he chuckled at hearing of how Cole was felled by a balding man half his size.

Jay had quickly and purposely sided in next to Zane to avoid Nya's relentless flirtatious winks at him. At the moment, and in this place, there was something only the master of ice could help with. This being that Jay wasn't quite ready to call it a night, _though he needed a quick trek to the men's room first._ But before any of that, he wanted a little assistance with phrases he'd heard today.

He sure as Hel wasn't going to ask Loki what these words meant. Loki was cruel, sadistic and downright manipulative at times. Sure the guy would give him the answers he desired, but only if Jay was willing to degrade himself for an evening of debauchery of the three letter type, _beginning with an s and ending with an x_.

"Can I ask you a question Zane?"

"You just did." Zane replied, _fast as lightning_.

Jay smirked, rolling his eyes. "Yeah okay, thanks..." Yep, he'd left himself wide open for that. When was he ever _not_ going to fall for it? Maybe he would be better rephrasing the question in future. Still smiling, he looked at his brother. "Zane, _in all seriousness_ , I kinda need your advice on something."

Head cocked to the side, Zane wrongly guessed. "Something related to Nya? I saw how she was observing you. If you do not hold the same feelings, perhaps it would be easier if you tell her you are not interested in pursuing a relationship anymore?"

"Ha, _uh no_." Jay rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. Since when had Zane been a relationship expert?

"That's not necessary, I don't want to hurt her feelings."

"Then, if it is _not_ to do with Nya's continued attempts to attract your attention, what _can_ _I_ assist you with?"

"It's on the subject of some terminologies I heard today. Didn't know what they meant, so I was kinda hoping to gauge your understanding?"

Zane's metallic eyebrow quivered at the chance of feeling involved again. This was considering that earlier today he had spent some of it fighting and being ignored by his brothers. This might be something he would feel more inclined to help with. "Pertaining to what exactly?"

Jay looked around, not wanting to insult the realm he was in and was now destined to remain. "Ya know, things related to…" He raised his hand discretely, leaning into Zane's audio microphone. "Things related to here." He whispered the latter so as only Zane could hear, he didn't want word spreading to the palace or worse... **Odin** _hashtag_ **Loki**.

"Zane, you were one of the only guys who actually read the books up here."

"So, what you are asking is related to this realm?"

"Sort of." Jay cocked his head to the side, fiddling incessantly with his tankard. "Look obviously it's something to do with up here, It's kind of where I'm stuck isn't it?"

Zane watched his brother curiously, noting that Jay was playing with his drink. Then there was his expression, though it exuded mostly relief, there was an anxiety there that he was finding difficult to place. And troublingly, Jay was attempting to hide a series of bruises on his neck, because he was pulling up his stiff collar every so often.

As if Jay didn't notice Zane looking at his neck, he made even more of an attempt to cover it up. More specifically the bruise accrued from breaking it earlier and the huge amount of love bites before that. "It's uh, s-something to do with what happened today. Honestly Zane, it's nothing _sinister_ , I just need answers, that's all."

Nodding, Zane turned fully to face the young royal. "I believe divulging these terms may bring understanding, least to further our knowledge of this place perhaps."

Jay shrugged his shoulders, not entirely sure how this was going to further their understanding unless of course, either were going to start casting charms and enchantments. That in itself was highly unlikely; Zane often found it hard to believe in magic at the best of times, this despite the whole Clouse and Chen debacle a good few years ago. "Okay, well I know seidr, it means a type of Norse magic, practiced here. But there was something else called Gylfaginning, uh ken, uhm, kennings and carrits. No, ugh, cantrips...I meant cantrips?"

"Carrots guys, Jay's packing a carrot." Cole shouted down the line to Kai, ruffling Jay's hair to get any reaction and, as expected, recoiling his hand at the buzz in relation to touching the Uru metal.

"I said **_cantrips_**...it sounds nothing like carrot you dweeb." Jay corrected, removing his crown then straightening his hair before placing it again. "Hey, and also a carrot's pretty hard ya know."

"Like your head." Kai chortled from his end. "Same colour too."

"Hey?!" Jay frowned. "Can we not bring head hardness or hair colour into this?"

"I bet it would be quite the formidable weapon too, if thrown at the right velocity." Gustav joked, joining in on Cole's drunken ramble as the latter had obviously misheard Jay.

"Knock it all you want, you two, but I'll bet there's someone out there that took a beating from one." Jay quipped.

"What, someone took a beating from a carrot?" Kai held his head in his hand, shaking it slowly, struggling to contain the groans. "God, you guys, how much have you drunk tonight?"

"Too much dude," Jay laughed from the side of the screen before joining Zane again.

"Far too much, but it's for a good reason." Lloyd drunkenly reiterated.

"Yeah, Kai, we're wetting the baby's head." Cole said whilst unsteadily raising his pitcher up and smiling. "Perfect reason, a celebration and a knees up before this battle, right?"

"Right," Lloyd said, holding his near empty tankard, leaning on Cole's other shoulder as he stared blurry eyed at Kai's image. "The battle to end all others, cheers guys, here's to living and getting hammered."

"Yeah...hammered like Mjolnir" Jay chimed in. He, surprisingly wasn't all that drunk.

"Wait, _what battle_ , why wasn't I invited?" Kai seemed put out, all of a sudden. "You guys know I love a good fight?" .

Jay didn't know what to say. There was obvious resentment there at not being able to join in on this dangerous endeavour. But surely this cherished time with his newborn son was a luxury that should be treasured, not thrown away willingly for a chance to slog it out on what was sure to be a bloody and uncertain battle.

"Kai, the powers that be had decided that it's best you stay at home and raise your new family. Annnnd, it was Heimdall's decision, because he isn't sure how this battle will go down."

"Heimdall, is not capable of telling the future." Gus stated. "That would be the Fates."

Jay shivered.

"Then who is this battle with?"

Sighing as his previous conversation with Zane had gone massively off track. Jay felt obliged to answer his spiky haired brother, who evidently thought he was missing out. "It's with the Dark elves and it's a seven day fight."

"Oww." Kai whined, having had his ear flicked by his wife.

"Serves you right." She replied, smiling before leaning to whisper in his ear. "It's a reprieve from fighting, a gift...so take it."

"Guys, this wasn't my choice." Jay sighed, biting his lip. "I didn't want you involved but it was explained that it was going to happen because of the diverse fighting styles we use. It gives us an advantage, they've never encountered it before."

Zane was nodding in agreement. "It is logical reasoning. After all, this is based on fact that the Einherjar..."

" _No offence Gus_..." Lloyd interrupted Zane's soon to be lengthy speech, to apologise.

Eyebrow cocked, the Einherji looked at both with a curious gaze. "None taken." He winked, shrugging his shoulders.

Zane continued. "Logical that the Einherjar have faced off with the same enemy numerous times, according to literature depicting battles that span centuries. Furthermore; losses on both sides were great and they would be again if the same battle were to recommence. Therefore, sending new warriors in with new and diverse moves would provide a fighting style that the dark elves have not seen before."

"You _hope_ they have not seen before." Gus interjected. "They've been around a _long_ time. They were around before the big bang! The creation of the universe, of the Æsir, Vanir, and the Ægir."

"This is why we are being trained in their fighting style. We will be better suited at countering their attacks, finding a weakness that we can utilise in our attack or defense strategy."

* * *

Kai, and his brothers bantered between themselves about battle strategy, leaving Zane to collect his thoughts. Turning back to Jay with an apologetic expression. "Sorry for the interruption, you mentioned Gylfaginning?"

"Yeah, does it ring a bell?"

"A bell, _no_." Zane shook his head. "I know what it means; Gylfaginning represents the end of the nine worlds."

 _Always so literal..._

"Also, I read about _cantrips_ , they are spells, moreover basic spellcasting. It moves on to more advanced charm casting called _orisons_ , these are divine and have specific effects."

"Cool, it's so good that you know this stuff." Jay smiled giddily, a little nervous at the whole _end of the worlds thing_.

"Kennings, hmm. I did not read of any _kennings_. Would you be better asking _Odin_?"

"Ha, no." Jay smiled, shaking his head. He leaned over the table to his protector instead. "Uh Gus, do _you_ know what a kenning is?"

"Yah, it's a label." Gus nodded, then continued to nod. "A label."

"Eh? A label for what?" Jay quizzed as Zane listened in, saving this additional information into his data banks.

"Hmm, my own kenning is Þorbjörn Hornklofi: Glymdrápa."

The way he said it made Jay feel like he was listening to a lullaby. "And what does _that_ mean?"

Smiling, Gus turned to face him. "It's quite simple really. For me, it means warrior, _feeder of ravens, yah?_ "

Jay looked confused.

"Let me explain. A warrior kills those in a battle for survival. The ones slain are left for the ravens and eagles to feast on, therefore a warrior is a feeder of ravens."

"So, it's a Viking nickname?" Jay surmised, a smile coming to his face in understanding.

Gus was laughing softly. "Why mention this now, when you should be enjoying their good company?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Jay turned to face his newest friend. "Sigurd said something about it today, regarding this." He shuffled a bit and placed both swords on top of the table which got the attention of all of his brothers, who faltered at the sight of some impressive bejewelled blades enshrouded in a travelling cloak.

"Eir Gram or _your_ Uru blade?" Gus asked.

" _My_ blade." Jay whispered pointing at the silver one, being that both were his... _apparently_.

"What's Eir Gram?" Cole asked in unison with Lloyd both shouting 'jinx' at the same time, turning their interested gazes back at the two swords atop the table.

"You want the short story? After all, the long version Jay has already had to endure once this day. And, I am sure he would rather not bore you to sleep with the retelling of _that_ version."

"Sure okay," Cole nodded, cocking his head. Lloyd was sitting more upright even turning the screen so Kai, Nya and Skylor could watch.

"It's a truth sword." Jay said, _blushing_.

"What, _that's all?_ " Cole frowned. "Argh come on Jay, it looks as old as the weapons of creation, and what's with the dragon on the sheath?"

Evidently, his brothers weren't particularly satisfied with Jay's vague description. "W-well, it was forged in the fires of Mephisto's Hel, before being bestowed to the first warrior, Sigurd the Everglorious. Then it was locked away until Loki was worthy enough to wield it."

"It looks as blunt as shit, when was it last sharpened?"

"Nice words Kai." Jay shot back. "But hey, I don't know. Do you fancy whet stoning it for me?" He said, lifting the sword as he stood.

Placing it point down, Jay thrust it gently and it cut straight through the oak table like butter, amidst gasps from his convened companions. To prove a point, Jay cut a small hole on the table, nothing too large, heart shaped for the sheer Hel of it. Lifting the sword, he re-sheathed it and plucked the chopped wood to show Kai how sharp the blade was.

Jay shook his head in disbelief. "Seriously, he showed me how sharp this was. He cut through an aged oak like it was a sapling, like it wasn't there. We knew it was a big tree though, the ground shook when it landed."

"Sorry Jay, I was mistaken." Kai smirked after receiving a shake of the head from his sister and wife. "That _was_ pretty impressive. Haa, you need to get me that swordsmiths name, I could do with a few lessons from him."

"No can do, Kai. I'm fairly sure he's dead now."

" _He is_ ," Gus stated. "Sigurd the Everglorious killed him..."

"Oh, wow," Kai replied, taken aback. "I never realised how dangerous swordsmithing was, _until now_."

"Jay, can you tell us anymore on this weapon?" Zane's interest was piqued, though he was more likely saving this information for the future, in case he ever needed to refer back to it at some point.

"The original wielder said that Eir Gram was at first just a blade of exceptional quality. But, it's sharp as Hel since the first hero wielded it and, it was bathed in the blood of a dragon." Jay's eyes widened as he retold the tale to his near hammered brothers. "It became more powerful and now it has the ability to force the truth from any one it cuts, making it futile for them to lie."

"Haa, I've seen better blades in Wu's monastery," Lloyd tested to see how true Jay's statement was.

The golden sword glowed brighter than the dull candles surrounding them. Jay smiled, at least he knew it was working for him. He also knew that some swords had actual souls such as the most famous of Norse swords, Sumarbrandr; Frey's rune sword. It was no questions asked, the most lethal blade in Asgard and the only sword that could kill without being held.

"I'm not keeping it though, it's going to the vaults tonight, where it'll be safer." Jay nodded, sitting back he simply stared at the blade. Shocked at how easy it seemed, surely it should have been more difficult to obtain?

"And then there's this blade," Jay said pointing at his own. "Zig stated had been forged in fire with cantrips, kennings and magic but no one ever told me, so, I didn't actually know how powerful it was or is!"

"Your own silver jewelled sword eh? A nice trinket if you ask me and a golden one too, _spoiled much?_ " Cole teased, interrupting.

"Ha, I wish." Jay replied, frowning.

"Ya know I was just messing with you. _Earlier I mean?_ " Cole's expression seemed nervous. Like he was unsure if he had offended a royal or not. "No hard feelings?" He added, offering his hand as a gesture of goodwill.

"No hard feelings Cole." It was painful to observe his raven haired brother acting like this because Jay felt heavily responsible.

But, what was he supposed to do, chastise Gustav for doing his job? Hel, Gus had already pointed out that Tyr was in the bar with them and he knew that it wouldn't bode well if a warrior wasn't affording a royal with the due respect, no matter how stupid it felt.

"Honestly Cole," Jay sat opposite one of his closest friends. "Gus takes this stuff seriously. He has a hard time adjusting to his new charge. Guess you could say he's never been around anyone like me before." He chuckled. Rubbing the back of his head awkwardly to help relieve some of the earlier tension.

Cole nodded in understanding. "It must be kinda easy living up here though, right? All these riches and having food prepared for you all hours of every day, invited to events?"

"It's not as good as you're describing." Jay shook his head, a dark laugh escaping. "You paint quite a picture though."

"Really, you're surrounded 24/7?" Cole was dubious. It was after all, exactly what he'd seen earlier. Jay was having food delivered while Cole was marching to the feast hall. Then Jay was escorted out of the palace, dressed to the nines looking incredibly smart.

"Well, I'm surrounded for..." he paused, not wanting to state his order of protection from Amora. "It's what they do up here, ya know; _protocol?_ They won't let me out alone anymore."

"You know, _Cole,"_ Jay squeezed his eyebrows together, refusing to roll his eyes at Cole's drunken tirade. Raising a thumb at Gus to indicate all was well. "A well known term I heard on earth was that ' _all that glitters, isn't gold._ ' And I guess what it means is that; I may be a prince or a stupid prophecy, even a weapon, none of those things actually make me rich. None of it has any bearings on who I am, _**it means nothing**_."

"I know what it means." Cole glared from across the table, pushing his flagon into Jay's own as both held firm "And I call bullshit..."

Frowning, Jay's exhausted strength reserves pushed back. It was clear to see that Cole was drunk, her internal filter had switched off at the worst possible time. Plus, it would explain the rather unfair insinuations that were being aired. "What, so you think I'm _spoiled_ , is that it?"

"If the cap fits, _My Lord_." Cole cocked his head to the side, a crude smirk playing on his chiselled face.

It was insulting at that. Jay had never once been spoiled. Except maybe today, but that was different. He was a guest, as everyone else was. Still, if he was spoiled it sure as Hel was painful, because as far as he knew, being spoiled didn't involve all the crap he'd endured today or this year.

 _Yeah, big deal_ , Cole was right about one thing, Jay had been delivered his breakfast but he didn't see Jay eating it did he? No, Jay hadn't got one bite of it because the evil bastard had eaten it, as well as his own. All Jay got was a plate full of what resembled liquid food, it was actually strengthening elixirs and pain relieving potions disguised and reconstructed as edible foodstuffs.

"Whatever Cole, believe what you want." Jay shrugged it off, not admitting that the words stung. "I, for one can remember living as a refugee at SHIELD while _you_ were all obliviously living back at home wearing _your own_ clothes, feeling somewhat safe while I was locked up like a criminal, then given no choice but to fight for my freedom, _like a slave_."

"..." Cole's smirk dropped. Had he said too much in his ramblings of what he saw for himself?

"I mean how long did it take you to activate the _same cube_ , it was still in the machine?"

"What?" Cole frowned, slackjawed at Jay's angered retorts.

"Oh that's right you left it several weeks, let me guess here, about ten in total?" His eyebrow began twitching whilst the restrained annoyance bubbled away under the surface.

"We waited nine weeks _actually_..." Cole shot back. "It wouldn't activate after you'd fucked with it."

"Nine fucking weeks, _dirtclod_."

" _My Lord_ , please...calm down."

"It's JAY..." He snapped. Angry lilac eyes shooting a fierce glare at Gus. " _Jay, remember?_ "

"Look, let's just drop this, okay?" Cole looked confused, eyes flitting between a nervous Gus and angry Jay as the latter started to stand in visible pain. This was a new set of insults, coming from his usually tempered brother. Some long hidden resentment just surfacing now. "Can we just drop this?"

"No Cole, I think you've made it _perfectly_ clear how you feel."

"I didn't mean it like that, the way it came out, _Jay_..."

"I wasn't spoiled when I fell into the hands of the enemy. I lived in a bunker, a room with dry rot and ate army rations! I had no money, I still don't have money here...ya know what that makes me?"

"Uh..." Cole wasn't sure what to say. He was stunned into almost silence as his auburn haired brother continued to rant.

"The poorest prince in the nine realms right? And get this, the only place I have anything to my name is the home I can never live in; Ninjago... _go figure_." Jay winced as he moved. He'd almost forgotten about the groin pain with all the alcohol until he was upright again. Getting up so abruptly had caused all the colour to leave his face. The feeling that he was about to decorate the floor with the two small flagons of mead and quart of ale he'd consumed was getting stronger by the minute.

" _I'm sorry_ , come on Jay."

"No Cole." Jay paused, shaking his head slowly. "You're not, it's the truth isn't it?"

No words would come in Cole's drunken haze other than the fact it could have gone one of three ways; a fight, a petty squabble or angry insults being thrown around.

" _Spoiled_?" Jay stood, his back to Cole and Gus. "Fuck you, fuck all of this and fuck that." He hissed, pushing his own drink over the table where the remains of his spiked ale spilled across the wooden surface. The appearance of such a large quantity of fluid stopped the conversations between everyone seated as all eyes raised to look at Jay's angered face.

" **What the Hel** , Jay?" Lloyd yelled, lifting the small device from the tidal wave heading towards him. He stood fast to avoid an embarrassing stain appearing on his green leather breeches, the remains dribbled down his and Cole's legs as all stood.

Quick to stand at Jay's unsteady gait, Gus was right there. "My Lord, please?"

"Get off me Gus." Jay hissed, teeth bared in anger. "I-I just need some air." He added, pulling the curtain across gently as he walked. Grasping the booths he passed to further steady his uncoordinated movements.

 _I need some fresh air._

Lloyd stared at Jay's drunken visage as he upped and left after spilling his drink on purpose. At least he hadn't tipped the entire thing over Cole. He had it coming after the last stunt he played in Ninjago. " _ **What**_ , **just happened here?** " He questioned, staring at the only one who held a defensive body posture. " _Cole?_ "

"Why does everyone always think it's me?"

"Cole inadvertently antagonised the situation." Zane surmised, having partially witnessed the standoff.

Before things could get any uglier or for accusations to be thrown around, Gustav stepped in. "A multitude of factors is responsible for his mood. He broke up with his mistress, amongst other things."

Eyebrows rose at that statement. That was a huge secret Jay hadn't had the chance to divulge and thank the Gods that the comms device was on silent again...Nya wouldn't have been best pleased at hearing that either.

"Wait, Jay's got a girlfriend?" Lloyd gaped, " _Seriously?_ "

"Is it _that hard_ to believe?" Gus queried, eyebrow quirked. "He is an extremely eligible bachelor, young, and a warrior of Odin no less."

" _Had_..." Cole stated miserably. "He _had_ a girlfriend."

Lloyd and Zane were speechless, an awkward silence came over the quartet as all sat in the booth while the barkeep began to clean the mess.

* * *

Gus couldn't help but feel sorrow for all here. Jay's emotional state was on the verge of utter destruction. To make matters worse, Jay wouldn't disclose what had happened today or last week. He was keeping it all in and snapping at his brother who had unfortunately added fuel to the raging fire that, up until this point was under some form of control.

"Is it jealousy or are you genuinely curious, Cole?" Gus enquired sitting back down, pushing the unfinished spiked drink towards him. He realised the reasons Jay had tainted the drinks. He'd done it because he was scared of losing them. Now the least he could do, was give Jay those few minutes of solitude. That would be all Gus would give before he would be out there, to escort him back inside or to his room...wherever he wanted to go.

In a sombre mood, Cole shrugged. "Maybe a bit of both."

"Hmm, if you experienced what he has, you would rethink your point of view."

A gentle nod and a loose shrug of nonchalance from the drunk raven haired ninja. "I guess."

"He visited you last night, Dagr told me."

"Who's Dagr?" Cole mumbled, fussing with his drink. As the barkeep cleaned the entire table of Jay's spilled flagon of spiked ale. Some of the elixir having gone to waste, Jay wouldn't be able to drink it now.

"He _was his_ royal aide, his retainer? A messenger of sorts that finalises organised events."

A snide chuckle and a shake of the head. This further solidified his resolve that Jay was getting some of the special treatment up here when not around the tyrant. "Yeah so, I don't remember him coming to see me." The fact that Jay had a retainer made his argument seem valid.

"You were sleeping!" Gus replied monosyllabic, tilting his head toward the entrance, waiting nervously for Jay to re-enter. He looked back at Cole's face, he wasn't even sure that this was a worthwhile endeavour. The master of earth was un-moving in his stance and to make matters worse; this all sounded so forced and far fetched, completely contrived. He wasn't even sure that Jay _wanted_ Cole to know how he'd healed his injuries with healing stones, though Gus felt that Cole really should know that Jay had shown compassion; he felt responsible after all.

"Cole, he was worried about you."

"So he visited me when I was sleeping? Why didn't he wake me up?"

"I'll let him answer that. Jay wasn't well himself, remember?" Gus checked the clock before concern niggled at him. "Will you excuse me?"

Cole nodded, watching as the fully armoured palace guard got up looking at the closed main door.

 _I'm sorry, I said too much and overstepped the boundary. I_ _t's this place Jay, it messes with your mind. The food, the wine the beer, everything feels so much better, stronger, even the elements are more powerful here._

Cole got up, legs like jelly and he walked haphazardly to the bar. He arrived in one piece, having only knocked one bar stool over. Eyes locked with the barkeeper, Cole leaned across, holding on for dear life. "I-I need something really st-strong, something that's guaranteed to put a smile on someones face."

 _To apologise, I want to make him feel better._

The barkeeper raised his eyebrow. You're not happy with the ale?"

Cole barely hid the belch that signified he was extremely happy with it. "Ha, the ale's great, but it's not enough. I need something a little..." He leaned in closer. "Stronger!"

* * *

 _ **A Happy New Year, I wish you health, happiness and wealth.**_


	95. Lesson in lying

"Shit...I really gotta go..." He bit his lip, when he felt the small air bubbles escaping his ears, being as his head was partially submerged in the cool briny waters of Asgard's sea.

"I need..." He clenched his jaw firm, followed by every other muscle group he could think of to keep his mind on something else.

The precipice of this realm was a philosophers living nightmare. Unlike most, there was no curvature or endless sea that hazed out into a blurry mess. No shifting landmasses that appeared on the horizon after sailing for days. Nope, in this place, there was an edge and it was blunt and rugged. The water simply poured gently over it, hiding the monolithic geodes underneath. And he pondered these very facts as he lay there submerged, floating aimlessly, while likening this realm to perhaps that of a dying one that had been saved from a fate worse than death.

Yet, in his semi drunken musings, Jay hadn't meant to be submerged, but...since he was here, _well_ , he may as well enjoy it some.

Fortunately, the water he was floating on wasn't ice cold, it was still bone chilling cold though. Any colder would make this whole thing exponentially worse considering how badly he needed to relieve himself. To make matters worse, he was getting soaked to the core each time he wriggled. The water had a way of seeping everywhere, not that there was much he could do about it. He was too tired to swim because the mead had started to take effect and he was slightly terrified of closing his eyes in case he succumbed to sleep or worse... _allowed his bladder to relieve itself of its golden cargo_.

And despite this ever increasing feeling of helplessness, exhaustion and desperation to use the restroom, there was only one voice keeping him in the moment. It was the one voice that he didn't want to converse with because of the cruel way he'd been made to break up with Kali.

 _ **Why do you do this to yourself, you let them in to your mind and this is the fall out? Your suffering will never cease whilst you remain as close to tolerating them as you do now.**_

Eyes remaining open at the questions posed. Jay stared upwards with the days thoughts running through his busy mind, and Loki's consistently sharp tone, or rather the sarcastic echo of it. He thought about the question then asked himself. The answer was quick, obvious really.

 _Why let them in, why not? It was drunken nonsense and I over reacted, I realise that now, just can't exactly apologise can I?_

 _ **You shed pathetic tears when these fools are beneath you...?**_

 _They're not fools.._. Jay shook his head, grateful that the God he was liaising with couldn't see his defiance shining through. They weren't beneath him, not at all.

 _They're my brothers,_ we've been through too much for me to simply turn my back.

 **Ha, for the moment you mean? You will eventually become inattentive of them and their ilk, I am sure of it. And this, purely based on the undeniable fact that three of th** _ **em are obtuse, tactless, ignorant, boorish and if I may say...A little dim.**_

He flinched at the insults. _Well, I'm sorry we can't all be as arrogant as you Loki. We weren't all lavished with an indulgent upbringing ya know. And besides_ , y _ou're hardly one to speak about brotherly bonds, you don't even speak to yours._

 _ **I see you are evidently kindred in that aspect too...I cannot stand ignorance Jayson...**_

He didn't rise to the bait this time. Loki was attempting to rile him with the use of a name that didn't bother him as much as Loki thought it would.

 _ **I'll have you know that Thor is no brother of mine, he made his allegiances known when he sided with those fools on earth.**_

 _The Avengers, you mean? Sure, they were mostly self righteous I'll give you that, but you did start an inter-galactic war, he just chose the side that fought you._

 ** _War? I went there as a benevolent god..._**

 _Pfft, benevolent God, are you even listening to yourself? You decimated loads, brainwashed everyone you came across...including me?_

 **Resentment?** Loki snarled at his end. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he refrained from hurling so much abuse at Jay to cause him physical pain. Though, this rebuttal would not go unpunished...In Loki's eyes, there was absolutely no need to bring failed attempts at midgardian domination to light, it was a rotten egg to bring that up again. And yes, this was the downside of conversing with his babbling, loquacious protector; holding a conversation with Jay was tiresome. But he could fight fire with fire, even if his words sometimes wrought pain, he was a master wordsmith after all.

 _Wh- uh, y-you gave me no choice..._

 _ **Hmm, tell me...what did Cole say again? Ah yes, he thinks you spoiled, does he not? Does he also think it when you take punishment for them or when you cry my name in pleasure? No, perhaps you are spoiled because you carry a godling in your other aspect?**_

Silence was all Loki could hear, although he could feel the sting of tears in his eyes that his words had caused Jay to feel. Knowing the other could not rub the evidence of his face or he would end up thrashing in the water to regain his balance.

 _ **The boy does not know the meaning of spoiled, he is all about materialistic desire? Remember, I made you like this, made you cold, evil...and yes, some would liken you to a spoilt child with what you now have, junk yard boy...**_

The bitterness of a drunk brother's ignorant truth had brought a warmth to his face as salty tears joined with the water he lay in. And as each insult and accusation brought forth another stab of pain, the unshed tears did an excellent job of magnifying the distant stars above. At first sight, he looked like a fallen soldier, being set out to sea _as were all the fallen that had been slain in previous years_. Cast out on a small longboat with a group of master archers on the shoreline, arrows lit to give the fallen a fitting pyre. All Jay was missing, was a long boat and a physical flaming arrow to the heart.

 _Fine. I-I'm sorry, it's been a long day._

 ** _And you are making it longer with your reluctance to do my bidding and deliver the Gram sword. Honestly child stop crying, truths are hard are they not?_**

Jaw set firm at the cruel words. He wanted to know, needed to know how Loki was capable of blocking off the pain. _So, tell me then, how do you do it? How do you turn yourself off to things that hurt?_

 _ **Feelings can be hidden when we put on a front for those whom surround us.**_ He could tell that Jay was still crying for some unexplained reason, Loki rolled his eyes in sheer exasperation, thinking that one of his controlled binding spells had backfired when being in such close proximity to Karnilla.

 _Lying_...This was nothing new either, Jay had been doing it to his brothers for months and he hated it. The whole sky pirates experience had taught him to express his feelings when he had the chance. Keeping them in had only caused further issues to arise and here he was again, being told that it was beneficial to his cause.

 _So, you're saying that I need to lie, cover up how I feel and put on a brave face?_ He sniffed, clearing his throat whilst feigning indifference. There was some disobedience he felt for disclosing truths today; to not one but two people and the fallout from that was something he was absolutely dreading.

 ** _Come now Jay, you have done it before._** ** _We do what we must to survive so we learn and move on._**

 _With family and friends?_

 _ **Obviously...**_

 _ **I have no family, certainly no acquaintances to speak of, especially ones that I trust implicitly. Hmm, any I had; betrayed me.**_

The way he said that made it sound somewhat personal, like it had been intended, _for_ _Jay_.

 _How?_

 _ **Some lied to me, others were never my allies to begin with. Thor was always the golden child and I lived in the shadow of his greatness.**_

The word irked him, it was grating to say it aloud. Loki paused in his meanderings and a sigh was sent telepathically, _echoing_ , giving Jay the impression that Loki was indeed in his bedchambers or those of his adopted father, Odin.

 _ **I digress, you learn to adjust, as did I. Trust me Jason, living in the shadows will never be your downfall. In darkness, you are hidden and safe.**_

Paddling his hands, Jay had manoeuvred his body until he was staring at a whole new patch of sky above. The change of position allowed him the ability to see such different constellations than the ones seen from earth's atmosphere. It was majestic, magical, inspiring. It was all of the things that his own father had awed him with as his super hero idol on the big screen. Visiting far off galaxies, saving the day, seeing such beauty and mystery, and here he was, floating dreamily in the sea that was the main frontage of Asgard. The rune covered rainbow bridge was visible, presently behind him because it was far too bright and obscured the stars from view.

 _ **It is getting late. Your protector will escort you to my quarters before sunrise.**_

 _What, he doesn't even know I'm here? He's probably walking around..._

Since when on Asgard had Loki been motherly, was this a new side of him or did he want something in return? The very thought had Jay confused and his semi peaceful moment had gone in an instant; to be replaced with the slightest tinge of fear.

 _Besides, I've got it covered. I'm relaxing, taking a breath of fresh air. Plus, it's quiet out here and the water is helping numb the pain in my foot._

 _ **Oh of course you are relaxing, this I can see for myself. Although at first...you looked like a drowning cat. And, for future reference, maybe next time refrain from kicking the wooden barrel, you seem to be forgetting that the density here is far greater, as attested by Thor's oafish head.**_

 _Fine, I was just angry, frustrated. And thanks, but that move back in Ninj...somewhere else would've broken the barrel, I'm s..._

He didn't even get the chance to finish his message as two rough calloused hands grasped him none too gently, winding him in the process.

 ** _Stop defying me, Jason, it will be more painful if you continue down this route._**

* * *

 **In the tavern.**

This wasn't a thing Lloyd was accustomed to anymore. This type of awkwardness had been absent for so long that it seemed alien to be feeling it now. The expression that he gave Zane matched. Neither had wanted to cut the conversation short but they were now a few members down and it didn't seem right to continue it. Sure one was in the vicinity, _at the bar,_ but still, he wasn't in a talkative mood at present. Cole in his drunken state had said all he needed to, _whether he should have or not_ and right now he was brooding, by himself. "Right, I'm sorry guys, can we uh, can we pause this conversation? We're two down, I repeat, we're two and an ale down. Who are the casualties Zane?"

Zane took a glance at his blonde haired brother and humoured his attempt at lightening the mood. "Casualties three; one flagon lost the contents within, one erstwhile ninja who is, _right at this moment_ physically attached to the bar and is currently calculating his chances of traversing from there to here with as little injury as possible. Finally, one has gone outside, shortly followed by Gustav, the palace Einherji."

"That's four Zane..." Kai frowned from his end in Jamanakai village a few billion miles away. "Is uh, is everything okay there, you kinda blurred out for a moment?"

"Yes, everything is fine here." Zane replied, his titanium face revealing nothing untoward. Sometimes it was so unbelievably easy for a robot to lie, even though it was against his initial programming.

"No, everything is _not_ fine, _not really_." Lloyd cut in. "Cole said something he shouldn't have and Jay took it the wrong way and both have gone their separate ways."

"Wait, what?" Kai perked up, a little confused, nervous.

"Gus went after him because Jay literally got up and left after he spilled his drink across the table. I'm not kidding, he, get this...haha actually stormed out."

"That's not funny Lloyd." Kai frowned, unappreciative of the humour shown even if his younger brother in arms was drunk. Bringing Jay's element into it to break the tension was below the belt, especially when the person in question wasn't here.

"I'm sorry." Lloyd grumbled, a guilty smirk graced his tired features. "It's been a long day. We've been training, fighting, eating and drinking. The only thing I haven't done yet, is sleep."

At least Lloyd wasn't thinking of his groin unlike Cole and Jay had been doing since waking up this morning. He only got downwind that Cole had been very eager to spar with Sif after waking up next to her.

"Well, what do you suggest then, ya know time's a ticking down here? It's getting on for mid morning already."

"Sorry, Kai, we're still three down. Kinda waiting on Gus and Jay getting back, I mean, they shouldn't be too long, then we can resume?"

Nya had walked into the projected image, a frown on her face at the newest events. "I would love to stay and chat but I've got to get to work, traffic downtown can be a nightmare and I've still got an appearance to keep up." She said, placing her coat with her satchel over her shoulder and her faux prescription glasses on the bridge of her nose. She looked the typical secretary type, office junior undersecretary to the Ninjago city Mayor. "I'll be coming here later because Kai and Skylor invited me for dinner, since you've all upped and left."

"Well, "Kai said, nudging her gently. "Can't have you around that sleazeball every hour of every day."

She cringed. Her boss was just that. Other than being the mayor of what was once a fine city with morals and integrity, family values and so on. Ninjago had become a cesspit, with corrupt and greedy politicians making the rules up as they saw fit. "How long are you going to be gone for? You've been gone over a week already."

"It's for seven days.", Lloyd replied. "Hoping to be back in time for Day of the Departed."

"So you'll be back in what, three weeks then?" Kai perked up at mishearing that snippet.

"Sadly, no." Zane replied. "It equates to seven weeks, it will be mid November when we return."

"Oh..." Kai's expression darkened.

 _If we return_...Lloyd thought. "Okay, scrub that idea then. Maybe back in time for the holiday season?" He looked solely at Zane, possibly to check for errors in his statement.

"So we can have a celebratory meal when you all get back?" Kai piped up at the prospect. "All of you?"

There were only the two of them in the booth, and it felt more lonely now than it ever had. The only additional items were Jay's blades which were to the side of Zane. The glint of both swords were capturing the candlelight, the shimmering lights were bouncing off the walls and casting a warm glow. That was, until the nindroid covered them with the travelling cloak. "Sure, that sounds like a great plan and I imagine Jay would be most appreciative in joining us this year, considering last year?"

"Yeah, we all remember last Christmas..." Kai cringed as did Nya. "We gotta do something special then, still got this present for him, haven't we Sky?"

She nodded with him. "We've got enough space here to host a family gathering." She said, kissing Nya goodbye before the master of water waved at the screen and left for work.

"So, can we call you back shortly?"

"And by shortly, Lloyd means approximately mid evening in Jamanakai?"

Kai looked at his wife and his rapidly disappearing sister, both nodded at him. Nya was almost out of the door, so she wouldn't have been able to stay much longer as it was. "Sure, call us back later. I'll keep this thing on, it's solar powered isn't it?"

"It is." Zane replied with a firm nod.

Lloyd had leaned in to the screen to catch a glimpse of Kai before the call ended, the one he would always refer to as his best friend. "So, we'll catch up with you when this is all sorted, okay?"

"Just go easy on him and I'll speak to you all later," His face showed concern, not that there was anything he could do from his end. "I'll wait on your call?"

"Kai, we promise we'll call you when they all get back, but we're warning you, it might get messy. Anyways; speak later guys and uh stay safe Nya."

* * *

Meanwhile at the bar, Cole was staring at all the draughts on show after having asked the barkeeper for the strongest ale he had. Whilst holding on for dear life as the room continued to spin, he noted in a light headed state that there were many aged wooden barrels and vats stacked behind the wooden bar. Most of these large things had taps attached and all were containing different types of ale, wines and mead. Additionally, to the back of the bar there was a crude stove. A large cast iron pot sat atop the lit stove with a bubbling concoction steaming gently. It was very likely an alcoholic brew, that Cole, up until that moment, had paid no mind to. The only reason he was now was because the smell was somewhat enticing and reminiscent of a medicinal infusion that smelled remarkably like evergreen trees.

"Look ere. This ale is the best we got, an I'll agree that its slightly different ta what you been drinkin but then you're not exactly made of Asgardian stuff are ya?" He said.

"So it's stronger then, what makes it better, sell it to me?"

"Oh it's strong alright. This ale is great for fightin, thunderin, blunderin. Unloadin or getting loaded. Smashing dwawves with hammers, or even getting hammered with em. Good drink for killin giants or loosenin up giant women. Plus, it's good all rounder battle beer for the nine realms and then some."

Cole narrowed his eyes at the stoutly bearded barkeeper, unsure if he'd made that lot up as a selling point or fatal warning label. Though, judging by his deadly serious face, Cole thought not. That made him smile some. "You said trolls," Not that Cole had ever seen any and he wondered what one would look like. "You get many of those here?"

"Aye, all manner of creatures wonder these parts."

" _All_ _manner_ hmm." Why was he not surprised at this? They were, after all, supposedly off to fight the dark elves within the next day or two. Plus, it wasn't exactly unheard of the ninja as a team to fight off all manner of creatures themselves, from skeletons, serpentine, oni, stone warriors...even pirates. Still smiling, Cole cocked his head at the stoic barkeeper, thinking to himself that this man's powers of persuasion needed some serious work because with a sales pitch like that he'd never sell this stuff to anyone other than the locals, and by locals he meant the few that were in here.

"Try some?" He offered, pouring the deep amber coloured fluid into what he believed was a small drinking vessel.

To Cole, this wasn't a small glass, it was the size of a half pint pot. And to save face, to stop himself looking like he was too weak to try this stuff himself, he glugged it back in one go, cringing almost immediately as the heat seared his throat on its journey to his now warming stomach. Fighting the urge to cough and splutter, Cole merely nodded, wiping his mouth.

Regaining his composure, Cole nodded, cocking his head. "Okay." He wheezed out, evidently undeterred by the barkeepers half-assed insult. He was still trying to figure out if the man was trying to sell it or avoid it being sold at all costs.

"Okay," Cole said with a tentative grin. "You sold it I'll have one"

The man hadn't sold the ale at all, though Cole liked the machismo banter that accompanied the intro of the booze, the sales pitch itself needed more serious work. So Cole, he ordered the stuff in pity. "How much is it?"

"Free, the house of Odin pays."

 _Free beer on tap even better, that could be an issue though._ Cole thought, turning back to the curtain covered booth, which at that moment seemed so far away, not helped by the fact his legs felt like jelly. His eyes slowly moving from one area to the next, trying his hardest to find the most supportive way to get back to their seats in one piece and with as much of this stronger ale as he could.

Before he had more of a chance to ponder, the door swinging open grabbed his attention and he squinted, focusing on the wide girth of the thing that was walking through the door at that given moment.

"Remind me to never let you touch the Berserker staff." Gus shakily walked a delirious and soaking wet Jay through the seating area, spying Cole leaning heavily on the wooden bar. Gus walked across and propped Jay up at the bar like an item of furniture before ordering an Ale for himself, and a Norway spruce hot toddy for Jay. Apparently floating fully dressed while looking at the stars in the great sea wasn't ideal. Jay claimed he'd gone in on purpose, or more likely, he'd lost his balance. And, only when Gus had waded out into the shallows had Jay lashed out in in frustration. His previously restrained inner rage and anger had surfaced and he let rip at the nearest thing to him. Gus was a little bloodied, soaked up to his thighs where as Jay was completely sodden; for the second time this day and shivering madly with a shiner of a bruise on his cheek bone.

"... _staff?"_ Jay mumbled, barely coherent.

"Do not worry yourself. A stolen artifact from the Einherjar, it was destroyed, broken into three parts and scattered across the earth."

"... _right_."

"Two hot ones please," Gus nodded at the barkeeper, two fingers raised as the man walked to the stove and ladled the contents into wooden drinking containers.

He didn't have to wait long before the stout bearded man had filled two small wooden vessels with a steaming hot tree smelling concoction.

Before attempting to walk him back to his seated brothers he swallowed his own rapidly before giving Jay some warmed up brandy with honey, spices and a sprig of spruce. Tipping it up, Gus made him swallow the small mouthful. It worked for most. Worked a treat in fact and made them all toasty inside without the need for a roaring fire. But that was also something Jay needed too.

"Wh-what happened to him?" Cole stared worriedly at his brother. A concerted effort to hide the strong drink he'd just bought. "Uh, is he okay?" He asked, shoving the drink behind him with the hand that wasn't being used to steady himself.

"Looks kinda wet?" Cole's eyes finally pulled away from Jay's face and overall appearance as he was placed on a slice of oak tree that doubled up as a bench in front of the fire. His tired eyes then settling on Gus and only then did he notice that Gus seemed to look the same, except not quite as sodden. "And what the Hel happened to you, I thought you were going to get him and bring him back in?"

"Long story short." Gus released a sigh, "I did, we had a discussion and some things were aired."

"What and you fought?" Cole looked between the two, noting that Gus had a slight burn on his arm directly underneath his charred and blackened ripped tunic. Jay had a sore cheek and he was circling his jaw every few seconds. "You've been gone for almost an hour."

Gus couldn't find him. It was the returning sentry of E Guard legion that spotted him getting into trouble. "Were you keeping count then? Showing some concern for the one you think is spoiled?"

Slackjawed, Cole fiddled with the diamond clasps holding his impressive leather armoured overcoat together. "It was a mistake, I didn't..."

"I-I am sorry, forgive me." He said, cutting Cole off. Shaking his head, Gus bit his tongue. "I did not mean to say that, _My Lord_."

" _It'-its fine_." Jay nodded, taking the small drink, holding it for the small warmth it gave off.

"You've had quite the day haven't you?" Gus said, grabbing a lamb skin hide and draping it around Jay's shoulders before pulling him closer to the fire. "I am sorry I had to be heavy handed with you too. I cannot allow you to swim in the sea, tis treacherous, the current is strong and many a man and creature have disappeared into the void, _never to be seen again_."

"It was," Jay stared into the flames, hands outstretched to feel the warmth he craved after his impromptu midnight swim. "It was _peaceful_."

 _In a sense..._

"I can bet it was, compared to here. _Did you fal_ _l?_ " A cold cloth was placed on Jay's cheek, making him wince on contact. "The bruising will come out soon, but for now just stay warm. I shall notify your brothers that all is well."

"I couldn't get a footing, too silty."

 _Stop lying..._

 _No, keep lying, he wants you to._

An eyebrow rose at the remark. "And you wonder why no one swims in the sea. Well, now you have your answer and it seems one of your wayward brothers wishes to liaise with you in private." Gus motioned Cole over, flicking his head none too subtly.

"Choose your next words wisely, _please_." Gus admonished, backing away slowly to carry the additional drinks and the one suspicious stronger ale that Cole had ordered. "He's had a bad day."

Cole nodded with the harsh yet somewhat well meant words. Grabbing the drink of the tray to a raised questioning eyebrow from Gus. Surely he hadn't heard of the whole poisoning episode as well? If he had, there would be no way in Hel that Gus would allow him to get the rounds in. "He spilled the last one." Cole mumbled, sheepishly. Well it was true, Cole had pushed him a little too far this evening, but then he wasn't to know that Jay had a shitty day because word hadn't really got around in Asgard, like it would have done in Ninjago or on earth.

These guys didn't have cell phones for starters or social networking.

Jay was quiet, as quiet as he had been on the morning of Kai's wedding. Taking the first step, Cole sat next to him, flinching away from the heat of the open fire yet staring nonetheless into the flames as mesmerising as they were. "I'm sorry for saying all that, stuff, _Jay_."

Jay mumbled, a sort of restrained laugh mixed in with a choice cuss word that he didn't feel like shouting aloud.

"I didn't mean it, not all of it anyway." He passed the smaller drink to his soaking wet brother and offered an awkward embrace. Jay wasn't the easiest brother to soothe back to normalcy, though he wasn't as difficult as Kai.

"And, I got you this to make up for the fact that I kinda made you spill your last one." He passed the drink into Jay's hands. The only parts of him that were toasty warm and dry.

"Thanks Cole." He smiled taking the drink, holding it in both hands. It didn't have the elixir in but it was a gesture none the less, an apology. "I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have gone off on one like that. I really didn't want it to come across as it sounded because you guys didn't know about the whole time thing. I sort of held it against you for ages, because it seemed to take you weeks to get to where I was." He shrugged, taking a large gulp.

Coughing a little at the strength. Cheeks instantly reddening as Jay cleared his throat with the additional burning sensation. "I thought I'd put it behind me but evidently not. Sorry, and uh th-thanks for this."

He looked at the drink again and smiled, There was a small thought running through his sleep addled mind as to why this flagon was more feminine sized compared to the ones that Gus was dealing out on the table a few booths down. Not quite putting two and two together as he took another large gulp, coughing the same as before. "I'm not spoiled Cole, far from it."

"I know, I can't believe I said that." Lucky that his face was already red from his proximity to the fire, Cole was embarrassed to admit that his internal monologue had been aired so easily. It wasn't usually an issue, never had been before. He tried to think up an excuse, to make it sound that those words hadn't just appeared from the back of his mind, words that weren't even his own thoughts.

"I think it's too much of the good stuff, it messes with your mind and turns off your internal filter. Honestly Jay, I wasn't thinking it either, it just came from nowhere."

"Yeah, was it voices in the head telling you to do or say something?" Jay queried nodding his head. There was no sign of humour to what Cole would have taken as a strange joke. "I-I get that, a lot." He smiled, turning to face Cole with a look of maniacal glee on his face.

It was exactly that but how was he supposed to tell Jay that he was hearing voices? When Jay himself was losing the will to live, physically and mentally.

"No, not voices in my head. It-it was too much ale." Cole nodded with his excuse, solidifying his own acceptance that he wasn't going insane. "Haa, and here I am, still drinking the stuff because there's not much else to do here other than eat or drink or screw."

This despite the distressing daydreams he had been experiencing today, all of which involved Loki doing unspeakable things. There was no way he'd utter those either, his brother's might think him mad or Loki's new plaything.

Jay nodded along with him. Cole was right about that, and he'd spent the evening doing most of what Cole had uttered, all three in fact. But he wasn't spoiled because of it.

The silence was deafening, soul destroying. Jay's lack of enthusiasm was felt by the master of earth as the latter tried in vain to keep the conversation friendly, neutral and away from anything to do with Loki, his plans or Jay's ex girlfriend.

"I'm still your best friend, right?" He rubbed a hand through his hair. "I mean, I know I've not been the best and I've said and done some pretty dumb things, but ya know recently, since I've been with Seliel, I thought we were getting to know each other better?"

"One of my best friends?" Jay repeated, looking upwards until their eyes met.

"That's right, isn't it?" Cole said quietly, squeezing tighter.

"In Ninjago, on earth? Yeah you are jointly, you'll always be." He looked back at the flames again, taking a drink and enjoying the warmth from both.

 _I'm your enemy, Cole, masquerading as your best friend. You guys really shouldn't be here, fighting this fight. You need to go back home..._

"I'm not an idiot either. And, I realise that all this crap you've been through has been anything but a walk in the park. I even tried to rack your brains a little when you forgot the basics like finding the lightning nunchucks, when you forgot."

Jay turned his face to Cole at those words. Faltering slightly. "I'd never forget tha..." Shaken again at just how invested Amora was, in living and attempting to ruin his life.

 _Amora...figures._ _Lie, it makes it easier._

"Yeah sorry, I guess this brainwashing and the inevitable changes I've been through had all had some sort of effect on my mind. Some of the less important stuff got jumbled about to make way for other things that might have been deemed as more important to the cause." He shrugged, unsure of what else to say. Was it even worth him joining in with the conversation? Anything he could say from now on could open a can of worms that he'd have to lie about to get away from.

"You just seemed more, uh how do I say it? More down to earth, calm, laid back. But since being back here for what; a few days, you seem highly strung again." He leaned in closer. "Is it Loki?"

He pondered the question. Sometimes, he wished all this turmoil was Loki's doing and he realised how insane that seemed. Because Loki had done his fair share of damage over the months but that had tapered off with a sort of understanding resulting in an oath that had been agreed betwixt the pair. Loki would not raise a hand, finger or cast a charm to maim, harm or wound Jay, not whilst he carried the child. All he had done this day was made Jay break up with Kali.

No, this was all Amora's doing. From the heartache and the pain of his week with her. She was quite possibly the most cruel, heartless, domineering witch Jay had ever had the displeasure of meeting. And despite the fact that she was an incredibly beautiful voluptuous woman who knew how to use her body to please her man, she was crazier than a bag of cats.

"No, actually it wasn't him." He took a huge gulp, swallowing down the pain that this day's memories had dredged up as drunken pleasure began to replace whatever vulnerabilities he felt with Amora being on the run. And similarly, it removed the heartache he felt for Kali.

Thank the Gods that Jay had managed to relieve himself before he came back in the bar. because now he wasn't sure he could get off the bench in one piece. He felt at peace with it, felt joined, like he was melting into it. Turning his head, looking at Cole with a look of pure homicidal glee, a maniacal grin plastered on his face. "Y-you wanna finish that conversation now?" Jay asked, standing abruptly. "Haa, I reckon we kept them waiting long enough, right?"

Jay looked at the drink again, unsure whether to feel nervous as negative thoughts swam into his mind as to the last time Cole brought the drinks. He smiled swaying slightly, eyes rolling in his head. "What is this? It's got a strong kick..." Jay mumbled, legs giving way directly in Cole's path. "Strong stuff...haa."

"Gus?" Cole called, rubbing the back of his head, guiltily. "Can you get him back to the booth?"

Gus canted his head to the side looking at both young men. The fact that Jay was laying across Cole's lap indicating that Jay had drank something incredibly strong and he needed to sleep it off.. "Well, someones going to be sleeping for Asgard today. This ale is lethal, you could have split it between you and you'd still get a kick. But, I can see it has had its desired effect."

Both Cole and Gus eyed Jay as the stronger one hoisted him up to standing. He was awake at least, grinning from ear to ear as Gus took the drink to prevent any more fluid spilling on this unclean floor. "Can you manage too Cole, or would you like some assistance?"

Cole shook off the help. "No, I can do this. I've got it under control." he slurred, making his own way back to the booth, which seemed so much closer at one point.

"As you wish, "Gus smirked. "You won't be able to converse soon unless you have something to counteract the effects of the ale." He muttered, walking Jay back to the booth first.


	96. Double double, toil and trouble?

**_Elsewhere..._**

"Oh come on already. I gave Sig the elixir, did I not? One supposes he must have used it well, least to my advantage and _his_?" The cloaked woman enquired, tipping her head while idling for an answer from her mischievous sister.

A harsh intake of breath was all she heard, letting her know that she wasn't conversing with herself. "Lori, please...you owed me, remember?"

A resigned sigh was heard coming from the abyss of swirling green and the conjured portal. "And we both did as you asked, but you made me shame this one in public. The prince had done no wrong, 'twas a wicked thing to do..." The wind was whipping her sister's cloak back and forth. Allowing Lorelei to catch a glimpse of the strange world where her kin was subsisting in secret.

"I care not of this... _Lori_. You can simply ensnare men with your voice, _I_ with my lips. Alas, we do what must be done to get these due returns."

"And these returns are for the greater cause, Amora?" She asked. Her face painted with worry. "Despite how these schemes usually end up?"

"Always for the greater cause." The cloaked woman nodded, though her sister could recognise the magic, she could see that her kin was not revealing her true identity.

"But this, _this_ was cruel," Lorelei repeated, deeper than before. She tucked her long red hair behind an ear. It had fallen into view. "And despite his initial shock and disgust at my accusations. He refrained from striking me down." Shaking her head imperceptibly, Lorelei observed her dark sister, scrutinising her. "He is too good for you. A gentle, sensitive man. You could do so much better."

The harsh grating laugh caught her off guard and she cringed at the disturbing level of hatred behind it. Something that to her, meant her sister was planning something that would be likely to get someone hurt, _badly_.

"Lori, my dearest sister." She said in a condescending tone. "I only wanted of another to discern the truth and now, you _both_ know of it. Look at it this way, soon he will be disgraced and further ousted from the realm and this place...and then ultimately; he'll be mine. Ha, Odin will not care for the renegade after this and neither will Asgard when they find out."

Her sister sucked in a deep breath as if reliving the tensions of the day. She had already seen the pain inflicted by her words as she divulged the truth of his impending fatherhood or the lies of what Amora felt about him. She had been told to feed him with cruel rumours in front of everyone, _on purpose_. Breaking him down enough to snap, but he had refrained. He didn't strike her down, as others would have done. He took it all in and it had made her feel like a ruffian.

"But what a way for us to find it out. Twas a shock to hear of his servitude to Loki whilst working alongside yet behind the All Father's back?"

"I understand your dismay. Tis a troubling thing, I accede, but you are aware and you know."

Lorelei nodded. "And, I should say, it was a perilous stratagem to use Eir Gram, to make him give up the lie so. How could you be so sure that the Gram sword would not best him? Sigurd was despaired, 'twas why James was replenished with so much strength elixir ere the procedure."

"He is not as _weak_ as you believe, Lorelei. This one is strong, _determined_." She twiddled with her blonde hair. Staring into the small portal seeing some of her homeworld. The portal itself was not quite big enough to travel through, only sufficient to converse with. "Tell me of Sigurd. Will he reclaim the Gram sword this night?"

"He will," Lorelei nodded, another sigh escaped. "And then he shall feign ignorance as to its loss. I should say, he is troubled as he is yet to think of a believable pretence. Amora, I know Sigurd well, he will keep his word to . He shall not divulge to Odin until it is time. That is not to say he will make it easy for the prince, now knowing who he works with whilst betraying Odin so brazenly."

"Haa, there is so much more you do not understand Lori. But pay no mind, 'tis far too risky for you to know much more than this. Besides, it is my plan to decay Asgard from within. And now Sigurd knows of the treachery. He will do all he can to topple the seat of power."

"You do not care for Asgard, I know of this," Lorelei said, her expression dropped. "All this will do is leave the realm powerless, _vulnerable_?"

A cackle of laughter solidified Lorelei's fears. Making her slightly relieved that she lived on earth with Sigurd for most of the time.

"Powerless? What, until Tyr claims the throne a few days from now? ... _Please, Lori_ ," Her tone belittling, sarcastic. "I need this, I need to know how he is now. Tell me what you saw of him before he left this night?" Amora knew that it was Loki who sat atop the throne disguising himself as Odin. She also knew that the All-Father was sleeping and he would wake within the week because she had envisioned it.

Lorelei shook her head. She had done everything expected of her. This was so against her normal behaviours. Usually, she prided herself on how inconspicuous she lived with Sigurd. But this day, she had made a spectacle of herself because she owed her sister a favour which had been paid in full today.

"This is the last time I shall help you. I refuse to be drawn into these ludicrous schemes anymore. You know my posture on your evil doings and strange obsessions." Her voice turning icily cold and sharp. She was, after all, meant to be a neutral party for Asgard. Engaged to be wed to someone who had always worked on the side of good until today.

She mused on her sister's statement. " _Obsession_ , quite possibly if they don't come willingly. Tell me more of him Lori. His look is imperative for this to work."

A long drawn out sigh.

"Facially, his left side was bruised. Kali slapped him hard enough to cause damage to his physical stature. His neck too on both sides. She split his lower lip with her ring."

"Tell me, how did he carry himself following this quarrel?"

Lorelei rolled her eyes. "This is completely pointless, you realise? For one, you have not spoken to me in years and yet you expect me to give in because of a favour owed? All you have done this day, is give me a headache with your ceaseless whining."

"Please, Lori. 'Tis all I need to know."

A long pause, followed by an annoying sigh that only served to show her reluctance to be seen as a mere messenger to her annoying, self-righteous sister. "He looked weak and broken after Kali slapped him. One thinks she may have broken him as they coupled so eagerly."

Amora's jaw clenched at the thought of another girl coupling with him. Considering he was the father of her, as yet, unborn child. Jealousy was biting at her for how easy it had been for Kali to ensnare him. That was until a most heinous idea came to her mind. Maybe she could employ Kali's image as her own or that of his realm born lover, now that would be sure to win him over, least until her kiss could be strengthened enough to take his power, rendering him powerless to stop her.

Now trying a different tactic. Lorelei wanted to make him seem like a worthless man, maybe it would be enough to distract her sister enough to rethink her strategy. Though she wasn't truly sure what type of man he was, other than sensitive and easily offended. "Honestly Amora, I implore you. He doesn't seem strong enough for you to consider as a future mate. Are you sure you want this one, he is hardly a man, more a boy that goes around breaking hearts?"

Amora smiled. "He hasn't changed then? Ha, I am doing him a kindness here, with the chain of broken-hearted in my wake."

It wasn't working as she had expected. Amora was exuding new lows. "Hmm, I for one do not waste my gifts on transmutation, 'tis unhealthy. All those vile whores you copulate with, in _his_ form and for what?"

"For revenge mostly," Amora laughed at her sister's reaction. "And you would be astonished, Lori. They, for the most part; are clean and take care of themselves. Just as they do on earth. You think them vastly uncivilised, do you not? I shall admit that was my impression too. Originally doubting them when they have been more advanced than those earthlings you claim to cherish. And, just like the creatures of earth, they use devices for contraception, not mere drafts as the ones you take."

"Initially, you painted quite the picture of uncivility." Lorelei quipped. "I ask again, why him, considering you could have any man?"

"Lori, I have come too far for anything else, to let him slip away. Honestly, you've no idea of the powers' he possesses. To make matters unfavorable, he has already eluded my grasp twice before. This time he will not." She also knew that he wasn't truly aware of how much power he held or how much he would be coveted if word got out that he was the true weapon of chaos. Surely, he would be safer with her, not some foolish girl who claimed she loved him nor some God who had an ingrained feeling of resentment deriving from a sense of inferiority of being denied the true right to the throne, without having to resort to constant disguise.

"Three times _actually_! He is fast and handsome, I'll give you that, but he is no Skurge!"

"Skurge was ghastly. One would never bed him my dear, he was only a protector. is the father of my child and he will give in eventually when he has no one left here _or there_."

Lorelei seriously doubted that. She had a feeling that even if Amora was the last woman on earth, Asgard or the small realm of Ninjago, would rather die than live with her. "You are so sure of that? You realise he serves Loki, Sigurd saw it for himself, the Gram sword does not lie?"

"Indeed, he serves Loki _now_ , but not for long. Not when I commence the next step."

"But when you near birthing, will you still have the strength to do this even though you are with child?"

"Of course, I only need one other's blood to complete the spell of power transference. And once performed, they will fight, until Loki goes too far."

"You want them to fight? Is that not a little barbaric, considering one is a God?"

Amora nodded. "His devastation at toppling his protector will drive him away. will be hurt in the fight. He needs to be a moment from death for this to work. He will not be capable to attempt escape in his despair, not without the traitor of Asgard to assist him."

"The house of Odin is full of traitors, Amora and Loki is but one of them. How can you be sure that will not rebel against your control?"

"An earthbound word, you advised me of many years ago now. Some rather crude examinations of the human mind or those of lesser creatures that were tortured. Operant conditioning, I believe it was known as. The rewarding of good behaviour, punishing of bad?"

"Yes, I remember their crude practices in the dark ages. You do not need to evoke me of this." Lorelei rolled her eyes, knowing full well her sister could see her.

"Come now Lori, the dark ages were entertaining. Being tried as a witch was a highlight. Allowing the fools to believe that they had won and then watching their faces aghast as we raised their livelihoods to the ground. Killing all, sparing none, slaughtering entire families in one swipe. Twas nothing less than they deserved."

"Amora, you have not changed one bit." She smiled, looking behind her as her fiance came into view. Remaining quiet in the background. "Sigurd is waiting, I must bid you and your inoborna a fond farewell for now. May the luck of the Valkyries be forever on your side. My favour and debt is paid in full. Do not ask any more of me."

"Thank you, Lorelei." She nodded her appreciation. "This little one will be strong." Her hands stroking her lower stomach lovingly. "I can already feel his element inside me, coalescing, growing and merging with my own."

The portal disapparated into a fine mist of green and there she stood. A lovely white picket fence surrounding and afront. Gravel stone driveway behind her.

Removing her hand from her stomach, she stood barefoot on the roughened hessian mat that covered the doorstep. Wiping her soiled feet upon it, she balled her delicate hand into a loose fist and began to rap on the wooden door to her front. There was a doorbell available but she hated those modern things, much preferred the bells or knocking the door with a cane.

 _Respectfully_ , she stood back so she was directly in the pouring rain and then she used the element of magic to change into someone who had betrayed her. Into the one person, she had shared her soul with. The whore of Asgard turned into one of the two men she really wanted to see suffer before he was tamed.

Word had gotten around this day in Asgard that he had broken someone's immature little heart. The person in question was a long time friend of hers and a person she'd grown up with. In reality, she cared little for the foolish girl. The only things they shared in common was that they both had sisters and they had all been under the tutelage of Karnilla.

Standing back more and remembering Lorelei's words, she inflicted herself with the same injuries as had befallen . Creating a duplicate of herself to inspect for similarities. Her visage was impeccable to those who were not aware of her skills or her extensive learning of the arcane arts. It was so good, she looked even better than the real thing. Amora was drenched to the bone, standing to look like a drowned rat. Someone who could possibly be mistaken for a victim of a savage crime.

There she stood in his image. Destroying him in every way she knew how, until he had nothing left, no one who he could turn to for help.

So, going by the information her sister had given, he had survived the Fates too; _she knew he would_. Eir Gram was only a decoy to the grand plan. To get Sigurd to reveal the truth, to take him down from within Asgard, then to shame and punish Loki. Now she was about to do something that he would _not_ be able to explain. After all who would believe him after this?

The door was wrenched open. And the downpour increased exponentially, as the rain and sleet pelted his skin.

"Jay?" She called from the porch. Staring at the shivering man in her midst. His clothes were soaked through and she could see the very definition of his lithe torso. "Why are you standing out here in the rain?"

"I'm sorry." He mumbled, sadly. Jay looked up, bruises on his face and neck, blood trailing from his mouth as he spoke. Hollow blue eyes pleading for her to listen, to believe his evil intentions and lies. "I-I have nowhere else to go. I tried...I-I couldn't, I'm sorry."

"Are you okay, what happened?"

"No one's answering, it's like they've all gone s-somewhere?" Shivering uncontrollably. His disgusting smirk was well disguised behind the sheer amount of magic being used. "Is Cole here?"

"He's been gone for nearly ten days, not that I'm counting or anything." She blushed slightly, motioned him to enter. Concern niggling at the sheer state of him as Jay stood there, struggling to maintain his stance.

Here she was, standing and holding the door wide open for him to enter. Exasperated as to the reason he wasn't under the storm porch. The blood was contrasting against his undertunic. It stained his shirt further. In fact, this wasn't his usual civilian attire come to think of it. She had never seen him dress so smartly before. Most of what he was wearing was ripped in places. A mixture of dark and tight blue leather on his legs made him resemble a singer who had been mobbed by fans, looking like he'd taken a good beating in trying to escape. "C-come in, for God's sake. Why are you still standing in the rain, it's freezing cold out here, you'll be ill."

And now, the magic would be used to it's fullest extent. For the full shock tactic, moment of weakness and intense worry and sympathy to surface in this beautiful creature that stood before the sorceress. Jay passed out in front of Seliel, fainted onto the hard unforgiving wet ground as his legs crumpled beneath him.

"Oh my god, **_JAY_**!" She screamed, running out into the rain. It was unseasonably cold as the rain turned to hailstones, followed by a massive crack of lightning.

 _Are you kidding me?_

"Where are you guys, anyone?"

"Damnit, the power lines are down too. And my phone isn't working." She hauled him up, looping her arms under his as she struggled with him up the steps and into her house. She was surprised he was so heavy, considering he wasn't as bulky as Cole.

* * *

"Phew," Lloyd exclaimed. looking upwards to see Jay cuddling into Cole's side with eyes closed serenely. Both were embracing one another like long lost brothers. All previous animosity had vanished.

Lloyd gave a smile of relief, because finally, they seemed to be getting along again. He wasn't even sure if the most recent spat could have be improved after what Cole had outwardly admitted saying. "You had us worried there. You'd been gone for _hours_!"

" _Hours_?" Cole repeated, dumbstruck. "Not been that long." He attempted to look at his watch but soon gave up when the numbers appeared blurry. And he didn't feel like wrenching his arm from under Jay's wet head to get a better glimpse at the timepiece.

Turning his head at Lloyd's perplexing statement. Zane was confused but at the same time, deduced that a quick scan to check ethanol levels might be a good idea. Within a few seconds, he realised that Lloyd was at the excitable part of intoxication. Visibly drunk with a loss of perception and memory of the hour passed. He felt it his responsibility to gently correct. Being that he wasn't one for skimming the truth on a regular basis. "You will find that Cole was at the bar. His return was delayed because of his subdued safety awareness. Evidently, he made it here with minimal tibial damage. A few haematomas will be present in the morning, no contusions to speak of."

Taking that snippet to mean that Cole had blindly walked into a few things on his way there and back, Lloyd accepted it without questioning. Even if he had smashed his shins on oak log benches. He wasn't rubbing his legs and he certainly wasn't limping when he'd sat first.

"What about the drowned rat?" Lloyd couldn't fathom how going outside for a breather could warrant Jay being sodden unless it had rained heavily. No other newcomers to the bar were wet though, apart from Jay. He was soaked to the core with squelching leather breeches and the sound of water sloshing around in his boots.

"And Jay..." Zane quirked an eyebrow. Questioning and then subsequently doubting himself again. He frowned in confusion. "You went for a swim in the sea?" His finely tuned receptors could not only sense the sodium in the air surrounding them; he could taste it too. He couldn't fathom why Jay had opted to do that fully clothed unless he was practising for his next swimming award.

"I wouldn't call it swimming..." Gus interjected. "More, a barely controlled float, a moment away from drowning."

Hiding the barely contained chortle behind his hand, Lloyd looked at Jay who was unabashed and shrugging his shoulders.

"Hey, I was swimming, _in a sense_ ," Jay replied _indignantly_.

Wincing as he shifted position, Jay cupped himself discretely in an attempt to manoeuvre his bruised groin. "It was fun." He said, _smiling_. "But I really had to pee. Haa, I thought I was gonna wet myself." He chuckled to himself. "Wet myself in the sea, haa, can you imagine? Uhm, Gus, do they have any creatures that can sense urine in the water?"

"Why? Did you relieve yourself?"

"Ha, uh no." Jay blushed slightly, shaking his head at Gus's direct question.

Taking a look outside of the curtained booth. Gus peeked his head around the draped enclosure to be nosy and see if his small troop had returned. Eyes widening and blood running cold at the sight of a blonde haired twin. She, right at that moment, was sitting with her father, _Orn_.

"Gott verdammt," He mumbled. This new event wasn't a good thing, not with Jay ' _the_ _heartbreaker_ ' here. Gus figured he'd be needing to keep her away too because that would be a whole heap of trouble that Jay could do without, this night. Even if Kari meant him no actual harm and only wanted to seduce for what he could offer her. It just wasn't worth the aggravation.

"No, My Lord. There are no creatures in Asgard's sea that would sense human waste." He replied, _quietly_ , not wanting to hush Jay more than needed. Instead, he gave a crooked smile and nodded slowly at Zane. " _I_ had to wade out and retrieve him." He said, lowering his tone to a whisper.

"How exactly, did you end up swimming? You said you were going out for a breather? I thought you would have had your fill of water considering the tidal wave of beer you spilt." Lloyd asked.

"I did go out," Jay nodded. Wet bangs still flicking salty water on the table. "I went out _with style._ " He finished. Looking upwards at Cole and Lloyd who were watching him.

Obviously, they were waiting for more or at least a reason as to why he was so on edge earlier. Other than breaking up with his so-called girlfriend, of which none of his brothers had known about. Jay had seemed tetchy, easily offended and none knew why, other than Gus.

Turning to Cole, Jay's sad lilac eyes observed his brother in black. The bruises on his face were albeit gone, thanks to the healing stones used late last night. "And uhm, I'm sorry about this mess." Rubbing his head, a guilty look on his face as he looked up at Cole then Lloyd. "Some things got the better of me. I shouldn't have shouted, I'm sorry."

Cole had wanted to say something in return, really he had until Jay had done it for him. Now, he couldn't bring himself to apologise for his slip up, so instead, he remained quiet, accepting of what was said as final, _resolute_. All he could do now was offer a supporting squeeze in return. A loose one-armed embrace to offer support as his once best friend sat next to him, wet through but happy, _to an extent_. "So, what happened?"

"I uhm, I think I took a wrong turn when I walked onto a bridge. I kept on walking to clear my mind and then I threw up, and I slipped over."

"Slipped over what?" Lloyd asked, smirk in place of a frown.

"I think I fell off the bridge..."

He couldn't hold back the chuckle. "Haa, you _think_?" Lloyd gaped, _loudly_. And, at the same time, he saw an urgent hushing motion from Gus for which he frowned at.

"Why?" Lloyd queried. "This place is buzzing?"

"Unwanted attention...". Gus replied. Motioning Lloyd to look discretely out of the booth.

Jay watched both men with intrigue and their near silent exchanges. Unsure, as to the new levels of quietness afforded to what was a noisy bar. None the wiser to why they were being so quiet, or peering through the curtained booth. He carried on at his normal tone and pace. "I uh, can't remember, it happened so fast."

"Did you hit your head too?" Lloyd quizzed. He glanced back at his brother, not seeing any new injuries other than the fist-shaped mark adorning his cheekbone.

"No," Shaking his head slowly, Jay was quick to smile. "All I know is that one minute I was walking, and the next, I was sort of swimming."

" _Floating_..." Gus gently interjected. "There was no swimming involved."

"Scary stuff?" Cole said, sitting more upright with a concerted effort, resulting in a resigned grunt.

"It woke me up a bit, the water was cold."

"Were you expecting a heated sea?" Zane queried, puzzled. "Did you know that some parts of Agard are eternally frozen and some are warm annually. Yet there is no orbiting sun nor moon?"

"No, I wasn't. " Jay replied, shrugging. "No and no, I didn't know that either but I pretty much figured it out with the fact that I get no sunburn up here unlike down where I grew up."

"It was a shock, that's all." He added.

"It was a good job you could swim, um _float_ ," Cole mumbled, waking up slightly. "Otherwise, you'd be dead right now."

Gus bit his lip, refraining from saying anything in relation to that statement. Because that was another thing that troubled him so. Why in Asgard did Jay's brothers not know of his Einherji status? The whole thing was suspect to Gus, he knew that Jay wasn't an undead fallen warrior, but he had been slain protecting his brothers and lover, thus allowing him to join the ranks of the E guard legion so easily. Judging by his attitude, it was quite apparent that Jay was perhaps in denial about this situation too and Gustav, certainly didn't want to be the one to burst the bubble of oblivion. Sure, Jay didn't look like the majority of E Guard Legion. His injuries always remained after battle; _unlike Gus_. So, although Jay didn't reincarnate every morning anew, he retained the strength of an Einherji, his body healed but it always took time.

"I was floating. Actually, come to think of it, I was stargazing..."

"Quite possibly," Zane added, pulling the comms device from his watertight internal compartment that had Gustav's eyes widening in fascination. He carefully placed it in front of his brothers and checked his timezones. Once he could be sure that the hour was not too late, he activated the device. And sat back, allowing his brothers to talk and explain the reason for the sudden outflux of five assembled people to two.

While Jay and Cole gave their accounts of what had been said, Gus turned to Zane. Observing him, a little closer, yet impressed with what he saw. The Destroyer had no consciousness. It was a soulless entity, made to be controlled. Zane, he was very obviously different. "You remind me of a smaller Destroyer." He said, looking at Zane's shiny face and visible extremities. "You are quite the impressive machine, Zane. It is possibly also the reason that people here give you the respect due. I think they are scared that you too will burn them with ice."

"The people of this realm think that of me?" Zane asked, expression anxious for a few moments. "I assure you, I am not that dangerous. Do I seem that intimidating to others?"

"No, this is not a shared feeling, purely a possibility," Gus said, being quick to soothe. Avoiding unnecessary anxieties to surface, these fighters needed to be free of the worry, considering what they were about to go up against. "They do not know you fully because you have not been in this place as long as Jay has. It might even be the stories he tells of you all. He has such the wide and varied imagination."


	97. Let's get this straight

"Hmm, I knew I recognised the dulcet tones of a man I had been trying to find..." A seductive female voice spoke from behind the curtain. The mere presence of it halted the rowdy group conversations mid-flow. All eyes turning to see the heavy set drape being pulled across.

 _Was that sarcasm?_ His talkative side had vanished. Leaving all the words to dry up in his mouth when he saw who it was. Swallowing deeply, his eyes travelled up her body to meet her own soft blue orbs and there they settled, at least momentarily.

 _Oh, good gods..._

Jay _had_ been back to his usual verbose self. Having had his confidence and courage brought back by Cole and the aforementioned _Troll ale_. Apparently, the selling point was that it was the stuff of legends. A brew so strong, it was offered to those with strong stomachs and huge egos to match. Sometimes it was just used to dull the senses because it was excellent for its ability to remove pain and heartbreak. The sheer alcohol content would make everything a blur, only to be barely remembered upon waking when the recipient would end up with a monster hangover.

He had turned as white as a sheet when she came into view. Locking eyes with her, he could see her looking at none other than him. Giving him the same look she'd given him earlier, before all of this shit had kicked off. Honestly, he was quite sure that he'd laid his eyes on her for the last time this evening, having _somewhat_ broken it off. Yet here she was, standing in front of him... _again_.

Watching her face express a hint of shame at the sorry state he was in. Jay remained morose. He still bore the marks and split lip from their earlier spat and it might well be something he'd never live down. Never had a girl hit him like that before, not even Nya.

Sure, the evidence of their messy breakup was all over his face and neck. It was also something that Cole hadn't even challenged him about. Subconsciously, he thought that Cole had seen him covered in a fair variety of bruises over these past few months and that this smattering was nothing to worry over. It was true though, it was a small thing, largely insignificant.

It was only his love life spiralling out of control.

Being as Cole couldn't stand to greet the unknown but familiar looking female. He smiled up at the newest piece of smoking hot _eye candy_ to grace their presence and damn was she fine, almost as fine as Seliel. "Uhm m-my name's Cole. And you are?" He asked, offering his hand over Jay but not disturbing the relaxed slouching posture of his friend.

The very friend who has tensed at the presence of this slender young woman in their midst. Damn, it was a good thing that Nya wasn't here, there would have been a cat fight for sure, with obvious doubts as to who would win.

Jay obviously knew who it was. He remained reserved, he didn't even want to introduce her, least of all to Nya. Whom he could see was glowering.

Closing the drape behind her amidst a devil-eyed glare from Gus. Kali smiled imperceptibly despite the palace guard gawking at her suspiciously. "I am sorry, My Lord," She said. Bowing in his presence.

Cole's jaw had dropped. Putting two and two together because she too had hickeys on her neck which he could see when the scarf fell forward. Plus, Jay was blushing furiously in her proximity. Hel, Jay couldn't keep his eyes off of her. It was painfully obvious. This must be his ex-girlfriend, but why was she here, if Jay had broken up with her a few hours ago?

The white rose still in her grasp as she took in a deep breath to steady her nerves at what would be an awkward apology. She knew it had to be done now because of what she had heard this night. Jay was going to be sent first and he had only heard that through her. "My name is Kali."

"What happened to keeping a low profile?" Gus asked her directly, standing up to whisper in her ear before she had a chance to seat herself. "I had no idea you were promised to another, until this night and yet you still pursue _him_?"

"You did not stop me earlier Gustav." She argued, raising an eyebrow. "In fact, you _asked_ me to provide the diversion."

Jay already knew this, it wasn't a surprise. It wasn't like a blind date either. He'd known Kali for a few months now, though not as intimately as he would have liked. So, it didn't really shock him that Gus had put her up to this, not fully knowledgeable of her betrothal. The thing is, she knew and she refrained from divulging to Gus. "She's got a point..." Jay smirked, head looking down at the floor. He noted she hadn't sat next to him, or at all. It was like she was waiting for him to allow her that luxury.

Red-faced, Gus clenched his jaw. "This is serious Kali." He peered out to make sure no-one had seen her waltz into this private area. "Your own kinfolk are here, in this very place. And furthermore; I didn't ask you to screw him in public, did I?"

The table had gone deathly silent and in response to that loud snippet, Cole had spat his drink across the table, flecks of it hitting Lloyd in the face.

"They did not see me, on _both accounts"_ She countered, _nonchalantly_. "And, I only came to deliver an apology, to atone for my behaviour before he departs."

Gus' eyebrow remained high, suspended by an invisible string. He saw her riding Jay, amongst other things, and he had to somehow clear the courtyard to avoid a crowd gathering. "Is this an apology in direct view of your father? You would bring shame on them to atone for such acts?" Gus could quite clearly see her father and sister sitting a few seats down, nearest the bar. Both were jovial, being respectful to one and all who joined them. It was an abrupt change to how Orn and Tyr had been acting earlier, especially when their hands had been all over the loosest women this bar had to offer. Evidently, Tyr liked them big, Gus had no idea until he'd seen it for himself. "You could have waited, until later this night?"

Kali said nothing. She obviously knew how risky this was but really she had no choice. This had to be done. And so she moved swiftly to Jay's side ignoring the scowl rom Gus and the drop jaw stares from Lloyd.

Jay noticed, and instinctively crossed his legs to protect all he had left in that department. Though he hadn't really regretted the night or what they had got up to. He knew deep down that Loki was right though, no matter how much it pained him. There really was too much aggravation in sustaining a relationship without love being involved. It was why his own marriage had broken down. He was too inattentive of Sigyn, she had left, having had enough.

 ** _You did not believe me did you? Perceive, she cannot get enough of you and your duplicitous ways. She came back despite you rending her heart out for everyone to see?_**

 _Leave her alone...She's here to say sorry._

 ** _One can surmise she feels something for you, as you do for her?_**

 _Sh-she doesn't, I swear._ Jay shook his head, his arm frozen mid-grab of his ale. As he attempted to gain control of his own body and mind. _Please...I don't want...to...hurt her._

 ** _Hurt her again, you mean? After your foolish token of affection has won her back?_**

Cole, noticing his brother's reluctance to speak and his glazed eye expression, seemed worried. "Jay, you okay Bro, you look like you're in another world?"

He was. Loki's telepathic link was exhausting to maintain.

 ** _This is the affliction of what you became, what you are now._**

 _Gods_ , it felt like his throat was being squeezed. It probably was because Loki didn't sound exactly happy to hear or see through Jay's eyes that this female was back, and trying to get close to him again.

 _I was only doing it because you told me to. I didn't want...to hurt her. It was an apology...m-moment of weakness. Nnnngh...I'm s-sorry._

 ** _Pitiful...perhaps I should bed her, lest it teach you a lesson, like last time hmm?_**

 _N-no..._

Blood running cold, It would render him useless if Loki did that and he'd follow through on his promise too, if only to spite. After all, he'd done it before with Nya; in front of him, forcing him to watch as Loki took her on the dining room table. He would bed Kali if only to prove a point.

 _Please...I'm sorry. Uhm, I'll sort it out. I-I promise...j-just don't hurt her, okay?_

"My Lord, may I?" She said. Her soft voice, breaking through his disturbing eye-rolling trance. "Please?" Her hand touched him and she recoiled at just how much he jumped in shock.

His eyes slowly took her in again. Smiling insincerely, he motioned to the available seat at his free side as soon as Gus had vacated. "S-sure, take a seat."

Shifting begrudgingly, Gus had moved to sit next to Lloyd and Zane. He looked at her, trying to work out what she was playing at. Surely, it would have been better had she slept on it and rethought her feelings over Jay after a good feast. Though he was happy that the rose had done as he had anticipated it would. He was not expecting her reaction to have been this quick. "Do you want a moment in private?" He proposed to both.

All eyes were on the pair who were gazing at each other in silence.

"NO." Jay said immediately.

At the same time, Kali had given her response.

" _Yes_..."

He flinched, glaring after her with a disbelieving look. Then whispered under his breath, clutching the table. "We talked about this, _remember_?" His voice trying to remain calm, to keep it together in front of his brothers when all he wanted to do was shout at her and tell her how much she'd hurt him with all those rumoured lies.

Observing her closely. He noticed that she looked tired. Additionally, she was wearing a different gown than before, an enticing shade of red and a scarf around her neck to cover the love bites that he had bestowed upon her earlier. Secondly; her appearance here was a bit of a shock, because she said she'd be working most of the night. But he guessed that Karnilla had let her go. And having received the rose he left. She must have changed attire and followed the guards here, to this place to thank him in person.

"I get th-the impression you want to talk to me?" Jay stammered. Amidst a crude leer from Cole on his left. And a quiet whisper that was reminiscent of his previous remark that rang true. ' _Any more than a few interactions is classed as a relationship, Jay.'_

"Is this your girlfriend?" Cole whispered in Jay's ear. He asked, already knowing and he was really hoping that Jay wouldn't openly lie when it was so obvious she was. After all, Jay was blushing, his ears had turned a shade of red.

His face blushed at those words. "Uhm, well she was..."

He nodded. Mentally high fiving himself. "Ha, I thought you broke up with her?" Cole replied, smirking. "Because, usually when you break up with someone, they don't tend to come back, unless it's love?"

"I _did_ break it off, and, it's not love," He affirmed. Mock gagging at the mere mention of the L word. Noticing the effect his words were having on Kali. She was silent, her expression dropping by the second. Wow, his chest was really hurting him now. And swiftly as he could, Jay reached for a drink to numb the increasing pain. He didn't want to apologise though.

"Then is she stalking you? I mean, she followed you here?"

"I don't think she followed me here. She might have followe..."

Tipping her head forward. She leaned towards Jay and refrained from touching him. Gods, it hurt for her to not to be able to touch him freely as she had done so before. Now even the thought of doing it seemed like she was committing some offence against the palace, against him. "M-my Lord," she interrupted gently. "I-I wanted to thank you, f-for the rose," she added quietly. Feeling rude for interrupting the discreet conversation that she knew to be about her.

"What rose?" Cole whispered to Jay. "Like the one you gave to Sky?"

"It was a gift," Jay said. Yet he didn't look at her. Instead, he nodded, looking down at his hands, the very same that had been all over her a few hours ago. "They weren't the same, Cole. Each had a different meaning."

"Ha you softy. I knew it." Cole sat back with a big smile on his face, having figured it out a few minutes prior. This rose further solidified his findings. "I get it, you had a fight. A lovers tiff? So you gave her a gift, to say sorry?"

"Yeah so?" He couldn't argue because Cole was _almost_ right. A lovers tiff, sure but there was no actual love there, just lust. "S-sort of." he bit his lip and finally, finally he turned to face her head on. Though, he was disappointed that she wasn't returning his gentle gaze. "Kali, uhm, it was a gift to say s-sorry." He noted she wasn't looking at him yet everyone else was. Though they were trying their hardest not to. Except for Gus, Gus was narrowing his eyes. "I didn't want to leave you like that. I mean, I didn't mean to say all that, y'know stuff. It was all heat of the moment and...uhm."

He sighed, biting his lip and took a large gulp of his strong drink. Regretting it instantly, though it gave some serious courage and a damn good amount of pain relief. Enough to numb the ache in his heart and groin. "You said something and I retaliated, I snapped. I didn't feel good saying all that, I never wanted to, I never meant it, you know that, right?"

She said no words in response, not until her hand found his under the table. "You should not be saying this. I was at fault."

Jay was in two minds. Rip his hand from her grasp and feel the pain from breaking her heart all over again or see where this would lead. He could not afford for her to be hurt by Loki and there was no way he'd be able to keep this a secret from him either. His mind wasn't powerful enough to keep the god out of it. "What changed your mind then?" He said, with downcast eyes. He knew this wasn't the right place to discuss this. They really needed privacy but Jay didn't want to leave his brothers, not again.

"It was the Queen..."

"Figures." Jay nodded, cocking his head slightly. He remembered her well-meant words, all too well. He had felt her magic caressing him, seducing him then screwing his mind. She was a powerful sorceress who had so effortlessly removed Loki's powerful curse. Thus allowing him the chance to love again. He knew that the words she spoke had come from within because, she too had been loved, and in her quest for power, she had lost it.

She had seen it in Jay too, the same threats would cause him to live the future that she was. A future surrounded by many friends, but not one who would love him for who he was.

"It was advised not to leave it like this. Not to allow you to leave so suddenly considering what is to happen. And that, if we are to work together that we must learn to communicate before we make any devotions to one another."

He thought about her words and what they meant. "There _were_ no commitments though," Jay stated, quietly. "We were lovers that's all there was to it. It wasn't my fault you got the wrong end of the stick..." He bit his lip, _hard_. Realising how hurtful that sounded coming from his own lips. It sounded so much better in his head. It was no good, he couldn't do this here, not in front of his brothers and Nya. Whom he was sure could hear everything too.

"I'm sorry, I should never have gone through with this today. It was wrong, a moment of weakness." He pulled his hand out of her soft grip. "I didn't want you to get hurt."

 _Again_...

"It wasn't just your doing..." She argued. "I was wrong."

"We both were," he offered, shrugging. "I guess I got in too deep. I kinda thought this was what _you_ wanted."

"No, surely my feelings were a testament to this?" It pained Kali to hear him say these things. How had she gotten it so wrong? "Please," She uttered. "Can we talk in private?"

Looking around himself. This would be the second time he would be excusing himself. He wasn't planning on spending much time away this time. Though he wanted to clear the air and to end it officially. At least this way it was guaranteed to get Loki off of his back. "Fine, _privacy_. But I'm not sure what good it'll do. I said all I had to earlier." He sighed, taking a deep breath in.

"G-guys, can you excuse me for a few minutes, uhm no more than five?" He asked before standing unsteadily. The room was swaying again. "Y-you guys have things to talk about back h-home, right?" He said. Gripping the table to steady himself.

Kai has picked up on the tone. It felt like Jay had said his goodbye's already. "Just go Jay, we'll probably still be here when you get back." He winked at his brother, not seeing the blonde follow him out of the booth.

"How long before we send a search party?" Gus called. He and Zane were likely the only ones who would be capable of looking anyway. Cole and Lloyd were too hammered. They could barely stand. The only thing they could do with relative ease was talk. And they were both talking Kai's ear off. Poor Nya wasn't able to get a word in edgeways.

* * *

Now outside, Jay had found a solitary bench to sit on. And once sat in his damp leather clothes after nearly falling off it, he invited Kali to sit with him. And rather than let her get comfy he started straight away. Wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. "What did you want to say?"

She noted his impatience was wearing thin. "I wanted to say sorry." She said, looking up at the sheer starry night sky. "Sorry for the harsh words I said, for my actions."

Huffing, Jay leaned his head forward, resting it gently on his open palms until his damp locks fell forward. "Honestly, Kali, I couldn't believe you said all that. I mean, you were one of the only ones who knew what had happened between me and her." He wiped madly at his eyes, looking away angrily. "I-I was her..." Biting his lip, he hated using the word, captive or prisoner. "Y-you know how cruel she was, and how manipulative she can be? And despite all that you still thought I was, that I was with her, even though all the times that I'd been with you?"

"It beggars belief."

"Please forgive me, my prince. I was foolish to say such things. I let my feelings get the better of me."

"Kali, I thought it was what you..." Jay shrugged again, correcting himself. "I mean what _we_ wanted. Y'know, to feel the closeness?" Shoulders slumping by the second. "It was only ever no strings, no tags, just _lovers_?" He whispered. "Just you and me, it felt good didn't it? We were both enjoying it?"

"All I ever wanted was for you to be honest with me, with my feelings."

"You want honesty, right?" He said staring dead ahead. Jaw set firm at what he was about to do. "I don't love you Kali. I don't love anyone. You wanna know why?" He didn't wait for her response.

It stung, the way he said it. No irony at all, he just came straight out with it.

"I was changed, _physically and mentally altered_ because of something I'd done to protect the woman I once loved. Haa, strange thing though, she didn't love me back, not properly. And, for all my troubles, all I got was this." He pulled his sleeve back and revealed his arm, the sickly green veins had almost spread to his neck from a few months ago. Now they were marbling up each and every vein from the initial incisions by the serpent blade.

Her eyes widening in a mild panic. Kali had only ever seen this on one other. "But this is the arcane arts, the darkest magic. Who did this?" She asked nervously as she touched them, tracing them up to his neck. Unsure of the final outcome without the soul forge at her disposal. "What does it mean, how did you come by this?"

"Other than it affecting my lightning and overall versatility, I don't know. It happened in Iceland, months ago. And, at a guess and because it's spreading, I'd say it's largely irreversible too."

"Does it pain you?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "It only hurt when I held the blade."

"What blade is it you speak of?"

"What does it matter?" He huffed, shrugging. "This, well it's one of the main reasons I couldn't open up to you, why I still can't... _properly_." He grasped her hand, removing it from his bared neck. Hurriedly, he placed his upper clothing shamefully. He hated th reasons as to how he got these marks. He knew he'd never be able to tell her. Still, she remained by his side. "Kali, why else are you here?"

He was holding her hand.

"Because it is apparent that you were unaware of your journey to Svartalfheim this night."

"What?" His eyes narrowed, then he understood. "Oh, you mean the whole dark elf thing, you mentioned that earlier? I remembered, see? Although, it's kind of earlier than I was hoping."

"It was something I had overheard, but I cannot be so sure of sources. All I know was that _you_ are to be sent first."

"Ha, this is hilarious. So, let them send me. This is ridiculously insane, I haven't even had any battle prep, don't even know how they fight."

She looked at him. He didn't appear flustered, more irritated and annoyed by the news. "You aren't expected to fight, only to observe."

"Mmm yeah, this is going to end real well, isn't it? Honestly, what is he thinking?" He made a mental note to question Loki on that in the next few hours. At least he'd get an answer.

An awkward silence fell between them. Until Kali shuffled closer. She saw for herself that he held her hand in both of his. Like he was deep in thought and about to finalise this breakup.

"My Lord?" At the same time, she corrected her posture to prevent her from falling. His grip was holding her firm. "You do not love me, I can accept this, of course. And I am willing to wait, to take this slowly, to help you find love, even if it is not with me."

Jay quirked a brow. "You realise how dumb that sounds? You'd help me to find love with someone else, even though you still love me? What if I never find it, would you still wait for m..."

She couldn't help herself. She planted a firm kiss on his lips, silencing him immediately as she pulled him into her embrace. She lay down backwards and he followed, until he was nestled between her thighs.

Eyes dilated at the proximity. Jay leant over her, kissing her in response. Bent down, his lips were against her cheek. Smoothing against it gently and that slight touch, he knew was sending shivers through her. "You don't want this do you, not really? You want commitment, and I can't give it to you, _yet_ ," he whispered.

When Kali said nothing, he brushed his mouth against the hollow of her temple. "But I can give you a parting gift, at least until we can sort this out." He traced the line of her cheekbone with his lips. Steadily crouching over her splayed form, predatory in posture. "I don't want to see you hurt, Kali, but being with me, it's going to happen and I can't..." His lips were against hers.

Kali had reached up and pulled him down onto her. Leaving the rest of his words to fall into her mouth along with his resigned groan. Everything was lost against her, she swallowed his words and his pain. Felt the tears as they dropped onto her face. And felt that searing heat come from his hands as they roamed so gently across her.

"I can't...allow myself..." He kissed her gently, carefully as if kissing her for the last time. "I don't want you to get...hurt.."

 _I don't want him to hurt you.._.

But it wasn't gentleness she wanted, not now. She wanted him to express his anger even if it meant him losing control of all self-restraint and taking her as hard as he wanted. She pulled him down onto her, until they were leaning flat against the bench and he was pressing into her. "Kali, I can't do this..."

Was she really that desperate to be claimed by him?

He moaned softly as she attempted to feel for him and then simultaneously winced when she found his rising interest. Breathlessly, Jay broke the kiss, biting back the pain.

Recoiling when he grimaced so painfully at her wandering hand. Kali was instantly remorseful. "I am so sorry," she said, "Did I hurt you, or do something wrong?"

Jay licked his lips, remaining over her like a wolf about to devour its prey. "You may have killed off a few million miniature Jay's earlier." He shrugged slightly. "It's still bruised, I'll survive."

"Sorry again. I do not know my own strength." She kissed him, feeling his reluctance come back slowly. He was withdrawing.

"I bet there's a potion for that. Either to make me more resilient or to make you weaker."

A bystander was watching the exchange. Having seen them exit the bar. He had taken to following them both, but he was only interested in the female. And with a sour taste in his mouth, he watched the way Jay's hand rested on Kali's neck and waist as he rubbed his thumb along her jaw and chest. Then watched with a look of repulsive disgust as Jay's tongue seemed to disappear inside her mouth as if he needed a part of her to breathe himself. Finally, after seeing enough of this shameful behaviour, he marched right on over to the pair and tapped Jay on his shoulder.

"We're kinda busy here," Jay mumbled, in an exaggerated pout as he looked in Kali's eyes. Still ignoring the hand that was interrupting this rueful goodbye kiss and was still on his shoulder _uninvited_. Jay carried on regardless. He wasn't going to be hindered again, he was only kissing her. Nothing else was going to happen even though she was making it blatantly obvious she wanted more from him.

"Like Hel you are. This is my daughter." An elder voice reprimanded. " _Odin's beard_ , I swear to the nine realms if you don't get off of her now, I'll perform the blood eagle on you myself."

The hand was insistent, wrenching Jay off of his daughter as if he weighed nothing but a feather and for the second time in his life he felt weightlessness.

"F-Father?" Kali said in an undignified squeak. She looked petrified at the sound of her father's stern tone. And soon thereafter, she saw his angered features staring down at her. Gently, he offered her a hand, raising her to her feet softly before glowering at Jay who had landed a few away.

 _I know that voice..._ Jay had span around, having landed steadily on his feet. "Orn, h-he's your father?" He said, eyes widening ever so slightly. He knew he might be in for a world of pain the next time he was in the arena with Orn. Especially now, after this. "Oh, this day just keeps getting better and better."

"Your majesty?" He said, through gritted teeth. It almost seemed as though the words that spilt from his mouth were acid based because he had difficulty saying them. "Your reason for shaming her and our kin, would be?"

"I-I wasn't shaming her or you...Orn. It's not what it looks like." Shifting under the scrutiny. Jay didn't like this one bit and he wished he'd stayed inside now.

"It wasn't him Fa..."

"SILENCE KALI!" He exclaimed, Gravelly voice near enough growling at her to cease arguing. Orn was glaring daggers at his daughter. "You will get yourself off home now. Go get your sister, I shall speak with you both upon my return. The _prince_ and I have some business to attend, don't we Boy?" He said, turning to Jay, grasping him by the scruff of his neck. "GO KALI!" He hissed under his breath pulling Jay up close, too close. Watching as she turned to enter the inn. As soon as she was out of earshot, Orn punched Jay none too gently in the gut.

"Royalty does not get away with sullying the likes of my daughter. Who do the Hel you think you are?"

Having a question posed to him like that when he was down was always going to be a bad thing because Jay could have said many a thing that would have had him beaten into the ground. Currently, Jay was doubled over and had remained crouching even when Kali had emerged with her sister, both looking bewildered at the sight of seeing him crumpled on the floor, looking like he'd taken one for the team.

Jay wasn't stupid, far from it. He knew that drunk or sober, Orn was more than a capable fighter. He'd proven himself many a time on the arena too. So, in spite of this and to prevent a further beating, Jay remained silent as he sat hunched over on the floor.

Slowly, he raised his head enough to show Kali he was fine. Well, he was feeling a little green around the edges, but still... "S-okay K-Kali. I-I've got this..." He said breathlessly. Now partially grinning with a look of discomfort gracing his features. A few seconds later was all he had to wait before a literal projectile of green vomit exploded all over Orn's boots and lower garments.

This was Orn's payback, with _gross_ interest.

 _You asked for that, Asshole. I mean who winds ruthlessly after being at a bar all night?_

Feeling like his stomach was finally empty after retching. Jay wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Strangely he felt a little better, like the alcohol really hadn't stayed in his stomach long enough to be absorbed. Quite handy, it meant he might be able to drink the rest of it without being comatose.

Recoiling both hands in disgust, Orn had been ready to deliver a firm beating to the prince but as soon as he saw the sheer amount of stinking green goo all over his feet and lower legs, he pulled his hands clear. Shock and repulsion clear on his face.

Dear Gods; the stench was unbearably atrocious.

"T-told ya," Jay shouted at Kali's quickly disappearing visage, he staggered slightly. "And I didn't even have to use m-my elements." His hand lazily wrapping around his midsection. He turned to face the spectacle that was the equally inebriated Orn.

Like a wimp, Orn had actually run off toward the nearest water receptacle to cleanse himself. Jay could see him, standing at the main water fountain. Washing his breeches. Unfortunate for him was that the fountain he was standing in, ended up squirting him between the legs, giving the distinct impression that the elder had inadvertently wet himself.

Jay let out a chuckle, he couldn't help it anymore. Biting his knuckle to avoid laughing out loud. He couldn't stand for the moment, he was still breathless now with fits of laughter. So, he sat on the floor watching as Orn, Tyr's own pompous retainer was shaming himself in the main centre of Asgard, in the water fountain. Carelessly washing the vomit off his boots and then looking like he'd peed himself as he continuously misjudged the waterspouts.

"Where's a camera when you really need it? Haa, this is priceless."

Aware that time was ticking on. Jay looked up for the inn he'd been sitting in. He really wanted to speak to his brothers now, especially Nya. They had been about to ask him something. And whatever it was had got her all worked up and he was fairly sure it wasn't really the appearance of Kali.


	98. Clearing up the confusion

"You laugh at me, rather than assist?" He sneered.

Looking at him askance, from a distance. Jay's hand had been held to his mouth, suppressing a fit of the giggles although the evidence of such had left teary trails and the appearance of a pinkish hue on his cheeks.

He wasn't laughing anymore.

"Truly, this is the reverence you possess for an elder of the council?" He scolded, staring at the prince, wondering why he was showing hesitation. "Do not gawk, get me out of here," Orn demanded, growing more flustered by the second.

It could be seen as amusing. After all, Orn had got himself into this mess by being too heavy-handed in the first place. And now, Jay was disinclined to help, especially if the old man was likely to continue with his angry tirade. For starters, Orn had already packed a mean punch, and it had caught him off-guard, flooring him in an instant.

So, suspicion came naturally. "I _can_ help..."Jay offered, pausing. Eyes narrowed when he observed Orn's useless attempts to escape from the depth-less pool.

"You test my fortitude?" Orn demanded voice raised in annoyance. "My rage, disgust of what I saw you doing?

"Haa, _no_." Came Jay's sharp reply. Biting his lip, he was thankful in a way that Orn hadn't found out about their earlier passionate encounters. He'd be dead otherwise.

"Well, you should."

" _Fine,_ " Jay mumbled, _flatly_. "If you insist..."

Remaining an arm's length from the flailing limbs of the elder, Jay was dubious of Orn's strange behaviour. It had only been a few minutes since the old man threatened him, then this had happened. But, undeterred by the inebriated outburst, Jay neared. "Look, if I do this, do you promise that you won't try anything?" He intoned, testing the elder with a fixed and suspicious look.

The closer he stood, the more he noticed the fountain had a rotating current, gently moving Orn around like a lazy river.

Typically, any average person would've been able to get up and out of it without breaking a sweat because the fountain wasn't exactly deep, but this old man was struggling to gain coordination of his limbs. He was literally out of his depth.

Angered eyes stared up at Jay. Piercingly blue and full of resentment. "I promise that I shall give you a fair beating." He replied, _matter of factly_ and without a moments notice _,_ he lashed out in frustration.

Ducking, Jay narrowly avoided the blow. His expression, though smiling was concealing some very agitated feelings underneath. "Define a _fair_ _beating_?" He asked, doubting that Orn's definition matched his own.

"You might still be breathing." He fumed, jaw clenched. "I might go easy on you and allow you a few weeks recuperation in the healing rooms. Because when I'm finished with you, you shall not be able to talk."

He chuckled, having never heard that before. "Whoa, steady there." Jay hissed. Whipping his head back to avoid the blow. "You could've taken an eye out and, hey...I don't talk all that much, _really_."

"Twas my intention, _Veslingr_." He countered.

Jay didn't understand the insult, so it hadn't had the desired outcome, yet he could see the anger flaring in Orn's mean glare.

But then, quite suddenly, a nervous disposition took hold of him, and he laughed with the unsure meaning behind the previously uttered words that pertained to what Orn was threatening to do. Specifically, whether to take the previous threat as it was meant or consider it a mad ramble.

"Y'know, you could put the same amount of effort into getting outta here," He suggested, narrowly avoiding the second and third blow to his face. The old man was struggling to get a footing on the marbled bottom.

Expression showing irritation, Jay hauled him up to the side. Enough for Orn to grab hold of something, then winced when one blow connected. Naturally and instinctively he backed away to avoid further. "M-maybe try putting that energy to use somewhere else?" He suggested, lifting his wet arms from the water.

"I could lay my hands around your neck for what I saw you doing."

"Well, aside from trying to help you. Here's an idea, rather than hitting me for kissing her, why don't you use your arms to get _yourself_ outta this mess?" Overcome with heaving and watering eyes. Jay leaned away, collapsing to his knees.

Gods, it felt like his stomach was about to explode.

 _Twice in the same spot._

Jay was enthusiastically vomiting, while the sound of regurgitated fluid started splattering on the cobbled streets, echoing mercilessly around them. It was only drowned out by Orn's constant death threats the longer Jay refrained from assisting.

 _Curse you and your strength Orn..._ He thought. Retching again until his stomach produced nothing but dry heaves.

Why was his stomach such a weak point now? He'd never had this problem before, _unless_...

Oh Gods...

Jay's eyes widened in fear, his hand was holding firm onto his stomach. Now protecting it, having momentarily forgotten about...the forbidden thing.

"You hit like a girl." He hissed, clutching his abdomen miserably when he attempted to stand. And right at this moment, he didn't even care that Orn had fallen over again in the damned fountain because at least Jay wasn't the only sodden one. Orn was bathing himself in the vomit-strewn water. And now he should be grateful that Jay had an empty stomach too because had he not turned away in time, the second blow would have been sure to have had Jay hurling all over him this time.

And by the gods, Orn was going to smell absolutely divine when his clothes dried in a few hours.

"You can get yourself out, you belligerent old fool," Jay grumbled, standing up with a hand on his stomach. "I tried to help you, but you're being an idiot."

"And this, this is pathetic," he growled, grabbing his soggy leather overcoat. Placing the wet thing before turning to look at the old man again. "This is all because I kissed Kali and you saw us...?"

"Don't say her name, **_don't you dare_** ," Orn bellowed.

Jay flinched.

Wow, this guy was seriously overprotective. Where had he seen that before? "So, you're banning me from saying Kali's name? Whatever happened to free speech?"

Orn scowled, having gotten a firm grip on the side of the fountain. "You don't belong here. You are worthless, wretched. My daughter belongs with someone better, stronger."

 _Ha, if only you knew, old man..._

"If I'm so pitiful," Jay replied _flatly_ , "Why am I being sent to the dark world to fight for this place? Why, aren't they sending **_you_** , if you're all that you claim to be?" He said, trying to stand yet unable to straighten himself out.

Orn didn't answer. He pulled himself from the pond and landed in a soaking wet heap. "You'll be punished for this, for sullying our name," he warned.

"I'm not scared of you," Jay said, having heard these types of threat before. He turned his back as the elder continued to throw insults pertaining to his parentage, his life and his general being here. _"_ Hel, what can a drunk old man do on his own? _Nothing."_ He bit back the host of insults he wanted to use in response.

Looking at where he'd last seen Kali, he smiled _sadly_ , knowing deep down it would be for the best. Now, her father might not be so pressuring of her to marry anymore, considering Kali might divulge the truth of Jay being her first. Or it may well backfire on the both of them, and the marriage would be rushed through and nothing more mentioned of the fact that Kali was no longer intact down there.

Either that or Orn would speak to the disguised Loki and request a marital union between the pair, of which Jay knew the answer to that would be a definite and resounding _**NO**_.

So why could he not stop thinking of her? Jay knew he wouldn't be seeing her as much, if at all now, but she was beginning to take up his every thought.

Blocking out the angered taunts, Jay laughed again. Sure, Kali might not have found it so amusing, but then she was always very caring. Kali, cherished her father despite going behind his back and lying to him.

Jay shook his head; he wondered if she'd still love her father after all the threats he'd issued in these last few minutes. Regardless of the outcome to how Orn was behaving or how Kali would feel, Jay was sure as Hel not going to be helping the old man home anytime soon.

* * *

He got to the bar, in one piece and this time Jay hadn't walked _into or off of_ anything mainly because the cold, damp leather kept him uncomfortably awake for the small walk back.

Stepping onto the worn hessian doormat, Jay sucked in a deep breath and swallowed the pain. He straightened himself as he entered the darkened room, and slipped, unnoticed by many as he sat next to Cole at the narrow Oak table.

"She said goodbye," he said before anyone had the opportunity to inquire about her absence. "Kali went home with her sister."

"Oh, right." Cole nodded. "She was quiet; she's like your complete opposite."

"Really, ya think? Ha, if only she was." He knew Kali could talk and she most often instigated many a conversation. "She wasn't herself." He intoned. "She's usually more verbose than that."

"Hmm, could have fooled me..."

"No, I'm serious Cole. She talks, not as much as her sister does but still," Jay shrugged, not wanting to talk any more about her because he was starting to miss her company and he couldn't fathom why. "Well?" Jay prompted, leaning forward so he would catch everything said. "What did I miss?"

"Not much," Cole muttered, having almost finished his ale. "They've been droning on about the upcoming battle. I swear I've lost count of how many times Kai has apologised to Sky for being an inconsiderate dick."

"I figured," Jay cringed. "He still won't let it lie?" He gestured to Lloyd and Zane. Both were doing their utmost to get Kai to change the subject. "He's lucky. Being home is better than being here, he's safer."

"That's what _we're_ trying to say, but he's stubborn," Cole grumbled, leaning in. "And, all this talking has alerted us to other things on the calendar." He winked, smiling slightly. "Kai wants to know if you're coming to the naming ceremony? He wants you and us to be guardians?"

 _I cant...He'd never let me._

"I-I don't know; it's not that easy asking for time off, _remember_?" He lowered his voice, looking at Gus. The latter whose eyes were slowly closing in exhaustion.

"Hey Gus," Jay called softly, leaning across the table. He pulled gently on the sleeve of his best friend's tunic. "I know you're tired, we're nearly finished up here but can I ask you something before we leave?"

"Yes, My Lord?" He replied, tiredly.

"I can't help but notice that I seem to be almost despised by some people up here?" He said, not elaborating on the fact that Orn had found him kissing her daughter and had lashed out in anger. Threatening to do worse, had Jay not vomited all over him.

Blue eyes narrowed at this. "Why do you think that, surely there has to be the motivation behind it?"

Jay shrugged, recognising he had no proof to go by other than having had the crappiest day in history. "It's more a _gut_ feeling than anything." His said, pun entirely intended as his loose hair fell forward, and he gripped his stomach hard when a spasm of contracting pain emanated from the earlier fisted blows.

"Intuition is a good thing," Gus said, collecting a small amount of Jay's hair from his face. Scooping the longer dark auburn curls from Jay's peripheral. His eyes were widening slowly. "May I, this has been bothering me since Nornheim?"

"S-sure." Jay turned beet red.

Gus shifted slightly over the table and began expertly braiding. "I would venture a guess and say that it is because of your hair colour?" He suggested. "Hmm, and on that note, who weaved your hair this morn?"

" _Weaved_?" A soft laugh followed. " _Retainers_ ," He replied, shaking his head lightly when Cole watched with a crooked smirk. "They needed it to look smart, so they did the sides in two loose braids that kept most of my hair outta my face. But considering the day I've had, there's no wonder they fell out. Honestly, Gus, all I wanted was a pair of scissors; I would've cut it all off." Suddenly, he understood what Gus had said. And he frowned in realisation at the unnecessary treatment based on hair colour alone. "Anyway, why's hair colour an indicator of preferential treatment?"

"Because" Gus cringed slightly. "Your hair was the precise shade as Loki, the god of mischief? The way you appear, the things you do are remarkably similar to him. _Odin's beard_ , My Lord, I swear sometimes you might actually be him." He laughed at his own dark humour.

Jay shifted uncomfortably.

"I won't take that as a compliment; I hear he's not very popular?" He bit back the smirk. Cocking his head at Gus' statement. Jay knew it was the whole point of this, wasn't it? Loki desired him to be his right-hand man, to control him. "Haa, anyway. You're wrong, Loki's hair is black, oily _greasy_."

" _Is_?" Gus raised a dubious brow. "I pledge you this. Loki's natural colour _was_ dark fiery red almost auburn brown, the same shade as this." He said. Finally having fished putting the small holding braids back either side, attaching them to the back with a small leather thread he'd procured. At least Jay could see and talk without whipping himself or Cole in the eyes.

" _Thanks_..." he grumbled, hating the style and length of it. His fingers were tracing the two tiny braids that held the remainder of hair from his face.

Would his retainers let him cut it earlier? Would they Hel.

They said it made him look noble, gave him admirably fine and genial characteristics.

Jay had rolled his eyes petulantly, watching as they took the shearers from his hands before he even had a chance to cut a single strand. And this...this was despite the fact that Dagr had said it would grow faster here. It was already past his shoulders, and he found himself twiddling it on occasion, or getting his fingers caught in a lug that the retainers or his female maids would assist him with brushing out before braiding the sides.

"I like it, makes you look even better..." Nya said, staring directly at her ex-fiance. She smiled at the new hairstyle; it was just as Cole wore his from time to time. And the style and length was growing on her. It was new, so different to see him wearing his hair long like this. Jay had been one of her only brethren to keep his hair short, back in the day. And right now, to her, he looked regal with the style and his crown. She bit her lip, longingly. "Jay, can we talk?"

"S-sure," he said in response.

"There was something I, I mean, _we_..."She shuffled awkwardly, correcting herself. Flustered, she pulled her brother over with her eyes and facial cues. "Or more precisely ' ** _us here_** ' need to ask you about."

"Just m-me?" He asked, voice an octave higher.

It was fairly apparent to Jay that Nya was done talking about the fight and work schedules or the arranging of the next mayoral campaign. She didn't want to talk about the naming ceremony either. That had been organised and talked about repetitively. Kai had already expressly asked that everyone needed to attend. It was going to be expected that each would be a guardian to Blaise.

But persistence prevailed, she wanted to get something off her chest.

All eyes were on the erstwhile master of lightning.

"Jay..." Nya repeated, unsure where to start.

Now being the youngest and having been away for so long, Jay was dreading it. It could be bad news for all he knew, after all, he had heard about the trouble in his homeworld. But now, everyone was on the edge of their seat, even the baby was wriggling and flailing his arms in anticipation of something, _anything_ …

"Come on Nya, spill it…" Cole said, _terse_ and growing impatient.

Her eyes were very suddenly on Jay. "Ronin called yesterday," Nya said with a small flirty grin. "With a large delivery?" Her eyebrows rose and remained there.

Jay was relieved, it put to rest the other negative thoughts he had been thinking of. Intrigued now, he relaxed.

Actually, come to think of it, the last time he saw Ronin was at Cliff Gordon's home. He was outside the window, having used R.E.X to fly in and over the gate. Surely it would have been better and less conspicuous to have used the fricking intercom. And, this small stunt show was after having paid his bail bonds for him. Though the roguish greaseball had done him a favour _in a sense._ Alerting him to the fact he was being tailed by the police.

"Uh huh and?" Jay enquired.

Kai had joined in and was sitting next to his sister, both staring at the screen and the only window to their brothers who at this moment were so far away. "Well, Ronin delivered a hefty supply of things, armour, ammunition, firearms and scopes. Care to explain or elaborate?" Kai said, eyebrow raised.

Now he knew what it was. Jay was pleasantly surprised at how quickly the turnaround had been too and chuckled a little. Tipping the flagon back before formulating an answer. "Wh-where did he deliver them?"

"Hang on, _hang on_ ," Cole interrupted, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Am I the only one thinking as to why we have all this stuff in the first place? You wanna explain, Jay, Ya realise we're ninja right, not soldiers?"

Now all eyes were on Jay.

"Are you speaking for yourself, Cole. Because I for one know that I'm not one of you guys anymore."

"What? What are you talking about?" Earthy brown eyes narrowed at Jay's tone.

"I'm sorry, forget I said it." He pointed at the drink and blamed his speaking out of turn on the ale that Cole had chosen for him. "Just drink up and I'll explain all, I promise."

Cole fixed him with a concerned glare. Following suit begrudgingly as he finished his drink and set it aside.

"Guys?" Nya gently intervened. Shaking her head as a smile graced her beautiful complexion. "This was delivered to the Monastery, the one Wu left to all of us, to continue our training and learning of the ancient arts?"

"Oh, right. Sorry. I forgot if I'd I told him an appropriate delivery address." Jay was blushing at the slip-up. It could've have cost them big, as a team and they all would've been in trouble.

Nya's face held no anger or frustration, just sympathy for her once boyfriend, the one she hadn't seen for nearly seven months. "Hey, it's okay though, the staff there didn't say a thing. They know we've had prior dealings with Ronin, in fact, that's why they called us."

"I uh, hope it didn't cause any issues?" Jay looked sheepish, he hadn't been given the opportunity to say anything until now, and Amora sure as Hel wouldn't know about it, even if she was spending most of her time there.

Nya shook her head, brushing her fingers through her hair. "No, none yet. It's still a school, luckily it was an inset day, so no children were there just staff."

"But still, it was my mistake," Jay said, looking at her face and the way she twiddled her hair around her fingers as she spoke to him. Damn how he'd missed her, missed the beautiful feeling of her lips on his skin. The friction of their bodies rubbing together under the sheets, of his hands on her skin, trailing up and down...Shaking his head as an unwelcome vision swam into play he clenched his jaw. He couldn't see her that way for long, because every time he did, he saw the imagined vision of Cole screwing her or even worse; the actual burned in image of Loki doing the same.

"Sorry again, I didn't know where else to send it." Slowly, he pulled his eyes away. "I chose to send it there because it was the only place I figured as being secure. It was the first and only place I visited after uh, ya know?"

"After what?" Cole motioned his brother to carry on.

"When I was _changed_ ," Jay said quietly, forcing the words out. He sighed miserably, necking the remainder of his drink. "It was the only place I could remember that would have been suitable."

"What? Hang on, you know where I live?" Cole questioned. "You could have delivered it to Selie's and we would have shifted it?" He added, not realising the _**real Jay**_ had no idea as to where Cole and Seliel lived.

"No," he shook his head. "That wouldn't have been plausible either," Jay stated, _sadly_.

"Why?" Cole questioned.

"For one, it could've proven bad for Selie's father." Lloyd chimed in. "Can you imagine if she was raided and they found all that stuff in your garage? He'd be kicked out of office faster than they could say _Hiroshi's labyrinth_."

His well-timed interruption had saved Jay from having to think up an excuse. "Then Seliel would be hauled in for questioning, possibly used as bait to get to us?"

"It is a valid point," Zane nodded. "Cole, his position of town Mayor would be taken from him thereby slandering his status as an upstanding community member of Nom. Not to mention how much danger it would put Seliel in. So, therefore, I believe that Jay chose the safest option at the time, _considering_." He said, tailing off.

"Yeah okay, didn't think about that sorry." Cole digressed. "So, what did ya do with it all?"

"We couldn't use the Labyrinth," Nya added, shaking her head. "The security has increased exponentially, since the takeover of Borg enterprises. There's no getting near it, not without Cyrus alerting the authorities."

"Why's he always so easy to corrupt?" Cole groaned. "First the mayor then Borg, now the police?"

"Where's all this stuff now then?" Lloyd asked, growing impatient with the interruptions. "I take it Ronin helped you to shift it?"

"Oh, he helped alright," Nya rolled her eyes. "For a price."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Cole snorted under his breath.

"Hey, the guy's gotta survive somehow?" Jay offered, shrugging. He could see how Ronin lived, he was a one-man machine. Lived on his own, made his own rules and seemingly survived with his shady dealings of being a bounty hunter and thief. He had turned his life around a little though. He was a businessman now, had two shops, a chain of pawn shops all specialising in artefacts and junk and he was likely selling some of Ed and Edna's scrap in the city centre store.

"Well, being as it was all illegal firearms and likely stolen we sent it all to the Airjitzu temple; it's safer there. Besides, Ronin said it was all there and accounted for." Kai added, looking at Jay for more. "You gonna tell us why we've got it?"

Even Gus was intrigued with this turn of events. Especially considering the appearance of such mechanised weaponry that he had only heard of in passing.

Jay straightened up under such intense scrutiny and the subsequent stares from all convened made him feel smaller than he already did. "I-I will," He uttered nervously. "Just give me a few minutes to explain, okay?"

Clearing his throat Jay looked apprehensive. There was an incredible feeling of guilt for this whole thing in the first place. "Uhm, first off, quick thinking by sending it all to Yang's temple." He said, looking at Kai and Nya who were straight-faced. "Secondly, _sorry_."

His moment of weakness, of being taunted for most of Kai's bachelor party had culminated in that and he blinked away the torment. It was the night he had lost control of his elements, having used Kai's to burn down a drugs den...with everyone still in it. Jay had gone rogue, started a literal war on the evil in Ninjago.

"I uh, I hope Yang isn't too aggrieved by all of that weaponry," Cole said. "I mean, we don't exactly want a vindictive ghost hot on our heels do we?"

"Why would he be vengeful?" Jay asked, cocking his head. "He was the epitome of evil, you said so yourself?"

"Because weaponry like that, kinda negates the whole Yin of the place." Cole reasoned. "It's a temple?"

A dark laugh ensued and Cole bristled.

"There was no Yin. The fact that the place is hovering kinda seems to say that it's full of Yang, _like literally_. The old guy obviously didn't want his temple on the ground anymore because he only ever dabbled in all the bad stuff. The Yin blade, the globe that released the trapped spirits?" Jay cringed at what he was saying, it was the truth, as far as he could see it. And, at the end of the day, it hadn't been his choice to send it there in the first place, it was Kai's quick thinking. Evidently, Kai, had the same idea, he just hadn't verbalised it in so many words.

Jay hardly blamed him. He probably didn't want Cole jumping down his throat either.

"I'm sorry, I don't agree with it being sent there," Cole stated, arms crossed over his breast.

"And, I'm sorry you feel that way Cole but I had no real time to think about delivery options. It wasn't my choice to send it there, but now Kai's mentioned it, well, it does seem the better option." As if he did have that luxury. At the time, Jay was being monitored 24-7 in a police cell, interviewed and interrogated around the clock. In all effects and purposes, he had been treated like a conspiracist rather than a hero of this once beautiful city.

 _Jay was no hero though, not anymore. He was a villain, or more specifically; the protector of one._

Lloyd shuffled closer, to hear more clearly. This was gonna be good even if it seemed strangely extreme. "So when was all this arranged?"

The time in police custody, though dull and depressing was a breather, a relief. Because he had made it through that entire week of Hel with Amora and he had survived it with some of his dignity intact. The week had been fraught with fights and psychological torture. She had impaled him, beaten him and took him against his will. Then she'd left him on the eighth night, sending him back home to spite Loki.

Dumping him, _for want of a better word_ , on the front steps of Ninjago city's police precinct. The issue with that was that Jay was barely strong enough to stand without feeling faint, he couldn't escape and he was spotted immediately.

He cringed at the memory. Well, it was only five days ago for him. "When I was stuck in NNPD," Jay said, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "How much stuff did he deliver?"

"There are six armoured vests and helmets," Nya said, having memorised the easy numbers. "And more than enough guns and ammunition to start a small war," She spoke from the background, surprised at the sheer quantity. "I take it you've something to tell us?"

"WAIT! You were in _jail?"_ Kai and Skylor asked in unison.

"He was…" Nya mumbled quietly, for her part. She knew he was incarcerated but couldn't do a thing. "Only a couple of months ago."

He nodded with her, running a hand through his hair. "It was for a couple of weeks and no more until…"

"Why didn't you call one of us?" Lloyd interjected. "We would have bailed you out."

Jay thought back. There was a damned good reason why, surely they weren't blind to it, maybe this place and the alcohol was making them dizzy in body and mind. "You were all wanted. They'd got your posters up around the station, probably still have." He shrugged his indifference.

"What were you arrested for?" Kai asked, astounded at hearing how Jay had been stuck behind bars for so long without anyone knowing about it, _other than his own sister who'd remained tight-lipped_. Now it transpired that Nya had known about this for just over a month. He didn't go berserk or haywire upon hearing that Nya hadn't spoken about it, though it didn't stop the shocked expressions that befell all but Jay and Nya. "I can't believe I'm only finding out about this now. I mean, I understand the reasons behind the mysteriousness, it's just… _Jay?_ "

"Sorry Kai, you guys, _Jay."_ Her expression showed remorse. "I knew I couldn't do anything without exposing our secret, not whilst Jay was preoccupied. Besides, I don't think you'd want to know what they had planned for him and for us if _he_ found all the elemental masters…"

Kai himself, knew his sister had an undercover and precarious position with the current mayor of Ninjago, she was his junior receptionist too. Nya held a position of authority with the rest of the pen pushers, white collared staff above the other public servants. He knew what she'd had to endure too and he sympathised with her.

It also helped that Nya was pretty and took care of herself. Though he hated to admit it, she was a good looking girl and it sure as heck made it easier to achieve that false persona of being a soulless office bimbo who was only after a raise by doing anything to get on the right side.

"Come on Jay, spill it. Why were you arrested?" Kai and Cole asked in unison.

Zane and Lloyd listened on intently, Gus carried on drinking.

A dark laugh escaped. Jay shook his head retaining his cool indifference. "I was arrested and incarcerated for wearing my trousers. No big deal right, not exactly breaking the law?"

"He's right guys, Jay couldn't phone anyone, remember?" Nya mumbled in the background. "I was keeping an eye on it the whole time. Making sure that he was questioned every day. Each time the reports would come through to the government offices of one of the most wanted being captured, I simply disregarded it because certain similarities were off, stating we needed more to go by."

It was shocking but also apparent that it would be Nya to be the one that recognised that fact when Cole, his best friend, Lloyd, Zane and Kai hadn't noticed these things themselves.

"It had to be done carefully, we even had a meeting with the Commissioner of NNPD, he almost lost his job because the mayor was sick of wasting police time and resources in pursuing dead ends and very obviously made up stories. The fact that nothing was adding up just added more fuel to the fire so they let him go, with an undercover team, tailing him."

Jay smiled from his position. "I knew it. I could remember seeing a squad car parked down the road, it followed the taxi. So, I guess, it was a good idea I left Cliff's house the following morning!"

"Yeah, about that Jay. How exactly did you leave? Because when the stakeout team raided the place there was no sign of you. Just a cleaner, who claimed she worked there." Nya quizzed, not entirely surprised at the fact that Cliff Gordon had a blonde haired cleaner, though Jay hadn't mentioned it before.

An unsettled feeling came over him at that sudden invasion of his late father's privacy. "They raided it?" Jay said, bewildered. His smile albeit vanished.

"They did, but it was cleaned up after they left. Ha, they couldn't even get into Cliff's costume wardrobe."

"H-how did you know about that room Nya?" He sure as Hel couldn't remember giving her a full tour of the place, except for each bedroom he had christened with her.

"Ground plans of the property identified a hidden room that could be counted as a panic room, if Cliff had utilised a code rather than a gold statue. Amazingly, the ground plans for the house that is in your name Jay, were mysteriously deleted on a senior undersecretary's computer before the stakeout, so everything in that room was hidden from the police and NBI, safe and untouched. It wasn't my computer or login either, so I'm safe from being security surveyed or having my fingerprint logins from being investigated by IT."

"Wow okay, haa uh thanks for that Nya." Jay blushed, the smile returning.

"Indeed, that was very ingenious Nya." Zane smiled, nodding his head. "You are certain you removed all traces?"

"Of course, I left no stone unturned. Honestly, you guys need to relax, it was deleted and removed from the system, irretrievable on the mainframe servers because somehow a virus was attached to any and all plans pertaining to Cliff Gordons' property." She smirked, shrugging her shoulders guiltily. "You remember when Zane's system was infiltrated? Well, I used a small quarantined part of the virus and attached it to the file so no one will touch it for fear of invoking the Overlord."

They had tailed him from the station, reporting back to the precinct every few hours. They had been so close too. Had Jay remained any longer, they would have taken him by force, bypassing the courts, he would have gone straight to Kryptarium without fair trial.

"Jay, uh how did you get out of there without being recognised?"

"I just did." He replied, looking at Lloyd. Imploring him to drop the subject because the less spoken about it, the better for him.

Evidently, that wasn't a good enough answer to Zane, there had to be some explanation to his ease of escape from what had seemed like a losing battle and impossible scenario. "Indeed, the place was being watched and staked out? Your home was raided within hours of you arriving?"

Sighing, Jay shrugged at having to recall it from a week ago. Not that he couldn't remember it, he could, it's just his company, the one who had come to rescue him had been the one who had got him arrested in the first instance. "I was able to leave because Amora conjured some interdimensional thing."

"Interdimensional, a portal?" Zane queried, impressed. He hadn't been aware that she could create such a thing. Thinking and calculating that Loki had conjured all the possible portals, transporting both around the cosmos.

Jay nodded in response. "Amora created a _portal_ from the sitting room. It was the same type that got me arrested in the first place? Well this time, her portal got me sent back here."

 _In the second worst place possible…Gladsheim._

He didn't want to spill further details. Getting to be back in Ninjago had been nice while it lasted. NNPD wasn't that bad. There had been no police brutality afforded, the food was edible and the guys he was locked up with were tame in comparison to those he'd previously encountered in Kryptarium, notably the mechanic. The thing that sucked big time was how he'd been labelled with the guilty tag before he'd even been tried.

Cole had turned to the quiet master of lightning, before turning to look at the image of Nya. "You sure you're still okay doing this, Nya?" He asked, genuinely concerned about her predicament.

"I've got it covered, in more than one way. Ronin's got my back after all."

Jay smiled at Nya's honesty, though he was dubious of Ronin's intentions. And until now, he'd never known why he hadn't been sent to Kryptarium. As far as he knew, he was guilty of worse than what they had him in for.

"So they didn't afford you with any police brutality then?" Lloyd asked.

Kai was thinking the same. "Considering who you are?" Kai added.

Shaking his head slowly, Jay fumbled with the empty drink container. "I was too weak to stand. They gave me a bed and just interviewed me over the space of a few days. I'm guessing it was because I looked nothing like my picture profile or previous mugshot." He shrugged off some of the sickening concern for him. He had long since forgotten about all that care and compassion after Iceland. He didn't enjoy it, only showing concern for them.

Moving on the conversation Jay steered it away from him again. "Ronin was in there too, petty crime, that sorta stuff."

"Ha well the guy's going to be back in there real soon if he keeps up this dealing of illegal arms and trading in stolen goods." Cole mumbled from his position across the table finishing up the first flagon that Jay had bought.

Somehow after drinking it, Cole felt extremely happy, stronger and ready to take on the world alone. Ale usually had that effect though; with the addition of a spinning room too. Inexplicably, that was the only thing missing, he just felt different, sluggish and with the odd cramping stomach ache.

"So, you never told us. Why do we need all this stuff?" Cole persisted.

"Because, when I come back to Ninjago..." Jay paused.

 _For the final time...with Loki_

"I'm going to be helping you all, to take down the douchebag that's running the city hall." He smiled and the presence of such a bright thing hid the pain behind each word. "And, because Ronin mentioned that the mayor and his goons are all armed, I chose to take matters into my own hands. And, uhm, I made a deal with him, to gather the relevant supplies."

"So..." Jay paused again. "I sold off a large portion of the junkyard to pay for it."

 _Because you guys, in Loki's eyes, are all expendable...you need the protection._

 _"_ I don't want you to get hurt. So I asked him to get protective clothes too."

Cole laughed. "We won't get hurt. And we haven't been since, well y'know?" He leaned in. "Since we rescued you from HYDRA?"

 _Karnilla said it was temporary. Why do you think I spiked your drinks tonight?_


	99. A night to remember

"Where is he?" Loki fumed in his chambers. "Did he become lost this night?" Quill to parchment, anger flaring by the minute as he transcribed a note to Karnilla in thanks.

"High One," Kiällar bowed. "He was at the inn, _last we heard._ " His eyes met angry greens and he flinched with the fierce scowl. "Perhaps he is still there, under the duress of Gustav."

"Gustav." Loki paused, teeth clenched. "I gave explicit order to have him here this night, and yet, he is nowhere to be found. It is as if the Boy _asks_ for this punishment, perhaps he relishes it?" Twisting his head, snapping it around until his piercing gaze locked with his armed guards. "You will find him, bring them _both_ here."

Kiällar didn't dare utter a word to question him, he didn't have a death wish. "Aye, High One." He left rapidly. The other Palace guard following.

How could Loki stand to sleep knowing that the petulant imp still had his sword, the second most famous blade in Asgard? He locked his chambers so as not to be disturbed then rested his pulsing temple in his hands, groaning.

It was impossible to stop the inevitable slumber. Loki was alone in these grandiose chambers with his signature colours adorning the place. Not to mention, the large open hearth was roaring with flame, heating his cold Jotun form as the weariness swept over him.

And another thing that had drained him so was the amount of seidr used this day. Loki had momentarily lost control, earlier on in Jay's quarters, having nearly destroyed the room in question. Mind control was one thing to continually drain him, as was the repeated transmutation of himself into his father's form. But then to train these warriors on what to expect of the dark elves was exhausting to say the least.

A rap at his doors woke him and he sat bolt upright, creating a rapid glamour to hide who he was. His disguise impeccable as usual, a little more laid back now in his sleep attire considering the hour at hand.

"Enter."

"High One, a visitor," The Palace guard stood patiently.

"Whom wishes to see me at this late hour?" Loki inquired, "What is so important to disturb me, has the Prince returned?"

"No High One, he isn't at the inn."

"There is more than one Inn. One can only hope that the Einherjar thought to examine both?"

The Palace Guard nodded his head. They were going from one to another in hopes of spotting him. "High One, _Sire_. Örn Sigvaldson would like to convene with you, matters pertaining to his daughter."

"Hmm, _Kali_. . ." he mumbled, eyebrow raised. "Fine, fine, send him in." He waved his hand flippantly. Honestly what in the nine realms did Tyr's retainer want with Odin this night, other than to speak of Jay outright coupling with his daughter in public view? His lip curled upwards into an evil smirk as the bedraggled Orn stepped foot in his chambers which were now seemingly adorned in gold and furs to accompany the type of God that Odin was.

"What brings you here this hour. . . _Orn_?" His tone held no patience. Loki desired to sleep, not hold a full-on discussion that was likely to drone on and on similarly so with the discussions he had with Audunn.

"High One," He bowed, kneeling at Odin's chair. "I come here to ask of a possible betrothal. Betwixt the Prince and my daughter, whom has proclaimed her love for him this night."

* * *

"What, what are you talking about? I think you've both had way too much to drink because none of what you've just said is making any sense."

"Mmm, well _we_ thought it was f-funny didn't we J-Jay? You're just a party pooper, _Kai_."

"Party pooper," Jay snickered. Snuggling further into Cole's warmth. "Haa, he got ya there."

Mildly outraged, Kai bit back a smirk. "Yeah, well I was trying to keep Jay's brain-stem from withering to nothing." He said, looking at the latter who didn't seem all that awake. "I can practically see his I.Q. dropping just from sitting next to you, Cole!"

He shuffled slightly, noting Gus' signals that it was time for them to leave. Grasping Jay under the arm, he began pushing him toward the Palace guard Einherji. They had already said their goodbye's, this was merely banter because none of them really wanted to say goodbye for fear of what could happen in the coming days.

"Hey, that's n-not fair, Kai," Cole stumbled, leaning heavily on Jay's shoulder. "We kinda made up on all our differences, didn't we?" He slurred, grinning. And a somewhat awkward stance had Cole pulling Jay in for a tight hug to make a point. Although Jay initially acted as a standing aid, he was being assisted by Gus at the time, until he was standing upright on his own.

"Aww, but still—" Nya paused, as the comms device was picked up and made to face both her ex-fiancé and ex-boyfriend.

"You guys finally made up," She squealed. Hands squashing either side of her face to give that over exaggerated pout. "It was about time really."

 _In a sense. . ._ He thought, wryly. Honestly, Cole was still of the mindset that it had been Jay partying with him every other weekend and not once during this drunken night had any of his brothers had the heart to correct him otherwise.

Shooting a cheeky grin towards Kai and Nya, Jay tipped his head. It was the only part of his body he could move because Cole had his upper body in a tight embrace. "We'll see you real soon, yeah?"

"Like, check in with you next... _next week?_ " Lloyd asked, looking to Zane for clarification.

Nodding in agreement, Zane had turned to face the screen to solidify Lloyd's drunken confusion. "It would be a week from now. One entire day in Asgard."

Jay had smiled at the gentle ribbing. "Cole likes to talk when he's happy. And even if he doesn't always make sense, he's still funny," he hadn't stopped smiling since finishing his drink. And all the bad things and emotions from this day, as Cole had stated. They had all vanished into nothingness, a distant memory, likely to be remembered upon waking...possibly.

"Anyway, *hic* take care guysss," Jay said, grinning widely. "Congratulations and uh thanks again for dealing with y'know, R-Ronin?" He rubbed his head nervously, not wanting to utter anymore because he wasn't sure if or when he'd have another chance to speak to Kai and Nya.

Both blades, as usual, were strapped securely to his belt, amidst a few curious stares from some patrons. Until Gus assisted him with his cloak once more and covered both blades from view.

"Yeah, congrats you two and tiny Blaise, haa he's still soo small," Cole hollered, making an exaggerated small size with his index finger and thumb to identify with the newborns' tiny frame. "Goodnight little fella, we'll see ya real soon." He added before the device was powered down.

"Cheers guys, speak soon and take care… _please_ ," Kai added the final sentiment, knowing that Jay was strong after what he had witnessed in Iceland. His amber eyes, however, were roving over his other brothers for one last time. Unsure if he would ever see them alive again. "A-and good luck," His voice was breaking despite Skylor being nearby… "If we don't manage to speak again before you go."

The device powered down. Everyone had already said goodbye's and now it really was time to depart the inn and find their drunken way back to a long restful slumber.

"So, we ready for bed then?" Cole mumbled. "I see mine, there, look."

Jay followed Cole's finger, pointing to the floor. Sure it was flat and everything that a horizontal thing should be, But this floor was sticky with God knows what and was it. . . _moving_?

Stumbling slightly under Gus's grasp, he gained his footing once more. "Y'know, you, *hic* were sleepin with a woman las night," Jay giggled. Remembering the vision as if it happened mere moments ago. "Like uhm the night before, now. Both clothed too, *hic* How does that even happen?" He asked, looking at Gus for any plausible reasons as to how Cole could have done it.

Gus shrugged, allowing Cole to take the weight of Jay, then carefully and with relative ease, heaved Lloyd onto one of his shoulders as he navigated the easiest way out of the inn.

"I can sleep here," Cole grumbled, legs feeling like jelly. "Jus put me down!"

Oddly, to Jay, that came out as an order and he fought to keep a straight face because Cole was adamant that he sleep, like right here on this sticky floor that his own soggy leather boots were sticking to.

"You want me to put you down?" Jay snickered. "Here?" He pointed to the open area of the bar.

"You don't want to sleep on this floor, believe me." Gus smiled. Taking the remaining weight off of Jay. Because the prince looked like he was about to be flattened any given moment, in a domino effect. "Some of the Einjerji here like to play a game that involves drinking too much, yah?"

He allowed the Prince and the raven-haired one to embrace. Honestly, at one point he thought they could have been more than brothers in arms. There was a rumour pertaining to the pair too, but Jay had kept tight-lipped about it. Something about them being the best of friends before Jay had passed on.

For Gus, it was also nice to hear how different he used to be. So he was an inventor and ninja in his past life, he was a little privy to that. But the fact he had a relatively unknown famous father that he only found out about when he was almost 19 must have been a shock to the system Gus thought. And, even more peculiar, Jay had once liked to talk and play electrical games, play pranks and laugh, _a lot_. He didn't seem to do that nowadays, hadn't really been himself for a good few weeks.

It was fair to say that Gus had learned so much more about Jay this evening. Even that he'd been put behind bars in his home world and he'd organised some illegal arms trade to take down a rogue elected official. How clandestine of the Prince who held a mostly secret life.

"Ugh, yeah and?" Lloyd quizzed impatiently. Looking up to Gus who seemed to be miles away. "Gustav, you still there?"

Snapped out of his thoughts, Gus cringed, having been a part of these bar games before. "You stand there and drink, the first to relieve themselves has to buy the next round."

"That doesn't s-sound so bad?"

Laughing, he shook his head. "You do not understand, do you? It means that most would rather piss themselves rather than admit they need the toilet, that way they do not lose the game. The first to leave the bar loses."

Lloyd looked at the floor, _distastefully._ "Eww, that's gross."

* * *

Cole and Jay were arm in arm. That was until a hidden face moved from the shadows and he and his comrade had accosted the two brothers. "Are you all retiring for this night?"

This relative stranger said it like the night was still young. When in literally a few hours this place would be bathed in light again.

"Is a little late now," Cole offered weakly. "We got a busy day tomorrow, Uh, I mean today."

Tyr came into the light, his aged visage more haggard in the flickering candlelight. "I should mention, you and your brethren fought well. Therefore, I applaud you on your _unique_ style of fighting."

To Jay, it sounded like an insult.

And then somehow in that moment of talking about the earlier fight, Tyr had wriggled between Cole and Jay. Making the latter loosen his grip somewhat, until Jay was standing apart.

He watched nervously as Tyr walked Cole to the door. He wanted to walk and talk too but he felt a hand restraining his arm. Jay shot a fierce glare at the unknown Einherji whom he didn't recognise.

His amethyst eyes watched curiously from his restrained position as Tyr carried on walking and talking. His aged voice could only just be heard and it seemed like he was attempting to butter Cole up. Enough so he would be compliant to him. "No, I did not have the chance to tell you this day. But, you enjoyed the training?"

"It w-was a great fight t-today, my L-Lord." Cole mumbled remembering the correct title afforded before smiling up at the face he remembered.

Tyr smiled at the drunken mess in front of him. "Likewise, may I be afforded some moments alone with the prince?" He asked, motioning back to a nervous looking Jay who was being forcefully held back. "This shall not take long."

Cole, not seeing an issue with this, nodded, allowing Zane to take his right flank.

All three warriors had stepped outside, helped by Gustav to the nearest bench to remain, but he was coming back in as soon as they were deemed to be safe and were at no risk of falling into the nearest stretch of open water .

"Jay not with you?"

"Tyr wanted to speak with him, personal stuff…" Cole shrugged, trying in vain to stand on his own, then laughing in frustration when he couldn't.

" _Private_ , I mean, he wanted privacy."

* * *

Tyr approached, walking back from the door.

His gait unsteady, a definite drunken swagger until he stilled. Now standing impossibly close and too close for comfort, he leaned in. "No hard feelings eh, My Lord?" He grinned, squeezing Jay's hand tightly. "For the wound? I never got a chance to _apologise,_ " He said, _drily_.

"N-no, no hard feelings, at a-all." Jay stammered, feeling his bones creaking as the God pulled him forwards into a bone-crushing hug.

"You enjoyed all that today held?"

His lilac eyes looked for some clues to the brief statement. Jay initially thought that Loki had arranged it, though he'd flat out denied it. Now it all made sense, Tyr had planned all of it, and not just Nornkeep, but possibly the rest too.

Nodding, his posture and mood apathetic. "Some of it, I guess." Jay was annoyed that he had been outwardly tested.

"I mean you no ill will, boy. Other's, however, are not so forgiving of your misdeeds." He slipped his cloak to the side, revealing his rune sword.

"I said I'd done my _princely deeds_ , never said anything about misdeeds, unless you count having sex as one of those?"

"Things pertaining to the house of Odin?" Tyr suggested, rolling his eyes. "Though I do find it revolting and irksome to hear you talk of your conquests in that manner. Considering whom you choose to speak so lowly of? Kali Ornsdottir?"

The name was so typical of Asgard and he giggled in response. All this damned alcohol was having a bad effect on him because he couldn't pry his eyes from the blade, nor the open invite for some well-intended puns. After all Tyr was revealing his weapon and expecting Jay to cower in fear.

"Haa, wow…That's a pretty big sword you got there, can I touch it?" Jay slurred, giggling at his own humour.

The Einherjar and palace guards weren't sure where to avert their gazes as the embrace between both looked uncomfortably awkward as it was. The fact was exacerbated by what Jay had just uttered on purpose and where his hand was, under the Gods cloak.

"You keep talking like that and I'll shove it down your worthless throat," he whispered and the smallest amount of alcohol laden spittle landed on Jay's face.

 _Oh_ my _Gods_ , Jay couldn't hold the puns back any longer. Tyr's drunken response was priceless and he flat out laughed at the stern face.

"Ooh double entendre didn't realise you were witty too, just like uhm…Odin haa. Do you want to shove your sword down my throat huh? Sounds like an odd kink, but heh I guess someone can work with that."

Flicking the strap from his dagger sheath, Tyr held it against Jay's stomach. "I swear upon Buri's tomb, that I will run you through when you sleep if you don't shut your damned mouth."

He wasn't going to be beaten by a bully, and especially one that hadn't shown him any mercy in Gladsheim. "You show all the ladies that trick huh?" Jay smirked as he leant into Tyr's ear. "I've seen bigger, You need help using it?" He snickered under his breath. Biting his knuckle in a weak attempt to stifle a fit of spontaneous giggles.

 _Damn you, Cole…_

"M-maybe you want some help…to use it properly," Jay said, bursting out laughing. Hands straying to his thighs as he doubled over, laughing mirthlessly.

"Why, you impertinent cunt," Tyr hissed, grabbing Jay by his lapels, pulling him close. Now so much closer, Tyr stared down his nose at the squirming man at his front. "I'll rip that tongue out of your mouth, you imbecile."

"You dare speak to me in that tone..." Tyr fumed, hissing through clenched teeth.

Jay didn't hear some of what was uttered, he caught most of it though. And it was all bad, rude and kinda funny.

"Mmm, tongue…." Jay bit his lip, eyes streaming at the laughter he was holding back as he traced his calloused fingers down Tyr's face. "If-if I didn't know any b-better. I'd think you were tryin ta insult…m-me?"

Come to think of it, he'd never been called that before. It was certainly a crude sounding language that Loki hadn't used in front of him. Although come to think of it, Loki usually refrained from swearing unless he was thoroughly ticked off. So technically, he'd sworn today but only inside Jay's head and he hadn't said anything as offensive that, whatever it was.

Right on cue, and before Tyr was about to backhand the man in his grasp, Gustav had walked back in. "M-my Lord?" He questioned with eyes narrowed at the overbearing stance that Tyr was exhibiting. "Am I disturbing something?"

It was obvious to one and all that Jay was not causing a scene, he was happy, giggling. But now, the smile had dropped and his hands were holding on to Tyr's, for purchase because he was losing his footing. The God had him leaning backwards, any further and Jay would have fallen. One hand had been raised across his body, ready to deliver a backhanded slap. A punishment that would be harsh enough to quell the hysterics and bring Jay back to the here and now.

"No, not at all..." Tyr sneered, eyes burning dangerously into Jay.

It looked like he had stepped in at the nick of time. Surely it had helped Jay in this instance as it looked like he was about to be humiliated in front of everyone. Quickly stepping between the two, Gus unfurled the old wrinkled hands from Jay's lapel and pulled the Prince to a safer distance and a further broken neck.

This injury, the prince would not have walked away from.

Gustav bowed his head for intruding. He knew full well that Tyr was glowering at him for stepping in. It was a huge no-no usually because the Gods and especially this god were well known for being a little heavy-handed toward the lesser ranks. "Sorry, Tyr, My Lord." Head remaining low with no eye contact. "He has drunk far too much this fine night, which I accept full responsibility for."

"Nonsense, Gus." The young Einherji replied. "You need to let him fight his own battles once in a while."

"The High One stated full protection, did he not?" Gus asked. Honestly, he was speechless and now mildly alarmed, placing Jay to his side, acting as a physical shield.

"Why?"

Gus frowned. "Is it not obvious? He's a prince of Asgard, he's not like us, _fully_."

"He speaks out of turn," Tyr cut in. "Humiliating me here, in front of my men." He had let go of Jay's attire as if touching it had tainted him in some hideous way. His other hand quickly and surreptitiously hiding the blade.

Tyr's rage, Gus could almost feel it burning him as he embraced Jay. Refusing to allow any harm to come to him. Odin had given him this duty for a reason. He was to protect him, at all costs. Not just because he was different and slightly weaker than those of Asgard or that he was some sort of weapon, but because he was completely irreplaceable. Odin had further called him precious, to be handled with care.

"Forgive me Tyr. H-he means not what he utters."

"I do," Jay gave a smug grin. "I mean every single *hic* word, every little slur. . . pervert . . *hic."

Tyr's temple was pulsating with barely controlled restraint. He wanted to beat seven bells out of this insolent cretin, who dared so boldly to embarrass him in here, in front of his men and not with an ounce of remorse. "One other question, where is Orn? He came out to question your morals Boy?"

"He fell into the fountain after I r-redecorated him with the contents of my stomach." Jay grinned. "He asked for it, too, belligerent old fool."

Gus blanched considerably, pulling Jay further out of harm's way. "It-it is the ale, Lord." He bowed his head, nervously. "He uhm, f-fell into the sea earlier, so I gave him mead to warm him." One look in Tyr's eyes told Gus that he was not going to let this go so easily. Although, he was exceptionally Lucky that Tyr hadn't caused more of a scene in here. He was perfectly capable of doing just that. "Please, take no mind in what he says, Lord."

Tyr wasn't speaking to Gus who was apologising profusely for Jay's behaviour. He was glowering, muttering something to his men about the Prince.

"He's a little out of sorts, _drunk_." He yelled the latter and pulled Jay out of the inn as quickly as he could. Sensing the longer that they all remained would mean a punch up, thanks in part to alcohol and the God.

"WHAT were you thinking? He'll think nothing of ending you, he only remains at bay because of Odin."

"I don't think that matters much when he's had that much to drink," Jay said, pointing over to Tyr's booth and the multitude of empty flagons. "Isss good to know that I'm so liked up here?"

He was so bloody cocky, Gus tried to shrug it off but he was struggling.

"Besides, he started it, asked me to look at his sword, y'know…that one he used on me?"

"Really?" Gus' eyebrow rose. He hadn't seen that although he had been told of the events when Jay was wounded. "You must have said something to him, he is normally so calm and reticent."

"Yeah well, he wasn't. Why do I uhm….Why do I get the feeling that…" He paused and stumbled a little with Cole's weight on his left side again. "He's planning something, or that he's trying to set me up to fail?" he slurred, finally stumbling.

Gus didn't answer, he hadn't got any sort of response to that question. He simply pointed out a detour and allowed Zane to take the lead.

The detour in question allowed them to walk underneath a large archway that seemed to stretch on and on. The farthest end leading into the lower floors of the Palace and if they carried on through, they would be in the arena.

"H-hey C-Cole?" Jay smiled, his eyes were glassy and tired. "You see that huh?"

Cole staggered to the side and tried his hardest to follow both of Jay's fingers. "Nope, what am I looking for?" He said, swaying gently.

"The outline of the tree, really y-you can't see it?"

"I-I reckon you're seeing things bro hehe." He moved Jay's finger out of the way of his peripheral. "There's nothing there."

Jay stared at it and the more he looked at it the clearer it became.

"It's Yggdrasil, the true form of the world tree." Gustav said quietly. "It stretches between all nine realms."

"It's beautiful…" Jay replied, "Even better than the well."

"You should never have been shown that," Gustav said, soothingly. "It was wrong."

Jay was still smiling despite the fact that he had seen his own death, many of them. "It happened, we moved on, no harm done."

"It's in the past and the past can't come back to haunt us, plus we can change our fates can't we?"

Gustav didn't answer, directly. What Jay saw was personal to him and only when he was ready would he fully divulge it.

"What is this place?" Cole asked looking up at the giant statues, he saw that each one was fully armed, their helmets and swords, the edging of their armour was pure gold. The sheer workmanship or magic that had gone into the creation of these monolithic statues was immense.

"Haa, these kinda r-remind me of the- the corridor of elders." How had Jay not seen these before? They stood impossibly tall, yet deferential in their stances. Each one revered and respected, holding their weapon firm, as an everlasting jewelled tribute to the Gods that convened here.

"It is a temple," Gus grumbled from his position at the rear whilst holding Cole up. This in itself was quite the task as both blonde and ebony ninja were refusing point blank to let go of each other's embrace.

Jay wasn't doing much better, he was stumbling, uncoordinated. His movements were noticed by Gus who would normally be there to assist him, as expected. But for now, Jay was upright, holding onto the lowest platform of a plinth of which stood the first statue that had piqued his attention.

Cocking his head, Jay simply stared, amazed. "Yeah? These are huge in comparison!"

Cole was struggling to stay awake, his head was nodding on Lloyd's shoulder and Zane was losing his grasp. It was only Gus who was taking the weight of Cole, whom he noted was exceptionally bulkier than Jay.

Then it came to him, a thought that refused to leave.

A part of Gus's inebriated mind felt that Cole would make an exceptional Einherji, a prime candidate. Hel, he'd seen the guy in action when they had been sent to reinforce the stationed guards in Vanaheim, that was where Gus had first laid eyes on the rest of Jay's friends, his original brother's in arms.

The first thing he noticed: Cole's leadership skills were spot on. Odin's beard; even his self-discipline, training regime's and determination were all on point. What was better than that was the way he motivated those around him, it was impressive to say the least. There was no doubt about it, if Cole was to die on this upcoming mission, Gus would ask Odin himself to consider.

Brought back to his senses, Gus could hear a sad yet pensive delicate tone on the breeze. A male voice that seemed broken, soft and oh so distant, it was Jay. Incomprehensible as he mumbled in a one-sided conversation. It was only then that he realised he hadn't answered him.

"It's not too far from that, my Lord. This is Bor's temple, his greatest warriors were cast in red gold as a permanent reminder of their servitude and sacrifice to Asgard." He stated proudly.

"They're huge, sooo big….and shiny." He replied softly, his voice barely heard above his brothers who neared.

"These statues are easily over 400 feet tall. Easier to see when you are in the Palace or Gladsheim." Gus advised, leaning Cole up against a plinth before turning to observe his royal charge who was attempting to look up as far as his head would allow.

As he expected, Jay's balance began to falter slightly and he was too slow to prevent the inevitable. Still, it didn't stop him wincing as he saw it unfold before him.

In Jay's drunken exhausted state, he quickly lost his footing due to his stance at trying to see the topmost portion of the statue he was standing in front of. He tried to overcorrect by stretching his thigh but fell spectacularly. He fell over backwards, ending up on his backside, then ultimately, his back.

He didn't even attempt to get back up and kept swatting away the helping hands.

Cole had seen him tumble and couldn't stop laughing as he watched Gustav struggling to pick him back up. Lloyd had joined in too, they both looked like they were about to lose control of their bodies as they fought to control the raucous laughter.

"Seriously, you can see them soo much better from down here."

"Is it because the realm is not spinning when you are on your back?" Zane queried as he lay down next to Jay. "It does not spin on its axis like any normal planet would."

He was smiling, not laughing like Cole and Lloyd were. Yet somehow seeing a drunken Jay sprawled on the floor was hilarious, he had to admit to himself, it was funny and perhaps he would have laughed had he thought to switch on that humour function.

"Yeah….."

"I cannot see the tree either Jay, that is something that is unique to you and you alone. Possibly to do with this prophecy we have heard about."

"Yeah, m-maybe."

Laying there on the cold unforgiving marble, Jay just stared at them. Each statue stood tall and proud and yet all were different. Some had sharply pointed helmets and long swords, other's had axes and spears and all were stood on their own plinths raised off the ground by 30-foot pillars, that seemed to provide an entrance to other rooms Jay hadn't even ventured into.

"You ever feel like you have an axe hovering over your neck, Zane?" He asked with the same tired smile.

It wasn't a question Zane had heard before and he didn't understand the meaning or metaphor behind it.

"I cannot say that I have ever felt like that." He turned to look at Jay, surprised to see him sitting up. "Do you feel that way, now?"

His expression was still unreadable in his drunken state. "I-I do," he replied quietly.

"I feel it all the t-time. It's there, sw-swinging like a pendulum and getting closer day by d-day." He drunkenly slit his throat to emphasise the point.

Zane didn't miss the shudder that accompanied it. He was sure that Jay had seen or experienced something life changing

"Haa- visions of what is to….to come?" He asked as he turned to look at Zane.

The nindroid had to think long and hard, there was one event that came to mind. "Only the once, but I was certain that it was my CPU telling me to let go or face possible overload."

"It w-was before you sorta died, wasn't it?" Jay guessed, yet, he knew it to be the truth.

Zane could tell Jay's voice was slurring, he sounded exhausted and completely drunk. "It was." He nodded, just the once. "It was the Overlord and you would liken it to a near-death hallucination where most would say 'your whole life flashes before your eyes'. In my case, it was my endeavours, my stored memories of momentous achieved events, everything and everyone."

"Didn't think y-you could get hall uminations…inations….uhm hallucin…ations."

"Hallucinations." Zane corrected gently.

"Yeah, that." Jay nodded and tried to rub his long hair from his face. He ended up poking himself in the eye in the process. "Y-you sure it wasn't a-a glitch?" He laughed breathlessly and rubbed his eye.

Zane's expression had dropped as he fondly remembered the female droid he had shared half of his power source with, to then have her cruelly disassembled after the whole Overlord debacle. Only her neural drive in the form of a USB stick was all that remained and he'd found that part crudely plugged into a basic tower station. "It was not a glitch, I performed a system-wide check, reformatting certain drives to check for anomalies."

Her voice had been the only voice that kept him from malfunctioning during Chen's capture of him. Not so much when the manipulative Nadakhan had tried to corrupt his thought processes. Then when Krux and Acronix had interfered with time so much though, that Zane hadn't heard her sweet voice in his mind for such a long time.

"I can confirm that it was quite real. It was largely triggered by the urge to protect you all, even P.I.X.A.L." Zane had looked around himself, surprised that Cole and Lloyd hadn't collapsed yet. They had both been up for almost twenty hours.

"I remember P.I.X.A.L," he couldn't think of what else to say to make it right. How exactly was he supposed to cheer up a Nindroid who had set his sights and half of his heart on a female formed robot who no longer existed in his head? The last time they had spoken was on the Bounty before all this had happened and before the cube had further interfered with her voice.

A change of subject perhaps. The only thing he could think of was that he saw them fighting this morning before he was told of the day's schedule, one that had been pre-arranged for him, he only being told of it as Loki remained in the room with him. "I saw you ya know, f-fighting and uhm, st-stuff, this morning."

"You did?" Zane asked, surprised and he stilled when Jay's hand moved to him.

He stroked Zane's face. Something he had never done before. "You all l-looked great down there and I, I r-really wanted to join b-but he said I couldn't. I kind of had prior engagements that I was told about during breakfast."

"Loki?" Zane asked, frowning at Jay's current state.

"Yeah, he said there was no time to train. Today had all been planned, and somehow I'd been requested to attend, go figure." He shrugged at that, like it was a valid reason.…Well, that and the whole living vicariously through him, which was a bit hilarious considering what he keeps saying, he's the one that tells me what to do, ya know?"

Zane's frown relaxed, a small genuine smile came to replace those earlier troubled metallic features. "We saw you this morning."

"Oh." He blushed, remembering when that might have been. Was it when he'd been looking out over the training arena, the same arena he fought Loki in? Or when he was riding out of the palace? "You should have waved or called, I would have answered you guys, you know that right?"

Zane nodded, quickly then cautiously tilted his head. "Well, we had been close to calling for your attention, but it might be frowned upon here. You know that this civilisation and its people are very observant of rules and the nobles are held in high esteem. Therefore, I dissuaded our brothers from shouting out to your horse troop. To the people here, it may be seen as disrespectful had we been caught garnering the attention of a royal, not forgetting you were riding an equine larger than most, and notwithstanding; we all know how temperamental they can be?"

"Ahh right." Jay loosely shrugged. He accepted the reason, it was fairly obvious the more he thought about it. "Well yeah, I was riding out," he mumbled and stretched his arms. "On Sleipnir, surrounded by guards because of her."

"Her?" Zane enquired, metal brow quirked.

He was leaning into Zane as he spoke. "Amora?" Jay offered, he whispered her name out amidst slight fear that may appear at the mere mention.

"So, you were being accompanied because of her? Was that the reason for so many horse guards?"

Jay nodded and smiled, he lifted his head to look at the impossibly tall statues again. "Normally, I don't need so many. Like when I went to Vanaheim on my own I was only given five to take down an army…Five Zane, five?!"

"The event you were a part of today, can you divulge?" Zane asked quietly, lowering his tone for Jay's ears alone. This was mostly due to the fact that he himself was largely unsure of Asgardian royal protocol. Normally the persistence to know of Royal etiquette was a huge no-no. But Jay was different, he mostly enjoyed talking and sometimes that was all he did.

"It was to maintain a-allegiances between the kingdoms." He said, almost word for word that Loki had done earlier. "I pledged uh, a blood oath. . . " he squeezed his eyes shut, remembering what was said. "An allegiance of peace with their kingdom."

He huffed as he stared at the statue, hand rushing to his neck to soothe the dull ache residing there.

It was only then that Zane had caught the sight of various marks adorning Jay's neckline on both sides. It looked horrendous and painful and it was a sure sign that Loki had gone too far. One was darker than the rest, the others were small and his discreet scans indicated suction bruises.

Of course, Zane would never mention that he had just scanned Jay because he knew Jay hated that sort of thing. This time though, Zane would just ask about it, considering no muscles were torn, the cervical collar bones showed signs of an extreme skeletal whiplash.

Any normal man wouldn't have been able to stand, let alone walk with neck pain like this. He accurately guessed that Jay may have consumed something very potently strong this night, helped by the copious amounts of hops and mead. "Your neck, is it in pain?"

"No," Jay shook it gently, suppressing a hiss as it triggered the ache. "It was a few hours ago." His face blushed as the memory came back in vivid technicolour. "It was uh, n-nothing really."

"I am worried for you, Jay. You seem, different, anxious."

Jay shrugged, at his nindroid brother. "Nothing we can do though, right?"

* * *

 _ **FYI, I have altered a few chapters to mention that Jay's name is Jason. Although Amora and her sister still know him as *Jayson*, they are none the wiser about his Fate readings, so for now, they remain in the dark of his actual name.**_

 _ **Jotun - Yo dun**_

 _ **Jotunheim - Yo-dun-hym**_


	100. Trouble's brewing

"Leave them, Gus," Jay said. Patting the free space next to him, he watched as his tall Germanic friend struggled with his two giggling brothers. "I reckon you're fighting a losing battle there."

"Nein, My Lord," He argued, grasp loosening on Lloyd's fighting attire. "I have got this, I assure." finally, he succumbed, laughing in resignation. Jay was sort of right. If he could put Cole down for a few seconds; he'd be able to haul Lloyd over his shoulder.

" _Odin's beard_!" Gus huffed, frustratedly.

Eyebrow quirked at the antics, Jay held in a laugh. Sure, the blonde haired palace guard had got it covered _sort of,_ but it was most apparent that Cole and Lloyd were overcome with a fit of giggles, making his grasp on them a little more challenging to sustain. "Honestly Gus, come and j-join us."

The Einherji was struggling to keep Lloyd and Cole from falling and though he pretty much had Cole's weight sorted. Lloyd's scrawnier frame, however, he found that he was all arms and legs. And it took him back to that first day in Vanaheim when Jay had wielded the sceptre. It could have ended so differently had the enemy gotten downwind of Jay's exhausted state.

"Gus!" Jay hollered, breaking him from his faraway expression. He belched loudly, not purposefully. Cringing when the sound of his bodily response to hops and mead bounced mercilessly off each nearby wall and respective statue. Instinctively, his hand shot to his mouth. "Sorry, c-come and join us?"

"They will be fine. Believe me, Gustav," Zane reassured, sitting next to Jay. "They need to sleep off the ethanol; there is nothing more you can do for them."

"Unless you want to tuck them in and give them a glass of water and a painkiller?" Jay suggested, grinning.

"A painkiller?" Gus quipped. "Here we use pure alcohol for that, maybe a little elixir too, for the more severe."

"Yeah, I know," Jay grumbled raising his hand in surrender. "I was trying my hand at y'know, humour?"

"Surely this would prolong the effects?" Zane queried, clearly confused by that statement.

"The hair of the dog," Jay mumbled, _grinning_. "Right, Gus?"

To Zane, it seemed like Jay had recent experience of this sort of thing. And it saddened him to know that his brother had quite possibly been in such mental or physical anguish that numbing it with more alcohol had been the answer to his troubles.

Finally, admitting defeat, Gustav shrugged. Laughing softly, he smiled and raised his hands up high as if letting go. The gentle giant complied without saying any more.

"I still reckon he got laid," Cole mumbled, "Th-that's why his emotions are all out of whack."

Honestly, where did that come from? Were those two having some sort of discussion that Cole had just announced to the entire group?

Jay blushed, voice lowered. "Is it that obvious?" he intoned, turning to Zane and Gus.

Gus bit his tongue.

"You have a healthy glow, I would take that as a yes," Zane answered for both, perplexed with Gus's silence. "Your oxytocin levels were elevated, explaining your reaction to Cole and his attempt at humour."

Jay half nodded at Zane's reasoning. He was unsure of the whole _glowing_ thing though.

Looking around at the hot stone pedestals that were set out at evenly spaced intervals. Jay saw what Zane was commenting on. All, if not most of the embers were giving off a warming light show. The hot stones were responsible for the healthy sheen on each of them in this place.

Mainly because it was so damned dark outside. Actually, it was dark in Asgard's palace during the day too, so hot ember stones were used to create the ambient brightness.

"So who was it then, someone from here?" Cole called from the plinth as he and Lloyd slowly flopped to the floor.

"Hey," Lloyd interrupted, feeling drunkenly abashed. "It obviously isn't Nya, is it?"

Cole frowned. Why wouldn't it be Nya, they'd been stuck to each other in recent months. . . Hadn't they?

"Have I seen her before?"

"Yeah." Jay nodded and took a deep sigh, biting his lip at what Cole had previously uttered. Knowing full well that what he was about to say would result in a gratuitous amount of heckling or something as noisy. "You know her Cole. You've seen her before, and her sister?"

"Really? So, she's _memorable_?"

She was definitely memorable. Jay would probably be able to identify her naked, considering how much time he'd spent with her when Loki wasn't around. "You saw her tonight, at the Inn?"

There were two of them though, and Jay wouldn't hold it against Cole if he got her name wrong. He'd really only seen her the grand total of twice, and once she had been stuck to Jay's face.

"One of the twins?"

"Yeah," Jay replied, waiting for the inevitable.

"Haa, I knew it!" Cole yelled, high fiving Lloyd and almost swiping the top of his blonde brothers head. "I knew you'd fall for one of them. It was Kali wasn't it?" He hollered "Did she blow your mind?"

"She blew something...". Lloyd giggled.

A tad embarrassed by their drunken antics, Jay shrugged, thinking about it honestly now. He was being asked a question that he had to try to answer truthfully or face the same pain he'd faced earlier. If he showed any weakness now, here, then Gus would notice and so too would Zane. Both would be on his case and insistent with questioning too, not buying any old excuse that he was tired.

"Yeah," He smiled, laughing softly. "She did, blow my mind."

There, he'd finally admitted it. And somehow, he felt like a weight had been lifted by uttering the truth. It was an alien experience to do it, to outwardly admit it. But he knew one thing; he wouldn't dare say the same to Loki.

"What about Nya, I thought you two were serious now?"

Jay shrugged. How could the mention of that three lettered name make his heart flutter again? He remembered her, how could he not? They had spent a whole day in bed, ordering in pizza's and watching movies in between imaginative lovemaking skills.

Lloyd snickered. The last time Jay was with Nya had been the night he disappeared for over six months. Kai and Skylor's wedding night.

"What exactly did you do today?" Zane enquired, disinterested in talking about Jay's complicated love life. "You never elaborated on the initial ride out."

It was true. Jay had been sidetracked once again, and for the life of him, he couldn't remember why it had gone off on a tangent. "The whole day was to do with a blood pact; then, without meaning to, I kinda had my future read."

Wow, that was a short summary, and now Zane had to pick it apart as best as he could.

"Whoa, wait. What's a blood pact, what does that mean?"

Jay frowned, he didn't know how to answer Lloyd's question.

He realised that it had probably been explained but he'd been so preoccupied with listening to Zig and his lies while attempting to cover up his own to take notice about the pact.

"It means he has officially joined the ranks of the Einherjar and in doing so, has offered a lifetime servitude to protecting the Realm Eternal from future enemies. Alongside his sentry," Gus said. "For Asgard."

Cole looked at Lloyd and both were stunned by this news.

* * *

The conversation had settled down to near silence between the three who were seated on the floor. Including small talk about various things that had happened from both sides of the fence. Zane had told of his experiences fighting in the training grounds with Tyr and being approached by Audunn the day before.

Jay was idly watching the cosmos from the monolithic archways and nearby, the odd restrained laugh could be heard coming from Cole and Lloyd. They must have been sharing a joke as their voices were subdued. He was the only one laying on his back, smiling with a dazed expression that showed exactly how bone tired he was.

Rolling on to his side, he looked at Zane giving him a genuine smile. One that showed his true feelings. "They say that the visions are real, that they'll come true, sooner than later."

Gus remained mute. This was something Jay needed to talk about, he needed to get it off his chest and into the open and it seemed now was the prime opportunity for it.

Zane had easily torn his gaze from following the stars. "What are the visions?" He questioned, eyes narrowed. Naturally, he was dubious of divination because most could be attributed to exhaustion thereby explaining daydreams or far away thoughts. "It was not a dream?" He asked, perplexed.

"Visions," Jay corrected, shaking his head. "And, there's something I wanted to say to you. A-all of you, before it comes to th-that."

"Comes to what?" Zane probed, concern nagging at him.

Jay recomposed himself, rubbing his eyes. "I wanted to say that no matter what happens to me. I'd do it all again."

"I do not understand. What are you saying?"

His smile vanished, tone serious as he looked up into Zane's eyes. "In fact, I-I did it for you guys, f-for all of you, N-Nya too. You tell them that, for me?"

"I will, of course." Zane looked at Gus with confusion on his face. The latter nodding discreetly. "Can you tell me who you spoke of?" He queried, steadying Jay to stand. "Who you were referring to? The visions?"

"They, _they_ …..uhm." Jay struggled slightly.

"Take your time," Zane soothed gently. He saw the grim expression that Gus shot in his direction, and it stirred bad feelings that seemed to send his sensors into overdrive.

He hadn't been dreading the answer up until that point. Zane thought it highly illogical that it could be anything sinister. But now, he was apprehensive because Gustav's expression did nothing to calm the system-wide alerts flashing as to what it could be.

Jay took in a deep shuddering breath and looked at the stars. "Sorry, it was the, uh… _the Fates,_ " he finally mumbled out.

"The Fates," he repeated solemnly.

Gustav merely shrugged his shoulders at Zane. The expression on his face spoke a thousand words. "It wasn't meant to happen; he shouldn't have seen it. That's why we brought him to the Inn."

"What? Does that mean the Fates, are real?" Zane inquired with raised eyebrows.

"You doubt it?" Gus narrowed his gaze. "This place is almost as old as time itself."

"I am sorry, I do not wish to offend. I was not aware of these Fates. I had not read all that pertains to this realm because your library is vast."

"As it should be." He stated, boastfully. "Aye, the Fates are very real. They provide the past, present and future for all who stand at the foot of the well."

" _The_ Well of Urd?" Zane asked with a seemingly awestruck face. He lowered his voice, not wanting to disturb Jay's dark mumblings. He was facing Gustav. The armoured man himself was rubbing Jay's back, comforting slow circles as Zane came to join his side. "What did he see that was so bad to warrant him drinking himself to this level of intoxication?"

He wanted to know; his mind was helpfully providing a list of answers. None of which came close to what Gustav was about to say.

"He wanted answers to his past. But the Fates never focus on one aspect."

"Right," Zane nodded with a level of understanding. "I can concede with that."

Gus bit his lip awkwardly. "He saw his death," He said, rubbing his face. "He lost control of his power, collapsed."

"I-I'm still alive though. Can't get r-rid of me th-that easily haha." His head was rolling backwards and forwards like he was on a roller coaster.

Hearing that from the perspective of a nindroid, that had been programmed with as much knowledge as he had. He knew that Jay seeing that sort of thing would be detrimental.

"Aye, alive indeed." He took one look at Zane, motioning it was time for bed. "You manage him while we take these two back to their quarters?"

Zane nodded. "Maybe it would be better if I remained with _them_!" Motioning to his brothers. His hand was gently squeezing Jay's arm when he did he could feel barely controlled shakes. "They have consumed a large quantity, and we do not want any unexplained accidents before our battle."

He looked to his side and saw Cole and Lloyd passed out on the floor, cuddling each other. So handy that his eyes could freeze frame, and because of that; he took a photo of the embrace.

"Aye, then it is settled, we can place them in the nearest. Cole's room I believe?" He said as he grasped Cole and placed him on his shoulder, followed by Lloyd.

A few minutes later was all it took to get to Cole's room. Zane opened the doors and watched as Gustav gently placed both of his tired inebriated brothers on the large bed. He had already checked for weapons, happy to see Cole wasn't wearing any. It would have made for a fitful sleep if he had slept on his blades.

Speaking of blades, Gustav turned to his side and saw a shelf and rack, lined up with new ones, all impossibly shiny and newly forged bone steel. This was the strongest metal available, yet the most vulgar and horrendous to make. He grasped one, to look at it in closer detail, upon inspection he noted how similar the new blades were to his own. The only difference was the weight, these were much lighter.

He stifled a yawn himself and giggled when Jay wriggled off Zane's shoulders. "My Lord, you need to rest too. You have not slept properly for days." He chided as Jay stood wearily and held onto the door, taking in a breath of air from the large empty hallway.

"Mm fine, sleep is for the weak, I just need to walk it off."

Gustav frowned at him, he had an inkling as to why Jay was acting like this. It was a side-effect of what he had experienced earlier. How could he possibly explain that to Odin, he had sworn that Jay was never to see it?

"I've gotta be somewhere. I'm running a bit, late," he mumbled. Staring around for the staircase that would take him upwards to see Loki.

"You sure he'll be waiting for you at this hour?" Gus knew who he was supposed to see.

"You're right," Jay shrugged. "He's probably fast asleep. Might just see if he's, uhm…if he's in bed." He yawned, stretching out. Rubbing his face to wake him up a little, he stepped into the cooler hallway.

Eyes picking up a glint of gold in the distance. Jay had spotted an Einherji guard; they were relatively easy to see after all. They wore gold, with flowing cloaks that contrasted sharply against his own. This one was nearing him, flanked by two others.

Looking back at Gus, Jay could see his own protector was dealing with his brothers and these nearby Einherji would be adequate to accompany him to his room. Besides, Loki had insisted he wasn't to be unaccompanied anywhere in Asgard since Amora. Thus it was a direct order that he was to be accompanied at all times.

He knew he could trust all of the Einherjar because they all worked for Odin hashtag Loki. And evidently, Gustav was otherwise occupied. Jay felt bad enough that Gus had to be at his beck and call when the blonde dude had mentioned he had his own love life to consider. Surely, he could do this on his own? It was only one flight up. Like twenty-two marble steps and a short walk to his room.

He wouldn't even need to strip off; he'd just fall on his bed and sleep in his clothes.

Tentatively, Jay stepped further out into the corridor and coming down this way, were the same three Einherjar. All walking toward him, changing their direction subtly until they were motioning Jay to silently follow. "You going upstairs?" He mumbled in exhaustion, eyes dropping to the floor. He shook off how much he wanted to sleep.

"Aye, you wish us to accompany?"

Jay nodded. "Please." Not forgetting his manners.

* * *

Turning his back on Jay for a few short minutes. Gus continued to settle them all in for the night. He was most definitely not going to be tucking them in, nor leaving a glass of water. There was an adequate bathroom in here and the water ran fast and clear. Still, he could not leave them to slumber in their stiff clothes nor boots so starting in earnest, he removed the stiff upper clothes from each. "My Lord, don't stray too far…" He warned with a knowing smile.

Gus could still hear his royal charge talking to himself, now just outside the double doors to Cole's room.

He gave a quick tug and removed Cole's boots, quickly followed by Lloyd's before pulling a thin blanket over both.

Zane had removed his own stiff overclothes and climbed into the other side of the vast kingsize bed. "I will stay with them."

"If you insist," Gustav replied with a smirk. "Gutten nacht."

The blonde Einherji watched them all fall asleep. Quickly turning his gaze to the open doors. He listened out and cocked his head to the side but it was eerily quiet.

He couldn't help but feel concern for the naive Prince. For one, no sound could be heard and after knowing Jay for the past few months, he knew that Jay was exceptionally talkative, even in his sleep. But since today, this afternoon, in particular, Jay's behaviour had been troubling. He had been shaken up and oddly quiet about the whole event of seeing the Fates.

When he had finally left the room, all he managed to see was a glimpse of Jay, he was too far ahead to shout out and he didn't want a reprimand from the Royal Aides for shouting at this early hour.

Gustav checked on Jay once more, a fleeting glimpse over his shoulders. He hoped he would be alright, he just needed to sleep it off. He would be better tomorrow if he was allowed to sleep. He couldn't help but feel some unease as Jay stumbled with exhaustion, being helped intermittently by the suspicious Einherji palace guards.

The troubling aspect was that the guards weren't taking him to the stairs, he was exiting the palace, heading further out.

* * *

"Come, My Lord, I have a task for you at this fine hour." The relatively unknown but elder Einherji said. The other two remained silently following.

Gustav frowned as he watched a rather tired and weary Jay, walk away with difficulty. He tried to identify the three Einherjar in question but their faces were obscured by the Bor Buri-son helmets that all Einherjar wore. Though two were certainly portly, both of them were wearing senior coloured cloaks that identified them as commanding officers. The other was of a slim build, a regular Einherji.

"Good night my Lord, see you tomorrow then!" He said to himself. Shaking his head in concern as he walked back into Cole's bedroom to finish the task of removing their stiff clothes.

He turned back to the bedroom and closed the curtained drapes, he could hear them all snoring, except for Zane. Once he had removed their armoured overgarments and hung them separately, he placed them back into their sleeping positions.

Sitting at the foot of the bed he sighed, eventually standing and wishing for his own bed. He was tired, all he wanted was to rest but a cold chill went up his spine. Gustav knew that he had to find the Prince, or at least to find answers.

But then, maybe Jay was having an all-nighter. God knows he deserved it after the last few weeks he'd endured, however, he needed to sleep too because the new day was almost upon them.

Trudging back the way he came. He finally got back to the local ale house but found it empty of said Prince. His men were there too, sadly they were too steamed to remember their own names. Instead, he approached the barkeep, who he noted was still serving drinks while polishing the flagons, goblets and jugs. "Have you seen the Prince?" He said. "Since we left here this night?" he added, knowing he would receive a perplexing look otherwise.

All he got was a shake of the head. "Maybe his own chambers." The barkeep suggested. "Is he any better, he seemed out of sorts earlier?"

"He is recuperating, but nein I hadn't checked his chambers," Gustav said, removing his helmet. He didn't want to seem intimidating to the relaxing patrons, who were mostly off-duty palace guards or young Asgardians.

 _Mainly because he walked in the opposite direction._

"Only other choice would be Tyr, if you fancy disturbing the God in his own homestead!"

"Why Tyr?" Gus asked, perplexed.

"No reason, just an inkling." The barkeep replied. "He seemed lout this night when the prince arrived."

"Tyr had too much to drink, Orn too." Gus shook his head, shrugging off the concern. For one; he didn't want to incur the wrath of Tyr at any time, let alone after he'd been drinking and for two; he wouldn't want to accost him again this night, not after that earlier spat. It would be a fight he wouldn't win because he knew that Tyr wouldn't hold back, he never did.

Every fight was his fight to win. The God was a brute, a bully and it had earned him the title he wore so proudly above all others.

Additionally, Gustav had never been to the God's own keep. Why would he need to, he was recently stationed in Asgard, at the palace. "Nein, tis too risky at this hour."

He took up the first suggestion though. Turning, he bowed his head to the barkeep before replacing his helmet and walking out into the ending night, just as dawn was beginning to break.

Visiting Jay's quarters as suggested, he found Jay wasn't there either. He wasn't expecting him to be here, those guards had taken him away from here, but where to? "Was zur Hölle?" He mumbled in disbelief.

His hand brushed down his face in utter confusion. This room was pristine, fresh dark blue sheets laden on a giant four-poster bed. The bed was easily the largest thing in the room, it was the first thing anyone saw when they walked in. And it was a small wonder that Jay didn't get lost in a bed that size, even if Kali had slept in it too, there was so much room on it.

But rather than leaving the room without so much as a note, he penned a quick epistle for Dagr. He knew that the Royal Aides would be visiting every morning to assist and so, they would see the message. Therefore, if they had any news pertaining to Jay's whereabouts, they would know to come and cajole him from his slumber.

* * *

He didn't give up, he spent most of the dawn's early light searching until exhaustion took him. Finally, he was ready to call it quits and collapse on his own bed when Dagr rapped on his quarters, demanding to be allowed entrance.

"Gustav, please." Dagr, was rapping gently, though the thumps were unrelenting in nature. Dagr never usually strayed this far from the palace so there must have been some urgency to his very early call.

"Mm, yah?" Gus said, climbing out of bed and on to his sluggish feet. "You wish to talk?"

Dagr's expression was grim, he barged into Gustav's quarters, without so much as an invite. "I saw your note and I bring you news—" he said, struggling for breath. "The Prince," he gasped for air. "He was seen at the observatory. . ."

"Why there?" Gus questioned, frowning. "I thought he wasn't being sent until tomorrow, with his brethren?"

Dagr rushed to Gus's bedside, foregoing of manners as he poured himself some water to quench his parched throat. Gulping down large mouthfuls.

"Is he still there now, at this hour?" Gus asked rubbing his eyes as he got out of bed.

"Aye, with Tyr and father. I would recognise that stature and beard anywhere."

With that golden nugget, Gus's eyes widened, fearfully. Standing abruptly as if sitting on Hela's spiked helmet, he grasped his travelling cloak and short sword. "Come Dagr, tell me what you saw. Have you spoken with Kali?"

"No." He replied, shaking his head while following the now panicked guard. "She was home with Kari. Why do you ask?"

He bit his knuckle hard. Gus really had promised secrecy this night and he would be going directly against an order from his joint commanding officer if he said too much. But damn it, in order to get Dagr to know the danger Jay was in, Gus would have to divulge something.

He wasn't sure how Dagr was going to take this, so he trod carefully. "The prince and Kali, well. . ."

"What is it, Gus? Speak it." Dagr was flustered as it was, having seen what he knew was trouble brewing.

A resigned sigh, he quickly placed his boots and fully fastened his trousers as he walked. "The prince was romantically linked with her this day and word may have gotten around to their earlier encounter."

"Earlier encounter?" Dagr's face paled at this. He saw how eager his father had been in cajoling the prince away from the palace. And he soon realised that word hadn't made it to Orn about Jay's declining health. Dagr kept that part of his work secret as advised by the King.

But he had recognised some signs of infatuation in his sister, even when Jay was in his own room. There was a definite awkwardness, some very obvious sexual tension. "By the nines, please Gus." He bit his lip frowning. "I worry for him, because between us, I saw my father's determination. He is only like this during times of battle. When a lesson is to be learned."

"And—" Gus said, grabbing his shield and sheathed broadsword. "-Both Tyr and Orn have been drinking."

"SHIT!" Dagr muttered. "He's in trouble. You cannot do this alone Gustav. They would overpower you in your state."

Gus was worn out, stumbling.

"Well, what choice do I have? I'm Einherji, I'll survive." Gus reasoned. It was true at least. If he died, he would reincarnate, as was the way of Odin's army. "Jay, I'm not so sure."

Without further ado, he looked up and noted Gus was already at his door, impatiently waiting for Dagr to leave so he could lock it.

"I shall go to the observatory," he said walking at a fast pace, getting ready to run. "You must go, Dagr. Tell the King immediately, send for back up and healers, plenty of healers."

Turning on his heels as he ran backwards. "Do not tell Kali, please, I implore you." He knew that Jay was going to be in a bad way if he didn't get there soon.

"I-I will not tell her," Dagr replied, hot-footing it to the palace. He wished he'd come on horseback now. It would have been so much faster than this.

* * *

Jay had yawned loudly, his hands and feet felt sluggish from the walk and the earlier ride out.

Honestly, sleeping off the alcohol and the busy day he'd had would have been beneficial to sitting and watching the stars. Whose idea was this? "What exactly are we doing…" he paused again and stretched as he sat at the steps of the observatory.

"Out here, at this time of night? I mean, it's almost 5am, right?"

He looked for Heimdall but he was absent. Maybe the gatekeeper had been given the night off. Considering the fact that the gatekeeper had been standing here for over 3000 years and counting. Jay thought it rare, but he was too tired to care, to weary to even contemplate or form a coherent sentence.

He noted that he had been given a heavy hide covered package, that was both long but mostly heavy, and a pouch that had been securely strapped to it. A blanket of sorts had been draped over him and he felt comfortable if a little confused.

 _'A campout, new experiences I guess._ '

He watched from his seated position outside the observatory as the palace guard thrust Gungnir into the centre of the console.

Within a few seconds, the observatory began its gradual rotation. The amazing feat of ancient power and magic, otherwise known as the Bifrost gate, began spinning.

"Sorry, I'm so tired." He didn't even attempt to stifle his yawn this time. Jay stared in awe as the golden globe moved effortlessly. He could never remember seeing anything so wonderful before, and this was the first time he'd seen it from the outside. Spinning made his exhaustion worse, because he was too tired to remain sitting up.

Slumping against the steps, he leaned backwards and watched as the stars became blurry lines before his eyes. He would never tire of seeing this remarkable thing in action, although the idea of it being used as a weapon was terrifying to comprehend.

"Slumber is for the weak. You have surplus energy to spare, my Lord."

He wanted to curl up on the floor then and there, too much alcohol and very little sleep.

The spinning of the observatory was making his head spin. "I'm just going to close my eyes, ya know, just rest them for a bit," Jay mumbled and smiled, a tired exhausted smile.

"If that is what you want, then please do. It will not make it any less of a journey." He made sure to change Jay's attire from ceremonial to full battle armour, removing his cherished silver blade replacing it with his regular obsidian ones. His eyebrow raised as he removed Eir Gram, eyeing the golden dragon blood sword with suspicion.

"Hmmm, a. . ." Jay yawned again. " _Journey_ , I like journeys."

"You shall love this one then," A look of subtle apprehension flooded over the younger Einherji's face as he observed the spectacle of what was about to happen. This was a crime, if they were caught, they'd be sent to the dungeons for an unspecified amount of time.

Still, his superiors were determined to see this through, now more than ever. No-one would dare to speak to their commanding officers with such distaste and contempt as Jay had. This prince had it coming and he was about to feel the wrath of the ones he had humiliated.

The senior Einherji wasn't gentle in the slightest when he ripped the uniform off of the prince as he lay sleeping. If the guards had thought any more on it, they could have just sent him off to perish on Svartalfheim without any blades or armour.

Shaking his head, he knelt down before unravelling the package. He pulled the prince's arms so roughly that it was a small wonder that Jay's arms didn't dislocate. And, before he knew it, the prince was dressed, to a certain extent. Hastily at that. His armour was loose and his chest plate wasn't attached. But there was a reason for that.

Simply, to receive a good beating required relatively little armour to be in the way.

The Einherji guards didn't want to break their knuckles hitting his chest and stomach repeatedly if a chest plate was there.

The pieces he had torn were quickly thrown over the bridge and into the fast flowing waters below. His trousers, tunic and cloak had been ripped from him with such a force it left bruising burns. Now, the only thing that remained of his stature was the crown.

He stood, happy with his work. "My Lord," The young Einherji prompted at the first senior officer. "He is ready for you."

* * *

 ** _Thanks for the reviews BoomletStudios and MMC. Hold onto your tray tables, this ride is going to get bumpy!_**


	101. Retribution - A father's pride

"Bring him in," The elder ordered. "I do not want any other to see this." He said, motioning the young one to drag the half-dressed Prince inside.

"What if he shouts out?" The young Einherji questioned.

"I'm wholly expecting of it." The onlooker grinned. "This will be painful. Almost as it was for Loki."

This didn't calm the doubtful Einherji at all. "And if he raises alarm?"

"Then I shall give you the task of cutting his tongue out." The elder suggested, laughing with his superior. "Or you can stitch his lips?"

"Sire?" The Einherji questioned, perplexed. Surely they weren't thinking of going that far?

The elder continued to smirk, eyes glinting with evil when he removed his armoured knuckles in preparation for the roughhousing.

"Do not challenge me, boy," he intoned, staring pointedly at the inexperienced Einherji. "This place is far enough away from Asgard. No one shall hear a thing."

"So sure are you, Orn?" Tyr chuckled, walking on through. He had been sentinel for the past few minutes. "Let's get this over with, shall we?"

Impatience in his tone. Orn nodded at his elder and took his place.

Entering the observatory with a look of contempt on his face, Tyr growled at the sleeping sovereign. "Hold him up over there," He ordered. "I desire to watch this."

The Einherji nodded. Heaving the sleeping prince from his slumber to a semi-upright posture, leaving Jay on his knees with his head lolling like a broken marionette.

The latter groaned at being jostled.

"G-get off me Cole," Jay murmured. "It's not time to get up yet, j-just a few more minutes?"

"Go on," he urged, prompting Orn to take the first shot. Eagerly willing it to happen and waiting with baited breath for the unmistakable sound of a clenched fist hitting soft pliable skin. "Do it, while you still can. Give him the beating you know he deserves."

A cruel smile crept onto his face and he watched Orn clench his fist in anger. It was anger and fury from having filthy rumours circulate about his cherished kin.

Orn pulled back before letting rip, hearing that first satisfying smack clattering around the spinning room like the sound of a car door slamming.

The first blow sounded out with a gasp of shock and surprised agony. It was so ruthlessly brutal across his jaw.

"Mmmphh." Jay groaned, stunned.

"Again," He ordered.

The next strike had woken Jay, to a certain degree, he was beginning to thrash.

"Ugh," He groaned, eyes fully open, awake and now partially aware of the situation. "You're a sight for sore eyes," He said with a dark laugh. The pun was entirely intended. "Get, off, me." He snarled, feeling his arms restrained. "Or you'll regret this."

"Again," Tyr said. "This time, use more force behind it."

Orn nodded, lining up the next shot.

Jay saw him use the same fist and dodged it. Flicking his head to the side on purpose. The fisted blow hit his ear, making it throb. Better his ear than his mouth, he thought.

"Uh, wh-why are ya doing this?" Jay mumbled. Trying to break up the monotonous order and deliverance that was going on between the two portly Einherjar. He had no idea what was cracking off here or who these guys were. He only knew one thing, he was being obviously targeted.

Another blow, and it completely missed him as he snapped his head to the other side.

He knew his luck was going to run out soon because he was anticipating a barrage of blows.

"What did I ever do to you guys? GET OFF OF ME!" Jay's voice boomed. Staring heatedly at the three men, one of whom was spectating. None looked familiar but then, they were all wearing armour.

Jay wrenched an arm free and caught Orn's fist in his own, stunning the young Einherji behind him. "It's not a fair fight!" He growled.

"You want to fight?" Orn asked, his eyebrow raised as he turned to look at Tyr for orders.

"Let him." He nodded, motioning the younger to stand back.

Orn turned to the Prince and received a sucker punch. It hit him square in the face. Staggering with the unexpected blow, Orn snarled. "You really want to fight with me? You realise I have been doing this for centuries? My hand to hand and swordsmanship are second to none."

Tyr made to chortle and Orn rolled his eyes internally. Jay had already landed a hit.

Eyes squeezed tight to steady his spinning head. Jay stood wearily when both attackers surrounded him. "Br-bring it on…" If this was a fist fight they wanted, it would be a fist fight they'd come to regret. How dare they jump him like this.

"You will lose, Boy. You have no idea what you are up against."

 _A man who's out of shape and is a bit of a bully?_

"I think I've got a rough idea." He replied, _smirking._

"You have NO idea..." Orn repeated, throwing his broadsword to the side and rolling his sleeves up to show the battle scars.

"Show me then, stop talking about it!" Jay urged, shaking the pain from his bruised face.

Fiercely aiming a swing at Jay's head, he scowled when it missed. Quickly, recovering, he aimed again, and this time, it hit the target. The effect was instantaneous, stunning Jay into a dazed expression that left him wide open for attack.

"Good, I like to fight!" Orn boasted, delivering a punch that wiped the smirk from Jay's face.

His own smile appeared as Jay reeled, falling to the floor with the repeated force of both fast blows.

"And look at this," Orn gloated, pointing to the floor and the presence of blood droplets that were falling from Jay's nose as he weakly crawled to the exit.

"My hits are causing you damage. You bleed easily for a so-called protector of Odin." He teased, rolling Jay over with his boot before delivering a kick.

"This just shows how fragile you are." A kick to his stomach.

"Pathetic." A fisted blow to the side of Jay's face was dealt as he attempted to crawl to the console, in order to heave himself up.

Jay could barely see through the blood that trickled down his face from a gash above his eye. But he caught a fleeting glimpse of whom he assumed to be Loki's Royal Aide. A short-ish balding man with longer than usual black hair. His long robes swept along the floor, blending in perfectly with the golden observatory. His whole outfit meant he wouldn't be seen if he stayed put, just outside.

It was a good thing; in a sad way. Jay gave a pitying glance at the man who could try and save him. He knew that Audunn couldn't fight, it wasn't his speciality, but he could definitely send for help. Silently, he willed him to look away as one of Audunn's closest friends continued to brutally assault the one whom Odin had sworn to have protected.

Audunn remained hidden, truly terrified and not fully believing what he was seeing. Cringing as each blow sounded out. This, was no ordinary fight, this was two senior Einherjar teaching someone a harsh lesson in respect.

"Not the type of warrior I would seek."

The elder was about to turn around, exposing Audunn as a spy in their midst. And Jay knew he had to do something. Not that he owed Audunn anything. He felt a sense of compassion because he didn't want to see someone else take a beating for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jay had to do something. Audunn would be seen and then beaten too and then, both would be 'shit out of luck'.

"What do you expect if I'm bleeding?" Jay winced, spitting blood, grasping his bruised ribs. "You punched me in the face?" He mumbled through bloodied lips, holding his hand up as he swayed unsteadily.

He looked up slightly, not enough for them to notice who he was looking at. Hoping that Audunn had seen enough to notify someone that would come to his aid and soon.

"Pathetic."

This time he was rolled onto his back.

"Useless, degenerate."

He couldn't crawl away on his back.

"St-stop..."

Was he pleading for the fight to stop or just the taunts? Jay wasn't sure what he wanted anymore. _Go, just go Audunn. . ._ He pleaded silently. Eyes closed as the smaller Royal aide scurried off to find a sentry of palace guards.

"Use it," Tyr ordered. "Use your knife, do not hold back, let this fool know of his wrongdoings against you."

"Aye, Lord," Orn moved closer and swiftly too. Three quick strides and his hand was around Jay's neck lifting him effortlessly to his feet. His grip lessening enough to let Jay have the use of his body. "You remember what was said earlier?" He teased, nodding to the Einherji behind Jay to restrain. "I would be cutting your tongue out?"

Come to think of it, he could remember someone mentioning such a thing, he had laughed it off. Because who says that, other than Loki? And where did the threat come from?

Gods, had it all stemmed from kissing Kali?

"Orn?" Jay questioned, _breathlessly_. Then, looking up from his kneeling stance as he felt something wet trickle down his face from his hairline. The feeling tickled him, he knew it was blood, it was warm, and seeped into his swollen closing eye.

Jay narrowed his failing gaze to see through the disguise. . .It was useless. No signs of a bushy beard because the douchebag was wearing a partial scarf and full helmet.

No reply from him either. His attacker to the front was smiling, the arc of his eyebrows told Jay as much. And, without so much as a seconds notice, the disguised Einherji grabbed Jay's mouth and retrieved a small blade from his robes.

Staggering slightly, Jay's eyes widened in fear, recalling the words but not the speaker. "NO, you wouldn't, y-you c-can't." Terror filled his face and he lashed out the only way he knew how.

He'd pulled a hand out of the Einherji's grasp. His left hand balled into a fist and he aimed a fierce jab at the attacker to his front, trying his hardest to knock the short blade away.

The deep gouge he got in response had his knuckle bones exposed in an instant.

"Arggh, Nnnghh." He screamed in agony. Jay hadn't seen the short blade even when it collided with his uncovered hand. He only saw it when the blade embedded itself.

It was a warning shot, plain and simple. It could've resulted in the loss of his hand had it been a vicious swipe. Regardless, Jay couldn't clench his left fist anymore, the tendons were severed. He did what he could, cradling it in his inner robes.

"Silence him," Tyr roared, furiously.

He was disadvantaged now. Sure he had fought one armed before, it was all part of his training. But after drinking alcohol, his senses were shot. The exhaustion was plain to see. His eyes were red and streaming, glazed over. Breath ragged and energy depleting. The knee to his gut effectively stilled him.

Jay grit his teeth with the winding blow, clamping his mouth shut as he was hoisted up to face his attackers.

The blade was too fast. How it had travelled to his lips that quick was beyond Jay's comprehension. Regardless, he was terrified at the appearance of the sharp weapon and its proximity to his face.

"What are you doi. . .?" Fearfully, Jay's eyes watched the blue blade, feeling it slide between his lips without any difficulty.

They were attempting to prise his mouth open, he knew that now and instinctively, he clamped it shut tighter, teeth grinding.

The blade, as expected, clashed with his teeth. Obviously, Orn was taking his sweet time in prolonging this, because he was in no rush to ram it in. Instead, he flicked it slightly up and down to find the gap he was feeling for. The resulting effect had it scraping across Jay's gums.

Only then, did he allow it access. Clamping his teeth down onto the blade, feeling as it rasped on the surface of each incisor and molar. This was Jay's attempt to forestall any more damage because his bloodied swollen lips were soft and compliant, it didn't mean that his teeth had to be.

God only knows what would happen, if he was being fully compliant. Would this man really stab him in the mouth, of all places?

A firm thrust from his attacker's hand had the small blade glide across his clamped teeth until it was fully in his mouth. And, as expected, Jay gagged when the pointed blade hit the back of his throat. Tears steadily fell down his bruised face, fighting the urge to hack and cough at the sharp point nicking at his gag reflex.

"Open your mouth boy. Lest this blade cuts you a new one," Orn snarled. His voice cold, yet so familiar.

Shivering as he felt the second blade travelling up his throat, nipping at the juncture where his voice box was. Jay was truly afraid to swallow, to breathe or to move.

"If you stab him, he will open his mouth." Tyr suggested, growing bored. He knew full well that a gasp of pain would elicit the victim to open their mouth in shock.

"Please…" Jay gasped, groaning through gritted teeth. "I'm sorry, I-I don't know what I've done b-but I'm sorry." It was raspy at best, having his tongue pressed down made his voice sound more like a snarl.

Orn narrowed his eyes for a moment. He was scrutinising, generally trying to figure him out. "Tell me, how can you apologise if you know not what you have done?" The blade flicked at the back of his mouth and the Prince wretched violently in response as partially digested blood spilt from his mouth, through those same clenched teeth.

"We only apologise if we truly mean it, surely?" The elder hissed. Leaning into Jay's ear. "Your apology is not accepted."

"Why?" Jay gasped, teeth clenched. Fighting to get control of his convulsing body as the heaves began to subside.

"Because you disgust me with your crude antics. And this," He said, pointing to his partially disguised face, Tyr and Einherji guard. "This is your comeuppance. 'Tis nothing less than you deserve. In fact, I shall be enjoying of it. Of dishing out this punishment that we all know you require."

Jay had begun whimpering with the blade still in his mouth. He hadn't asked for any of this today and now it was all turning ugly. He gave in, opening his mouth, afraid what would happen if he didn't. Terrified that if he refused, this man in front would cut him to shreds.

And when he did, he regretted that too. Whoever was standing in front of him grabbed his tongue in one swift movement and made to pull it out of his mouth. His grip was strong, and he placed the blade against the side, ready to cut it in half.

He couldn't even bite the man's fingers without biting his own tongue off. And, talking with his tongue sticking out was a task in itself too, the sounds he made weren't making any sense.

"I hear this day, that you spoke so much, it got you into trouble?"

"Agh, uh…" Jay wanted to say no, to shake his head. But the man had such a firm grasp that it would have proven a bad idea.

Gods, his tongue was aching with the pincer grip the other was exuding on it. And damn that Troll ale, it had a lot to answer for, as did the man who bought it for him.

"Nnnngh…"

Surely, Jay felt that by now, and in his own nasty predicament, he had no choice. Self-defence meant he had no choice, didn't it? Perhaps, just this once he could use his element to fight back, regardless of consequence. He'd just have to deal with the nasty side effects as they came.

"Speak boy. You feel the blade? Tis sharp, just one fast swipe and it shall all be over, or we can entertain the prolonged version. Cut it off in small segments?"

"Urgh, nnnggh…"

"Stitch your mouth together?"

He questioned himself, trying to think of anything else that didn't warrant the use of either dark element. The more he used it though, the more he felt the familiar pull into that unknown territory. It made him just as unstable as Loki, cold and apathetic.

"Argh…" He didn't shake his head, he couldn't.

"That you had drunk too much and you could not stop yourself from committing such revolting acts?"

"Na…ungh…" He tried to think what could be construed as such. Surely kissing Kali on a bench in darkness wouldn't be construed as revolting? Then prior to that, their sexual encounters, had they been seen and rumour had gotten back to Orn somehow?

Hardly revolting. Jay had a hard time believing that all the men up here were as chivalrous as Thor. Gods, even Fandral screwed the Hel out of some girls up here and he wasn't married.

Focusing on lightning and that alone. Jay pushed away the feeling of someone's vice-like grip on his tongue, pulling and wrenching out his appendage whilst cutting it like a fine slice of steak. He metaphorically bit back the feeling of dread, swallowed the blood as the blade cut slowly into one of his most prized possessions.

"She'd never kiss you now would she? No-one will."

He cried. Jay had to lose himself in darkness to get out of this.

"Such a pitiful excuse to use ale as a window for your pathetic lies. Your disgusting ways and your dire lack of respect for how we live."

Eyes were steadily rolling in his head.

"You call yourself a warrior, a weapon? What makes you think you are good enough to live here, to serve, _to reign_?" Orn watched the tears appear.

"Arghh…" Jay's eyes were rolling backwards as his element took over.

Well, whoever had threatened to do it, was really making good on their earlier promise. They were actually going to render him mute because the lower knife was digging in to his Adam's apple.

Orn watched the odd happening. "He cries for his mama's breast, the pathetic boy. He's no Einherji."

Tyr sneered right along with Orn, boredom setting in at the lack of fighting. "Come now, rough him up some. I want to see him fight back when he is outnumbered. See how much he can endure before he shouts out for his mother."

"I heard she died, along with his father, in a metal homestead?" The young Einherji questioned, holding Jay's arms firm.

"A metal pen, the type fit for hogs?" Tyr mocked. "How so typical of his ilk."

He held back the pain. The tears, they fell freely.

Orn laughed at his elder. "Aye Lord." He turned his attention back to the Prince in his grasp. "He want's to see more blood, Jay-son. Are you willing to spill it? I jest you not, it won't be mine?"

Jay was silent. He was unfairly outnumbered, not just that, he was tired, drunk and his hand to eye coordination was way off. Spinjitzu, in his current state, was a no go, he'd end up falling into the void.

"For such a loquacious mouth, your words seem to have dried up, have they not? If only to be replaced with these pitiful tears?"

The Einherji laughed mirthlessly with Orn. "No fear though, we already had a blind god, you could be the mute one when all this is over."

Feeling his element come under some relative form of control, Jay knew he couldn't hold it back any longer, not without causing himself harm. The issue being, he had barely had enough practice with this reversal in destructive lightning, therefore; he didn't and wasn't aware of the risks or the devastation possible with a small scale blast. But right now, he couldn't risk waiting any longer.

"Nnngh." Staring fiercely, despite the tears in them magnifying the Byzantine colour like fine jewels. Jay could feel the blade travel into his tongue. It was obscenely sharp. His eyes glinted dark and dangerous as he stared at his attacker, daring him to carry on with this inhumane treatment.

He could feel more of the restrainer behind him, this was good. A close proximity too, even better.

Smirking evilly, Jay stomped down hard on Orn's foot, before lashing his head backwards. He was still smiling when he heard a crack from behind and although that move had really hurt the back of his head, it had the desired effect in making his captor release his grasp somewhat.

Wrenching his right hand free, Jay ran forward, pile driving into the one who had unfairly restrained him, ramming him full force into the console. Turning his head quickly, he instantly blasted the elder at his front. Black streaks of unrestrained lightning sparked from each finger-tip, to settle upon the intended target.

Then Jay was watching with a sense of relief as the blast reflected in his attacker's eyes. He relaxed a little more as both blades clattered to the ground noisily. The attacker to his front barely had enough to time to register what was happening before the defensive manoeuvre left a hideous burn on his arm, hand and face.

Whoever it was that Jay had blasted, his skin was sweaty and the lightning seemed to creep up and sizzle every bit of moisture it found.

Shrieking, it was all Jay could hear. One look told him that whoever he had struck was in some serious agony.

There, kneeling to his front, Orn was cradling his arm. The arm that had been clasped around Jay's throat was now stuck in an open-handed grasp.

The smell was sickening; charred flesh, hissing.

"I-I don't know what y-your pr-problem is," Jay mouthed, spitting blood. "But you've got your wires crossed."

"Have we?" Tyr questioned, watching with homicidal glee. Motioning to the unseen Einherji to make his move.

 _I want you dead…_ Jay shook his head. No, he didn't want to kill. Where had that even come from?

"The Hel did you do to my mouth?" He winced, not looking behind him until it was too late.

 _They're here to kill you. Just finish them all. Show them the weapon._

"No, n-no." Jay groaned grasping his head, fighting the voice within. "Control, learn control. Got to fight….Ngghh-"

The blunt side of a broadsword hit him upside the head and he fell to the floor.

That was another low blow. To hit him when his back was turned like that. It was a cowardly and filthy way to fight, three against one. He couldn't get a shot in anywhere, not without clashing with armoured chest plates or forearm panels. Come to think of it, where were all of his armoured pieces?

Whatever had just hit him, felt like it had rammed him into a wall head first. His head was spinning faster than the Whirl and Hurl ride. But try as he might, he just couldn't free his hands this time. It was only then that he realised they were restrained and not by a person he could electrocute.

 _Kill them all_...

Another blow to his head and black dots swam into his vision. The addition of ringing ears began to block out their taunting voices until it sounded more like an echo. And it continued to plague him, the ringing and the echoes until he could physically see himself standing there, pathetically. Looking on, like a fly on the wall.

Until the next uttered words were spoken.

"What does she even like about you? Boy, you are nothing special."

Surely this must be her father. . .Orn?

"My cock mostly…She was sucking me off..."

 _Damn this_ _ale_. His internal monologue was broken because he would've never uttered that out loud _sober_. And he'd make a cardinal sin doing it here and in front of whom he assumed to be her father.

Tyr smiled in response. Watching Orn completely lose his composure.

Within a millisecond of uttering it, Jay's face exploded in a world of pain. He lost count after the third blow, couldn't feel much of his face after the fifth.

Orn had swung another roundhouse that slammed right under Jay's ear. The sound, other than being, soft and flat, like something splatting against a clean wall also made a resounding crack.

 _A broken jaw. Are going to let them get away with that? You could just show them what you're capable of. You could do it, at a cost...if you're willing to accept what'll happen?_

"N-no, I. . ." He shook the haze from his head. "I-I can't."

In an act of self-defence, Jay knocked his head back enough to make contact with whoever was holding him up.

Looking forward. Jay knew he was surrounded. The one at his back was clutching his own face. Groaning miserably with whatever injury he sustained yet again, having not learned the first time.

Squaring off with the warrior to his front. He hurled the warrior aside to prevent another unseen blow and swung his right fist upward, driving it into Orn's throat. Sure enough, Jay had been attempting to BEAT the SHIT out of the one behind him, even managing to get some good shots in until the sneaky warrior to his front, unseen; belted him around the head with a viciousness heretofore unseen.

Well, Jay thought. At least his attackers hadn't taken the sheath off, otherwise, his head would have been rolling across the floor about now.

"He fights well for such a scrawny boy, does he not?" Orn questioned, sarcastically at that.

Standing back and admiring the bloody fight. Tyr could have quite easily stood back and cheered with a foam glove for what good he was doing. He was standing there, watching with an inscrutable stone face.

Observing the fighting styles of all three, Tyr noted Orn retrieving the same blue blade, no longer than three inches. Then he watched with a crooked smile as Orn drove it home into Jay's side, snapping it off against the bottom of his rib so it would remain.

Jay gasped, screaming in response. Instincts took over and he felt for the handle, wrenching it from his clothes.

Confusion hit home as to where the rest of the blade was. This was once a bladed weapon but the blade wasn't there anymore, only shattered fragments of it. Subconsciously, and worryingly he felt for the bladed part but he didn't have enough time to look for it before a fist was flying at him. Blocking it dizzily he aimed his own, missing.

"Ooh, that will leave a mark, eh boy?" Somehow when he fought, Tyr noticed that Jay wasn't quite as talkative as he was in normal times. He was holding his own quite well.

"Well, _now_ ," Orn said, breathlessly. "This boy has got a bit of fight in him, do you not agree, My Lord?"

Grunting, Jay got back to his feet, clutching his wounded side. He kept his distance, a few good meters between the two until his back was next to the console and he tripped over it. "I-I'm not scared of you," he roared, angrily, spluttering blood everywhere as he spoke. "Whoever you are."

Hands hoisted him up. Leaning him against the console where Gungnir was resting. Jay could see that the observatory was almost at full power. All it required was the destination and the beam would appear.

Grateful for the help up, he staggered and wildly punched at the first assailant in his peripheral. It was Orn again, and as luck would have it, the shot collided.

 _Why the Hel did it feel like punching solid rock?_

He grimaced, looking down momentarily at his shattered left hand. When had it gotten so bad? Oh right, the blade.

Jay wanted the fight to end. He knew it wouldn't though. This was them teaching him a lesson.

"He's no protector, My Lord, just an imposter, a troublemaker." He offered, kicking the legs from beneath the prince until they buckled.

Jay said nothing anymore. He focused his all on standing up when all he wanted to do was sleep. Or to crawl away and die. He only made it to his knees this time.

"You are still bleeding? Good. In the old fights, there'd be so much blood, men would slip and fall on the floor. Let's see if we can't get a little more of that wretched purple from out of you. Ready?"

Orn took his shot, faking a right uppercut and as expected Jay's well-trained reflexes blocked it easily. He grunted when the fist collided with his forearm, he couldn't take much more of this, not without backup.

 _I'm going to screw her on every surface in your home. In your bed, your kitchen and on your table_.

 _On your fucking deathbed, on your smouldering pyre. You sick…_

"No, st-stop." He grunted when his arm throbbed in protest, having taken the full forceful impact. Any more of those and his arm would be broken too. Jay was losing and fast. Honestly, where were his brothers when he needed them, Loki, Gustav?

 _I'll take them both, I've had them before. Your precious daughters are nothing more than sluts._

Shaking his head, he couldn't get rid of this voice. The seething anger and rage of his dark untempered side was brutal. It was like an entity, all on its own.

 _You'll pay for this. I'll kill you while you're sleeping and then I'll rip your cold heart out and feed it to your precious girls._

 _Stop...please. Just stop..._

The signs he was losing were becoming more apparent as Jay squared off against two much stronger opponents. He was beginning to move clumsily as the sweat beaded on his face, mixing in with the gash above his eye. This was beyond exhausting. Nothing at all like a sword fight or nunchaku. It was fast, brutal, and he was vastly outnumbered by two men who were evidently much stronger than he was. And the tiredness of trying to punch, to take the hits from such a race of strong warriors was slowly catching up with him. Until he felt like he couldn't go on.

He winced, blocking a blow to his midsection. The fist collided with his forearm and he knew they'd be a bruise there after this. He'd be covered in them at this rate. Actually, he was lucky he had no other broken bones other than his jaw.

 _Ha, maybe Orn was right after all_ …He thought wryly. _The whole sleeping for three weeks in the healing rooms sounded pleasant about now._

Breathing heavily, Jay's eyes were red and bright from the alcohol and pain. He stood, one last time, fearing his legs would crumble at any given moment. His last wind, burst of energy was showing from his desire to stay alive. Jay took the initiative and faked a left open handed chop, instead, he jabbed with his right, catching Orn unaware and totally unprepared on his chin. The scarf fell away and Orn's face was finally revealed.

Jay was staggering, his injuries catching up with him. Watching with a sort of grim fascination as a steady stream of blood began to run from Orn's mouth.

Gods, it felt good to see the red stuff. Jay actually felt like he was making a dent in this man's strength. Until his own finally gave way and he collapsed into the young Einherji's arms, legs trying so hard to stand, arms trying to flail.

He hoisted him gently, unseeing that his eyes were closing. He only knew that he was struggling to get him upright again.

The Einherji had noticed Jay's arms going limp, his legs were occasionally drooping, though he guessed it could be alluded to him having drunk too much. "H-he's had enough, there is no more fight in him." He reasoned, struggling to hold the Prince's dead weight until it became apparent that the Prince had passed out.

"He never had any to begin with…" Tyr said, sneering down his nose. "He's a weakling, pathetic. He does nary belong here. Honestly, Odin is a fool to believe this one is anything but a waste of space. No matter, he can prove his worth to me with no restraints."

The young Einherji flinched at hearing Odin being referred to as that. The All-father was no fool. "But he cannot fight, Sire?"

Tyr, ignored the Einherji. Though he was sorely tempted to throttle him. "You had your fun, Orn?"

Orn nodded, shaking out his fists. Wiping the blood onto Jay's clothes.

Placing him down gently, it was clear to see he'd had enough. "He cannot sustain another beating, My Lord." The Einherji bowed his head. Fearful of how his words might come across. "He can barely stand."

"Just do it, remember who you report to."

The Young Einherji nodded, saying no more.

"You should tidy him up some. I would like to play with the boy before he is sent. You will meet me outside once this is complete?"

"Aye, Lord."

 ** _Thanks for the reviews: MoCupcakes, BoomletStudios and My lady Mayor._**


	102. Undesirable?

His good eye snapped open. Noticing instantly that the room was spinning, _literally_.

The observatory, there was nowhere else he could be. And if he was here, in the observatory, this wasn't a good thing. But why couldn't he remember getting here? He was sure he was in the Bar having just said goodbye to Kali and then he went to Cole's room yet now he was here, how?

His head was swimming. And although there was no open wound to the back of his head. He could feel two thumping big lumps where the sheathed broadsword had caught him unawares.

"You sullied her name?" Orn spat. His voice still raspy from the throat punch. "She was promised to another and you brought shame," He said, hissing into Jay's ear as his fingers found their way around his neck. "He heard about what you did, the marriage proposal is a disgrace."

 _She should marry who she wants, not who you want. . ._

Jay wheezed with increasing strangled gasps. His eyes staring daggers at Orn, daring him to take that next step, to free him from this life. He removed his hands, refusing to fight back.

"Not to be slain, My Lord." The Einherji said, holding Orn's shoulder firmly. "He is required to observe the upcoming fight." He knelt, wiping at Jay's face, removing the blood, before attempting to clean his own broken nose.

Fingers retracting. "Why to observe?" Orn queried, wiping delicately at the gash above Jay's eye. "Are his kin to die in this battle?"

The gentleness afforded to one of their own fallen men was bizarre to watch, considering between them, they'd caused it. This was their code of honour. Retribution or not, they would cleanse the fallen one, not shame him further by leaving him to be found by others.

"No, they need to win." The Einherji shuffled, removing the chest plate for Tyr. "He is to watch them fight, that is all. He doesn't need strength for that, nor battle strategy. He will be sent and he will wait for orders."

"Hmm, The High One wants him sending this night, you are certain?" Orn rubbed an ointment into Jay's eyebrow. "I hope his team are capable. I would hate for them to fail."

"Aye, capable. We saw them fighting, I think they are more than ready. Besides, Tyr says it is so, a direct order from the Palace, but…" He paused, looking at the broken Prince. "There was nothing to say of how _he_ was to be sent. Odin would never know of this."

"He ruined her reputation…" Orn muttered. "I think, he did it on purpose. To sully her so no one would want her."

"Except for him?" The Einherji motioned to Jay. "Regardless of his intentions, I am truly sorry. 'Twas vile, perhaps he did it for a reason unbeknownst to us?"

"Of course he did it for a purpose, he is from a modernized civilization. But nary does it make it moral, in this place."

The Einherji continued to cleanse Jay's wounds. Pouring some water from his pouch onto a cloth, he continued with the delicate sweeping motions to remove the remaining traces of blood. "But now, maybe he will be less likely to speak out of turn or disgrace your own kin for his sick enjoyment?" He bowed his head.

Orn clambered off of the Prince's thin frame. "Feasibly, you are right. May he have learned at least some of the customs here. After this…"

The Einherji left Orn to finish up. He took his place outside, waiting to escort Tyr back once he had finished.

Jay moaned softly as the weight shifted from his heaving chest. "K...Kali?"

"She is not here, My Lord," Orn was shamed by the mention of his daughter. But then, additionally, he felt exhilarated at having been able to dispense such a beating. Repentant too, at having accosted someone such as this, so young and helpless. It was truly a horrendous thing to do. Jay was weaker than the Einherjar, furthermore, he was drunk.

Tyr had played the card well. Pitting a family bond against a troublesome prince who was making a name for himself. And now, Orn had Royal blood all over his hands, on his blades.

"Ssorry, nngh…" Jay's shaking hand was attempting to reach him. He heard the words and realised his mistake. "I, I didn't mean t-to sh-shame her. I-I'm sorry. . ."

"No," Orn muttered softly. "This was unfair. Forgive me…" he uttered gently after hearing Jay's silent incoherent apology.

Jay's left hand retracted. He saw that his slashed hand was clean, still painful with the open air biting at it.

Wiping his face to hide the evidence of his emotional state, Orn was unable to look at his daughter's lover anymore. He had seen enough tonight and then hearing much worse had happened in Nornheim had caused him to see red. It wasn't just Jay's fault, his daughter should've been held accountable too. Not that Orn would raise a hand against his own kin.

Eventually, they had cleaned him. Doing as Tyr had requested by cleaning up the blood. His face looked immaculate, save for the gash. The swellings however still remained. Jay would have one Hel of a black eye when he woke in the morning.

The thing is, Orn would be punished for this, all three of them would if they were caught. And worst of all, Kali would never forgive him if she found out. Orn got to his feet, he cringed hearing the Prince behind him. Not daring to look back, Orn exited the great room, coming face to face to Tyr. "My Lord…" His voice quiet as he turned. "It is done, we cleansed him."

He could not stay for this. For what Tyr was about to do. He alone had done enough damage to warrant a short stay in the healing rooms. Although it was doubtful the Prince would get there.

No, his slow recovery would be in solitude, cut off from any and all until the All-Father would be told of his crimes against the palace.

Tyr wanted him to perish, he didn't want him back here. Jason reminded him too much of Loki.

"You are dismissed for this night, what is left of it anyway. Go Orn, go spend time with them. Whilst you still can."

He took that as his warning and retreated. "Yes My Lord. Is, is there anything else?"

Tyr watched him untie his steed. Fumbling as the blood smudged onto the reins. "At dusk's light, send word that the Prince has been sent."

"Aye, Lord," He complied. Orn wanted to say so much more about Jay. He wasn't as weak as first thought, he was so much more. What was worse, his daughter loved this man.

"It will be done." Orn mounted his horse. "There was one other thing," He said, turning on his saddle. He uncovered something and the shimmer of gold caught Tyr by surprise. The item revealed was a golden weapon, it was tossed towards his elder. "The prince was found with it."

He narrowed his gaze at the blade until he realised whose sword it was. "This is Gram's sword. It was Sigurd's own. I did not see him with this earlier. Did he steal it, take it from the vaults?"

"You are asking me? I was with you all day My Lord." Turning back to look at Jay. Orn could see he was attempting to lay on his uninjured side. "He was not furnished upon departing Asgard, as you and I can attest. And no, it was not from the vaults. He had it earlier, at the inn."

"It was rhetorical, regardless. Have you had any word off Sigurd since?"

"Since this morning? No." Orn, atop his impatient horse, looked at his Lord, shrugging his shoulders. "I can surmise that it may have been stolen at some point but by whom, I am uncertain."

"Orn," He said. Looking in the observatory. "Sigurd the Everglorious has not yet returned and there has been no news of him this night. Do not worry yourself, I shall get the answers before he is sent."

The horse continued to chomp at the bit. Hoofs stomping on the delicate glass bridge. Orn stiffened at Tyr's words because he knew that the God of War could sometimes be a little cruel in order to get the answers he so craved. "Do not be so quick to destroy the boy," He warned softly.

Tyr looked up at his retainer. The one who would never usually speak out of turn, only when spoken to. It was obvious he had not finished his diatribe. "I am listening?"

"The High One regards him as special. He values his life above that of your own." Orn said under his breath. He turned, kicking his horse into action and rode off slowly towards the golden palace. He would be there within a few minutes but he wouldn't be passing the message until the time was right.

"Oh, by the way, My Lord." Orn paused, narrowing his eyes down the glass covered bridge. Turning slightly on the saddle. "Gustav is coming here, ready for a fight by the looks of him." He could see him making his way down the bridge at a steady pace.

"Then it shall be his fight to lose." Tyr bragged. "Go Orn, go now both of you. Slow him down somewhat if you have to, I need to speak with the boy." The young Einherji complied nodding respectfully before following suit and climbing his steed to catch up with Orn.

Tyr entered the observatory. It was fully powered and ready to go, all it required was a swift flick of Gungnir to set the direction of intended journey.

"You reach new lows all the time don't you boy?" He said, stopping in front of the laying Prince. "Stealing from the house of Odin and humiliating me in one day. You'll come to regret that."

A firm but quick strike around the Prince's neck and Jay was hoisted off the floor. "Still, a shame, that you choose to test me like this. You should know by now that I have no weaknesses."

Jay struggled with the vice-like grip on his neck.

"You see this blade? It was found on your person and I know it does not belong with you." He threw the mythical sword to the side, _carelessly_. "Where did you steal it from?"

Jay's eyes were closed, his hands madly scrambling to pry Tyr's own from around his neck. Feet off the floor, flailing wildly. "I-I, didn't…" gasping for breath.

"Didn't steal it." He wheezed.

"Where did you take it from? Speak!"

"Zig gave, t-to me." Eyes watering with the intense pressure.

"Really? You still lie?" Tyr grinned, relishing this moment. "Hmm, how to break you? Ha, Orn said you were akin to a punching bag, soft in certain areas, hard and pliable in others." He whispered, opening the tunic and admiring the patchwork of bruises.

"C-can't bre-athe."

Tyr smiled, seeing the smallest hint of a blue glass blade sticking out from Jay's side. "Orn. He enjoyed teaching you a lesson this night. I watched the fight, saw the rage. Honestly, Jay-son, if he fought with that much strength on the field he would probably land a punch on me too."

The small knife wound trickled a steady rivulet of blood that was contrasting against his bruise stained skin. The blood had smeared, leaving his tunic to soak up the remaining clotting moisture. "A stab, hmm, you should always keep your sides covered. This type of wound would kill a mortal man." He traced his fingers over the rough edges of the glass blade embedded into Jay's side.

"It will never wear or degrade," he warned, whispering softly. "Nary rust like a metal blade. So, in a few hours, the skin will heal over. It will abrade repeatedly. Become a weak point, if you don't remove it soon."

Jay was quiet.

"Remarkable." He said, looking at the man in his grasp. "All it took was a little beating, some roughhousing to silence you."

"And now look at this." He gestured, looking around the observatory. It looked as good as new, save for the blood spatters on the floor and one of Orn's blades. "You fought well, _considering_."

Tyr had dropped the Prince. Chuckling as the young man smacked the floor. Bending, he picked the blade up and pocketed it before grasping Jay. "Regardless, you are not so mighty now, are you? Say, how's your mouth boy?" He squeezed Jay's neck tight. Keeping his ears pricked and eyes open for signs of Gustav.

Smirking when Jay lost the ability to breathe. He watched the Prince, opening his mouth gasping. Loosening his grip somewhat, he allowed Jason a chance to talk.

Jay wasn't sure if he was seeing things because of his beating or if there really was a faint green glow, at Tyr's back. Either way, the latter hadn't noticed it. Jay had, he even saw when Tyr's eyes changed from a raging stormy blue to a startling fierce green in a matter of seconds.

"Jason," Loki's voice soothed. "Not much time." His seidr momentarily subjugating Tyr's wrath. The grasp lessened allowing his younger to breathe and take a lungful in.

"You cannot reason with someone who does not listen to such but himself. But what I need you to do is fight back. Do not waste energy on weapons or fists for this. Jason, for the nines, USE YOUR DAMNED ELEMENTS before he slaughters you."

"I-I will." He rasped.

"Take this as your own. I have a feeling you may need it." There was a certain worried insistence to Loki's request. A speed to his words.

"You can't. It'll weaken y-you."

"Choices, dear boy. . .choices." Loki's hold on Tyr was faltering. " ** _Unless?_** " Tyr smiled. Eerily, it was Loki's smile.

"Unless what?" Jay rasped. There was Loki's playful side again, the side that always got both in to trouble. Jay was running out of time, and troublingly, _oxygen_. Loki, he was tiring.

"Unless you want to fight him, with additional strength?"

"Fight him, I-I can't?" Jay stared, wide-eyed at the man in his midst. Sure, Tyr looked portly, like he'd enjoyed far too much ale and many hog roasts. But there was no doubt that under all those clothes were some seriously roped muscles set amidst curly silver hair.

"You can't?" Loki said, questioning Jay's lack of enthusiasm. "I am not saying it will be easy?"

"Can I?" Jay wheezed.

"Can you?" Loki smiled, nodding slowly. "All it takes it a little seidr. You could challenge him as an equal, though it may have some, what you would consider; side effects, possibly _undesirable_?"

His eyebrow raised at that. _How undesirable?_

"What about Odin?" Jay gasped. He could already see some power transference travelling from Tyr's snarling face, down his arm. He felt it, seeping in, breathing in each green lifesaving wisp.

"We do what must be done." Loki's voice said. Disconcerting as it was, it was still Tyr who spoke it. "Yes, this will lessen my hold on the forced Odinsleep, but he will waken soon as is. Please, just accept it. The remainder will stay with, you shall heal faster."

Jay nodded slowly and he stopped fighting, allowing it to seep into his body. It took him back a year or so, back to that fateful night. Back then, he'd fought this control until his body gave out.

But now, he accepted it. It made him feel empowered. Loki's magic was soothing him, caressing the wounds and releasing his anguish of what Tyr was about to unleash on his delicate body.

 _Why, why didn't y-you come sooner?_

"This hold won't last, Tyr is too powerful for me to fully control," Loki said, choosing not to elaborate. "Therefore, I do not think it would bode well for me to come to your rescue in my current form. The reason for the delay? An error of judgment, it will not happen again."

 _I'm hurt, I-I think he stabbed me._

Loki's eyes scanned him, seeing nothing untoward. A sharp pain was all that joined them. Perhaps Loki would put it down to cruel kidney shots when Jay had his back turned. "Assistance is on the way, that is all you need know. Jason." Loki hissed painfully, his magic slipping. "I-I cannot hold this link for long, y-you need to mark him, lest I have sufficient proof to administer s-suitable punishment. . ."

He could hardly breathe, certainly not enough to reply verbally.

Tyr shook his head, the control slipping away and he squeezed tighter in response. "Weakling, I am stronger than you."

"E-every…has a weakness.." Jay gasped, shocked at Tyr's reaction. "Everyone…" He corrected.

"Not I…" he said in response to the incoherent mumblings.

Jay was wheezing, trying his hardest to squeeze whatever oxygen he had left in his lungs. His damaged left came to rest on Tyr's and he held it. His right hand moved swiftly and very suddenly, he touched Tyr's face with it.

Opening one eye to stare into the blue eyes of the one who was taunting him. The one who was holding him up by his neck, the bully of Asgard, the misguided fool who thought he was untouchable.

Jay screamed in agony when the dark element burst forth from his damaged hands. Streaks of green tainted lightning shot from his fingertips. The uncontrolled blast, at point blanc, gave a direct hit straight onto Tyr's snarling visage.

Hissing burning and singeing the moist flesh. Tyr had a huge hand shaped burn on his face, it was worse than a welt. It was blackened, burnt and angry.

The pulse of lightning remained, slow and in time with his own heart as he felt Tyr's grip loosen enough to pry his burnt fingers from around his neck.

Tyr wasn't holding him anymore. Of that he was certain. Jay was on his hands and knees, hacking, gasping for breath. The black dots were still there, Jay guessed it was to do with dangling from his neck for too long.

Standing shakily, Tyr admired his burns with a homicidal grin. Looking at his arm first and then his face through a mirrored flask. He knew that none could mark him, this was true. He was too fast for his retainers to land a hit.

But he had never been attacked at such close quarters before, not even in self-defence. And the feeling of such an injury angered him. It meant he would need to explain it. Furthermore, it would need treating with copious ointments at the apothecary. Then the healers would ask questions of the man who was never struck. The man who now had a brilliant red burn up the length of his arm and a blacked handprint on his face.

And of course, how so noble. Gustav had made it here, somehow he had gotten wind of what may have happened. Tyr hid in the observatory, back to the wall, broadsword unsheathed.

"Jay, m-my Lord?" Gus muttered nervously. Walking further into the observatory noting the odd few splatters of blood on the console and a bloodied handprint on the floor. He scoured the place, eyes finally settling on his royal charge. There he was, slightly moving, grimacing with a pain that Gus could only sympathise with. Jay was laying on the floor.

"Oh, Gods. Wh-where are those healers?" He mumbled, rushing forwards and cradling Jay in his lap. "GUARDS? WE NEED HELP HERE." He shouted loudly, pulling Jay close to him, glad that he was still breathing.

He looked him over. There was little to no blood which meant one thing. The Einherjar he'd passed coming here had potentially cleaned him up. But still, it didn't detract from the startling fact that Jay had sustained a harsh beating. His jaw was misaligned, one eye was swollen and the other, when it flitted open, was surrounded by broken blood vessels. Then was his mouth, a definite split lip and signs of trauma within. Gustav dared not open Jay's mouth for fear of what he might see. Tyr had been known to cut the tongues from enemies before.

"Stay with me, come on. Open your eyes again." Gus stared down the bridge. Nothing, had Dagr made it to the King? What was the reason for this delay? Where was everyone?

He didn't even see the blade. Not until it was rammed through his back in a fierce downwards thrust, piercing Jay's right side chest at the same time.

"You should never take your eyes off the battle, I taught you this."

Such close proximity had Gus cringing with the pain, even more so when he saw the same look etched onto Jay's face. The blade wasn't in too deep, but it had gone all the way through his own body.

He was a little more prepared than his attacker though. Gus was wearing chainmail hide gloves, allowing him to grasp at the blade with one hand. The other getting a purchase on the observatory floor as the blade pushed into his body further.

"I'm s-sorry, My Lord." He said gasping, looking pitifully at Jay and their current predicament. "I was trying to h-help, now look at us."

"Gustav, you should know not to cause factions within the E guard legion. You report to me, yes?" Tyr admonished the former Einherji.

"He reports, to-to Odin." Jay cringed, moaning softly. He attempted to push Gus' weight upwards, to alleviate the pressure and assist Gus in getting up and off of him.

"Useless cretin. They are Odin's soldiers and he saw fit to seek out the best. But, every single one of them, I command, even you boy."

"You don't command me…" Jay argued, weakly. "Only O-Odin."

Gus remained silent, looking at Tyr as he walked on by without a care in the world. All the while, Jay was convulsing underneath him. The hints of his shield appearing and disappearing with each rigid movement, had Gus panicking. His relief short lived when Jay vomited blood onto his own face, unable to turn his head away.

"Look at me, Jay. Open your eyes," He whispered, pleading. Looking down at the blade that kept both stuck together, penetrated by the same long sword.

Jay's badly injured hand, came to rest on the small piece of metal. Eyes rolling backwards, breath hitching as he struggled and failed to push Gus's weight off. He had been doing his all to keep from using either element. The pain though. Gods it was taking more and more self-restraint because he had been struggling to keep it back. "I can't hold it in." Jay slurred, passing out, hand falling from the blade.

The Palace Einherji thought it was better this way. It gave Jay a moment of respite, yet, if only his body could do the same without passing out. He had no respite though. Gus screamed hideously as the sword was thrust right through his back. The metal tip clanged on the floor, piercing both. "Bastard!" He spat, staring furiuosly at Tyr.

Warm and wet droplets woke him, and he used his fingers to swat them from his vision. His eye snapped open when he felt the same warmth trickle onto his face. Gus was choking, hacking and coughing on Jay because he couldn't move elsewhere.

"I am not sure that some of my own men could lay there and watch a man choke on his own blood? Unlike You, My Lord." He sneered, laughing sardonically at Jay's expense.

Gus' madness was superhuman at the needless taunting. With strength beyond all reason, he slowly crawled upwards and up the broadsword's shaft. Forcing it away out of Jay in an effort to get at the attacker. Clutching it, screeching and hissing as he felt every inch of the blade heated with his body.

"I swear if you face me in battle, it shall be the last thing you do," Tyr warned. A smaller blade held to Gus's throat as he hacked blood from his damaged lungs onto Jay's pain soaked face. "Take this as a final warning."

He stilled in his movements, feeling the blade at the side of his neck.

"G-Gus," His eye opened, struggling to focus. "I can't hold it in."

"Jay!" Gus stared, anxious and terrified. Spitting blood onto the floor, to avoid spilling more.

One hand held firm around the obscenely sharp blade protruding from his chest as he heaved himself, back arched up and off Jay's prone body with his free hand. "You will n-not get away with th-this." Gus hissed, staring defiantly at their joint attacker.

"Wake up Jay, come on, stay with me." Concern dotted his expression as he took in Jay's sickly pallor.

"I already have, my boy. I already have." He said, jabbing the blade in, it sank in like butter.

The arterial spray doused Jay in a matter of seconds. Face, mouth and teeth a hideous shade of crimson. He gasped, horrified. " _ **NO**_!" Screaming ensued, he was utterly appaled beyond reason. Helpless to do anything when Gus started keeling over. " _ **G-GUS, n-no. . .**_ "

Closing his mouth rapidly, lips pursed. Gustav's blood was spilling down his front, fast flowing onto Jay's horrified face.

Using any remaining strength to weakly grasp at Gus's chest plate, Jay attempted to move his injured friend to the side. At least while he could. The last thing he needed was a dead Einherji lying atop him, pinning him down further. "How c-could you?"

"How...?" He repeated, watching the blood spurt with every weakening beat of Gus' heart. "How, could...?" Devastated didn't come close to how he was feeling. He couldn't comprehend this barbarity. "Gus? Pl-please?"

"How?" He couldn't stop staring at his hands. Trying to hold the wound together for his best friend, despite Gus's blood spilling onto his face.

"And in these dying moments before you wake in Valhalla," Tyr whispered, watching the blood gathering around Gus's knees and all over Jay. "Think where your loyalties should lie."

Tyr stared pointedly at Jay. The Prince who was rambling incoherent nothings. The one who was trembling at the sheer amount of blood on his hands and clothing because he'd never seen someone have their throat cut at such close quarters. The blubbering wreck and weakling. " _He_ is not worth all you have offered him. He does not belong here."

Gus sputtered, the words wouldn't come. His throat was pouring everything out until his strength gave way, leaving him to collapse on the floor, reaching out a hand to Jay. His free hand rapidly shot to the side of his neck to conserve what little he had left.

Foot on Gus's back, Tyr wrenched the broadsword out as the Palace guard's breathing slowed to near non existent. "You say a word about this and I'll gut Aemilia while she sleeps. She, for one, will not waken in Valhalla."

 _ **"HOW COULD YOU?"**_ Jay screamed. Eyes burning with untempered rage. He wasn't aware but his hands were heating up.

Walking up to the man who had caused such unease since Gladsheim, Tyr could not so much as use his arm as it stung with each slight movement. The other had been bitten off by Fenris and upon it, he wore a gauntlet. "Your entire sentry will suffer for this, Gustav. You have both made yourself outcast. My men follow me, remember, not you."

"You're wrong." Jay rasped. "They follow," His bloodied face looking up at Tyr's. His appearance changing to the rumoured fallen one. "THEY BELONG TO ME, TYR. THEY FOLLOW MY COMMAND, N-NOT YOUR'S."

"Loki?" Tyr stared bewildered for a moment. His eyes narrowed as he took on Jay's changing visage. "Witchcraft!" He scowled, viciously pulling him to his feet, almost tearing the collar. Jay heard the slight rasp of material ripping and then a ringing noise reverberated in his head soon thereafter.

After that, he couldn't hear or see a thing. His entire body felt weightless, he could barely remember his own name or where he was.

A metal fisted swipe had silenced Jay instantly. Yet he could feel himself fighting back, delivering blows that felt Herculean in relation to his usual ones. He felt the inflicted damage too. It was relentless. Jay didn't block any blows, he couldn't see them coming. But whatever had control of his body, the blows seemed to rebound.

Blood sprayed across the console, from both fighters.

And while the brutal attack was going on, Gus lay there, clutching at his own wounds. Mouthing incoherent expletives, cursing and plotting revenge.

He couldn't shout, alert anyone, his hands were attempting to close the gash to preserve whatever blood he had left. He didn't want to watch it but he felt compelled if only to see Tyr suffer for this brutality.

Tyr was using his gauntlet to deliver a harsh and cruel pounding. He never used that to fight with, only to block sword strikes.

And so he watched. His own clothes wet with blood. Eyes closing, breaths diminishing as Tyr beat seven bells out of Jay and Jay retaliated with just as much. Where had this newfound strength come from?

Damn, he couldn't bear to look at Jay's face anymore. . .Jay's face was unrecognisable for one. Hair colour was black and longer, eyes appeared dangerous poisoned green. Gods, it was horrendous to look at. Gus wanted revenge for this, it was all he wanted now. Jay didn't deserve Tyr's wrath.

Ever.

Strength waning.

"This is a little taste of what lies ahead if you continue down this path. You betray Asgard, stealing from the throne."

Dropping the Prince, Jay landed on his hands and knees.

Tyr approached the console, set the destination and twisted the Gungnir staff. Walking back to the near lifeless Prince. Gus watched as Tyr swung his foot, kicking hard as if kicking a giants skull in.

He knew that the force exuded was strong enough to break a few bones because he heard a few splintering when Jay had been propelled with the force. He wretched violently. He didn't resemble the man Gus had come to know. His face was a mess.

In fact, come to think of it. This Prince looked nothing like Jay. He resembled a bloodied and beaten. . .LOKI?

Two swipes with the damned gauntlet and it was horrific to look at. The sinuous skin was hanging off this strange visage, revealing a cracked exposed cheekbone. Gus hoped to the Gods and creators that Jay would survive this and that Tyr would suffer for the cruelty afforded.

He wanted revenge and he knew, in his heart, Jay would too. Using his blade to stand, Gus stared at the quickly disappearing Prince and readied his blade as Tyr watched Jay depart Asgard.

If Tyr was going to resort to dirty tactics, then so would he.

Sneaking up behind the gloating God of War, Gus took his opportunity whilst Tyr was distracted, and he viciously rammed his short bladed scimitar through Tyr's back.

Hand on his bleeding neck, Gus staggered backwards, bloodied blade in hand. It was revenge, he wanted to deliver so much more.

Collapsing to his knees, Gustav waited for the inevitable beheading. Instead, Tyr wheezed, he didn't turn around to show his battered face. He fled the scene, grunting, walking back in a crouched stoop to his horse.

In his pained state, flying backwards and waiting for the inevitable thud. Jay knew his attack strategy hadn't worked as well as he would have liked. Though it appeared that Gus looked to be dying, he wasn't laying there, giving in. He'd fought, having got Tyr back, literally, in the back.

He couldn't smile even if he wanted to, his face was numb, actually, it felt like it was on fire. Some of it felt like it was dangling freely. And the breeze whipping at him, did nothing to quell the pain, the ache of his injuries or the way he felt.

There was more than one positive to all this though. Jay had all his teeth, his tongue although cut, was still attached.

And the cookie on top of this shitpile: Tyr would have a great set of marks on his face, plus a decorative tattoo that would near enough match Orn's. Maybe Tyr could pass his burn off as the world serpent, showing love and adoration for another one of Loki's spawn. After all, the bastard had pretty much fed his hand to Loki's son.

How so typical though. The despair inducement evidently worked on those who had a heart. And Tyr, the God of war didn't. All that war and bloodshed had made him cold and the power of Jay's element had pushed him that bit further to act on rage.

* * *

He opened his eye briefly, unsure as to the reason for the viewing difficulties and the awful banging headache. The wind from somewhere was making everything ten times worse, it irritated him and he grimaced.

He wasn't supposed to socialise, he knew that Loki was expecting him in his quarters. But he'd gone against that and spent the remainder of the night with his brothers. And now, with very little sleep and heavy limbs. He imagined that this was a dream and he was sleeping, floating again.

Yeah, he liked that idea.

Surrounded by impossible bright lights, feeling as his aching body was being pulled. Actually, it was akin to the feeling of falling. Like a dream without the startled wake-up.

At least he felt warm although not particularly comfortable. He found that he had been wrapped haphazardly in his cloak. This alluding to the fact he couldn't move his arms as much as he would have liked.

And his face felt sore, a feeling like he'd allowed a few dozen wasps into his mouth.

Oddly, it was the cold dry wind that had woken him, mere moments after entering the arid atmosphere. It snapped him out of his haze only to realise he was falling, for real. Closing his eyes, Jay waited for the inevitable.

This was going to fucking hurt. He hoped he had strength for this, to perhaps use the last of his shield to prevent every single bone being broken upon impact.

And so, a fast hurtling ball of plasma could be seen breaking cloud cover. The incredibly unstable electrified plasma came from the sky, a diagonal angle. Hitting the sandy floor with a loud thud, reminiscent of aftershock. The ball, as expected had skidded to a halt, dissipating immediately, revealing a creature within. A man of unknown age who was covered in way too much blood. His age unidentifiable because his face couldn't be seen with the red and purple wetness sticking to it. He was curled softly in the fetal position. A few obvious broken bones. Deeply unconscious.

His body switched off to everything and, for a few hours he looked dead as the dust settled on him and the surrounding atmosphere did it's best to cover him in a fine smattering of white sand.

 ** _Wake up!_** ** _Come, open those eyes…_**

 ** _JASON, wake up!_**


	103. Out of this world

Lloyd had woken, in an awkward position with a warm heavy set arm gripping his inner thigh. He groaned, trying to move and the grip tightened. "C-Cole?"

"Mmm, coconut…" Cole's gravelly voice stirred, pulling Lloyd into his rock-solid chest.

Feeling something rather awkward jabbing into his lower back, Lloyd blushed, cringing at the proximity. "Screw this…" he whispered under his breath, taking a quick glance down.

A sigh of relief ensued, they were still partially dressed. That could have been embarrassing. Well, this wasn't any better, if anything it was marginally worse. Lloyd would never get used to the idea of being spooned by Cole nor the feeling of morning wood digging into his back.

He attempted to pry Cole's fingers off while thanking the gods that his hand wasn't straying higher. "Haa, th-this is a good bonding session C-Cole. I love how protective you are, but spooning isn't my th-thing."

Cole groaned at being jostled.

"Y-you need to lay off haa, the protein sh-shakes."

"Mmm, you smell nice," he chuckled. "Give me some sugar?"

"Sugar?" Lloyd repeated, growing increasingly flustered. "Get off me, boulder brain," he said, finally wriggling free of the grasp and then falling off the bed. "Oww, sheesh. There should be a rug here, y'know, to soften the fall?"

"Only you'd fall on the floor, green bean."

"Urgh, how much did we drink?"

"Too much!" Cole mumbled into the mattress, pulling the rounded bolster over his head. "This place is weird, the chicks are hot, the booze is way too strong and the food tastes too damned good."

"I thought you were sleeping?"

"I was," Cole muttered. "You disturbed me."

 _"_ You were, uh, hugging me," Lloyd reasoned, rubbing the back of his head.

"You made more noise when you fell off the bed," Cole grumbled, changing position. "Uhm, any idea of the time?"

"Nope, sorry. We need a watch that works." Lloyd groaned.

"Like the one Kai's got?" Cole suggested. "An hour hand is all that's displayed. It ticks by like minutes would. Kinda cool really, I reckon the jeweller removed the minute and seconds."

All were disturbed by a gentle knock on the door.

The hooded person entered, walking through with a wheeled trolley, leaving some sweet and savoury breakfast items for the main occupant, reviving tonics because she knew Cole had drank himself into a stupor last night. "Being as I was in the vicinity, I bought breakfast for the warrior," She bowed, lowering her hood. "Oh, sorry. I can have the attendants fetch you more, I was only expecting the one."

Lloyd recognised her, although it had been a few hours since he saw her last. Still as blonde as ever, with what looked like a few hickie's on her neck, that she was doing a terrible job of covering up. The hickies, Lloyd figured that Jay was more than likely the culprit.

"It's fine, really." He mumbled, "It wasn't planned."

"These things never are." She soothed, handing him a warm drink.

Lloyd knew it was one of the girls from last night. He couldn't remember her name though and he certainly didn't want to insult her.

"It is no trouble to fetch you more."

"Thank you." He said quietly as he stood with some difficulty, "Don't suppose you've got something for a little overconsumption?" He wrinkled his nose to hide his discomfort at having to ask.

Her watery eyes looked up into Lloyds and she smiled. "I have suitable tonics to reverse the effects, I can have some decanted and brought here."

"Please if you could, I'd be forever grateful." He whispered. "Uh?"

"Kali- I'm a healer.". She muttered, largely disinterested. "I shall be back with the reviving tonic and more food."

"Make it two lots, think he's going to have a sore head too, bit like a bear with a head full of angry bees." He grinned, simultaneously wincing at the loud sound of a nearby door slamming shut.

"Sorry about all this Kali, we're not normally this bad." He felt sheepish as he sat back on Cole's large bed. Cringing when Cole belched loudly without realising he had female company.

"Do not worry. If I am honest with myself, I find it to be quite refreshing to see impressive otherworldly species."

"Impressive, now I'm intrigued." An imperceptible grin graced his face.

"You're just so different than the Einherji warriors, so much younger." She offered.

"And _alive_ …" Cole said, largely muffled.

Lloyd didn't know what to say to either statement. He shrugged, smirking at her.

He really wanted to know why she looked like she was about to cry. Had something else happened last night to warrant this emotional state? She looked fit to burst into a full-on sobbing fit. And to further his concern for Jay's ex-girlfriend, he heard a gentle sniffle, he didn't miss the discreet tear that fell either.

Lloyd had been about to ask her, had he plucked enough courage to do so, but, he felt too much of a stranger to push her for an answer. Then, he found he'd left it too late. No sooner had he looked back at her, she had walked from the room. Maybe he could ask her later, she was coming back after all.

"She's hot, Lloyd…" Cole grumbled from underneath his bolster. He threw a smirk at his blonde flustered brother who seemed at a loss for words at his unabashed honesty.

"And she's on the rebound." He replied. "Plus, I don't think Jay would appreciate that, nor Seliel." Cole was right though; Kali was hot, slender and tall, all the right places had gentle curves, no wonder Jay had been all over her.

But why had they broken up? Jay hadn't really divulged.

"What the fuck, Lloyd!" Cole had hissed as he raised himself to sitting on the bed. He walloped his brother around the head completely oblivious to the fact that Zane was still sleeping next to him.

"Can't you remember the last time we were here, what happens here stay's here? Surely you can remember popping it in the inn with those girls?"

"Aww come on, that was a long time ago," Lloyd whined, not that he regretted that experience. "Besides, I'd like to think that I'm in a long-term relationship, ya know; me and Cami?" He wasn't going to rise to the bait.

"Ha, you haven't even popped the question. Sheesh, it took you three months to ask her out on a date."

"Your point being?"

"Live a little. Y'know, while you're here. We might not get the chance again. Might not survive?"

Lloyd shrugged. Disbelieving it would be that dangerous of a mission. "I love Cami, she loves me, that's all there is to it and that's all that matters." He sat looking at his feet then up at his hands. "I reckon she's the one."

"Really?" Cole replied, sitting up, leaning on the one elbow. "You serious?"

"Nevermore," He replied. "Too much to lose to throw it all away, in the name of getting another notch on your bed post." He grabbed a freshly cooked pastry and bit into it cautiously. "I love her, and when we get back home; I'm going to ask her to marry me."

Lloyd was determined. Cole had to hand it to him, there wasn't a notion of if we get home, he was certain that they would be getting home.

"Tch whatever! Hel if you don't wanna tap it then let the professional do it."

"Uh, you realise she's Jay's ex-girlfriend. You really have no morals do you?"

"Hey?" Cole mumbled, shifting to the edge of the bed. "They broke up, remember."

"Yeah, I guess, but Jay still has feelings for her."

"They broke up," Cole shrugged. "If he still had feelings surely he wouldn't have?"

"I'm not sure about that." Lloyd was almost disgusted with the playboy that was Cole. "Selie's too good for you."

"Hey, lay off." He replied feeling mock hurt with the merciless ribbing. "We have an honest open relationship. As long as it isn't love then we're all good."

"So if you see that person more than once is it classed as an affair?" He poured himself a drink and looked at Cole waiting for his answer.

"Nah as long as it's short term then it's okay. Like I said honest and open."

"Hardly honest is it? What happens here stay here?" He said raising his eyebrow questioningly.

Lloyd smirked at his outlandish statement, he didn't feel jealous in the slightest. He had a good healthy sex life with Chamille to even think about getting his rocks off in this magical realm. "I bet you $100 you can't even get to second base with her."

Cole raised an eyebrow, he grinned and ran a hand through his messy bed hair. "Oh you're so on." He never could shy away from a good wager, especially one he was sure to win on.

Lloyd shook on it, "Proof or it didn't happen."

The boyish enthusiasm returned, "Is there a time scale?"

"Stupid question bro, you've got a day, until we're due to leave."

"I'll bet you another $100 I can do it tonight." He replied with a smug grin.

They shook again, only separating hands when Zane groaned and raised himself. Cole and Lloyd both looked at Zane in confusion.

"You sleep well?" Cole asked.

"Yes, actually." Zane frowned. "Better than usual."

Cole did the first thing that came to mind and laughed. He regretted it soon after, grasping his head and remembering that he was still hungover. "Didn't realise Nindroids could get hangovers, guess we learn something new every day."

"I am not hungover, Cole," Zane replied, defiantly. "I did not drink any alcohol."

He was certain of that. All he had drunk was water and Jay had brought him the last one that he had consumed. The last water was oddly refreshing with a hint of apple and something else. And it left him feeling stronger like his element was at its full potential.

"I'd say it's a small mercy that we don't have to be down in the arena for a few hours yet," Lloyd added looking at Zane reassuringly. "Zane, I'm sure it's nothing, just an after effect of what we consumed and the after-effects of being here."

"I only consumed water." He repeated. Confused by the statement.

"Can anyone remember what happened last night?" Lloyd mumbled mid-bite. "Reckon we drained the bar."

Cole groaned, edging off the bed. His feet hitting cold marble floor woke him quickly.

"I believe we had fun last night but I am at a loss as to what we actually did."

"We spoke to Kai, mostly," Cole said, grabbing a small apple strudel. "The rest was too messy to remember. Haa, you reckon Jay's alright?"

Another door slammed outside the corridor. The sounds of marching could be heard and then little else but silence.

Lloyd had promptly got up from the edge of the bed and had quickly shed his tunic in place of a clean one. It was pleasant, in a way to have freshly laundered clothes every day.

Zane wasn't bothered in the slightest but Cole threw a bolster. Lloyd's keen senses caught it before it could upend the tray table that was laden with far more than was healthy for one person.

"Not jealous are ya Cole?" Lloyd chuckled and avoided another scatter as it came hurtling toward him. He grabbed the scatter and threw it back. "I'm having a shower. God only knows how long we'll be training for today."

Scandalously, Cole glared at him. Just like yesterday; both were ignoring Zane as he struggled to place why he was feeling off.

* * *

"They did what?" Loki feigned ignorance as each aide approached him, walked with him briefly and deferentially. Then, they fell back again as if each were a part of a royal wake that he left behind him. Loki, never so much as paused as he went about his journey. He turned swiftly, lowering himself onto the throne before motioning the young warrior to continue.

He could see, before him, the Prince's previous royal aide. The young redhead looked shaken up, his sister was attempting to console. And then there was Gustav. He was sitting down with his head held in his hands. Bandaging around his neck, the hint of dressings underneath his greyed tunic. Gus was off duty, a reprieve from the healing rooms to convene here, and tell all he knew to the King, the All-Father.

Loki knew he was missing some grand explanation, some huge event that he should have been privy to, considering his current position. And it was, with baited breath that he waited for the excuses, not to mention; the traitorous individuals who were about to lie to his face.

"Continue…" Loki motioned with his hand, "Repeat it, word for word."

"He was sent there yesterday morning, to wait your orders, High One."

Loki held his head in his hand. "To wait for _my_ orders?" His poisonous green eyes narrowed. "On whose request? I did not ask him be sent."

The Einherji stiffened. "I am unsure, High One. I received word of this moments ago."

 _Liar..._

"Then, we have a traitor in our midst, surely?"

A titter was heard, coming from further down the long room. "The house of Odin is full of traitors," Tyr spoke from the arched doorway. His pained grin, smug and full of deceit.

 _You should know, Tyr..._

"Is he safe, hidden?" Loki inquired, ignoring Tyr's unwelcome retort. He knew full well that Jay might be captured, having been cast out onto Svartalfheim's harsh landscape.

"Of course, he has adapted to his surroundings."

"He adapted?" Loki intoned, "Has he become one with the ground, the rock formations. Has he been swayed to join forces with the Dark Elves?"

"I apologise, All-Father, he remains hidden." The Einherji was sweaty. Loki could see it beading down his neck.

Jay had been left for dead. Tyr had made it so.

"You understand that it was not my intent to send him so soon after his malaise?"

The warrior squirmed. "He was rude to Tyr. The God sought to teach him a lesson he would not forget."

Loki bristled. His jaw clenched. "Was Heimdall notified? Where was he anyway?"

"Temporarily relieved of his duties, High One."

 _On Tyr's command..you mean?_ _"_ Taking advantage of Bifrost is a crime, is it not?"

"Aye, High one."

Loki's disguise didn't waver, his expression gave away no real feelings of just how angry he was. "Where is the Gatekeeper now?"

"High One," The Einherji bowed apologetically. "He remains at his post. He has been notified of the events. He seeks to follow him, and mentions that the Prince remains safe."

"I had expressly requested that the Prince be brought back here, did I not?" His eyes settled on Gustav.

"I apologise High One, that message was not relayed."

A deep sigh and an ever-tightening grasp on Gungnir ensued. " _Evidently_ …Perhaps I need to discuss this privately with the reneged sentry involved."

Gus stiffened, Odin's eyes remained on him, disappointedly. "Gustav, reasons?"

He attempted to speak, his voice was gravelly, hoarse.

"There was a rumour High One….." The bowing Einherji interrupted. His eyes never leaving the floor.

"Speak it…"

"It was said that the Prince was injured upon arriving, due to the speed he was sent."

"He was thrown?"

He knew full well, Jay had given his body over. Full and complete control, combined elements so that Loki could feel it for himself and then could unleash the chaos element on Tyr.

It felt good to throw some retaliatory punches too. But, like all good things. He had to forgo carrying on with the fight. The injuries were becoming severe, any more and Jay would have needed a royal burial. The rest he didn't see, Jay was too limp after the quick fight. Loki could no longer control the unwilling, deeply unconscious.

"He was rendered incapable of movement because Tyr cast him away."

"Liar!" Gus spat. He stood shakily, holding his chest. "He was kicked, not thrown."

"Was he sent with sustenance, water?" Loki asked, expecting for the retainer to answer with a simple yes. No fool would send a warrior with nothing. That would be beyond cruel.

"No, High One, he was sent with the weapons on his back. As a punishment for speaking out of turn."

"A punishment for speaking out of turn? Who dares to punish the young one without seeking information from me first?"

"It was both Orn and Tyr, High One."

He was furious, his thunderous repose matched that of Hela's. He stood, towering over the flinching Einherji. "No one should have laid a finger on him, **no** **one!** "

Loki clenched the staff. His white knuckles could barely be seen against his alabaster skin. "Come forward NOW. All three of you need to answer for this crime."

The Einherji nodded, stalling as Tyr and Orn walked further inside. The guilt was written all over their somewhat injured faces.

Loki noted the pause, the questioning look remained. "What are you not telling me? SPEAK."

He looked apprehensive but Orn stood forward in place of the warrior and knelt down in front of the King. "The prince was found with this-" Orn declared proudly.

Kiällar, Loki's senior Einherji brought forth the Gram sword. He said not a word when Loki motioned the blade to be brought closer.

"High One?" The Young Einherji mumbled. "There was rumour that Jay-son had stolen it from the vaults. He was dealt with accordingly."

Loki's eyes widened at the sight of the sword held before him. Finally, it was back in his grasp. "Gram's sword?" He hid the gratuitous smug grin, because he'd be revelling in that contemptuous glee much later. "You think he stole it?"

"As I sad, High One, rumoured."

"Just a rumour? You based this senseless violence on a whim, a _rumour? Absurdity._ "

"Apologies, High One." He muttered, head low.

"What if I told you that the previous owner of this sword stole it from here! But was Sigurd punished?"

"No, High One…but to steal from the vaults carries a severe…"

" ** _SILENCE_** , I KNOW WHAT IT CARRIES..." Loki sneered. Standing from his throne, he made his slow purposeful swagger down the steps "You had no right to deal any punishment, Orn. You, of all, know how ruthless and wrathful I can be when unnecessary treatments are given."

Orn recoiled fearfully, his head had lowered. He wanted to avoid looking into Odin's startling blue eye. "He was rude to Tyr, rude to the Æsir, High One."

"I don't give a damn. Tyr should not be afforded Mollycoddling from his retainers because he cannot take a little beasting from a young thing so harmless as the Prince."

"He was being offensive and crude." Came the rebuttal.

Loki could tell the senior Einherji was lying. His own sword revealed the truth, "So, by that definition, you are saying that everyone here who has ever been rude to a God should be afforded with extremes of brutality without fair trial?"

"Aye, High One."

Loki was scowling. "Is he seen as that unruly, you feel a need to harm him for stepping out of line, without convening with me first?"

"GUSTAV, the meaning of this? You were to protect him were you not?" Loki questioned. "Where were you?" He chastised the wounded palace guard. "You reneged on your duty to protect him?"

"Nein, High One, never." The Blonde Einherji shook his head vehemently.

"Where were you in his time of need? As he took the unfair beating for sullying a girl we both know is not at all virtuous?"

Orn flinched at the insult.

Dolefully, Gus stood forward. "I-I had briefly remained with the chosen warriors, the prince had only stepped out for a moment and I had spent time after, searching for him."

"One can only guess that you **_now_** know of his whereabouts? Where and how he was sent?" Loki hissed, holding the remainder of Jay's ceremonial clothes. "You were charged with his protection, at all costs Gustav. Your reason for this _extraordinary_ failure would be?"

Gus was about to speak until Orn approached, placing his hand on his shoulder, squeezing tightly, "I will take the fallout for this, go. Take the day off, spend it with her."

Instinctively, Gus pulled away. Orn was as much to blame, Dagr had told him so.

"I should demote you for this. Fair though it was, you did, _eventually_ , come to his aid, and you suffered for it too. In fact, I rather think your entire sentry suffered?"

"Aye, High One," Kiällar replied. "The entire sentry were executed during early hours."

"Recovered of their wounds? Any clues as to the perpetrator?"

Kiällar shook his head. "They are recovered."

"It was nothing High One, a little test of strength." Tyr smiled. "The Prince spoke with his mouth and I with my fists, you can only imagine which one won out." He said with a hint of a gloating smirk.

The sword wasn't glowing.

" ** _Tell him what happened, Tyr. You owe it to him_**." Dagr shrieked from the edge of the room as he restrained a tearful Kali. "Y-you beat him senseless!" He was waving the damaged crown in his hand. The Palace guard took it from him, passing it to Loki casting a worried glance.

 _Damn_... Loki bit his lip. This could make Jay a little more, unstable.

Orn shook his head and stood in to take the blame. "I did it High One. I was too brutal. He was given a through roughhousing before being tossed into Bifrost. If anyone should be punished it should be me."

"The little runt deserved it…" Tyr scoffed and Gus struggled in his restraints whilst hurling Germanic insults at both elder guards.

"You fucking liar, you taunted him at the inn. You waited for me to leave before winding him up so tight. Setting him up to snap at you and when he did you thought you'd settle the score once and for all when my back was turned."

" ** _SILENCE Gus!_** " Tyr stared pointedly at the younger warrior, wanting to throttle him. "I'll deal with you later."

" ** _No_** **_Tyr, you will not touch him_**. Let him speak freely." Loki growled, pointing Gungnir threateningly at the God of War, who narrowed his gaze at the disguised Odin. "SPEAK Gus, tell me….you shall be afforded no ill will."

Gus turned back to face Tyr, expression was nothing but rage. "You beat seven bells out of him-" His jaw clenched tight, standing his ground. "-I saw what you did, Audunn too. Jason couldn't even fight back because you waited until he was worn out."

Gus almost collapsed in on himself with the held breath. "I tried to find, him. Retraced our steps but no-one knew where he was except you two." He glared at Orn and Tyr. "Dagr told me he saw you both. It was only then that I knew he was in danger."

Loki sat back smirking.

"SPEAK DAGR, for the Gods sake." Gus pleaded, pulling against the healers to no avail. "Tell him, _please_!"

"Orn's retainer removed Jay's…Uhm the Prince's clothes. He cast them into the sea. They assaulted him, outnumbering him, no weapons nor armour. He was ruthless, cruel." Dagr was shaking as he spoke and Kali had fled the room in tears. "It-it was brutality, nothing more."

"Then, you cut his throat,". Dagr motioned to Gus. "Stabbing, so he could not defend as you continued the attack on the Prince."

"Nothing less than he deserved, the little runt." Tyr snarled at the Royal aide.

"So, you gave him a thrashing for no plausible reason except to show how much of a bully you truly are?" Loki queried. Why was he not surprised by this? Tyr was always a do-gooder. Always one to win out Odin's battle hardy side. But this, this was wrong.

Loki was taking it all in. These two grown men had the audacity to lie. The proof was all over them. Orn seemed to fair better, He had been burned, the length of his arm, he held it, gingerly. Wincing each time he moved. The young Einherji, a broken nose.

And Tyr, his face bruised and swollen, as was Jay's. And the piece de resistance? Burns, they were proof enough. He had a hand shaped mark, like no other, covering one side of his face.

"You planned the whole day? Everything was your doing was it not?"

"No, Allfather. I took no part in what happened at Nornkeep."

 _Like Hel you didn't….LIAR._

"You must be remarkably foolish to lie after you brought me this blade," Loki warned. Watching and waiting for the literal penny to drop.

Tyr didn't catch on. "I am not lying. Allfather, High One."

He looked at the sword, it was glowing. Loki didn't need it to know that someone was lying, he already knew the signs.

" **Spare** **me**. I cannot believe that you, Tyr, would lie to your own father!" Loki's tone was harsh and cruel, belittling at the same time. Tyr looked mildly offended and there was a hint of remorse.

"Perhaps a public punishment of a God should be afforded you. Considering your newfound arcane stance on the punishment of a royal who did no wrong?"

"He stole the sword," Tyr countered, sneering. "That was punishment alone."

Loki was close to shouting in response, "He is no thief, Tyr." His snarl was barely restrained as he spoke. "So now, as you examine the facts of this, you should come to know that it was not any fault of his? You will apologise to him upon his return, one can only hope. After all Tyr, it does not bode well for a God to brazenly destroy the rules so recklessly as you have done this last night."

"You would choose to bestow such degradation on me in front of my men? Is this a conspiracy against me, against Asgard?"

Loki was smirking. Only Tyr would make this about him at the cost of not being punished in front of his Einherjar. Loki didn't care for other's humiliation, especially if these people had brought it upon themselves by their own foolish stupidity and arrogance.

He let out a little laugh, entirely devoid of humour. "Not everything is a conspiracy, Tyr. Some are simply statements of beautiful accusing truths, none more so than the **_truth_** uttered by your own men, and mine."

He pointed to Gus. The warrior whom was wrapped and bound in elixir coated dressings. His neck held an unsightly scar that ran horizontal, showing how close he had been to completely forgetting of what had transpired.

Loki clenched Gungnir firmly, still indecisive about the punishment to give. "And, some statements and truths have consequences. None more so than this."

"Are you toying with me as a plaything Father?" Tyr spoke. His voice a little uncertain. He wasn't sure what Odin was thinking but the darker tone and emotional strain in the room was enough to let him know that someone was going to be punished. And his frown deepened. "You cannot choose this, for what I did. It was only done for you."

Loki, in his disguise as the old fool, laughed darkly. "Surely not having to choose is a benefit of royalty?" He sounded so scathing, yet he was irritatingly calm as he spoke. The same stern visage on his heavily disguised aged face.

Loki sneered at all three men, Orn was willing to take the blame even though he had partially lied. The real culprit here was Tyr and he couldn't do a damn thing about it without revealing _himself_ as the imposter he was.

His eyes were scrutinising Dagr and his sister. Wondering why she was so emotional. Was she really in love with Jason? "GUARDS, escort Orn, AND Tyr to the dungeons…NOW. I believe a few days coalescing with the real enemy should sort out these skewed loyalties."

"I'll speak with Heimdall, alone. GO, all of you, leave my sight." His eyes lingering on Tyr and Orn's foul gazes as both were restrained and taken in abject humiliation toward the dungeons. Both were going to be given solitary, though it was really no punishment befitting of assaulting a royal, it wasn't exactly a new thing in Asgard.

Loki himself had been attacked by Einherjar before and nothing had been done of that. Thor had beaten him but it was merely called a tussle.

His mind, focused on Jay. He had to rouse him somehow, it had been almost two days.

* * *

 ** _Waken..._**

 ** _I really did try to warn you…but you wouldn't listen._**

 _Thanks for the sympathy vote…Hilarious._

 ** _Enough with the belittling. I feel it is time you woke. You need sustenance to heal. Your wounds, too severe to continually sleep._**

 _And whose fault was that?_

 ** _I admit, I enjoyed fighting him as you. I really rather think he was not expecting you to fight back._**

 _I didn't fight back._

 ** _You did, I used your unrefined chaos, tapped from the virgin source and it was uniquely exquisite._**

Jay shuddered in his sandy crater. Loki's words seemed almost lecherous. He had so brazenly used Jay's body, fighting the god of war with it. He, like a puppet, had been used by something controlling him completely and utterly.

Each time he moved he felt aches and pains synonymous with broken bones and pushing himself way too hard. It was worse than any beating he had ever endured _._

 _It didn't feel exquisite._

 ** _It is why I had not disturbed your slumber until now._**

 _How long have I been out?_

 ** _A few days at most._**

 _Days? What happened to Gus, is he okay?_

 ** _Surprised you remember it so. From what Tyr bragged, you had both been beaten into oblivion?_**

An uncomfortable silence ensued as Jay attempted to move from his sandy grave once more. Sobbing gently when he failed yet again.

 ** _Patience, Jason. I never said it would be easy. Tell me what you can remember?_**

 _I can remember some parts… Before I was sent, here. Gus, mostly._

Jay couldn't mistake the feeling of his eyes stinging. The memory was so fresh. He couldn't cleave the image from his mind of Gus, bleeding out over him. Could even taste the spilt blood.

 ** _Mmm, brutal, I heard. The palace guard is healed of his wounds._**

But, try as he might to move or touch his face, he couldn't because the moment he attempted to, a stabbing pain shot up his side, stopping him mid track. He had already been laying there for the whole day. Woken by Loki, unsure where he was.

 _Did they admit what they'd done?_

 ** _Of course not. The self-defence you used was evidence enough._**

 _Thanks for h-holding him off, like that. So, what happens now?_

 ** _Their actions alone were enough to warrant a short stay in the dungeons. They were incarcerated for their crimes against you._**

 _They attacked me, unprovoked? A short stay, are you kidding me?_

 ** _I do not jest._**

 _Wow, so if I attacked you, or him. Could I get away with a few days too?_

 ** _Perhaps. They were seemingly remorseful, both have paid their dues for the sleight. Tyr mentioned a simple misunderstanding, he thought you had stolen from me._**

 _The sword?…I felt like there was more to it than that._

Jay moaned softly. Edging up onto his right elbow. His breath held with the pain. Controlled gasps as he repositioned his body to alleviate the pressure on his sore side.

 ** _Believe me, Jason, this has happened before. I cannot give more punishment than I have without suspicions being raised._**

In a way, Jay was glad that this stupid telepathy didn't make him talk out loud. If he did that on earth or even Ninjago, he'd be locked away and labelled insanely psychotic.

 _Where am I?_

Frowning when he looked around. This definitely wasn't where he remembered being. He'd never been here before, at least he guessed he hadn't unless it was a barren part of the earth or a harsh windy, dusty part of Ninjago.

 ** _Svartalfheim, The Dark World._**

* * *

A few hours had passed in the blink of an eye. He had fallen asleep again, maybe he had passed out. And when he woke, he seemed to have more strength. Standing up slowly, he winced, stretching out. Gods, why on earth were all his bones creaking in protest at the upright stance?

"Where the Hel am I?" He asked, rubbing his face to feel the starts of facial hair sprouting. He groaned again, knowing full well, toiletries would be considered a luxury on the battlefield. It was pointless to look for a razor, let alone a toothbrush. His fingernails were dirty too, in fact the more he looked the more he realised his fingers were long and thin. He wasn't wearing the right colour either.

Figuring whoever had sent him here, obviously hadn't the inclination to send him with food or shelter. "At least I have weapons." He shrugged.

"Hello?" He called out. Hoping that he wasn't the only person in this place.

Climbing out of the small crater was far more of a task than he wanted to admit. It actually pained him to climb up and out but he did. Looking to his side, he could make out what looked like a tornado. Scouring the environ for shelter, he noted that his immediate surroundings were all rocky areas. Further afield, there were some rocky outcrops that seemed monumental and purposefully placed to his south.

The rocks themselves seemed to be slate, very fragile, not good for climbing at all. Then, as a last ditch effort, he looked back to the sky before the tornado winds began pushing at him. "Heimdall? Uh open the Bifrost!" He asked pleadingly, staring at the whirlwind as it approached.

Finally, he scoured the area nearby. Looking desperately for a cave of sorts. Well, Jay knew of one cave but he didn't dare go near it. That was where he saw the elves and he wanted to avoid them, at all costs. Maybe, he could slip in at another entrance, or perhaps he could even use Cole's element to find said hidden entrance. After all, he had additional ones now, it seemed pointless to have them lingering without having an outlet.

Crawling to a selection of boulders set against the backdrop of the hillside, Jay curled up against a large rock. Pulling his cloak up and over his head, until the sound of whistling became white noise, sending him back to sleep.

"Is this where I'm supposed to be?…" He croaked out pitifully. Head leaning gently against the rock behind him. "HELLO?" It echoed, only it wasn't as funny as it had been back in the Toxic Bogs.

 ** _This is Svartalfheim. The Dark elves reside here, underground._**

"I-I thought I was going to be trained before being sent?"

Loki's eyebrows narrowed. He had only spoken yesterday of this. Why had Jay forgotten?

 ** _You need to calm yourself. Remember?_**

Jay rubbed at his temples. He could remember bits, with more coming back to him as time passed. Waking in a strange place wasn't helping. He was disappointed with it, because this was nothing like Vanaheim, at least that place had woodland and homesteads. People to talk to, scenery that included colour. This place, it was. . .Depressing. "Sorry, every, everything is. . . _still_ _hazy_."

 _ **You need to eat. Find water.**_

He looked around after his head had stopped spinning. Seeing nothing but barren land, unending hills and mountainous ranges spanning for as far as the eye could see. It was a depressing thought to be alone here, even more so when he realised he had nothing to eat or drink.

"I do need water, need to drink," Jay mumbled, rubbing his dry lips. He didn't need to pinch his skin to know he was dehydrated. "But, can you see any bodies of water?" Thinking on the fly, maybe he could use Cole's element to find some or Kai's? Cole's only gave him the slightest rumbling when he palmed the slate-covered floor. No water on the surface, it seemed to be underground. Kai's element wouldn't work, that would rid his body of the little water he could feel.

 _ **You could** **allow for them to find you?**_

 _Are you insane?_

 ** _A little, not entirely..._**

Jay clamped his mouth shut. He was hiding behind a nearby rock when he saw movement a short distance away. He had never seen such strange creatures before, he wished he had been furnished with binoculars so he could at least get a better glimpse of what he was up against.

He heard a dull rumbling, remained stock still as he averted his gaze to where the sound was originating from. Jay cowered further behind the rock when a humungous spacecraft entered the atmosphere. Somehow, this ship seemed to enter the planets' troposphere more gracefully than Jay had. "What the **Hel** is _that?"_

His heart was beating madly against his chest because he had recognised the huge hulking thing. Jay had caught a glimpse of it when he'd woken up after Gladsheim. He also remembered his shock at seeing how big it had been because of how long the ship stood from hull to deck. It shadowed one half of the palace when it had been stationed there.

Truthfully, from his position on Svartalfheim's surface, this ship looked more like a gigantic broadsword pointing tip down.

He stared at it, watching as the cloaking device switched off. Then watched with baited breath as it made its descent to the furthest stretch of mountains to his direct south. "Phew…" He mouthed quietly. "Focus, just stay…calm." He could see a sentry approach, there was nowhere for him to go.

"Uh, Loki? Now would be a good time to tell me more of the plan." They had seen him. There was no point running.

"LOKI?"

 _ **They will not hurt you...**_

"WHAT? Y-you want me to be captured? Hilarious, first you use my body as a marionette and now you want me to give myself up?"

 _ **Stop being so melodramatic. They will not hurt you.**_

"Hmm, yeah. I've heard that before, remember?"

.

..

...

* * *

"Forgive the interruption High One."

Loki looked up from the throne. Rubbing his temples. "Speak it."

"He has been captured," Kiällar said, lowering his voice. He hated interrupting the King on the throne, especially when he seemed to be concentrating so. And he absolutely despised being the bearer of bad news. His mood sombre at having to admit the fact that a few Einherjar had gone rogue. "Heimdall advises that we should send a sentry to retrieve? The elven race is but a small gathering, we can take them on as a realm. The losses, will not be as heavy as we were led to believe?"

His jaw clenched. "No," Loki said, shaking his head. "This could very well work to our advantage."

"How long do you think this viable? He looks like the fallen one, tis only a matter of time before they use a cantrip. You know them capable?"

"Let them. He poses no risk to the plan." Loki bit his tongue.

"I know you do not believe that for a second. He was only meant to observe it, from afar."

Loki shrugged, showing nonchalance but fearing uncertainty nonetheless.

"Will you feign ignorance, High One?"

"Until they have served their time? Indeed, I will," Loki replied. "I liked to think that the foresight gained from the years I have sat on the throne of Asgard, would have gained and granted me the respect that my father had, but evidently, it seems that some would seek to usurp me."

"Aye, Lord."He bowed again. "The guards await your orders, they have spoken to Gustav? How does he fair now?"

Kiällar nodded imperceptibly. "He was brought from the healing rooms, Kali is with him. Offered protection, for himself and his beloved."

"The other warriors, his brothers?"

"Safe. They know not of what transpired. They have boarded the Harrow and are on route."

"Good, keep me informed and thank Heimdall. We need to keep watch, now more than ever."


	104. The Darkest World

_**Himinbjörg. . .**_

 ** _Bifrost- The entrance to Asgard_**

"You took your time. O wise one."

"I was otherwise occupied," Loki replied, recognising the sarcastic tone. "Had you not thought of sounding out Gjallarhorn?"

"No," Heimdall sighed, not turning to engage. He stood watching, hands resting on the Hofund blade, the long broadsword that stood four feet from pommel to tip. "It was not that urgent to needlessly worry the realm. We are not at risk of invasion."

 _Yet..._

"Then what?" Loki growled, angry at being disturbed from his slumber. Hands behind his back suddenly pondering over Heimdall's silence. "You requested my presence?"

"This is not of a pressing matter. Perhaps, drop the pretences," he said, shaking his head before his gaze dropped from the stars. "I can not converse when you use Odin's face so flagrantly."

No Einherjar nearby, Loki dropped the façade if only to appease. Other than Kiällar, the sour-pus senior royal Einherji; Heimdall was the only other he could rely on. Heimdall, first and foremost was the gatekeeper to Bifrost, other than this, he was the sole protector of Asgard amidst the 10,000 strong Einherjar who were fiercely loyal to the throne.

"I had to wake him. He was perturbed a few days past."

"Wholly anticipated," Heimdall motioned to the cleaner observatory minus the blood spatters. No signs of a throat-slashing or furore ever having taken place. "He may well need your assistance. He seems unstable?"

Loki bit his lip at the questioning tone. Choosing to skim over the fact the Uru crown was damaged beyond repair. He wasn't even sure he could get another cast before Odin would wake. He may well have to forgo it until he could find a suitable replacement. Though he had heard of a place on earth that could possibly provide vibranium and that would be strong enough to contain his element through kinetic property.

But getting there wasn't going to be easy. Maybe a jaunt when they would be on earth. After all, they would both be on the run soon enough, so what better time to find a replacement?

"I take it, the proceedings went as planned?"

"Not as I would have liked." Loki cocked his head, reluctant to divulge. Heimdall was forestalling him on purpose. "Obviously and without wanting to act like the obvious imposter, one could not deliver the same punishment dispensed to Amora?"

"Indeed, it would have raised a few brows had you used it again."

He was referring to the consciousless entity known as the Destroyer. A 20ft tall near twin of Zane that was capable of body contortion and shooting a fiery blast from its face.

"It raised a few as it was." Loki laughed, shrugging it off like it meant nothing to have been questioned for his stern reprimands of Amora. At least Heimdall hadn't seen the rest of that torturous abuse. Loki had sat by idly watching, allowing for her to be brutalised by another. Still blissfully unaware of her unborn child.

Impatience, thanks to Heimdall's reluctance to disclose his reason for requesting him. "Tell me of them, any fatalities, maimings?" He was fully expecting there to be something. Loki had fought the elves himself, taken on four at once, it was brutal, blood spurted everywhere, knives jabbed through jugulars for the swift takedown while Thor struggled with Algrim.

"You do not care, so why ask?" Heimdall's perception never failed him thus far. "You deceived them, on purpose?"

"Personal ends." Loki smiled. "And yes, I did deceive," He replied, shamelessly. "For good reason too."

"For reasons pertaining to the Prince? Yet, you failed to divulge before sending them?"

Loki merely smiled.

"They have families, a life in the realm they cherish?"

Finally annoyed with the arguing, he snapped. " _ **They owed a debt**_ ," he reasoned, calming his scathing tone down to more of a snarl. "Besides—"

"They owed you nothing." Heimdall countered, cutting him off. "They have only ever done as ordered."

"Bilgesnipe," he spat, turning to face Heimdall. Those same poisonous green eyes staring into the golden all-seeing eyes of Heimdall. "I did not order him to poison the weapon, to render him soulless and have Balder take his place did I? That was never to be part of the plan?"

Heimdall lowered his head. "But, you still refer to him as an object? You depersonalise him so, then wonder why he despises you too?"

"He does not despise me," Loki argued. "I rather think we have an understanding, _in person_. Really, you think me that ignorant?"

Heimdall cast him a questionable stare. "I vaguely remember the discussion of you wanting to send him on his own. Therefore, I am glad you had sought to send them, though the way you went about it was a little, _clandestine_."

Rolling his eyes, irritation grating at the tone afforded. Loki turned on his heels, venom in his words, _his stance_. "Had they known full details, they would have never gone into battle willingly. We would have lost hundred's of Einherjar. These men are expendable."

" _Expendable_?" Heimdall flinched. "They did not go into this as willingly as Einherjar." Heimdall rebutted. "You gave them no choice, forcing them with threats of death!"

"I never…" Loki seemed abashed by the accusing tone. Though a smirk remained plastered on his face. "Heimdall, you offend me."

"Loki, you play with their lives without care for who you are hurting?"

"Nonsense..." Loki rebutted.

"These fighters, be they diverse and fast, they are complacent. Some moves seem reckless without caution nor care. You do not care for them, nor their life away from here, what if one dies before the week is out?"

"Think what you like, Gatekeeper. I have no fear." He laughed. Fairly sure that even as Heimdall could **_see all_** he could not see into the future nor the past because he evidently hadn't remembered Jay spiking their drinks earlier.

"So sure are you?" Heimdall shook his head imperceptibly.

"Of this, never more so."

"Hmm."

"Ooh, so passive?" Loki's jaw tightened at the near silent criticism, his lips pursed.

"I mean you no disrespect, it is merely an observation."

"An observation?" He intoned, sharp eyebrow quirked.

Heimdall, as usual, wasn't intimidated. "I've known you many years Loki. I have also seen the actions that your decisions created and the consequences."

Loki clenched the golden staff. "What are you implying?"

"You need to remember that whilst you act as regent, the people see you as Odin. He would never have agreed to this. It could be seen as an act of war."

"They came here in their only surviving ship. Creating pandemonium to the citizens of _said_ realm, demanded unreasonable requests of _said_ realm. Them merely coming here was an _act of war_." He replied, derisively.

"Foolishly, I'll grant you that." Heimdall agreed wholeheartedly.

Bored with the banter, Loki sought to move the conversation along. Lest to find out the reason for his summons. "Tell me how are they faring so far?"

"Well." He admitted, seeing one fighting as he spoke. "Only one learns their every move, seeking weakness and using it to his advantage."

"The others?" Loki asked. Sometimes he wished he had the soul stone to see everything. Life would be so much easier if he could watch everyone as Heimdall did.

"Cole and Lloyd, complacent at best."

"And the Prince, he watches?"

A wholly anxious pause.

"Heimdall?"

"No."

"..."

Loki shook his head, waiting for the gatekeeper to explain.

"He has, _escaped_." Heimdall hid his smirk, though the soft laugh escaped when he lowered his head to show the humour behind it. "He evidently didn't trust your word that none would harm him."

"Have they?" Loki questioned, nervously. " _Harmed him?_ "

It wouldn't be the first time a creature had sought to harm the weapon without realising what Jay was. And, hopefully, Jay had remembered to seek *guest privileges upon entering their caverns, so as to avoid any ill will coming from the dark elves. Because all were bound to that fae ruling. Giants and elves alike.

"No, not harmed at all." Heimdall shook his head. "Though he retains your semblance, they remain dubious of his intentions."

"Damn." Loki clicked his teeth, shock reflected in his expression. "H-how did he escape?" There was no denying that he was astounded at Jay's remarkable skills of evasion. He had not only done it here; twice, but managed to get his brothers out too. Even the stronghold that the elves claimed to have, he had escaped from them. "Where is he now?"

This was becoming tiresome, a sense of hilarity to it.

"Making a progressively slow retreat." Heimdall scoffed, stepping away to join the current ruler of Asgard. He towered over the smaller Aesir God. Placing a firm hand on the young King's shoulder. "I can only infer that he had not taken your counsel." He intoned, chastising gently. "Following Amora and that unwise agreement betwixt yourselves?"

Heimdall could sense what Loki had been about to utter. The fact he hadn't said anything snide recently attested to that fact. He was worried, expected really. "They had not harmed him thus far. Upon realising he had left, they sent the Hounds of Hunter to track him."

Lips pursing, he wasn't a huge fan of the white Hunter Hounds. They were more wolf than hound and he knew that Jay would no doubt be terrified. "Why am I not surprised to learn that they still use those cursed creatures." He spat, fists clenched. "All things Fae, I despise it."

The Hunter Wolves, no one could escape them and although they posed no harm, to be face to face with them wouldn't exactly be a pleasant experience for the one who was being tracked.

"You despise it?" Heimdall questioned. "You use the Fae element yourself."

"I do nothing of the sort," He snorted in derision. "I can assure that Eldred did not waste his talents on tutoring me on me Faery seidr."

"Hmm..."

A heavy sigh and inwardly, a roll of the eyes. Heimdall's responses often annoyed him. "I only need a few moments, then you can be free to resume, your ahh, role here. I shall trouble you no longer."

He had to try and reason with Jason. He would be far safer with the elves, to a certain degree. They, as a clan or tribe would provide him shelter and adequate food. None more so than in his current guise as one of the Aesir. "Can you guarantee me a moment of silence and no disturbances?" He asked, a certain pleading insistence to it.

Heimdall nodded. Removing Hofund from the console. "Maybe a little tact. Less belittling and more reason behind your words?" He stepped away, to take his place outside the observatory.

* * *

Jay had never seen such a bleak place before.

Other than it being a battlefield that he'd unknowingly crawled onto. The ground his hands sank into were reminiscent of marsh and bogland. It was almost the same as the toxic bogs in Ninjago minus the stench and acid. Though that stuff was corrosive, dissolving bones and flesh instantly, this stuff seemed to preserve the odd few his hands and fingers were grazing. Even underneath the rotten floor, he could easily identify the feel of a hairless skull, the eye sockets hollow, the teeth intact, the sharpness of the nasal bridge.

He shuddered. Removing it, subconsciously wiping it before making his slow escape.

 _ **You need to turn back...back, turn back...**_

Wind chill factor had suddenly picked up. His clothes. Pausing momentarily with his hands' mid grasp of yet another skull. He turned to see where the voice had come from.

Nothing there.

 _ **Don't run from them again.**_

It was following him, _how quaint_. The faint glow at least guided him further into this place.

"..." Jay opened his mouth to talk but no words would come. "...****..."

Rolling his eyes in frustration. _As you can clearly see, I'm crawling..._

Even in his head, Jay giggled at his own humour. His voice wasn't there, just dry grating crackles. _No running involved._

His fingers squelching across a rotten floor. Sodden and sinking through his trousers.

"You can't talk, can you?" Loki noted, purposefully hiding the smirk. Now wasn't the time to gloat.

 _I'm not going to stop so you can pet me like a dog._

"I'll do the talking then." He bent down low to peer into Jay's face, relieved to see that the skin had knitted back together over the exposed bone. "And where pray tell are you going?"

 _Uh, a swamp. I think._ He wouldn't stop, crawled right on through Loki's projection, despite the **Æsir** Prince kneeling at his front. _I'm not, gahh dammit..._

"Please." Loki urged, halting him as best he could. "Stop this..."

Shuddering, Jay paused and raised his free hand, only to find his other hand and index finger trapped between something hard under the surface. Pulling at it relentlessly, he raised up the heavy thing that was at risk of dislocating his finger. Only when it was up to within an inch of breaking through the damp rotting ground did he see what it was. The heaving came back tenfold as he attempted to unfurl his fingers from out of a long dead ribcage. Taking a breath to control the heaves, he sat back on his haunches to calm himself gather his bearings.

 _Does it ever end?_ A pair of yellow canine eyes were looking right at him, from more of a distance.

Having Loki here did nothing. What could a ghostly apparition do? Say boo and hope that these things would run off?

Nope...

It didn't help one bit that Jay had a hatred of wolves. One was to be in his future, a few had been in his past. Scurrying away from the hairy white creatures. Jay took to crawling backwards. Hoping and praying that these things wouldn't catch his scent. He wasn't bleeding, he was just a bit. . . sweaty.

"The thrill of the chase, hmm?" Loki intoned, gazing in the direction of what had caused such unease.

 _Something like that...y-yeah..._

The wind whipped around both Prince's, changing direction unnaturally. It had to be a certain kind of magic to affect the weather, until Loki saw them. Creatures he hadn't seen since Malekith's younger years. Wolves, he had only ever heard of in passing. "Hunters Hounds?..." Loki stated, turning to face them as they neared.

Annoyingly, he was the epitome of calm despite Jay's terrified expression and slow retreat backwards.

"They will not harm, they are sent to find and retr..." He turned again, Jay had taken to crawling in the opposite direction. " ** _By the Norns_**...Jason, you need to stop, this is pointless. The more you run the more they will cast suspicion."

 _You didn't see them...what they wanted me to do..._

The projection appeared at Jay's front. "They didn't expect you to fight. I am sure they only wanted questions."

 _They made me watch...for two days straight._

He kneeled, consoling. Wishing to place his hands on Jay's shoulder. "You plied them with amber nectar though?" Loki enquired. Having seen this very act through Jay's eyes, amongst other things pertaining to Kali.

He nodded, shamefully _._

"Don't be bashful, it was a good plan," he soothed. "They won't wither, least not this day."

Fine, he accepted that reason. They were stronger because of Jay spiking their drinks. But then, right now, these creatures in front of him and gaining ground were affecting his judgement. He wanted to get away, needed to. Didn't want to stay here.

Pure white fur, yellow eyes and great snarling maws seemed far more intimidating than the swamp he was in. It was a vicious circle, the more he continued the worse it became. A loud crack underneath him made him cringe again. He had just crushed another bone from someone previously fallen. This whole place was littered with the carcasses of the dead.

Edging behind a dark tree, he found refuge inside a hollowed out trunk. Hoping that the creatures wouldn't be able to see him. Little knowing they didn't stick to the ground like normal wolves.

"You are not scared are you?" Loki knelt, feeling empathy.

Jay shook his head.

"It was once a battlefield. You should not be afraid of the fallen."

 _I'm not afraid, just don't like wolves, or skeletons...specifically skeletons._

"Why?"

 _Wh-where I came from; th-they didn't seem to stay dead._

"Were you expecting them to rise from the dead?" He asked, crouching low again. "The elves did not have time to bury them before the massacre."

If they came back to life, ironically as that may sound, there would be far too many for him to take on alone.

"They fought everywhere, Odin told it so."

This was getting annoying. He hated being trailed like this, but then...he was leaving a great muddy trail that was remarkably easy to track. The ground was so slick under his hands, he'd faceplanted a few times already. Thank the First Spinjitzu Master this wasn't the toxic bogs. His face would've been burnt off.

 _It's not that...I just don't...like skeletons._

"Wrong realm for coming back to life. They only rise from the dead in Helheim."

 _Not helping..._

Jay was getting irritated with being followed by wolves and additionally, Loki. Why on Svartalfheim couldn't this astral projection be a good little apparition and talk whilst hiding? He was standing out in the open casting a green luminescent glow.

"Throw me a bone," Loki whispered under his breath. "I'm trying to help not hinder."

 _HELPING, Helping...? You're giving away my hiding place, you moron._ Frustrated with Loki, Jay grasped his aching side and threw a humerus bone at the projection, as hard as he could muster. Loki had _literally_ asked for it anyway.

Play on words and all that...

The fragile arm bone flew straight through and cracked on a tree. It echoed mercilessly, drawing the attention back to them.

 _SHIT..._

"You cannot hide. They do not obey the laws of physics."

 _What? Look, if they find me, it's gonna be your fault._

"It's too late." He could see them coming down from the sky. A literal tornado of white wolves converging, undulating and surrounding what appeared to be twins of the same man.

The fury in Jay's eyes was obscene. Then resignation slowly took its place.

Jay's eyes scanned the white creatures and sure enough, they were less than five metres away, coming in from the branches of the trees rather than the ground. Up close they looked marginally better, though their yellow eyes were still surreal. Pure white fur, not even tainted by the swamps.

 _Y-you idiot. Th-thanks..._

His eyes squeezed shut. Mentally counting to ten, waiting to feel their ragged breath down his neck.

"It is better for you to give up, this is just making you look like you have a secret to hide."

 _I do have a secret..._

"Other than the child, you have none." Loki's visage faded. "You really do not want to stay out here any longer than you need to. Go with them."

 _Why?_

"The animals here are just as malevolent as the elves if provoked."

 _Well, now I don't have much choice, do I?_

"Actually you had two. One had not faired you well, the other you have not given it chance. Jason, you would be safer to go with them, least as a bystander. Your brother's, they might need your support."

 _Are they?_ He paused. Regret biting at him for abandoning them. _Are they alright?_

Loki shrugged, not giving anything away. "They need you, more than you realise. If only as moral support?"

 _You, you're right._ His heart dropped, stomach clenched.

"I'm always right, even when I'm wrong, I'm right." Loki's voice began to fade out.

 _Right?_ Jay shook his head, completely confused by that. So, _uh is this where they live too?_

 _ **Not specifically no. Most of the remaining tribes live underground.**_

 _They live underground, all of them?_

 _ **Most. They divided themselves into tribes and clans. Many were killed during the Svartalfheim Massacre.**_

A sharp shooting pain halted him in his tracks, that same pain in his side. Raising one hand in final surrender, the other held tight onto the pain resonating through him. Jay gave up on trying to crawl away, this wasn't worth the aggravation or the chase anymore.

 _ **What was that?**_ Loki hissed, his own side throbbing relentlessly. **_Are you still hurt?_**

 _No..._ He panted _. No, I'm fine._

 _ **Can I look?**_

 _It's nothing, just a-a stitch..._

Silently swatting away Loki's hands, Jay crawled into the open. Closing his eyes so as not to look directly into the snarling maws that had tracked him so effortlessly. Bravely, he tried his hardest to ignore the hot, stinky dog breath. Feeling them blowing down on him with whatever they had just recently consumed, this time he trusted Loki's judgement.

He had expected cruel treatment.

Instead, he only felt himself being pushed back onto a makeshift sleigh and then pulled out into open before his eyes had closed in exhaustion. Heavy, yet stinky hide skins were rapidly placed over him. The leather smelled almost as bad as the Hunter Hounds breath.

 _So, while I'm being dragged back, I don't suppose you could lay a few truths out there about this place? Like, why it's perpetually twilight? Is it always like this?_

 ** _As long as you agree not to escape again I will furnish you with what you need._**

 _Fine, I won't try anything, there, are ya happy?_

 ** _Yes much happier._** His voice monotonous. He could sense Jay's apprehension looming the closer they travelled to the caverns.

 _So...? Tell me about this place then._

 ** _The sun shines only for a few hours at most, it's always dark here, the name we give it, alludes to that fact._**

 _I bet this heavy overgrowth of dead trees doesn't help with that either?_

It was surprising how far Jay had managed to get away from the cave. Travelling for two days at most on his hands and knees. He had eventually found himself in a fairytale land, minus the niceties. This place was the dead end, the wrong turn part of the fairy tale. A swamp with sinister-looking dead trees. Some were fallen, others still stood. The tree limbs were gnarled, twisted and chaotic-looking with wickedly crooked branches.

But then, he had been dragged into a cavern before all of this and left there for two solid days. The walls looked like they were dripping with slime or blood. Either way, he hadn't wanted to stay.

 _So, what do they do here?_

 ** _Mostly? They plan on all acts of revenge._**

 _Who against?_

 ** _Against any who they deem to have done them wrong. Frost giants, humans, dwarves, Fae, even Gods. They are indifferent with their hate._**

 _Haa, why? I mean we've done nothing wrong though, they haven't even heard of us. What did humans do?_

 ** _As a Godling, I was told that the dark elves believed that none were innocent. Everyone was set against them. So here they remained, even after the first convergence failed still they sought to plan for another. Odin, always said that they were a neurotic race, filled with vindictive, spitefulness._**

 _And why are they hateful of humans?_

 ** _Human's were created in the image of the God's. Therefore, they became the easier target._**

Jay didn't like the sound of the dark elves. A sense of foreboding as he was pulled from the darkness into the cave again. _What do they want?_

 ** _They want to be the rulers of the nine realms. They think they are better than the gods. Some lame story about conspiracies and being thusly stabbed in the back as to the reason they are not already ruling over all._**

* * *

"Cole, you feeling any better yet?" Lloyd questioned as he wet a cloth and dabbed it onto his own bloodied brow.

Cole shuffled on to his side, to look at his younger green brother whom he knew was feeling anxious about this and the fact there were three of them, when there should have been four. "Yeah, just gotta remember how dirty these guys fight. How is it fair that they can use the stones yet we can't?"

Lloyd filled two wooden beakers, passing one to Cole. "I'm not sure you'd want those stones anywhere near ya," he said pulling a face. "They injure themselves, then push the stones into the wound." Taking his own drink he sipped on it. "Bit like we're doing but opposite," he added as an afterthought.

"Gross, seriously Lloyd, I'm not sure how much longer we can survive. This is brutal." Cole took the drink gratefully. "Why do it though? Once they've done it, they can't revert back to normal, they're stuck like it?"

"Stuck in that form, I don't know. I find the whole thing pretty macabre, I mean, why would they do that? I just can't fathom the reason they would purposefully injure themselves just to use stones."

"Simply? It strengthens them." Zane finally spoke. Stating a fact that he was sure everyone should have known. "They can become unstoppable, in fact, even Thor, Loki's brother had difficulty against Algrim." He kept his voice low to avoid rousing suspicion.

Both green and hazel eyes looked up to see him entering their sleeping quarters. Zane was looking worse for wear than before. A few panels hanging off, wires dangling. "The only downside to the stones is that once they're used, the body undergoes a permanent change. Yes, it increases their strength but at what cost? The previous persona and physique diminish and in its place, a monster."

"It's a dirty tactic. Not exactly a fair fight." Lloyd mumbled, patting the bed to allow for Zane to rest on it. Least so he could provide some much-needed energy transference.

"It's just as fair as we fight. They never expected elements to play a part did they?" Cole smirked.

"It is no life though. You could say it is a 'kursed' life!" Zane chuckled in spite of the situation, it wasn't funny at all. Even Cole had groaned at his failed attempt at humour. Zane, walked on through to the darkened room, sitting on the bed as instructed. "You do not mind doing this?"

"Nope, it's a necessity." Lloyd used the only element he could. The original lightning element because Jay's black lightning would likely cause complete power outages on every other realm than this. Plus, Zane's circuits would be fried.

"Thank you. I did not mean to interrupt. I overheard you mentioning the stones, I had read about them."

"You've read about pretty much everything..." Cole corrected.

"Hey it's okay Zane, it's good to have someone that actually knows a little more about what we're up against," Lloyd whispered. Allowing for Zane to open his front panel.

"The stones are used deceitfully to counteract our elements. They think we are using magic so they use it too." Zane lowered his head. "Remarkable really."

It was hard to ignore, Lloyd had noticed that Zane was sustaining heavy damage. This left the unmistakable fact that both Cole and himself would need to pick up the slack. And in their current wounded state, they would have no choice but to fight.

"Right, we've got a few healing stones left, so, I suggest we use them when we really need them, not for cuts and grazes," Lloyd replied, blushing slightly. He was also as guilty as Cole for using them too eagerly during those first few days.

Now they were dwindling, the stones were like literal gold dust. Lifesavers, in the literal term.

"How's Zane doing?" Cole asked, propping himself on to his side to observe.

"Shh," Lloyd pressed his fingers to his mouth. "He's damaged and needs repairs, but he's holding up."

Cole didn't like the idea of leaving this place with only the two of them. Couldn't think of anything worse than leaving Zane here. "We can't lose him."

"We won't, I'm not planning on it," Lloyd stated, defiantly. "We need someone to repair him because I don't know the first thing about tech."

"Jay does."

"Cole?" Lloyd cocked his head, biting his lip. "Jay's AWOL remember?"

"Maybe he jumped ship, couldn't handle it?" He offered, smiling. "Had a better offer?"

"He should have come here with us, five days ago. You still trust him, don't you?" Carefully, he tucked some wires back into Zane's neck and continued to share a power source.

"Yeah, of course." Cole shifted onto his back, staring up at the rock ceiling. He actually didn't mind being this close to his element. It made him feel stronger, empowered, a certain affinity to the structures around him. Perhaps that was why the elves had taken him down first. Was he deemed as more of a threat because he used the rocks around him to flatten the first elven warrior?

"So, Zane managed to take a few down?"

"Zane's had plenty of opportunities to study their moves because he went last," Lloyd said, watching Zane's power bars increasing steadily. "His choice though, he did it for a reason."

"Tinman never fails to amaze me. So are you saying he can't fight?" Cole said, sipping his water.

"Not anymore. They've identified a weakness." Lloyd intoned, sadly. "They'll tear him apart. so, we've got no choice, it's just us two."

"Unless Jay comes and fights?" Cole sighed. "Might give us both a break?"

"I swear if Jay comes, he can fight two days in a row just to make up for lost time." Lloyd groaned. "That is if he comes at all."

"Maybe Loki pulled him away last minute?" Cole offered. "You remember how close they are." He did some sort of crude gesture with his fingers.

Lloyd groaned again. "Whatever, if he doesn't come after today, after my fight. Then, when he does arrive, he can fight until we leave."

Cole nodded. Sure. Jay was technically stronger anyway. Perfectly capable of fighting, bragging slightly about being in with the E Guard Legion.

But, the thing is. If Jay didn't get here soon. Then none of the three would be making it home. And only now did he regret not telling Selie how he truly felt. Lloyd too, surely he felt the same about Chamille. Greenbean had been adamant that he would be getting home and had promised to make it official. He described it to Cole and Zane to be a romantic surprise for her, getting down on one knee to propose.


	105. misrepresentation

Lloyd felt like he was mentally breaking with the strain of fighting for his life.

Zane was quite literally falling apart next to him. Jay was a no-show presumed dead or screwing some Asgardian whore. And Cole was lying battered and bruised on a makeshift bed made from sticks and leaves.

At least that's how Lloyd currently felt about all of this.

"Seriously, I will..." Cole mumbled. "Make it official, I mean." More determined than ever to get home. He wanted to make it serious with Selie. He swore that if he made it home, he too would take it to the next step. Whatever that entailed. Perhaps he'd take a leaf from Kai's book and entertain the idea of making an honest woman out of her. Was even pondering the idea of a child in the not too distant future.

 _No_. He shook his head. _Too soon._

He mused about it. A forced life and death situation tended to have that sort of impact on one's way of thinking. Especially when you had little all else to keep your mind on track. Sadly, all they did was fight, so this place and the lack of daylight, his mind wandered. Right now, his subconscious was thinking things over with Seliel. They would both be happy with the new arrangement, besides, Selie had indicated similar a few months back.

The thought made him smile. It also brought a certain sting to his eyes and the unwelcome appearance of a warm solitary tear. Of course, he brushed it away as soon as it fell. From now on, he'd be devoted to her as it should be. If Cole survived this, he'd follow Kai's lead. Even doing the same as what Lloyd was planning, not only that, getting home in one piece was a must.

"So, how many days did he say?" Cole mumbled, trying to break up the monotony. "Been here five days, can't be that much longer, surely?"

"Until they accept defeat, at a guess." He shrugged, seeing Cole's face drop. "I don't know."

Cole shuddered. If that was the case, they'd never be able to leave. "Did you lose count?" He smirked, tending his own wounds. Slowly pulling back the gauze to check if they'd stopped bleeding. "I thought it was a seven-day stint?" He checked the wall behind him, happy to see his tally markers there. Fights won, lost and lengthy periods of sleep indicating days passed.

"It was, _is_..." Lloyd corrected, yawning. "Cut me some slack. This constant twilight is messing with my head." He held his forearm over his face. Laying on his back with Zane's weakening grasp in his own.

Breath held at the disdain, Cole could see that Lloyd was struggling to keep it in.

 _I-is he...crying?_ Cole cast a worried glance. _Shit, he can't give up now. We're so close to getting out of here._ Biting his lip, he lowered his voice, a motivational tone to the deliverance. "Come on," He soothed, trying his hardest to rid his voice of desperation. "We can do this, just us two, if Jay doesn't come?"

No answer, just a sniffle.

"We can do it." He hoped his pep talk would help. Might improve the depressive mood floating around at being down by one.

"We can try." Lloyd agreed, finally closing Zane's front panel. Looking forlorn at his nindroid brother, another sigh ensued. "It's not looking good. We're one down and both of us are injured." His eyes widened ever so slightly when he saw Cole's healing stone pouch, it looked decidedly light. "How many stones?"

Cole shifted uncomfortably. He didn't need to pour them out because he could grope the remaining one between finger and thumb. "Uh, one. What about you?"

"Three," He smiled with a growing sense of unease. "I used some too eagerly, All I know is that we need to slow it down, four between two of us isn't good at all."

Cole loosely shrugged a shoulder. Him being the prime user of a few on his second fight. "I wasn't exactly expecting to be skewered on their blades. Haa, maybe if Jay get's here on time, we could use some of his?"

"That's a big ask," He frowned. "You're banking on him coming when this thing's almost over."

"It's called positive thinking." Cole said, "Sure you've heard it, could've sworn it was your motto a few years ago?"

"It was, still is. But you've got to face facts here," He loosely shrugged his shoulder. "Besides, he might not come as we were led to believe."

"What?" Cole sat upright, wincing at the sudden movement. Staring at Lloyd in confusion as the uttered words. "Why would you say that?" Another irritating shrug from Lloyd had Cole biting his fingernail in annoyance, ripping the gnawed thing and attached hangnail from its bed.

"He's been through some hard times recently." Wiping his eyes, anxiously he turned to face Cole. "I've been spending a considerable amount of time with Zane, since Amora, you remember her?"

Where had this even come from? At first, they were talking about the fight duration and Jay being AWOL. Did Amora have something more to do with this or with Jay's obvious quietness? "Yeah, I remember her…" His mood soured. Mostly because he had been given the rundown on her shady behaviour. It was surprising how quickly rumours got around in Ninjago. "Wasn't he banging her as hard as a barn door in a hurricane?"

He chuckled at the phrase, he might have to remember that one. "No, not quite, that was Kali." Lloyd corrected, flustered. "She was the one you screwed." His face paled slightly. "Uhm, maybe delete those pictures."

"Already have." He blushed. "Wh-what were you saying about Amora?"

The blonde leaned on one elbow. "She was the one that did a number on Jay. Gus mentioned something about her assaulting Jay, whilst in her care, although, he didn't exactly elaborate as to why Jay was in her care to begin with."

Cole raised an eyebrow and further grinned at the fact that Jay had let a girl beat him so easily and yet so ruthlessly. "So, you're saying that Jay was in her care? Haa, more like whatever games they were playing got _out of hand_?"

"Define *out of hand* Cole?" Lloyd retorted, shaking his head. Oddly, despite Cole's inappropriate humour at what should be serious conversation, Lloyd's expression remained stoic. "It was a little more _serious_. She took his identity, altered our perceptions."

Lloyd's response was abrupt and the tone caught Cole offguard. "And, then what?"

"She had him as a prisoner in her home." He replied, "Seriously, he won't admit anything about what happened. In fact, it took a drunken night with Gus for Jay to mention that small tidbit."

Cole was shocked, frowning with his mouth agape. "Was it really that bad?"

With a grim expression, Lloyd nodded. "Like I said, it might be why he's not here with us, why he might not come at all."

"Yeah, you keep saying that..." Cole huffed.

"He won't talk about it." Lloyd said, shrugging. "I'd say it was pretty bad."

"Or just embarrassing. So, uh what happened?"

"She handcuffed him-" came Lloyd's curt reply.

"Kinky," Cole snickered. It was obvious that judging by Lloyd's expression he hadn't finished. Pursing his lips and looking contemplative, he prompted Lloyd to continue. "Sorry, go-on." He motioned, nodding. "I'm listening, _honestly_."

Lloyd sat back on his bed, leaning against the rocky cavern wall. "He was defenceless, couldn't fight back, she stabbed him."

"Wow, psycho or something?"

"Something like that." Lloyd had cocked his head, leaning back.

Cole thought that maybe Jay's ex-girl got a little carried away in the bedroom. He certainly wasn't into that kink and up until that point, he no inkling to believe that Jay was either, until now. "Was it y'know, mutual?"

"What, a mutual stabbing?" Lloyd laughed, shooting a mildly patronising stare. "Haa no, like I said...Jay was defenceless."

"Oh, Well was he, uh-" Cole blushed, lowering his voice, embarrassed to state it out loud. "-was he. . .raped?"

The facial expression Lloyd gave made Cole shiver. Was this why Jay hadn't said anything?

"Possibly, I-I don't know," Lloyd shrugged, wholly uncomfortable with the subject matter. "Guards who heard her testimony said that he was naked, cuffed to her bed, I'm sure you can figure out the rest."

"Fuck!" Cole's hand shot to his mouth. "I had no idea."

The idea of male rape was still so taboo. Even in their homeworld, on earth and in Asgard. Males were thought of as the stronger ones yet they were raped as often as females. Though they rarely came forward with it. He grimaced when he thought of it. "Now, I'm not so sure about letting him fight after all. Maybe he needs counselling. You reckon Zane will be up and running in the event the Jay gets here in time?"

"Like I said, he needs repairs. For the moment, it's just us two." Lloyd shook his head. "If Jay arrives, all we can do is ask if he'll fight."

* * *

Five days they had been here and the first part of the week was drawing to an end. Each of the three warriors had battled mostly successfully. The odd loss here and there when Cole had misinterpreted an attack stance from the dark elf he was fighting. The resulting injury he was still recovering from was from a rather macabre serrated blue-bladed weapon. One that required the use of a good few stones.

But then very suddenly, one morning. (If it was even morning time.)

An uproar woke the ninja.

The sound of knives clashing, and shots being fired made them bolt out of their beds.

"What's all the commotion?" Lloyd whispered. Clambering to find a good space to peer out.

"I don't know." Cole groaned, sneaking a peek through the bars near Lloyd's legs. "Looks like an intruder." He whispered down.

"An intruder in a whole heap of trouble?" Lloyd cringed. He could see the intruder being dragged away having not put up much of a fight. "Who was fighting though?"

"The elves?" Zane offered.

Cole gawked at that."What? The elves fighting the elves? Seems a little, far-fetched."

Lloyd shrugged. "These people don't talk at that much. Factions might be more common down here, especially if they're all living together."

Cole partially agreed with that. "Might explain why all the serpentine tribes lived separately."

"They are not fighting, despite what y-you may believe." Zane cut in. Glitching slightly. "A prisoner escaped and no one seems to be accepting responsibility, hence the fighting."

Cole gawked at the titanium knowledgebot. "H-how do you know that?" He asked, peering in confusion at the exact same thing that Zane was looking at. "How in the fuck, can you tell that someone's escaped this Helhole?"

Lloyd pulled Cole back, hushing him. "Cole, **_all speak_** remember?" He urged, finger atop his own lips. He clambered over Cole's form to sneak a peek. "Did you see anything Zane, considering you were out there yesterday?"

He shook his head. If he had seen a man, he hadn't been that compelling of a face to remember.

* * *

Jay shuffled a little, his nervousness apparent at never having seen a dark elf up this close before.

But then, he had just been hoisted upright. Finding himself to be less than one foot away from a chilling pure white immoveable mask. It was daunting to be met with so many after being woken abruptly with a beaker of chilling water thrown over him.

 _Wow, these guys don't talk much huh?_

 ** _Breathe, Jason._**

 _So mysterious, is this the silent treatment?_

 ** _Stay calm. They won't hurt you._**

 _Well, this just got a whole lot more interesting!_

He only realised it when a pair of bright blue eyes stared at him, the same height he was. It was then he realised he was standing. Although that wasn't technically correct either. He was being forced to stand. In that, something was keeping him upright.

Strangely, he wasn't cold despite the fact that most of his clothes had been stripped, he was standing in his Under-armour shirt after forgoing the boxers because they wouldn't have fit under his tight trousers before the Nornheim celebration.

This was a good thing though. Those clothes, the ones he had been stripped of looked like Loki's, they were all green and black. But then as he looked the more he realised something was off.

Something was very wrong with this picture.

His hair was longer, that was a given, it tickled his lower back. It was also inky black and wavy. His body hair was dark too, specifically the scant line of hair that trailed from his navel downwards to his. . .

His eyes widened.

 _ **It's rude to stare. . .**_

 _Uh, this isn't right?_

It was just...there was black hair surrounding his seemingly well-endowed manhood. Not loads of it, but, it was really noticeable against his alabaster skin. Had he always been this deathly pale? Where were his freckles?

These strange creatures were looking him over. That much he was aware of. He was looking himself over too, eyes glued on one thing.

 **You shall inevitably go blind if you keep staring...**

 _Well, I can't exactly help it. It's not mine is it?_

"Who are you?" The dark elf asked. Jay's head snapped up at the voice, it was slightly better than looking at the white one eyed anaconda between his legs. He'd seen that thing before, _a few times_. . . **intimately.**

Though, right at this moment, the flaccid thing didn't seem quite so intimidating. The fact that he was naked from the waist down didn't help in the slightest. Jay wriggled to no avail. Blushing came naturally when the thing hit both thighs in quick succession.

Gods...How...Embarrassing...

 _How do you tuck this thing away?_

He found the fact that he was largely unable to move quite the scary prospect. No voice either, his throat was dry. Had been for a few days now.

When he looked down, the water that had been thrown at him was dripping from his hair and face, settling on the dirty floor. Only then, did he notice some type of magical restraint that was being used to bind his legs. Upon closer inspection, he could see the appearance of thin silver cotton. That was all it was.

Naively, he thought it would snap if enough pressure was exerted on the string, yet no amount of wriggling helped. The string, if anything, became tighter around his struggling legs and wrists. Frustratingly, the mysterious cotton didn't break.

"Won't you tell us your name, young one?" An elf asked.

He remained silent, for the time being. He couldn't stop looking at their ears. Pointed and elongated weird ears that seemed twice as long as his.

Then the elf used a cantrip on him. "A named thing is a tamed thing. Tell me, who are you?"

He felt compelled to talk. To say who he was, where he was born, he wanted to spill everything and the thought scared him. He bit his tongue to avoid saying anything. The feeling was like a cold breeze whipping through his head, looking for a crevice to slide through and reveal his secret. Was this a magic trick, hypnotism? Were they about to make him do something embarrassing?

"Why does he not reply?"

The younger elf shrugged. Mouthing something, that to Jay; resembled gibberish.

"You need practice in how to cast the cantrip effectively. If done with authority behind it; only those similar to us can fight it."

His mouth was too dry to speak. Lips were cracked.

A blade was held perilously close to his neck. "Your name?"

He didn't understand a word they were saying. Jay remained silent and watched as another elf grabbed a spool of shimmering cotton before walking behind him. He wasn't expecting what happened next.

The feeling of an attempted garrotting wasn't on his list of things to try before he died. The instant pain made him turn his head to the side, to save the thin razor sharp thread from slicing his voice box open.

"Water." The elf growled, pouring the smallest amount. "He is dry."

A sip was all they allowed.

"A named thing is a tamed thing?" An Elder repeated. His voice cut through the haze allowing Jay to become accustomed to their version of all speak.

A pause. The sparse water trickled enough to wet his vocal chords and soothe his parched throat. Their words were beginning to make more sense and he was completely astounded to know that these creatures could speak his language. They hadn't spoken the two days before, just dumped him in a cave and expected him to watch the fights.

"My name is J-Jason, Walker, Gordon." He rasped in short sharp breaths. "More w-water?"

The elves looked at each other in confusion.

"Not the answer I was expecting, considering." One observed him, standing too close for comfort. "Is it too warm for you down here?"

Odd question. Jay shook his head. No signs of sweat, he was comfortably warm since they'd removed his outer clothes. "Why would you ask?"

"You keep secrets?"

The cantrip was too powerful to fight. He spoke even though he didn't want to. Irritating that Loki hadn't told him about that little trick.

"Everyone has secrets; they need them to keep sane. They're what differentiates one from another. They're the rungs on which the ladder of hierarchy is ascended."

 _Where did that even come from?_

 ** _Relax your mind..._**

"Wise words, you like to talk, I see?"

"I try to talk to get a grasp of what I'm dealing with," He grunted, pulling hopelessly at his bonds.

"Why did you come here, Jotun?"

Jay wasn't sure what they had uttered but he didn't like the sound of the name they had furnished him with.

"I was sent here," He was sure he was meant to fight and so that was all that he could think of. "To fight with my brothers."

"Unfair advantage, A Jotun challenging, you will fight for us?"

He didn't answer. Jay didn't want to fight for these guys, he wanted to see if his own brothers were okay.

"WILL YOU FIGHT FOR US?"

"No!"

"Then tell us why you are here?"

"I already told you." He needed more water, a sip was just mean. He was so thirsty right now, he might have considered Nadakhan's mop bucket, minus the bird poop.

"Take him to the cave and keep him there." He ordered, looking at the Prince in a new light. "I am sure you will find your tongue soon enough. In the meantime, you will fight for us?"

"N-no..." Jay gasped, shaking his head, he simply couldn't fight against his team. "Not for you..."

"Against us? Surely an unfair advantage..."

He could hear a faint chuckle but the masks these elves wore showed no facial expression. Therefore, it was unnerving to hear them giggle without seeing anything but some impossibly blue eyes staring back. "If I win?" Jay asked timidly, his voice was already crackling.

"You get to go back to Jotunheim, alive." He saw the same large elf with the stringed garrotte walking in front of him, re-spooling the thread. "You shall not win, we did not base this on Asgard winning. Although, quite what a Jotun wants with Asgard is unknown to me. All you ever do is fight them."

His bindings were undone and wrapped around the same wooden spool. The more he tried to figure out what this material was, the more his mind span. All he could think was how on Ninjago could a simple string of thread have him immobilised for so long.

"You are wondering what this is, are you not?"

Jay looked at the reel of silver thread. Saying nothing, he observed intently as the spool and reel of thread was tucked out of sight.

"Gleipnir, made by the dwarves to bind. You should know of it, it was used to bind Fenris before he broke his bonds."

Were these creatures expecting some type of response? Other than Loki's expletives at the use of this stuff, Jay didn't understand the importance. "Magic, figures." He mumbled under his breath and rubbed his sore throat. He removed his fingers from his neck, glad to see no trace of blood. Then to at least protect his dignity, the soggy clothes were placed back upon him, annoyingly, complete with holed knees from crawling.

He winced when his arms were lifted and placed on the elves shoulders. Two of them were supporting his frame and carrying him out of a dark chamber.

Jay still had no idea where he was, other than Svartalfheim. He felt like he was so deep in the belly of this world that he might never see daylight again. The feeling only increased when they proceeded to travel further down.

It felt warmer down here, much warmer and humid too. Jay had noticed that the lighting was ominous, a pale flickering red flame that lit the way every so many steps. The lighting itself served to make the damp clay walls stand out.

It gave the impression of bleeding walls, it almost looked like it when he touched the walls and removed his hand to inspect the dark colour now adorning it. He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt the consistency. It was smooth, not overly sticky like blood would be. The small piece he held in his fingers was malleable.

 _Clay?_

He was thrown into the same room that Lloyd, Cole and Zane were in. Stumbling, he finally lost his footing and landed on his wounded side with a pained grunt.

Instantly, he turned his nose up a little at the new sleeping conditions, it was only minimally better than sleeping outside. This was a small and dingy room with dusty floors and three odd straw like makeshift beds that had been placed against each far wall.

He saw what he needed, it was a small free-flowing underground spring. It was obviously a type of water but the taste would be judged by the rocks it had to travel to in order to filter it. He hoped it wasn't a direct source from the swamp and all of those bones.

Jay couldn't talk. His throat and mouth were too parched to utter a single syllable. He felt wretched as he took on the expressions of his brothers. They had scurried onto their beds at seeing this relatively unknown creature crawling towards them.

Cole brandished a weapon.

 _Well, aren't you a thing of beauty. Almost wish I had shades...too dazzling... Jay_ smiled. recognising it as one of the newer blades that Gus had told him about. Bone steel and forged by Geir, apparently.

It looked impressive and lightweight too. Slightly miffed that he'd missed out on getting one of these bad boys. No, he'd been given the elven ones, or more precisely the ones they had claimed from the enemies slew on the battlefields.

The blade was sharp, he knew that much, the tip, when struck, had cleanly sliced through his leather pauldron, just mere millimetres from his skin. No point reasoning without a voice, Jay didn't care all that much that Cole was using it to protect himself, swiping at him. He probably would have done the same.

He narrowly avoided the second swipe hitting his now exposed shoulder. Jay cringed, he only wanted the water. Had to make it to the water with all limbs connected. Maybe one of his other brothers could say something. He wasn't brandishing a weapon or anything.

"Who are you?" He growled, pointing his sword at Jay as he neared the free-flowing stream.

If Jay could talk he would have said something. _A sight for sore eyes?_

"Cole?" Zane urged, gesturing him to lower the blade. "This man is dehydrated. He only wants the water, he poses no threat."

"How do you know?" He growled. Reluctantly, Cole backed away. Watching cautiously as the creature made a slow and pained effort to get to the spring. His eyes glancing back to Lloyd and Zane for reassurance.

"Go, drink, we will not disturb." Zane uttered, hoping the man understood. "Cole, stand down." he barked, the tone stern.

"It's okay, Cole, just keep out of his way," Lloyd said, nervously. Though he couldn't tell if this thing was male or female, he didn't doubt Zane's judgement. At first glance, it did look male, there were no curves, to speak of. Its hair was jet black, very long and unkempt and the creature was absolutely filthy. Lloyd had caught downwind of it as it crawled past and he subconsciously held his nose. He was watching the creature too. They all were. Watching as it neared the spring and then proceeded to fill a jug of water, gulping it down, greedily.

"Who is he?" Cole asked, _rhetorically_. Obviously, no one knew, at that point. None the wiser to the reason he had been grouped in with them. "Why have they brought him here, with us?"

Lloyd shook his head, shrugging. He was out of ideas.

"Because, he is like us," Zane commented, watching the man with intrigue. "He is humanoid, and we are the only ones of our kind on this planet."

Cole let out a dark laugh. "Haa, he could be a maniac, a homicidal madman and they grouped him in with us?"

Lloyd couldn't help but agree with Cole. None of them knew the slightest bit about the man who had remained sitting then slumping over, passing out near the spring.

"He does not look very well." Zane motioned, moving closer to remove the unknown man from further harm. "He seems, ill." The nindroid knelt down, pulling the man from the water source. Gently, he slid his hands and arms under and hoisted him up, carrying the limp man to a bed. "He is dehydrated," Zane noted. A frown on his face at the bony protrusions and sunken eyes. "He needs to rest."

"Zane, what are you…?" Cole mouthed, watching as his brother showed gentleness to the stranger.

"Fetch me a cloth." He ordered gently.

"I don't have any," Cole grumbled.

"Ingenuity, you use what you can find upon your person!" Zane stated, snagging a piece of Cole's gi. A piece he wouldn't miss from the overlap of his robe.

Being inventive, Lloyd stepped forward and handed a thin slither from his green ninja scarf. He'd just torn it from the bottom, the cleanest part. "It's all I've got."

"What are you gonna do?" Cole asked, stepping closer. Both elemental masters surrounded the bed and watched Zane dip the green cloth into the water.

He wasn't gentle in the slightest. Zane could tell this man's face was caked in dirt and the only way to do it quickly and effectively with the addition of soap, would be to use some force.

"Wow," Cole mouthed. Seeing the palest skin ever. A remarkably pure white alabaster underneath the dirt. It contrasted so sharply it near enough reminded him of an earthbound zebra. "He's so, uh pale."

"He looks almost, human." Lloyd grinned.

Cole proceeded to tear a small amount of black from his tunic sleeve and followed Zane. Dipping it in the icy cold water before applying it to the man's face.

A sweeping motion to the cleansing ritual that he was copying from Zane.

"He is human, like I was saying." Zane murmured. "Just a little _dirty_."

"I guess it's too cruel an idea to completely submerge him in the spring?" Lloyd suggested, smiling. "Considering how bad he smells?"

"The spring is far too cold. And besides, we do not have any warm dry clothes for him. He would become too ill."

"More than he already is, you mean?" Lloyd stated.

"Fair enough, no submersions," Cole replied. "So, just carry on like this then?"

He was softer and didn't rub the man's skin to a red mess as Zane was doing. He was doing it with care and ease. Revealing more of this man's face as he carried on. Zane had stepped back, purposefully. And he refrained from showing his true emotions.

He knew who it was. He was thankful, in a way. Also, confused because if Loki was here where was Jay?

"Uh?" Cole recoiled. He saw the face before him, it was startlingly clear now. So damned terrifying to see this man before him, also oddly satisfying. He could, if he wanted to, run him through and then they'd all be free. First, he wanted answers. "Th-this isn't right."

"WHOA!" Lloyd kneeled, wearing the same expression. "Is that-" He got closer still, "It's, L-Loki!"

Cole didn't dare touch the man any further. Shuffling backwards when the man shifted slightly. "B-but if this is Loki, what the Hel's happened in Asgard, war?"

Zane shook his head. "Perhaps, we should allow him to rest, we can ask him tomorrow."

"And in the meantime?" Lloyd grunted getting up. "I'll fight next."

Cole glanced a look at his brother. His hand coming to rest on Lloyd's own. "Be careful, keep your sides closed and use the long blades. They don't like our katana, keep forgetting it has a sharp and blunt edge. I managed to get one a few days ago, he didn't get back up."

"I-I will. Take care of Zane for me. And, watch over him." He said staring pointedly at the man he despised. "If he tries anything, knock him out."

Cole smirked. "Knocking him out, haa."

That would be the last thing on his mind. If Loki came round and tried to raise his hand to cast a spell, Cole would drive the blade right through his head.


End file.
